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On Martin Luther King Day: Teach Your Children

Posted by Liza Baron, Director, Early Childhood Development Center on January 16, 2023

When giving consideration to how we talk about anti-racism in early learning, there is an overwhelming agreed upon approach: Talk about it all year long. We have been on a journey in ECDC (Early Childhood Development Center) for a number of years, but most intentionally focusing on culturally competent teaching for the last two and a half years. One of the ways we do this …

Try It Out: Active Recovery

Posted by Roberta Levine on January 13, 2023

I liked the sound of the class – “Active Recovery” – even though I didn’t think I had anything specific to recover from. Except… I’d done some intense workouts in the past couple of days. I have stiff joints when I get out of bed in the morning or get up from sitting a long time. And then there are those vague aches and pains that …

THE DEKA PHILOSOPHY

Posted by Spartan DEKA on January 5, 2023

The DEKA MISSION On Your Mark Fitness, Pittsburgh’s DEKA affiliate at the South Hills JCC, offers premier DEKA classes, challenges and competitions! At Spartan, our mission is to positively impact 100 million lives through fitness. DEKA is our answer to provide fitness for ALL levels. PHILOSOPHY The Greeks were the first on record to gamify and test fitness and the Greek term DEKA means Ten. With our 10 DEKA Zones, …

Try It Out!

Posted by Annie Schroeder on December 9, 2022

Each month, the JCC is featuring one of our many Group Exercise classes. With classes for people of all ages and fitness levels, we know there's something for everyone but still, taking that first step can be intimidating. We want to help get you started so we've enlisted staff and friends who want to try out highlighted classes. In this blog they will share the …

8 Nights of Light: A Chanukah Menorah Infographic

Posted by JCC of Greater Pittsburgh on December 1, 2022

The menorah is perhaps one of the most widely recognized symbols of Jewish culture and is the centerpiece of the Chanukah celebration. But how much do you really know about it? We’re sharing the fast facts you need to know about the Chanukkiah – from its history and meaning to the logistics of lighting yours – because it’s so much more than just a candelabra!

It’s about the oil

Posted by Roberta Levine on November 20, 2022

I'd been making latkes for many years before I finally realized something about this food tradition: Chanukah is the oil holiday - a celebration of miraculous oil that lasted 8 days. For me, good latkes are a small miracle too. Over the years, I've learned a few tricks to making (what I think are) the best latkes. The recipe: Joan Nathan's from her classic book, The …

My/Our Body and My/Our Soul: Caring for Both Every Day and on Yom Kippur, Too

Posted by Rabbi Ron Symons on September 28, 2022

Even before we start talking about Yom Kippur, I want to have a conversation with you about what I do on a daily basis. I am not sure how I did this, but I have become one of those people that works out almost every day of the week. I know, I know, you're thinking how easy it is for me given that the fitness …

Bake the Best Challah!

Posted by Roberta Levine on September 10, 2022

I contend that this recipe, shared many years ago at an NCJW meeting by Charlotte Sadofsky, is the best challah recipe, ever. It has all the eggs, oil, honey and sugar to make it the richest of all challahs. I add cinnamon for brightness and use lots of seeds - sesame and poppy - to coat. I usually stick to a simple 3-strand braid, but if …

Our Vision of Community

Posted by JCC Center for Loving Kindness on July 8, 2022

Welcome to our vision of community. It will be a strong fabric made up of threads of love and support. What do we mean when we say “love your neighbor as yourself”? How can we possibly love someone as much as ourselves? Isn’t that self-defeating? Rabbi Louis Jacobs (Jewish Personal and Social Ethics) teaches us that the meaning is not "love your neighbor like yourself”, but rather …

Five Years and Counting: So Much More Kindness To Do

Posted by Rabbi Ron Symons on July 1, 2022

It has been five years and counting since we launched the Center for Loving Kindness and Civic Engagement (CFLK) at the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh. While our work was accelerated in the immediate aftermath of the 2017 Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, VA, we had started planning for the Center for Loving Kindness during 2016 as we became acutely aware of the changing nature …

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P 412-521-8010

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345 Kane Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15243
P 412-278-1975

The JCC is open and accessible to everyone, regardless of age, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or special need by welcoming individuals of all backgrounds, embracing their uniqueness and diversity under our communal tent.