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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IN THE NEWS
TOMORROW: Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut! Join us for a global, virtual celebration of Israel’s Independence Day hosted by JCC Global, Jewish Federations of North America, and other partners. This is an unprecedented opportunity for Israel supporters from every background and corner of the globe to unite — digitally — and celebrate Israel. Follow along with all the events here 11:30 AM – Cooking with Israeli Celebrity Chef Haim Cohen 12:00 PM – Celebrating the Israeli VIBE- Culture, Fashion and Technology with Vibe Israel 1:00 PM – Winning Together: 72 Years in Motion -Sports, Community and Achievements 2:00 PM – A celebration featuring celebrity appearances by Matisyahu, Joshua Malina, Ben Platt, global chefs, Isaac Herzog, Rita, and Caissie Levy 3:00 PM – Matisyahu performs from his home studio 3:30 - 5:00 PM – Global Dance Party with גלגלצ, Israel's Leading Radio Station You might also be interested in... 11:00 AM – Teens, adults, and families can join thousands of others in the biggest ever live online Israel quiz! Register for the Etgar Challenge here! 1:00 PM – Join the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley for Israeli dancing, trivia, games and more! Don't forget your favorite Israeli spirit wear for the virtual fashion show. Register here! - Thank you to our community partners who are hosting DIY fundraisers for the JCC! Our friends at Sweetest Smiles Photography raised over $1000 by taking pictures of people on their front porches and donating the fees to our Families in Need campaign. We are grateful to Sweetest Smiles and all the families that participated in this fundraiser! Sweetest Smiles' next fundraiser will support our Giving Tuesday Now campaign for Families in Need. If you would like to have your photo taken in support of this great cause, sign up for a time slot here! - We are grateful to Mannix Shop Rite Stores for donating over 30 boxes of kosher food to our food pantry last week. Thank you for your generosity! We would also like to recognize the following organizations, which have kept our food pantry running during this crisis: Richmond County Savings Foundation, UJA Federation, United Way, Food Bank NYC, Brooklyn Home For Aged Men Foundation, the Robin Hood Foundation, Verizon, Con Edison, and DYCD. In addition to our grab-and-go food pickups, members of our staff also delivered packages of food to those in need in our community! - In honor of National Occupational Therapy Month, we’re highlighting Heba Rabinowitz! Heba has been a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant for 4 years. Her clinical experience includes pediatric and adult rehabilitation in a variety of settings including Acute Care, Skilled Nursing, Private Practice, and Preschool. Heba brings her compassion and calm nature to the JCC Berman Early Childhood Center every day. Thank you, Heba! WELLNESS Try out this 30 minute, equipment-free HIIT workout to improve cardiovascular fitness and maximize calorie burn! - Relax and stretch with this gentle chair yoga exercise! SPORTS Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! Practice this basketball drill to help you learn the proper release off the “shooting pads” of your hands. Lay down flat on your back with a basketball in your shooting hand. With just one hand, shoot the ball straight into the air with good rotation. Use your off-hand to catch and balance the ball, if necessary, but shoot only with your strong hand. - 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! ARTS AND CULTURE Get up close and personal with 12 works of art curated by Google Art & Culture. Zoom in to see intricate details you haven’t noticed before! Art of Broadway, Fridays, 11am Our "Art of Broadway" class has gone virtual! Join Fred Grieco on Fridays at 11am on Zoom! Don't miss it! Meeting ID 115-119-374 Password 265999 MUSIC Check out the digital premiere of Black Rock Coalition: History of Our Future, a celebration of rock and roll’s Black roots, presented by the Metropolitan Museum of Art! SUNRISE DAY CAMP Today is National Superhero Day! At Sunrise Day Camp, we know that the REAL superheroes are our amazing campers! - 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! CAMP The Weekly Schmooze: Celebrating Israeli Culture at Camp Learning about different cultures helps children grow up to be more understanding adults who are connected to the world and others around them. This is why we incorporate learning about Israeli culture into our camp programming each year. In honor of Yom Ha’atzmaut, or Israel’s Day of Independence, read all about how we celebrate Israeli culture at 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. KIDS AND FAMILIES While zoos across the country are closed right now, zookeepers are still hard at work to make sure the animals are well-cared-for. Follow along with “Keeper Stories” from Zoo Atlanta here and check out cuddly panda bears here! The zoo also has a wide variety of free activities and videos available here! SOCIAL SERVICES 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 COMMUNITY EVENTS 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 - 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. - 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 contacted by a single mother of twins who is also a domestic violence survivor. Since she currently has no income, she asked us for Kosher for Passover food earlier this month. After hearing her story, our staff began working to connect her to other services, including SNAP benefits, legal services, and domestic violence services. We also plan to provide her family additional food through our Kosher Food Pantry. You can join us in helping these families in crisis by donating to our Families in Need campaign. In these dark times, I wanted to share the story of Bea Victor, a true light in our community. Bea, a past JCC Board Member and recipient of our Nancy Avis L’Dor V’Dor First Generation Award, passed away earlier this month at the age of 98. I wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to her incredible life.
Bea began giving back to those in need by serving as a nurse, enlisting in the Navy as a military nurse during WWII and attaining the rank of lieutenant—quite a feat for a woman in the 1940’s. After returning home, she continued nursing through her retirement at age 75. In addition to her long and distinguished career, she became a staunch advocate for people with disabilities after her daughter was born with a developmental disability. An early pioneer in the field, Bea worked to assist the JCC as we developed programs for individuals with disabilities. Under her guidance, we created services for people with disabilities, worked to provide opportunities for inclusion, and assisted families traverse the very complicated system of finding and receiving much-needed services. In her later years, Bea didn’t slow down, founding the Senior Olympics in 1987, which was later named for her. She continued to direct the program for 20 years. The Beatrice Victor Senior Olympics is still going strong, with over 500 seniors participating in events around the borough, including at the Bernikow JCC. She also helped us create Senior Net, which taught hundreds of seniors learn to use computers. Through her work, Bea showed us how it important it is for seniors to keep their minds and bodies active—a philosophy that continues in our current robust senior programs. While we mourn her passing, we can take heart in the fact that she lived life to the fullest and left a mark on the lives of Staten Islanders. We can see her legacy in this newsletter and our virtual experiences, which offer our members and participants a connection to our services through their computers. We are so grateful to Bea Victor for her lifetime of service—one we hope to continue through our work to better the community during this crisis. -Orit Lender, Deputy Executive Director IN THE NEWS This week, we distributed hundreds of packages of grab-and-go food to those in need in our community, including many seniors. We are grateful to be able to help so many of our fellow Staten Islanders during this crisis. - At a time when it is so easy to feel isolated, our Virtual Senior Center is keeping members of our community connected! Through this program, seniors can engage in meaningful conversations with each other over video chat. As one participant put it, the program is "truly a blessing" that bridges our social distance and helps us lift each other up in these difficult times! - Today, we’re highlighting Angela Peralta! Angela has been an occupational therapy assistant since 1977, and has worked with geriatric, adult, and pediatric clients throughout her career. Angela worked in education for over 20 years. She taught as an adjunct instructor in occupational therapy at LaGuardia CC, CUNY, Touro College and NYU. She has been with the JCC, working at the Berman Building, since 2018. Angela brings her sense of humor and a wealth of expertise to the families of First Foot Forward. Thank you for your dedication, Angela! WELLNESS On Tuesday, our members and staff joined over 250 people from around North America for the JCC Plank Party. We had a great time working out with our friends from JCCs across the US and Canada, and we hope you did too! - Want to learn to "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee?" This video will help you develop the techniques and stances to get the most out of any cardio kickboxing workout! - The National Institute on Aging has some great health and wellness resources for older adults! Check out their website for information on staying fit and healthy! Focus and quiet your mind with this "Four In – Four Out" breathing exercise. AQUATICS No pool? No problem! You can still participate in dryland training exercises that help swimmers become stronger and more explosive in the water, while decreasing their risk of injury. Today's workout focuses on building abdominal strength! Click on each exercise to see a video demonstration. Round 1: Repeat 5x V-Ups – 10 Reps Planks – 30 Seconds Flutter Kicks – 20 Reps Bicycle Crunches – 30 Reps Round 2: Repeat 3x Sky Divers – 15 Reps Planks – 40 Seconds Bicycle Crunches – 30 Reps Side Planks – 30 Seconds SPORTS Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! Practice Push-Pulls to strengthen the muscles in your feet so you can dribble like a soccer superstar! Set your foot on the ball and move the ball from your toe, to heel, and back to your toe, pushing and pulling the ball back and forth. Switch your feet quickly. Work your way up to practicing it 100 times! - 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! ARTS AND CULTURE TODAY: Facebook Lecture with Rabbi Sussman, 12pm Join Rabbi Sussman on Facebook for a lecture about the cultural and historical traditions of Eastern European Jews. - TODAY: Virtual Book Club: Beyond the Ghetto Gates, 12:30pm Be sure to join us for our Virtual Book Club meeting on Thursday! We will be joined by author Michelle Cameron on a Zoom meeting. Click here for the Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 430 402 826 - TOMORROW: Art of Broadway, 11am Our "Art of Broadway" class is going virtual! Join Fred Grieco on Fridays at 11am on Zoom! Don't miss it! Meeting ID 115-119-374 Password 265999 MUSIC Pop meets classical in this unique mashup of Beyoncé and Beethoven, presented by Carnegie Hall and Google Arts & Culture! Check it out here! CAMP The Weekly Schmooze: Exploring the World of Stories Stories are an important part of the human experience. They help us connect with people who are different from us, learn more about ourselves and our place in the world, and unlock our imagination to take us to places we’ve yet to discover! We all love stories and that’s why we’re so excited about this year’s camp theme: The World of Stories. Each week at camp, we will delve into a different type of story, including folktales, science fiction, fairy tales, mysteries, comics, and fantasy. Because we pride ourselves on helping our campers grow up to be kind, caring adults, we will connect each type of story with values like responsibility, giving, family, and unity. We all know that reading is FUNdamental, and we hope that our study of stories will spark a love for books in all of our campers! We can’t wait to explore the World of Stories this summer! 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. KIDS AND FAMILIES Throwback Thursday! It’s always a good time to introduce the kids to your favorite 80's and 90's jams! Dance along to hits like "Bye, Bye, Bye," "Larger Than Life," and more with GoNoodle. This is a great way to make movement and dance a part of your day! SOCIAL SERVICES 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 send us an 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 COMMUNITY EVENTS 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 - 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, onlineor by calling (844) 330-2020. - 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 contacted by an active adult woman who lives alone and has been financially affected by the crisis. After being furloughed from her teaching and tutoring jobs, she was panicking about how to pay her rent and bills. She came to the JCC’s Kosher Food Pantry in desperation—needing some kind words and understanding in addition to food. We were able to provide her with food as well as referrals to legal resources to help her situation. Our staff was pleased to be able to provide her support and comfort during this difficult time. You can join us in helping these families in crisis by donating to our Families in Need campaign. IN THE NEWS
TONIGHT: Yom HaShoah Virtual Observance, 7:30pm Today marks Yom Ha’Shoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day. We will never forget those we lost, and we strive to continue to take care of our survivors, especially during these difficult times. The Wagner College Holocaust Center, in collaboration with the Holocaust Commemoration Committee on Staten Island and in partnership with the JCC of Staten Island, invites you to a virtual community observance of Yom Ha’Shoah, with a special theme of Children and Youth in the Holocaust. Staten Island survivors will be among those highlighted. Join the observance on Facebook Live or on Zoom. If you participate via Zoom, the Meeting ID is 967 2479 2709 and Password is 113933, or you can dial in at +1 646 558 8656. - We are grateful to the Robin Hood Foundation, Con Edison, and Verizon for providing us with grants that will allow us provide hundreds of meals to seniors and other vulnerable populations, as well as provide funding for other emergency services during the COVID-19 crisis. Thank you for stepping up in this time of need! Learn more here. - Our Senior Boomers Ensemble continues to meet on Zoom every week. When everyone went into isolation, they were working on comedy sketches with IlluminArt Productions teaching artists Justin Giachetti and Mark Gallagher. They are still creating together virtually, and we look forward to seeing them perform again-either in person or online! - Our Teacher of the Day is Tracy Catalano! Tracy has been part of the Adult Education Literacy team for several years. She is an HSE teacher who meets the needs of her students one student at a time! One of Tracy’s favorite quotes, which guides the way she encourages her students, is “Promise me you’ll always remember: you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” Thank you for your dedication, Tracy! - Did you know that April is Occupational Therapy Month? We have several wonderful OTs who work with children in our ECE department. Today, we’re celebrating Alexandra Baio! Alexandra has been an Occupational Therapy Assistant for 4 years. She always has a bright smile on her face for all the children at JCC Berman Early Childhood Center! Thank you for all you do, Alexandra! WELLNESS TONIGHT: JCC Plank Party! 8pm We're joining with JCCs across North America for the JCC Plank Party tonight! Let’s all try out this 30 minute core workout with hundreds of other JCC members from all across North America! Be sure to snap picture if you participate and share it with us on social media or by replying to this email! Join the Zoom Meeting here. The Meeting ID is 832 4121 2282 - Work out like a celebrity! This cardio workout is one of actress Nina Dobrev’s favorites! - Diana Winston, Director of Mindfulness Education at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, recently shared a great mindfulness technique in the LA Times to offer some relief for the anxiety many of us are feeling now. Try it out! S: Stop. When you notice that you are feeling anxious and you need a moment: stop. T: Take a breath. If you find yourself worrying about the future, bring yourself back to the present. Take a breath, pause, feel your feet on the ground. O: Observe what is happening inside yourself. Does your stomach hurt? Is your heart racing? Ask yourself, “How am I right now?” Bring yourself back to the moment. P: Proceed with more awareness of yourself and what will help you. Connecting with a friend, or having some daily quiet time outdoors, can help. SPORTS TONIGHT: Lost Tribe Esports Super Smash Bros. Tournament, 6:30pm-10pm Lost Tribe Esports is hosting a FREE Super Smash Bros. tournament tonight! Learn more here and register here! Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! - Work on your basketball passing technique and accuracy with Wall Passes! Practice passing the ball to yourself off of a concrete wall. Start with the simple chest pass, pushing the ball off the wall, catching it, and immediately passing it again. Work your way up to trickier passes, like behind-the-back passes, to develop more dexterity. - Our Core 24 Basketball Academy put together this special message from home. Click here to check it out! - 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! ARTS AND CULTURE Yom Hashoah V’Gevurah Virtual Commemoration Wednesday, April 22, 11am Come together during this unique time to remember those we lost and those who fought back during the Holocaust. Join the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation via Zoom. You can find more information here. - Facebook Livestream Concert in Commemoration of Yom HaShoah Wednesday, April 22, 12:30pm Guy Mintus, Israeli composer and pianist, will be having a Facebook Livestream Concert at 12:30pm. He will be playing two pieces in the honor of Holocaust Memorial Day. You can watch on his Facebook page. - Folksbiene Livestream with Zalmen Mlotek Wednesday, April 22, 7pm Please join us on Facebook for a living room concert with Zalmen Mlotek! - Facebook Lecture with Rabbi Sussman Thursday, April 23, 12pm Join Rabbi Sussman on Facebook for a lecture about the cultural and historical traditions of Eastern European Jews. - Virtual Book Club: Beyond the Ghetto Gates Thursday, April 23, 12:30pm Be sure to join us for our Virtual Book Club meeting on Thursday! We will be joined by author Michelle Cameron on a Zoom meeting. Click here for the Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 430 402 826 - Art of Broadway Our "Art of Broadway" class is going virtual! Join Fred Grieco on Fridays at 11am on Zoom! Don't miss it! Meeting ID 115-119-374 Password 265999 MUSIC Check out this digital premiere of the opera The Mother of Us All from the Metropolitan Museum, in collaboration with The Juilliard School, the New York Philharmonic, and MetLiveArts. The Weekly Schmooze: Marvin’s Camp for Children with Special Needs Here at the JCC, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to create great summer camp memories, regardless of ability. Our Marvin’s Camp for Children with Special Needs is committed to providing an educational, creative, social, and safe environment for kids and teens with special needs. Read all about Marvin’s Camp here! One of our Marvin’s On the Road Every Day (M.O.R.E) campers, James, recently shared this photo with us! He’s wearing his blue Marvin’s shirt in honor of Autism Awareness Month. James said, “I heard about the coronavirus and hope it goes away by the summer so I can go back to the JCC, see my friends, and go on some good trips with camp!” We can’t wait to see you back at camp this summer, James! 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 Cosmic Kids Yoga on Youtube! These videos bring together yoga and fun along with your children’s favorite stories, including Frozen, Harry Potter, Trolls, and more! 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 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 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. 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 the story of one family we’ve helped: We were able to assist a single mother of a 5-year-old son with severe autism who is mostly nonverbal and requires 24/7 supervision. Unfortunately, due to illness, the mother had to leave her work and went out on short-term disability. She was denied Social Security Disability and faced eviction and food insecurity. This is where the JCC stepped in, providing her food from our Kosher Food Pantry. Along with the food, we were able to help her access additional services, including aquatic therapy for her son. She told us that our help was life-changing for her family. You can join us in helping these families in crisis by donating to our Families in Need campaign. I hope this message finds you well and that, despite all that is going on, you took some time to experience the joy of the holidays with your loved ones.
Just over a month ago, we made the difficult but prudent decision to close our facilities to the public. In the weeks that have followed, every area of our agency has taken steps to ensure that we continue to serve our community’s needs and adapt to the unique challenges presented by this crisis. We are continually expanding our social services, which are needed now more than ever to assist the most vulnerable members of our community. We are especially grateful to have been able to provide Kosher for Passover meals for those in need. JCC staff members are also finding creative solutions to keep the social and recreational spirit of our community strong, including online lectures and virtual classes we can enjoy together at home. As I have said in the past, please reach out to us if you or someone you know is in need of assistance with COVID-19 resources—we are here to help you in any way we can. In addition, if there are any other virtual programs you would like to see, please let us know and we will try our best to make it possible. Finally, if you are participating in our J at Home programs—as we know many of you are—let us know. We love hearing from you and being reminded just how strong this wonderful community remains! Shabbat Shalom and enjoy the weekend! -Orit Lender, Deputy Executive Director IN THE NEWS In Memoriam: Bea Victor (1921-2020) We will never forget Bea Victor's many contributions to the JCC and our community. She will be greatly missed. Read more about her legacy here. - This year would have been Police Officer Gerard Carter’s 50th birthday. Our Gerard Carter Center is named for the late police officer, who died in the line of duty. Since we couldn’t be together, we recently hosted a Zoom event so everyone could join in and celebrate his life and legacy. Special thanks to Jozette Carter-Williams, Staten Island District Attorney's Office, NYPD, Port Richmond High School, friends and family of Officer Carter, our partners at DYCD, and all the community members who joined us!Check out some photos from the event here! - Recently, our South Shore ECE teachers wore blue in honor of Autism Awareness Month! 💙 At the JCC, we specialize in helping those with disabilities. We provide developmental, social, and recreational opportunities for a wide spectrum of individuals, beginning at age three and ranging through adulthood! To learn more, click here. - Our Teacher of the Day is Sal Grande, who works in our Adult Education department! One of Sal's favorite quotes is, "The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you." Thank you, Sal, for giving this special gift of learning to all of your students! - Did you know that April is Occupational Therapy Month? We have several wonderful OTs who work with children in our ECE department. Today, we're celebrating Alexa Winchel and Kirsten Ekelund! Thank you both for all of your hard work and dedication! WELLNESS Have you moved today? We know it can be hard to find motivation to work out when you can’t go to the gym, but there are plenty of ways to stay active without leaving your house! Check out this article which has creative ideas for how to sit less and move more while you’re stuck at home! - Practicing gratitude can help reduce stress and refocus our energy on the positive things in life—something we could all use right now! Read more about stress and its relationship to your overall health here and practice this short gratitude exercise described in the article:
SPORTS Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! For today's soccer drill, practice One-Touch Shooting. Adjust your body, head, and feet and try to complete a shot with just one touch. Keep practicing! As hockey legend Wayne Gretzky once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." The same is true in soccer! This drill will help you overcome hesitation, so you won't miss your shots! - 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! ARTS AND CULTURE Visit the opera from home with this video of Mozart’s "Così fan tutte" as performed by Teatro Real de Madrid! - Our "Art of Broadway" class is going virtual! Starting this Friday at 11am, Fred Grieco will lead his weekly class on Zoom. Don't miss it! Meeting ID 115-119-374 Password 265999 - We are hosting our Virtual Book Club meeting on April 23 at 12:30pm. We will be reading "Beyond the Ghetto Gates" and will be joined by author Michelle Cameron on a Zoom meeting. Learn more here. MUSIC Check out a Very Young People's Concert by the New York Philharmonic! This fun performance will teach little ones the difference between "allegro" and "adagio" and will make famous pieces of music more accessible to them! CAMP The Weekly Schmooze: Celebrating Kindness on the Day of Caring and Sharing One of the highlights of our summer, the Day of Caring and Sharing reminds our campers that it is better to give than to receive and demonstrates that we can all make a positive impact on the world around us. This year, it’s more important than ever that we celebrate these values as we see the power of lending a helping hand in times of need. Read more about one of our favorite days at 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. KIDS AND FAMILIES Explore the ocean blue! Take a virtual visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium by checking out their live cams— you can spend some time with adorable penguins and sea otters, watch beautiful tropical fish swim through colorful coral, and more! Have fun and learn all about marine life with online games and printable activities here. After you've explored the aquarium, dive deep with some of our favorite movies that take place under the sea!
SOCIAL SERVICES 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 between March 16 and April 15, 2020 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 COMMUNITY EVENTS 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. - 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. Recently, we got a call from a woman in Israel whose 90-year-old mother lives on Staten Island. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the caller was unable to join her mother, who is a Holocaust survivor, for Passover and wanted to make sure she had food for the holiday. Through our Kosher Food Pantry and Social Services Department, we are also working to provide her with weekly food packages and help her receive additional benefits. This is just one example of the many families the JCC has helped in times of crisis. To help us continue to support those negatively affected by COVID-19, please donate to our Families in Need campaign. IN THE NEWS
Check out this SI Advance article about all the great work the JCC is doing to help our community! You can read it here. - Our Todt Hill Cornerstone Community Center recently began its remote after school programming! While the team misses being able to see our participants face-to-face each day, they are finding new ways to stay connected! Click here to check out some pictures of the program! - Did you know that April is Occupational Therapy Month? We have several wonderful OTs who work with children in our ECE department. Today, we’re honoring Marisa Lopez. Marisa has been an asset to the JCC Berman First Foot Forward program in her two years as the PT supervisor. She primarily works with young children, helping them to develop self-care fine motor skills, self-regulation, and attention. Thank you for your dedication, Marisa! WELLNESS Work out with us! We'd love to see you trying these workouts so we can continue to get in shape together as a community... Snap a pic and share it with us on social media or by replying to this email! Try this HIIT workout to boost your heart rate and help you build strength! This mindfulness exercise focuses on the different parts of each breath to help you reconnect to the present moment. AQUATICS We miss our Parent & Me classes! Until we can teach them again, we’ll be sharing some at-home conditioning tips to help you get your baby to feel comfortable with water. Babies as young as 4 months old can be introduced to swimming. They learn a lot by mimicking, so when you have some down time, try blowing “raspberries” with your baby. Using your reaction to make it fun and exciting will motivate your infant to laugh and want to try it. Then, do the same gesture to your baby during bath time! SPORTS Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! Practice the Lateral Hop using two basketballs to improve your ability to control the ball by feel, without having to think about it! Line up on one side of a sidewalk crack or a line taped on your basement floor. Start dribbling two basketballs simultaneously. Then start hopping back and forth over that line while maintaining your dribble. - Here are the answers to the sports trivia quiz from our last issue:
Hall-of-Famer: 10 right MVP: 6-9 right Pro: 3-5 right Rookie: 0-2 right ARTS & CULTURE Hop in a time machine and explore past exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art. MoMA has digitized photos of its exhibitions, dating back to the museum’s founding in 1929! - Our "Art of Broadway" class is going virtual! Starting this Friday at 11am, Fred Grieco will lead his weekly class on Zoom. Don't miss it! Meeting ID 115-119-374 Password 265999 - We are hosting our Virtual Book Club meeting on April 23 at 12:30pm. We will be reading “Beyond the Ghetto Gates” and will be joined by author Michelle Cameron on a Zoom meeting. Learn more here. MUSIC Musicians of the New York Philharmonic recently performed Ravel’s “Boléro” from home in a beautiful tribute to healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19! Check it out here! - Even though concert halls and theaters around the country have gone dark for the time being, that isn’t stopping anyone from sharing and enjoying classical music! In this article, classical music critic Joshua Barone describes the wide array of livestreams and archival performance recordings now available online. CAMP The Weekly Schmooze: Core 24 Basketball Camp We are so excited to announce our new Core 24 Summer Basketball Camp, under the direction of Mike Reape, our Director of Sports & Recreation! Core 24 Basketball Camp will help kids become well-rounded basketball players through drills that develop game IQ and skills like ball handling and shooting. Our program includes activities tailored to every child’s age and skill level. When they’re not practicing or having friendly competitions, campers will have fun playing board games and swimming! Learn more HERE! KIDS AND FAMILIES Lincoln Center is hosting virtual Pop-Up Classrooms every weekday, live at 2:00pm on Facebook! Teaching Artists will guide you and your kids in fun, creative activities that can be done with simple materials found around your home! Lincoln Center will also be streaming Concerts for Kids, featuring performances for families by a diverse group of artists! See the full calendar of virtual events here. SOCIAL SERVICES 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 between March 16 and April 15, 2020 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 COMMUNITY EVENTS 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. - 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. Our Food Pantry recently delivered hundreds of Kosher for Passover meals to those in need! One of the recipients called us with this touching message of gratitude… watch here and see the good work that your generosity makes possible! This is just one of the many programs our JCC does to help our community in times of crisis. To help us continue to support those negatively affected by COVID-19, please donate to our Families in Need campaign. The spring holidays are usually a time of celebration, renewal, and togetherness. While this year our holiday observances may look a bit different than usual, there is still so much to be thankful for. As the story of Passover reminds us, even in times of great hardship, we are able to join together to overcome adversity. As we’ve seen throughout our city, country, and the world, those on the front lines of this crisis have stepped up to help take care of our communities in this time of need. We are grateful to them for their bravery and caring spirit.
I speak on behalf of myself and David when I say that we are especially grateful for the heroes in our agency who have risen to this most challenging occasion. They remind us that our JCC is not just a building, but a force at the heart of our local community. As you read this, JCC staff members are carrying on with the work they do every day—community services that are needed now more than ever. Our staff members have distributed meals to seniors and ensured that the good work of our Kosher Food Pantry goes on when it is needed most. They are also distributing meals to youth participants at our Cornerstone centers. Senior Services staff members are providing telephone reassurance to this vulnerable population, checking in on them and learning how we can help in these difficult times. CHIPS Navigators are helping people who may have recently lost jobs apply for health insurance. The list goes on as our staff continues to serve those in need. In these troubling times, when it feels like things are changing so quickly, we can be thankful for the things that will never change—like our JCC’s commitment to all of you and to our Staten Island community. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you are in need of assistance. On behalf of the entire JCC family, I wish you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season. -Orit Lender, Deputy Executive Director IN THE NEWS We are grateful to Borough President Oddo's office for helping us obtain an additional 400 boxes of Kosher for Passover shelf-stable meals for participants in need. In these unstable times, our staff is working hard to ensure that Staten Islanders in need have access to meals this holiday season. - Our Adult Education teachers are working hard to make sure that their students can continue to learn at home! Check out some pictures from their virtual lessons here! We are always proud of the amazing staff members in our education departments, but we are especially impressed by how they have adapted to the current situation. In each issue of "J at Home," we will be highlighting these staff members, including Adult Education teachers, ECE teachers, and Occupational Therapists who work with children. Today, we're celebrating Iris, who has taught in our High School Equivalency (HSE) program for more than 10 years. In taking her classes online, she has shown both creativity and insight into the needs of her students! - Check out this SI Advance article about our Nancy Avis L'Dor V'Dor Virtual Event! We are proud to honor these five special women while raising money for Families in Need. Read the article here! WELLNESS Work out with us! We'd love to see you trying these workouts so we can continue to get in shape together as a community... Snap a pic and share it with us on social media or by replying to this email! When in doubt, dance it out! This contemporary dance workout will have you movin' and groovin' into great shape! In these stressful times, do you find that it's often hard to quiet your mind? Try out this mindfulness exercise that will help you calm your thoughts and find some ease. SPORTS Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! Try this 25's Dribbling drill to improve your soccer dribbling skills! Line up 6 to 10 cones, spread out from one another. If you don’t have cones at home, use plastic cups! Weave the ball through the cones using the inside of your feet. Repeat the drill, alternating between the inside & outside of your feet. Circle right, then left, around the cones. - Are you a sports whiz? Try to answer these ten questions!
ARTS & CULTURE NPR has compiled a helpful calendar of live concerts to watch while you're at home! We'll be sharing some of our favorite findings as we come across them, but check out their list for even more options! - Our friends at the Mittleman JCC in Oregon put together a list of Israeli TV shows and movies you can watch on a variety of platforms!
- We are hosting our Virtual Book Club meeting on April 23 at 12:30pm. We will be reading “Beyond the Ghetto Gates” and will be joined by author Michelle Cameron on a Zoom meeting. Learn more here. - We're so glad that many of you joined us for our Virtual Art Tour on Monday! If you couldn't make it, you can watch a recording of the lecture here! MUSIC In honor of Passover, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra recorded a musical greeting from home! Check it out here! - We're sure our little ones miss making music, but they can keep experimenting with sound and rhythm at home! The Boston Children's Museum held a virtual drum circle last week--play along at home here! CAMP The Weekly Schmooze: A Letter From Our Camp Co-Directors Camp Co-Directors Glenn Wechsler and Stephanie Feldman put together a special "Shabbat Shalom" message last week for our camp families. Read the full letter 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. KIDS AND FAMILIES Join us for a virtual Passover celebration and help us find the Afikomen! We’ve collected some kids activities and recipes for the whole family here! - The American Museum of Natural History has a wonderful website just for kids with stories, online games, hands-on activities and more that cover a wide variety of science topics! SOCIAL SERVICES 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 between March 16 and April 15, 2020 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 COMMUNITY EVENTS 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. - 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. The JCC provides one-on-one counseling sessions to older adults (age 60+) with MSW Student Interns. Counselors can assist and guide you in life’s transitions and challenges, including: bereavement/grief/loss, social isolation, caregiver support, marital issues/separation/divorce, chronic health conditions, and relationships. Many people will need these services now more than ever. This is just one of the many programs our JCC does to help our community in times of crisis. To help us continue to support those negatively affected by COVID-19, please donate to our Families in Need campaign. IN THE NEWS
Nothing is stopping our Explorers afterschool program from having fun and learning together, even while apart! The Explorers staff is hosting online Zoom chats to provide homework help and play games with the kids! - Check out this SI Advance article about our Nancy Avis L'Dor V'Dor Virtual Event! We are proud to honor these five special women while raising money for Families in Need. Read the article here! Work out with us! We'd love to see you trying these workouts so we can continue to get in shape together as a community... Snap a pic and share it with us on social media or by replying to this email! Get your heart rate up with this quick kickboxing workout! Practice some Monday morning mindfulness, guided by this breathing exercise. No pool? No problem! You can still participate in dryland training exercises that help swimmers become stronger and more explosive in the water, while decreasing their risk of injury. Today's workout focuses on leg strength! Click on each exercise to see a video demonstration. Round 1: Repeat 5x Scissor Kicks - 20 reps Toe Touches - 30 reps Flutter Kicks - 20 reps Bicycle Crunches - 30 reps Round 2: Repeat 3x Sky Divers - 15 reps Flutter Kicks - 20 reps Toe Touches - 20 reps Cross-over Mountain Climbers - 10 reps Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! Try out these 4 in-motion basketball dribbling drills. Start with the first two, and challenge yourself with the others as your skills improve!
Flowers remind us of the beauty that awaits us after a rainstorm. This virtual exhibit highlights works of art inspired by flowers. Check it out here! Creating art can be a wonderful way to relieve stress! Whether you like to dabble in art as a hobby or you have more training, if you're passing the time by drawing, sketching, painting and more, we'd love to hear all about it. You can reply to this email with pictures of the art you've been working on! We are hosting our Virtual Book Club meeting on April 23 at 12:30pm. We will be reading “Beyond the Ghetto Gates” and will be joined by author Michelle Cameron on a Zoom meeting. Learn more here. If you have an instrument at home, check out these tips to help you make the most of your practices and become a better musician! The Weekly Schmooze Being stuck inside has made us miss the fun of spending time outside with all our friends at camp. As we speak, camp directors continue to plan for the summer season. Our drama specialist, Ariel, made this great video explaining how to create a story using only your imagination and a few objects around your home! Thanks to our friends at IlluminArt Productions for sharing this with us! 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. Join us for a virtual Passover celebration and help us find the Afikomen! We’ve collected some kids activities and recipes for the whole family here! Share your pictures with us by replying to this email! Story Time! See how creative you can be with this storytelling game! One person starts off the story with "Once upon a time..." and then everyone takes turns adding a few sentences to find out how the story ends! For a fun alternative, add illustrations! Everyone takes a few minutes to doodle a picture, and then you work together to put the scribbles together in a silly story! These games are perfect for the whole family—make it even more fun by inviting your friends and family to join in on Zoom or Skype! 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 between March 16 and April 15, 2020 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 TYSA Presents: "Parents You Matter" Workshop Tuesday, April 7, 12:30-1:30pm Want to learn how to speak with your child about substance use? Join Tackling Youth Substance Abuse (TYSA) for an informative, free Zoom workshop called "Parents You Matter." Sign in here. U.S. Census 2020 Be sure to fill out the census online, by phone, or by mail to be counted— census results help shape the future of planning and funding for programs in the local community! Learn more here. 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. Through UJA Federation of New York and our partnership with New York Legal Assistance Group, the JCC provides free legal support in multiple areas. We also provide free support for managing debt, budgeting, bankruptcy, and more. Many people will need these services now more than ever. This is just one of the many programs our JCC does to help our community in times of crisis. To help us continue to support those negatively affected by COVID-19, please donate to our Families in Need campaign. Just as you are all adjusting to new schedules and routines, so are we! We are still learning how to best serve you through our new virtual programs, and we are always looking for new ideas that you'll love. If there's anything else you would like to see in our J at Home series—such as types of workouts, activity recommendations, or tips—you can reply to this email and let us know.
IN THE NEWS Our ECE teachers are staying connected with our students remotely! Check out this video of our teachers sending virtual messages to our students here! WELLNESS Work out with us! We'd love to see you trying these workouts so we can continue to get in shape together as a community... Snap a pic and share it with us on social media or by replying to this email! Try this awesome Bodyflow workout by Les Mills. Bodyflow brings together elements of Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi to help you build physical and mental strength! SPORTS Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! Try out this at-home soccer drill to strengthen your reflexes!
Here are the answers to the sports trivia quiz from our last issue:
ARTS AND CULTURE Join us for a virtual art tour this Monday night! Ronnit Vasserman will host a lecture on “The Many Eishet Chayil of Art History - An Examination of the Most Famous Paintings of Women” at 8:00pm on Monday, April 6th. We hope you will join us to virtually visit masterpieces of women from museums around the globe—and you don’t even have to leave your couch! Learn more here. - We are hosting our Virtual Book Club meeting on April 23 at 12:30pm. We will be reading “Beyond the Ghetto Gates” and will be joined by author Michelle Cameron on a Zoom meeting. Learn more here. - From Fred Astaire dancing across the ceiling to Gene Kelly singin' and dancin' in the rain, classic Hollywood movie musicals are filled with images of pure joy, meant to inspire the same in viewers. These movies, all available to rent on Amazon, YouTube and other platforms, are sure to put a smile on your face and a song in your heart!
KIDS AND FAMILIES Join us for a virtual Passover celebration and help us find the Afikomen! We’ve collected some kids activities and recipes for the whole family here! Share your pictures with us by replying to this email! - Fun for animal lovers! Play online games, get ideas for easy activities you can do at home, and learn all about amazing animals on the San Diego Zoo's website for kids! Two adorable baby penguins were recently born at the Bronx Zoo! Follow along and watch the chicks grow up on the zoo's Facebook and Instagram pages. SOCIAL SERVICES 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 between March 16 and April 15, 2020 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 - Over the past two weeks, our staff distributed over 5,000 meals to Staten Island seniors in need. You can check out a video of our staff handing out meals here. This is just one of the many programs our JCC does to help our community in times of crisis. To help us continue to support those negatively affected by COVID-19, please donate to our Families in Need campaign. Dear Friend,
I hope this message finds you and your loved ones well. Our thoughts are with our members who make this such a special community, one that I am personally proud to be part of. As we continue to adapt to our new, temporary reality, I wanted to update you on our ever-expanding efforts to stay engaged and keep our community going strong. Our Early Childhood Education Center has moved completely online. Our teachers have gone above and beyond in their efforts to maintain the spaces for learning so lovingly created in their classrooms. Using Zoom video-chats and other digital methods, the teachers provide fun activities kids can do at home and reassure their students that everything will be okay. Check out this video of our some of our students taking a much-needed dance break! Our educational services for adults, including our ESL and HSE classes, have also moved online. Instructors are working hard to ensure that their students are still receiving excellent attention and guidance in their studies. Last week, we launched this “J at Home” email series, a new way to stay connected with us virtually. The JCC prides itself on offering something for everyone, and we have tried to capture that same spirit in these newsletters. “J at Home” features activities you can do at home from our main program areas: Fitness & Wellness, Aquatics, Sports & Recreation, Cultural Arts, Youth Programs, and more. You can catch up on last week's activities here. Beyond “J at Home,” our departments are moving programs online whenever possible. Our Explorers afterschool program is using Zoom video-chat technology to continue providing homework help and fun activities for children to enjoy. We are also livestreaming some of our Cultural Arts classes and planning virtual Book Club meetings. Follow us on social media for more updates as we continue to take advantage of opportunities to stay connected digitally. This is uncharted territory for all of us, and we are still learning how to best serve you through our new virtual programs. I encourage you to reach out to us by replying to this email if there is anything else you would like to see, and we will do our best to make it possible. In addition, if you or someone you know is in need of assistance with COVID-19 resources, please reply to this email, and someone from our staff will be in touch with you. These past weeks have been challenging in many ways, but I assure you that although we cannot be physically together, we are truly all in this together. Our entire agency has mobilized to step in where needs arise and continue serving our community as we always have. These efforts give me absolute confidence that we will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever. Stay well, Orit Lender, Deputy Executive Director IN THE NEWS Beloved TV icon Mister Rogers once recalled, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Our JCC is proud to be an agency full of helpers, especially in these difficult times we're currently facing! Follow along as we share stories about how our programs continue to serve people and build community. Last week, our staff distributed nearly 5,000 meals to seniors in need across Staten Island! Read more here! WELLNESS Set the right tone for a new week by taking care of YOU! Get your heart rate up with this 12 minute HIIT workout! No equipment required! It's easy to get lost in negative thoughts, especially right now. Follow along with this video, which will teach you how to refocus your mental energy on living in the present. AQUATICS No pool? No problem! You can still participate in dryland training exercises that help swimmers become stronger and more explosive in the water, while decreasing their risk of injury. Today's workout focuses on building endurance! Click on each exercise to see a video demonstration. Round 1: Repeat 3x Burpees - 10 reps Toe Touches - 30 reps Squats - 10 reps Crossover Mountain Climbers - 20 reps Round 2: Repeat 2x Flutter Kicks - 15 reps Crossover Mountain Climbers - 15 reps Toe Touches - 20 reps Side Plank Raises (hold each for 1 minute) - 15 reps SPORTS Our Sports and Recreation team has put together some drills you can practice at home to keep your skills strong before the season starts! Basketball: Stationary Dribble Drills
If you consider yourself a sports pro, try answering these ten sports questions:
ARTS AND CULTURE Interested in modern art? The Guggenheim Museum has a collection of 200 books, digitized and at your fingertips here! KIDS AND FAMILIES If your home is feeling a bit smaller these days, expand your horizons and look to the skies for inspiration! NASA and the Kennedy Space Center are offering great online resources so that kids can explore outer space right within their own homes. Check them out below! The Kennedy Space Center's educators are putting together a series of long-distance learning videos on space-related STEM topics, NASA milestones, and more. Learn something new and then do a hands-on an activity like creating a mission badge or doing a science experiment. Follow along for these videos on the Center's Facebook page! The Kennedy Space Center has additional resources for at-home education available here. NASA's Stem @ Home web-page also has wonderful resources for kids in grades K-4, from crafts to puzzles to games to educational storybooks! Check them out here! SOCIAL SERVICES 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 between March 16 and April 15, 2020 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. - 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. One of our most crucial services is our Kosher Food Pantry, which serves over 450 households and distributes over 7,500 packages of food every year. Many people will need these services now more than ever. To help those facing food insecurity during this difficult time, please donate to our Families in Need campaign here. |
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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