This past Sunday, November 9, was one of those days that perfectly captured what makes the JCC such an integral part of our community. Within a 4-hour block, our buildings (and even our virtual space) were filled with moments that spanned the full range of life – what we often refer to as the continuum between oy to joy.
There was a virtual Torah study in commemoration of the yahrzeit of the 2018 synagogue attack – a meaningful reminder of how we continue to honor memory and resilience together. Just outside of the Ostrow Palm Court, members rode together in We Will Ride Again, a spin class held in memory of Lior Weitzman (z”l), a cyclist killed on October 7.
All around the JCC, there was something for everyone: Special Olympics basketball practice, HaZamir choir rehearsal, a calming yoga class and an energetic SilverSneakers® fitness class, rehearsal for the Richard E. Rauh Senior High School – Alice By Heart, a joyful 6-year old birthday party in Levinson Hall, an adult ballet class, and our youngest members learning teamwork and sharpening their basket skills at the Little Champs Super Hoopers clinic.
Each of these moments – from reflection to celebration, from stillness to energy – showed the many ways our JCC brings people together for physical, emotional, and spiritual connection. It is this remarkable breadth and depth of programs and experiences, grounded in Jewish values, that makes our JCC not just a place, but a living expression of community. I hope you’ll come spend time with us to chart your own course of engagement and to discover new and meaningful moments that bring you back and forth between oy to joy. Our doors are open, and there’s a place here for you.
Wishing you and your families a Shabbat shalom,
Jason