It is hard to believe that five years ago the JCC was forced to close its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the challenges of that time were great, the silver lining for me as a young professional at the JCC was seeing firsthand the importance of community during so much grief and isolation.

In addition to serving as a seasonal staff member at J&R Day Camp during the summer of 2020, I also had the opportunity to work at the JCC with our virtual learning hub, All Day at the J, for the entire 2020/21 academic year. In both settings, we knew how important it was to build a kehillah (community) of children and their families – despite the masks, social distancing, and quarantining – and to make them feel a part of something bigger that supported, uplifted, and inspired them all.

Having now transitioned into a full-time role at the JCC as the Director of our Clubhouse Afterschool program, I have grown to better appreciate the importance of both supporting and nurturing community in all that I do, while at the same time creating a welcoming environment where each person can explore their unique interests, talents, and identities. This uniquely JCC approach was on full display this week in two very distinct ways.

First, we celebrated Purim in style at both JCC branches – Lights, Camera, Purim! in the South Hills and The Snyder Family Purim Carnival, Once Upon A Purim in Squirrel Hill. Each event brought with it significant partnerships, including with Temple Emanuel, Beth El Congregation, Community Day School, Friendship Circle, and our long-standing PJ Library partnership through funding from the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, and helped strengthen community by fostering connection, joy, and shared Jewish identity. Costumes and a wide variety of games and activities also allowed carnival goers to express their personal style, creativity, and imagination and encouraged attendees to engage in ways that most resonated with them.

And in Clubhouse, we hosted our first ever Spirit Week, a fun-filled, themed experience that provided children with both group activities that reinforced our kehillah, such as Shabbat, Mitzvah Day, and Color War challenges, and a number of more personalized experiences, including Middah (value) Motivator and our 5th grade yearbook club, that helped cultivate an environment where every child knows they are valued for who they are and their unique areas of interest. Whether working together or flying solo, Spirit Week helped children to step outside of their comfort zones and to develop essential life skills that will serve them well in school, friendships, and future endeavors.

Just as the JCC has evolved since the dark days of the pandemic, so has my professional practice and my appreciation for supporting BOTH community and the individuals who make up the community. Strong individuals make a strong community, and a strong community empowers individuals to thrive. By celebrating both individuality and togetherness, we nurture a generation that flourishes personally while actively fostering a more compassionate and united kehillah where our differences are appreciated and respected. As we say at the JCC, “Impacting thousands one person at a time.”

Wishing you and your families a Shabbat Shalom,

Abbey Plumb