By Jane E. Herman “God gave Adam a secret—and that secret was not how to begin, but how to begin again.” —Elie Wiesel We are in the midst of a … Continued
Why Ruth Bader Ginsburg Is the Epitome of Sukkot to Me
By Andi Meiseles I’ve always been fascinated by transformations of space. In New York, where space comes at a premium, apartment dwellers are famous for making creative use of every … Continued
We Israelis Are Tired, but Hope Remains
By Leah Garber The Jewish lifecycle offers us tremendous highs and deep lows, with lots of mundane ones in between. The same is true for the Jewish calendar, with Yom … Continued
How Scenario Planning Helps JCCs Lead the Way in Hard Times
By Sue Gelsey As I look proudly across the JCC field, I see JCCs (Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps) that remained open during the early months of the … Continued
JCC Maccabi® Update
After much thoughtful deliberation, JCC Association of North America has announced it will suspend the traditional JCC Maccabi Games® and ArtsFest® in 2021. The lay and professional leadership of … Continued
Parashat Haazinu: The Song
By Franklin James “Listen, Heavens, I have something to tell you; Attention, Earth, I have got a mouth full of words.” (Deuteronomy 32:1) Writing about this week’s Torah portion, Haazinu … Continued
Early Childhood Educators at the Core of the Community
By Sarah Koffler Apples often symbolize educators and generally come to life in autumn, just as schools open for the new academic year. The apple trees bloomed early this year … Continued
The Dialectic Truth of Rosh Hashanah
By Dina Rudolph As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many of us struggle with varied emotions. We are concerned, anxious, and uncertain about the future. At the same time, we are … Continued
Amplifying a Commitment to Anti-Racism in the JCC Movement
By Cherisse Smith “When we revolt it’s not for a particular culture. We revolt simply because, for many reasons, we can no longer breathe.” ― Frantz Fanon At some point … Continued
Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilech: Choosing to Be the Good in Life
By Jane E. Herman “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life!” (Deuteronomy 30:19) … Continued