| As summer begins to give way to fall, there is always a natural temptation to think of these final days of August as a quiet moment at the JCC – a pause between the energy of summer and the full calendar that awaits us in September. But if you have been anywhere around the JCC this week, you know that quiet is not quite the right word. Even as the program calendar may be a little lighter, the JCC remains very much an agency in motion. In the South Hills, significant construction is underway as we expand our kitchen to better meet the needs of our growing congregate meal program for older adults, as well as our expanding early childhood and day camp programs. We are also creating additional flexible programming space next to the AgeWell office, giving us more room for the variety of senior center activities that take place throughout the week. These may not be the most visible changes we make, but they are important investments in our ability to serve our community today and into the future. |
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| And then there are the moments that remind us just how broad and interconnected our JCC community really is. On Tuesday night, it was Jewish Heritage Night at PNC Park, and the JCC was well represented on one of Pittsburgh’s biggest stages. Our incredible AgeWell at the JCC choir had the honor of opening the evening by singing the national anthem, and after the game, our 2026 JCC Maccabi Pittsburgh athletes got a chance to head onto the field, hang out and play some catch. |
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| On Thursday, we had the opportunity to reconnect with our partners at S&B USA to celebrate the success of the Commercial Street Bridge project. It was especially meaningful to reflect not only on the remarkable project itself, but also on the success of the related exhibit in our American Jewish Museum. That exhibit helped our community see the bridge in a different way and to better understand the innovation, coordination, and extraordinary skilled labor happening behind the scenes to make a project of that magnitude possible. We are grateful for our partnership with S&B USA and proud of what we have accomplished together. And, as is often the case with good partnerships, we are already looking forward to what comes next. |
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| Meanwhile, across our early childhood development centers, a week of in-service training brought our devoted educators together as they prepared to welcome children back for the new school year on August 24. While the children may not yet have filled the classrooms with their energy, our educators certainly filled the week with learning, planning, and collaboration. |
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| All of this is a reminder that the JCC’s impact doesn’t follow a seasonal calendar. The pace may change, but the purpose remains constant. We are a place where people gather, learn, grow, connect, and build community, and that work continues all year long. Wishing you and your families a Shabbat shalom, Jason |