Picture this!

Southern salute to those who serve

It was an honor for the Jewish Educational Alliance in Savannah, Georgia to present Capt. Rabbi David Gingold, as featured speaker at their Jewish Federation Lunch ‘n Learn. He shared his experiences as a Jewish chaplain in the military to a rapt audience filled with many who have served our country.

The community was very active for Veterans Day. JEA campers ventured out to the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum to learn about our military past. Jewish War Veterans Post 320 took part in the city’s Veterans Day Parade, and JEA preschoolers had a special thank you for those who protect and defend.

If your JCC wants more information about better including veterans and current military personnel into the life of the JCC check out resources for Project Welcome Home on our website, and on JCCA.me. Or contact Rabbi Abbi Sharofsky, deputy director of programming, JWB Jewish Chaplains Council.

Convening for camp

Early November was busy for Jewish camping! More than 100 JCC executives, assistant executives, lay leaders and day and overnight camp professionals joined JCC Association’s camp team in Springfield, Massachusetts for the annual Harold Grinspoon Foundation JCamp180 Camp Conference. Our team—Jodi Sperling, senior consultant on overnight camps, and Aaron Greenberg, senior consultant for day camp initiatives—hosted a reception, where they shared highlights of what’s been going on at JCC Association, welcomed new faces, celebrated camp milestones, and heard about some exciting work happening in the field.

Following that conference, JCC Association held its retreat for affiliated overnight camps, and for the first time in anyone’s memory, representatives from every one of our 27 camps attended!

Littlest artists roar their talent for seniors

Budding young artists at the Aaron Family JCC showed off their wares in the latest twist of l’dor v’dor (from generation to generation). The J’s Senior Expo, allowed youngsters in the JCC’s early childhood program to showcase their talents for hundreds of seniors, who attend programs run by the J’s senior department.

The theme of the recent expo was lions, and the kids embraced it with enthusiasm, creating a variety of works to hang in the JCC’s art gallery that served as the backdrop for the Senior Expo lunch.

All the in-house artists attended an “artists’ reception,” hosted by the senior department, where they were able to show and explain their work to the doting adults. Of course snacks were involved, along with a little show-and-tell. And the seniors got to thank the kids for contributing their talent.

“What a beautiful connection, and so many Jewish values that our children are living in their own school family—right here at the J,” says Tara Ohayon, director of the early childhood program.

What a great way for departments at the J to bring different parts of their community together!