J at Home: Stay Connected! 1/7/2021

UPCOMING EVENTS
As always, there's something for everyone at the J! Check out these great upcoming events!
-
SAJE Presents... Jewish Film Series with Dr. Julia Wagner
Sundays, through February 7, 12pm 
Don't miss our SAJE Jewish Film Series with Dr. Julia Wagner! In this online course, we will explore representations of the Jewish experience on screen from early silent films to today, from Hollywood to Israel. Join us on Sunday for Part Two: Holocaust Films. This lecture will focus on major movements and ethical representations of the Holocaust. Upcoming topics include Israeli cinema, Jewish masculinity, and Jewish women in film. Tickets are $12 per lecture or $50 for the series. Zoom information to follow registration. Remember, if you miss any of the lectures, your ticket also provides access to recordings you can watch at any time! Learn more about the lecture topics & register here. 
-
Music Making for Families featuring Music With Patrick
FREE DEMO: Monday, January 11, 12pm
Please join Mr. Patrick, his guitar and his silly puppet friends for a fun-filled, family-friendly performance that will have families singing, laughing, clapping and dancing around the room.
Check out a special message from Mr. Patrick here! The demo session of this new program is FREE! Email Ela Seeley at ESeeley@SIJCC.com to register. Zoom information to follow registration.
-
SAJE Presents... Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Lecture Series
Tuesdays, January 12 & January 19, 2pm
Join us for a virtual lecture series on Israel with two outstanding professors from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev! On January 12, Dr. Edo Bar-Zeev will present on How Israel Became a Trailblazer in a Water-Starved World. On January 19, Professor Guy Ben-Porat will discuss Policing Citizens: Minority Policy in Israel. Tickets are $15 per lecture or $25 for both lectures. Zoom information to follow registration. Purchase tickets here.
-
The Golden Age of the Original Movie Musical
Wednesday, January 13, 1pm
Escape into the Technicolor world of the 1950s Hollywood movie musical! A true American art form, these films will have you dancing on the ceiling like Fred Astaire & hanging off of lampposts like Gene Kelly in no time! So, "Come on, get happy!" and join Sam & Candy Caponegro for a fabulous lecture! Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here. Zoom information to follow registration. 
-
Check out our Program Guide—your guide to everything going on, in-person and virtually, in our community!

IN THE NEWS
Membership Update
As of January 1, 2021, in order to use the Fitness Center, your membership must be active. If you froze your membership with a membership extension from October–December 2020, it has restarted as of January 1st. Members who paid monthly and are not delinquent or in good standing, meaning no dues owed, had their billing restarted. If you paid in full for your membership, the amount of months that we were closed will be added to your account, extending your expiration date.
 
If you would like to keep your membership on freeze for up to three more months (January – March 2021), you can pay an additional one-time fee:      

• $25 for Individual, Senior, Young Adult and Teen
• $35 for Couple, Senior Couple and Single Parent Family
• $45 for Family

Once that additional freeze is done (at the discounted one-time freeze fee rate instead of the usual monthly fee), the regular freeze policy will go into effect for future holds on your membership.
​
If you cancelled your membership and wish to use the Fitness Center, you must rejoin. 

To renew your WellPro Membership, click here.
To renew your Wellness Membership, click here.
If you wish to remain on freeze, please email membership@sijcc.com.  
When you enter our facilities, please swipe your key fob when you enter the building and at all Sports & Wellness areas. We ask that you review and follow all of our COVID-19 policies and procedures for your safety. All of our policies are listed here.  
-
In Memoriam: Dr. Ronald Leventhal
Earlier this week, we lost Dr. Ronald Leventhal, the 22nd President of the JCC. The JCC was special to Ron and his family. It was during Ron’s presidency in 1982 when we opened the South Shore/Avis Building. Ron and his wife Helene always worked together to benefit the JCC, and were among the first recipients of the Allan Weissglass Distinguished Leadership Award.
The JCC remains close to the heart of the Leventhal family, and they have asked that any donations in his memory go to our Families in Need program. If you wish to donate or send a tribute card, click here.
-
Getting Healthy in 2021
At the JCC, we remain committed to helping you maintain and improve your fitness levels during the pandemic. In addition to our fitness center and pool, we offer outdoor and virtual classes, so there's no excuse not to work out with us in 2021! Check out this special message from fitness instructor Lisa Lubarsky! If you aren't already a member of the J, you can join here for 50% off an annual membership and access our Fitness Center, Indoor Pool, and Outdoor & Virtual Fitness Classes!*
*New members only
-
CLLD Grab & Go Meals Update
We would like to thank Sunrise Senior Living for sponsoring our initiative to continue feeding seniors in 2021! If you are in need of assistance, please contact the CLLD office at 718.517.7445. Individuals who have not yet received a meal delivery from the Department for the Aging must call 311 to enroll.
-
Staten Island: Stay Strong, Stay Safe
With the second wave of the pandemic upon us, it's more important than ever that we stay safe and strong this holiday season. Let's keep our community in good health and safeguard one another so that we can all live, work, learn, and play with confidence. We've partnered with the Staten Island Not for Profit Association to be part of the #SIStayStrongStaySafe campaign. We encourage you join us by taking the pledge here and encouraging your networks to do their part! For additional resources, check out this digital toolkit!
-
Mask Up
"Wear a mask for me so I can get back to the JCC!" Check out this special message about wearing masks from our friends at the JCC! If we all do our part and wear our masks, we can help our in-person programs stay open and get back to the regular programs we love sooner. Follow these additional precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19:

• Wash your hands
• Watch your distance
• Wait at home if you don't feel well, and 
• GET TESTED 

Find out where you can get tested here. You can also view estimated wait times at various testing sites here.

WELLNESS
Virtual Tai Chi Classes
Join us for virtual Tai Chi classes with Lisa! These classes include exercises to improve your balance, breathing, and flexibility to offer you fun and enjoyment while learning Tai Chi forms. We offer weekly sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays. Zoom information for each session is as follows.
 
Mondays, 11am: Evidence Based Tai Chi for Arthritis 1
Join us on Zoom here 
Meeting ID: 926 0178 9469
Passcode: CLLDFIT
 
Wednesdays, 11am: Evidence Based Tai Chi for Arthritis 2
Join us on Zoom here
Meeting ID: 965 8552 4160
Passcode: CLLDFIT
-
Virtual Yoga Class
Sundays, 11am-12:15pm
Join us for a new virtual yoga class, open to all JCC and CLLD members! The class will meet weekly on Zoom and will include deep relaxation, breathing exercises, and meditation along with the physical practice of yoga. In addition to a yoga mat, we recommend that you also have 2 blankets, a pillow, a strap, and a yoga block or thick book. Join us on Zoom here!  
-
Virtual Chair Yoga Classes
Fridays, 10am
We are excited to bring you a new virtual chair yoga class, open to all JCC and CLLD members! Chair yoga is a gentle, relaxing practice that can help you improve your core strength and balance.
Join us on Zoom here.
Meeting ID: 951 7046 6404
Password: CLLDFIT
-
JCC Trailblazers January Schedule
Get outside and enjoy fresh air and good company with the JCC Trailblazers this January! We're hosting several socially distant walks and hikes this month!
Monday, January 11, 9am: Walk over the Bayonne Bridge
Monday, January 18, 9am: Walk over the Goethals Bridge
Monday, January 25, 9am: Walk along the FDR Boardwalk
Friday, January 25, 9am: Special hiking event for experienced & conditioned hikers
For more details and to reserve your spot, click here!
-
Gentle Pilates Workout
This gentle Pilates workout is perfect for beginners looking to try new fitness practices in 2021!
-
Ongoing Classes & At-Home Workouts
Check out our virtual classes, open to all CLLD and JCC members! These low-impact classes will help you get moving and stay fit at home! Check out our website for a full schedule of all our virtual wellness programming!

SPORTS
Winter Tennis Session
Register for classes, drop-in sessions, and private lessons here!
-
Core 24 Winter Programs
Our Core 24 Basketball Academy winter programs are starting soon! We offer classes and lessons for players in all grades, as well as our NEW Core 24 Sports Mentoring Program for children who are new to sports. Learn more and register here!
-
Winter Gymnastics Session
Our winter gymnastics session begins this week! Learn more and register here. For more information, please contact Mary Fontana at 917.975.5347 or mfontana@sijcc.com.

AQUATICS
Lifeguard Certification Courses
Want to learn skills that will help you save lives? Become a certified lifeguard! We have lifeguard certification courses, as well as re-certification courses, starting soon! Learn more here. 

ARTS AND CULTURE
Did you know? If you miss one of our amazing virtual seminars, you can still purchase a ticket to watch it on demand! Tickets for past and upcoming virtual programs are available here!
-
Soul To Soul
Monday, January 18, 4pm
Join us for an electrifying virtual concert celebrating the music and shared experiences of the African American and Jewish communities. This exhilarating and moving musical event, which previously played annually to sold out houses across the US and around the world, will premiere online for the first time on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This event is presented in partnership with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, the company which brought Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish to the stage. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased here. A portion of proceeds will support the JCC of Staten Island. After this content becomes available on January 18 at 4pm, you'll have 7 days to start watching. Once you begin, you'll have 7 days to finish watching.
-
One Hand, One Heart: An Intergenerational Celebration of Broadway & Yiddish Song
Wednesday, January 20, 7pm
The JCC and the Dr. Esther Grushkin Seminars for Adult Jewish Education (SAJE) are proud to partner with the Wagner College Chai Society and Wagner College Holocaust Center to present a special celebration of Broadway and Yiddish song! Multi-ethnic singing club Shir Levav (Sing from the Heart) will join with with Holocaust Survivor Arthur Spielman to perform music by Jewish composers of Broadway and a few favorite Yiddish songs. The program will be hosted by 2nd generation survivor Mickey Tennenbaum, Professor of Theater at Wagner College.  Register here. Zoom information to follow registration.
-
January Book Club Meeting
Thursday, January 21, 12:30pm
Join us at our next virtual Book Club meeting! ​We will be reading The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. We hope to see you there!
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 893 5398 8148
Password: books
-
SAJE Presents... Broadway's Great Jewish Composing Teams with Fred Grieco
Wednesdays, January 27-February 17, 7pm
Join Fred Grieco for a discussion of the legendary Jewish composing teams who helped define the Broadway musical. This 4-part series will cover Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Loewe, Comden & Green, and Kander & Ebb. Don't miss it! Tickets are $12 per lecture or $40 for the series. Zoom information to follow registration. Purchase tickets here. 
-
SAJE Presents... Mesmerizing Moments at the Museums of Europe: A 6-Part Online Lecture Series with Peter Whitehouse
Tuesdays, February 2 - March 9, 1pm
Journey across Europe without ever leaving the comfort of your home & see the treasures on display at some of the world's greatest museums! We'll be exploring museums including the Hermitage, the Louvre, the Prado, Museo di Capodimonte, Kunsthistorisches, Musee des Beaux-Arts, and more! Tickets are $12 per lecture or $60 for the series and can be purchased here. Zoom link will follow your registration.
-
Best of Follies in Concert
In 1985, legendary performers came together to perform music from Stephen Sondheim's Follies in concert. Check out highlights from the show here!
-
Ongoing Cultural Arts Classes
We miss all of our enriching Cultural Arts classes, but we are so excited to be able to offer some of them virtually! Check out our website for a full schedule of all of our virtual programming!

MUSIC
Music Institute Open for In-Person Lessons
The Dorothy Delson Kuhn Music Institute has officially re-opened for individual, in-person instrumental lessons! Lessons will take place on weekdays, Monday through Friday, between 3pm-7pm. Spaces are limited, so make sure to register early. Sign up here! All lessons will follow CDC guidelines. Read more about precautions we are taking to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff here. We look forward to seeing our musicians in person again soon! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ela Seeley at ESeeley@sijcc.com.
-
Scholarship Opportunities
We have several scholarship opportunities available for deserving music students! Partial scholarships are open to students entering grades 5-12 who have some prior training on their instrument. Our Harmony Club scholarship program is open to highly motivated students in grades 9-12. “Harmony Club” students will take free private lessons and ensemble classes. Students will also participate in master classes, and solo and group recitals. This program is made possible through a grant from UJA-Federation of New York. To apply for scholarship programs, please email a 1-2 minute performance audition video to Ela Seeley, Music Institute Director, at eseeley@SIJCC.com. Learn more about the programs here. 
-
2Cellos in Concert
Watch this full concert by Croatian cellist duo 2Cellos! In this performance, recorded in 2016 at the Verona Arena, the duo puts their unique spin on pop and rock songs.

KIDS AND FAMILIES
Scholastic Home Base
Check out Scholastic Home Base, a safe, free 3D interactive world! Kids can explore beloved stories, play games inspired by their favorite books, and brush up on skills like geography, physics, spelling, writing, and more!

SOCIAL SERVICES
Connect to Recovery
Check out this great SILive feature on Connect to Recovery! Connect to Recovery is our one-stop shop for all of resources you need to help you through these difficult times. For more information about Connect to Recovery services, contact Carolyn at COVID19@sijcc.com or 718.475.5264.
-
COVID-19 Bereavement Support Group
New group forming soon
UJA-Federation of New York’s Partners in Caring presents a virtual Covid-19 bereavement support group for family caregivers. Please contact Karen Factor at KFactor@sijcc.com or 718.508.3884 to register.
-
Volunteer for the JCC's Kosher Food Pantry
Since the pandemic began, our Kosher Food Pantry has been serving 4-5 times its typical recipients. With such an increase in need for food assistance, we also need additional volunteers to help us feed local families. Volunteers can help with various jobs including distribution to families, stocking shelves, packing food packages, and more. Please contact Neshama Marcus at nmarcus@SIJCC.com or 718.475.5228 if you would like to help. Thank you!
-
Free ESL and HSE Classes
If you need assistance with the English Language, you should take advantage of this FREE Program on Staten Island! We offer online morning and night classes, and our staff is always here to help get you where you need to be! Come and join us for a great opportunity to advance your language skills! If you have any questions, please call us at 718.508.3885

If you are looking to get your high school equivalency diploma, you can join our online program for free!* Call us at 718.508.3895 Or email us at hcirnigliaro@sijcc.com for more information
*Students must be 18 years old or older, and no longer enrolled in High School
-
Online Learning for Career Development
The New York State Department of Labor has partnered with Coursera to offer free online courses that can help you build your skills and advance your career. Learn more and register here. 

COMMUNITY EVENTS
If you're interested in listing your community event or advertising in J at Home, please contact
Allison Cohen at ACohen@sijcc.com.
-
Be sure to check out these additional programs from our friends at other organizations around the country! 

Bringing Israel Home with Chef Michael Solomonov
Wednesdays, January 13 - April 28, 8pm
We are excited to partner with the JCC Association of North America to present a free digital culinary series! Chef Michael Solomonov typically visits Israel twice a year, but with travel to Israel curtailed due to the pandemic, Solomonov is bridging the gap with the new 16-episode digital series, “Bringing Israel Home”. In each episode, Solomonov visits with his friends and prominent Israelis, who share their awe-inspiring take on Israeli food culture. Then, live in his home kitchen, Solomonov cooks a mix of new and signature dishes that are centered on the gastronomic subject of the episode. Subjects include “Israel’s Diversity”; “The Port City of Akko”; “Yemenite Soup for the Soul”; “The Israeli Bakery”; “The Shuk”; and more. The cooking component in each episode includes a live Q&A with viewers. Participants can view recipes viewers in advance through Jewish Food Society, here. Enter a contest to win a private Zoom cooking class with Chef Solomonov by filling out this form by January 31! Watch Bringing Israel Home here. Follow the show on Instagram here.

Virtual JCC with the Schwartz/Reisman Centre and Prosserman JCC
During these challenging times, the entire JCC community across North America has come together to share unique, engaging content with members. You can make a free Virtual JCC account to access a variety of live, virtual events. We'll be sure to keep sharing our favorites with you! Check it out here!

An Honest Conversation About Aging with Joan Lunden
Sunday, January 10, 7:30pm
An award-winning journalist, bestselling author, motivational speaker, and women’s health & wellness advocate, Joan Lunden has been a trusted voice in homes for more than 30 years. For nearly two decades, Lunden greeted viewers each morning on Good Morning America bringing insight to the day’s top stories. As the longest-running female host ever on early morning television, Lunden reported from 26 countries, covered 5 presidents, 5 Olympics, and kept Americans up to date on how to care for their homes, their families, and their health. She will discuss her latest book and discuss embracing each phase of life. Watch here. 

The Ultimate Comfort Food Makeover with Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat
Monday, January 11, 7:30pm
Looking to ditch your deep fryer but still longing to satisfy your comfort food cravings? Tune in for tasty tips, tricks, and recipes! Watch here.
 
Takeout Recipes Made Healthy with Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat
Monday, January 18, 7:30pm
Step back from the takeout menu. Yes, take a giant step back because your New Year's resolutions (Eat Healthier! Save Money! Cook More!) just got way easier to keep. With these healthy spins on traditionally fat and preservative-laden takeout-inspired eats, you'll quickly and easily discover that there's no place like home (cooking). Watch here.