Our first virtual Book Club meeting last week was a great success! The club was joined by author Michelle Cameron for a discussion of her book Beyond the Ghetto Gates. The historical novel, set in Napoleon’s time, was surprisingly relevant to today’s rising tide of anti-Semitism and rapidly changing world. The meeting brought together 30 of our JCC members, including participants currently in Florida and the Poconos.
It was a wonderful reminder that no matter where we are right now, the J still brings us all together! A special thank you to Michelle Cameron for joining us and to our Book Club leader Barbara Kent. On Monday, members of our community joined a worldwide, virtual tribute for Yom HaZikaron, or Israel Memorial Day, in remembrance of the fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism that we have lost. U.S. Census 2020 If you haven’t filled out the census yet, now is the time to do it! It is vital that we are ALL counted to secure funding for housing, transportation, schools, and other services we rely on. It takes less than 10 minutes and is confidential. You can fill it out by mail, online or by calling (844) 330-2020. As National Occupational Therapy Month comes to a close, we'd like to thank Limor Cohen and Danielle Weiner for all of their hard work and dedication! Our Teacher of the Week is Tony Parisi! Tony spent 10 years as an EMT and Paramedic in the Marine Corps and 22 years with the NYPD. He has been with the JCC for three years as an ESL instructor, and holds instructors certifications in Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino in martial arts! When asked about teaching, Tony said, "I love teaching! I love the sharing of knowledge, and the enthusiasm I experience from my students. I learn just as much from them as they do from me. I hope to continue teaching for many years to come!" Thank you for all of your hard, work Tony! Learn the proper kicking stances for cardio kickboxing and get your heart rate up with this workout! Yoga is not only a great way to relax and de-stress, but it can also be a great way to tone your core muscles! Check out these yoga poses to tone your abs! We miss our Parent & Me classes! Until we can teach them again, here's another at-home conditioning tip to help you get your baby to feel comfortable with water. During bath time pour water from a small cup from the back of your baby's head to the front. Be sure to count “1,2,3” prior to your pour. Always be positive and excited; if you are unsure your baby will be unsure. Wait at least 2 minutes between each pour. Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! Incorporate Toe Taps into your soccer practice routine to improve your balance, ball control, and stamina! Put the ball in front of you. Place your foot on top of the ball, and then off, switching between your feet like you’re climbing up the stairs. Keep practicing! Did you know that we offer four different sports camps in the summer? We have soccer, basketball, gymnastics, and aquatics programs! Not only will your child improve their skills, but sports will teach your child how to be a good teammate, the value of hard work, and the power of a positive attitude! Learn more here! TODAY: Historical & Cultural Traditions of Eastern European Jews, 12pm Join Rabbi Sussman for his weekly lecture on Facebook Live! TODAY: Interactive Online Live Performance in Celebration of Israel’s Independence Day & International Jazz Day! 1:30pm Join us as Guy Mintus dedicates his weekly Facebook live show to “Israeli Songs that Make YOU Happy” in honor of Israel’s Independence Day. You can watch the livestream here. TOMORROW: Art of Broadway, 11am Our "Art of Broadway" class is going virtual! Join Fred Grieco for his weekly class on Zoom! Meeting ID 115-119-374 Password 265999 A Seat at the Table: A Journey Into Jewish Food The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is offering a free online class on Jewish food and culture. The course includes lectures by scholars, video demonstrations by renowned chefs, and more! Learn more and register here! Last weekend, stars came together for a virtual celebration of legendary Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim's 90th birthday! If you missed it, you can watch the full program here! Even though concert halls are closed for now, there are plenty of live virtual concerts to watch while you're at home! Keep checking this NPR article for an updated calendar of upcoming concerts! The Weekly Schmooze: Specialty Gymnastics Camp Our USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Training Program teaches skills in each Olympic event. Led by our staff of highly trained coaches, campers will work on the uneven parallel bars, balance beam, vault, floor, and trampoline. Other activities include obstacle courses, games, and contests. Gymnastics Camp is a fun and healthy way to learn new skills and make lots of new friends! To learn more, please contact gymnastics@sijcc.com or call 718.475.5275. Register for a fun summer at gymnastics camp here! We hope you will consider registering for camp again this year, as we intend to have another wonderful summer. Registration is ongoing at camp.sijcc.org. As we adjust to the shifting landscape of this crisis, we will inform you about any changes to our programming. In the event that we have to make the heartbreaking decision not to open camp in 2020, you will receive a full refund. Check out Ji Bytes, a great resource for at-home Jewish learning for kids! Learn all about Israel, Jewish culture, and more with videos and online games! For those in need, JCC social services have gone completely virtual, with staff members providing health insurance navigation, mental health services, legal support resources, and other COVID-19 resources over the phone and email. If you need assistance, please reply to this email, and someone from our staff will get in touch with you. New York State announced a Special Enrollment Period for individuals who may have lost their health insurance as a result of their employment ending due to Coronavirus. If enrollment in Qualified Health Plans through NY State of Health Marketplace is completed, individuals will have coverage effective April 1, 2020. Enrollment into Medicaid, Essential Plan and Child Health Plus is open year-round. Consumers can apply for coverage through JCC NYSOH Navigators by phone at 718.981.1400 or 718-475-5271. Our friends at NYLAG put together this webinar with financial advice to help you get through the COVID-19 situation. The video discusses financial challenges, updates on government programs, and other resources. For more information, contact Devorah Weiss at dweiss@sijcc.com We're hosting a photography fundraiser with Sweetest Smiles Photography for Giving Tuesday Now! All donations support our Families in Need COVID-19 Emergency Fund. Sign up here to get a picture taken of your family from your front porch next week! If you’re interested in hosting a virtual fundraiser for us, please contact EShulman@sijcc.com for more information. - Have you been experimenting in the kitchen now that you’re spending more time at home? Stop by this virtual fundraiser with Pampered Chef to get all of your kitchen essentials while also supporting Sunrise Day Camp! Passports to Paraguay: Film Discussion Sunday, May 3, 1:00 pm Join Dr. Mordecai Paldiel, world expert on Holocaust rescue, and Ambassador Jakub Kumoch of Poland for a virtual film-and-discussion of Passports to Paraguay, hosted by the Sousa Mendes Foundation. This documentary tells the little-known true story of the “Ładoś group” of Polish citizens in Switzerland who saved Jews trapped in Nazi-occupied Poland in 1942 by securing Paraguayan passports. Virtual “seats” are filling up fast for this free event, so be sure to register soon here! - Crisis to Connection: Resiliency in the Time of Social Isolation, A Conversation With Dr. Ruth Thursday, May 7, 7:30 pm A former passenger on the Kinder Transport who spent time as an Israeli sniper before she became one of America's most beloved therapists, Dr. Ruth -- 91 years old and still hard at work -- defines hardiness and strength. UJA presents a talk on resiliency with Dr. Ruth in conversation with philanthropist, entrepreneur, and National Young Leadership Cabinet co-chair Ari Ackerman. Register for the webinar here. - 4th Annual Holocaust Art, Poetry, and Prose Contest: Submissions due May 10, 2020 The Wagner College Holocaust Center and Holocaust Commemoration Committee on Staten Island encourage young people in all grade levels to share their creative response to this year’s theme: Children and Prejudice in the Holocaust. Entries will be judged based on creativity, passion, message, and connection to theme. Artwork entries must be accompanied by a paragraph on the meaning of the piece. All entries should include your name, school, and contact information. The first-place winner will receive a cash prize of $100, second-place $50, and third-place $25. Please submit entries to Holocaust.center@wagner.edu with “Holocaust Art Contest 2020” in the subject line. You can also mail your entry to Wagner College Holocaust Center, One Campus Road, Staten Island, NY 10301. Winning entries will be exhibited at www.wagner.edu/holocaust-center and on social media and in future gallery exhibits. For questions: contact Professor Lori Weintrob at lrweintr@wagner.edu 718-390-3309 - We are participating in Giving Tuesday Now, a campaign leading up to Tuesday, May 5th to help provide emergency funding so we can help those in need at this critical moment. Every year, the JCC serves over 6,000 people in crisis. This year, that number will grow as Staten Islanders experience hardships related to COVID-19. Here is another story of a family in crisis we’ve been able to help: We were recently contacted by a woman who immigrated here from Mexico with her husband 17 years ago. They are now the parents of two children. The couple was working with a lawyer to become US citizens, but that process has been put on hold due to COVID-19. While the father of the family is authorized to work in the US, his hours working at a restaurant as a cook were recently cut due to the crisis, leaving them with barely enough money to cover their rent. The family is now relying on the JCC for food from our food pantry, as well as referrals to other social services. You can join us in helping these families in crisis by donating to our Families in Need campaign.
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AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
November 2021
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LocationSBERNIKOW/MID-ISLAND
1466 Manor Road Staten Island, NY 10314 718.475.5200 ABERLIN/NORTH SHORE
485 Victory Blvd Staten Island, NY 10301 718.475.5290 |
AVIS/SOUTH SHORE
1297 Arthur Kill Road Staten Island, NY 10312 718.475.5270 BERMAN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
2221 Richmond Ave. Staten Island, NY 10314 718.475.5100 |
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