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.
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AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
November 2021
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LocationSBERNIKOW/MID-ISLAND
1466 Manor Road Staten Island, NY 10314 718.475.5200 ABERLIN/NORTH SHORE
485 Victory Blvd Staten Island, NY 10301 718.475.5290 |
AVIS/SOUTH SHORE
1297 Arthur Kill Road Staten Island, NY 10312 718.475.5270 BERMAN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
2221 Richmond Ave. Staten Island, NY 10314 718.475.5100 |
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