Summer is a VERY busy time at the JCC. Bus songs, swim lessons, canoeing and kayaking, boat rides and knee boarding, ziplining, nature hikes, trips abroad, arts & crafts, sports of all sorts, color war and much more. While any of these activities would make a good theme for a Shabbat weekly message, another lesser-known […]
JCC State of Mind – July 5, 2024 Read More »
Connections, VALUES, growth and fun! With camp in full swing at the South Hills JCC, it is time for one of my favorite programs of the entire summer – Mensch on the Bench – where counselors pick a camper in their group who most embodies the weekly middah (value). Every Friday, as the entire camp
JCC State of Mind – June 28, 2024 Read More »
THE DEKA PHILOSOPHY On Your Mark Fitness, Pittsburgh’s DEKA affiliate at the South Hills JCC, offers premier DEKA classes, challenges and competitions! Coming up: DEKA Strong competition Saturday, July 20, 2024 8 am-1 pm On Your Mark Fitness at the JCC South Hills Athletes will receive a T-shirt and their first piece of the Trifecta
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Over the past week at the JCC, we have been celebrating both moving up and moving out. Across our early childhood development center in both Squirrel Hill and South Hills, nearly 60 of our pre-kindergarten students moved up following a year of significant exploration and growth. Over the same time, Rabbi Ron Symons, our Senior Director of Jewish Life and
JCC State of Mind – June 21, 2024 Read More »
You’ve walked in and started your membership. You’ve gotten your swipe card, downloaded the app to see the schedules, made a promise to yourself that you are starting new healthy habits, and then you’ve gone to bed each night telling yourself that in the morning, you’re going to figure out how to actually Do The
Getting Active at the JCC: We're Here to Help! Read More »
Throughout the Jewish world, this week has been filled with active learning in celebration of Shavuot, the late spring pilgrimage festival. Originally celebrated exclusively as a harvest festival 50 days after the beginning of Passover when the wheat crops came in, Shavuot has been transformed over history to include a celebration of coming together to
JCC State of Mind – June 14, 2024 Read More »
This week’s JCC State of Mind is by Fara Marcus, Chief Development and Marketing Officer How are you? While it’s a common phrase we ask our friends and coworkers every day, in Hebrew it’s said, “Mah shlomech?” which literally translates to, “How is your peace?” I was asked this question many times during a recent
JCC State of Mind – June 7, 2024 Read More »
Last night, we celebrated someone who has touched the lives of so many here at the JCC and throughout the Pittsburgh community. More than 200 people joined together to pay tribute to Rabbi Ron Symons and to recognize his impact over the last nine years as the JCC’s Senior Director of Jewish Life and Founding
JCC State of Mind – May 31, 2024 Read More »
Originally shared on May 24, 2024 during Staff Day at Emma Kaufmann Camp Before we board our buses back to Pittsburgh, I wanted to take some time to reflect on our journey so far this year and where we are headed as we look toward the future. On August 31, 2023 just hours before assuming
Jason Kunzman Remarks at JCC Staff Day 2024 Read More »
Best-in-class community centers have an innate ability to go well beyond the confines of their physical buildings to meet community need. While our JCC serves as a central hub for many vital activities and programs across the age continuum, extending our reach beyond our walls can profoundly benefit our community in numerous ways. First and
JCC State of Mind – May 24, 2024 Read More »
This week’s JCC State of Mind is by Maria Carson, Director of Jewish Education and Arts, Teen Division During the past academic year, the JCC’s Second Floor Teen Center, which is generously funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, has hosted a campaign of Dungeons & Dragons (or D&D for short) for teens in grades
JCC State of Mind – May 17, 2024 Read More »
The Role of Powerlifting in Personal Training Eli Snyder, JCC Personal Trainer What’s an efficient way to get stronger, move more easily and feel better? Eli Snyder, JCC Personal Trainer, likes the three lifts that are the basis of the strength sport called Powerlifting: Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift. “I like them for myself because
JCC Personal Training Tips Read More »
This week’s JCC State of Mind is by Emma Litwak, South Hills Day Camp Director At our core, the JCC deeply values and promotes building Jewish identity and fostering meaningful connections to the land and people of Israel. This is built into the DNA of our camps, where opportunities abound for campers to explore and experience
JCC State of Mind – May 10, 2024 Read More »
Summer starts at the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh! Don’t sweat your summer plans. We’ve got something for everyone at JCC Pittsburgh! JCC members get access to 3 locations across Pittsburgh, including a gorgeous Olympic size outdoor pool. Take a Spin class Friday and go for a swim Saturday! Make the most of your fitness this summer inside AND outside. When you join the JCC this
Join the JCC this summer and save $50 when you sign up! Read More »
2024 Inductees, Awardees and Honorees: Local 2024 Jewish High School Seniors honored with the Nathan H. Kaufman Award for their athlete and scholastic achievements. NAME SCHOOL SPORT(S) Isla Abrams North Allegheny Field Hockey, Lacrosse Noam Azagury Hillel Academy Basketball & Cross Country Dylan Berman Fox Chapel Cross Country & Fencing Isaac Bernstein Upper St Clair
Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Western Pennsylvania 2024 Awards Read More »
Last summer, as I was preparing for my new role as CEO, I went on a listening tour across our leadership team and asked what could be done to make our team meetings more effective. The responses primarily fell into three buckets – cadence, content and culture. As I was preparing to present my findings
JCC State of Mind – May 3, 2024 Read More »
There are three things that I love most about Passover – the intentionality with which the food comes together, the unique ways each of us has in telling the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt and how the story is integrated with family traditions and gathering with loved ones around the table. But now with
JCC State of Mind – April 26, 2024 Read More »
This week’s JCC State of Mind is by Rebecca Kahn, Director of Jewish Teen Leadership This past week, our community had the pleasure of hosting 19 teens from our Israeli Partnership2Gether region of Karmiel/Misgav for the Diller Teen Fellows annual Jewish Community Mifgash (JCM). The Diller Teen Fellows program is an immersive, year-long leadership experience
JCC State of Mind – April 19, 2024 Read More »
Please note: We’re very excited to be once again hosting the JCC Classic Swim meet at the Family Park in Monroeville June 12-14. With nearly 240 swimmers, this will be the biggest meet in history! Due to the meet, Family Park pool and locker rooms will open at 1:30 pm on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14