To help compensate for the loss of learning that many students have experienced during the pandemic, the JCC Day Camp is partnering with Catapult Learning to provide a summer learning program to enrolled JCC campers. The Summer Learning Experience has been funded through the generosity of a grant from UJA-Federation, which will allow the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island to provide this service to campers free of charge.

Campers who opt in to the Summer Learning Experience will receive 2 weekly instruction sessions—one math and one literacy—taught by highly qualified staff. Instruction will take place at the campgrounds during the camp day, in small groups based on age. Campers will observe social distancing and follow other CDC safety guidelines.

The summer learning experience includes literacy intervention using the Achieve Literacy program. The program is designed specifically to support foundational reading skills, increase fluency, and improve comprehension. Additionally, the Achieve Math program will help campers improve their foundational skills and improve their math fluency. The program ranges from basic concepts and computation to problem solving, data collection, geometry, and algebra.

The program will be open to JCC Day Campers entering 1st grade up through those entering 9th grade, as well as children enrolled in Marvin’s Camp for Children with Special Needs. Capacity is limited, and campers will be enrolled in this program on a first-come, first-served basis.

“This is a great opportunity for campers to regain some of the educational losses they’ve seen over the past year of remote learning,” said Glenn Wechsler, Camp Co-Director. “For families that opt in, this program will supplement the fun activities we will have throughout the summer in our Day Camp and Marvin’s Camp programs.”

Typical camp programs, including swimming, sports, games, arts & crafts, and special events, will continue this summer. Other fun STEM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) will also take place in addition to the Catapult Learning program. Recently added programs include woodworking and LEGO robotics activities.

Founded in 1976, Catapult Learning is the leading provider of intervention, professional development, special and transitional education programs. Catapult Learning’s intervention programs support struggling learners with instruction tailored to the unique needs of each student and is built on the critical components of effective programs, as reviewed in current research, including the National Reading Panel and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Across the country, Catapult Learning partners with 500+ school districts, including 18 of the 20 largest, to produce positive outcomes that promote academic and professional growth.

For more information about JCC Day Camp, visit Camp.SIJCC.org or call Glenn Wechsler at 718.475.5231.

Thirteen-year-old Tzipora Guttman is celebrating her upcoming Bat Mitzvah by raising money for the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island’s program to feed seniors in need. Mitzvah projects, like Tzipora’s, are an opportunity for teens to take on responsibility and do good for others before celebrating their coming-of-age in the Jewish tradition.

Tzipora, a camper at the JCC’s Day Camp, wanted to support those facing food insecurity during the pandemic: “Most of us take food for granted as we never need to worry about our next meal. Sadly, though, others aren’t so fortunate.”

While there are many non-profits that help fight food insecurity, Tzipora selected the JCC for her project because of their efforts to aid senior citizens, including Holocaust survivors. This cause is especially close to her heart, as her paternal grandparents were both Holocaust survivors. Taking inspiration from her grandparents’ lives, Tzipora said, “My grandparents experienced immense hunger and suffering during their time in Auschwitz. While Americans today do not face the horrors of the Holocaust firsthand, hunger is still a prevalent issue in our communities.”

You can watch a video of Tzipora’s grandfather speaking about his experience here.

In 2017, Feeding America released a study showing that 1 in 12 seniors face food insecurity. This number has surely grown, with seniors experiencing financial hardship, social isolation, and difficulty shopping for themselves due to the pandemic. Recognizing the problem here at home, the JCC stepped in to distribute thousands of free, healthy meals to seniors over the past year, through a contactless, grab-and-go pickup program. With a sustained need for these meals, the program has struggled to remain funded, relying on grants and the generosity of donors. Before her Bat Mitzvah on May 1, Tzipora aims to raise $1800 to help the JCC continue this important program.

Orit Lender, CEO of the JCC, expressed her gratitude to Tzipora and to all who have donated to her fundraiser so far: “We are so proud of Tzipora for choosing to honor her Bat Mitzvah in this meaningful way, which will help make a difference in the lives of so many seniors. This is a wonderful reminder to us all that, in spite of these challenging times, the next generation is lighting the way to a brighter future.”

To support Tzipora’s project and help feed Staten Island seniors in need, you can donate here.

​Summer is right around the corner, and we want to share some great news about Lucille & Jay Chazanoff Sunrise Day Camp-Staten Island, a free camp for children with cancer and their siblings.
 
After a virtual camp experience last summer, we are happy to announce that Sunrise will resume in-person camp on July 1st. We are also excited to announce that we have found a new home for Sunrise on the campus of Staten Island Academy.
 
Staten Island Academy boasts a 12-acre campus, offering ample space for Sunrise campers to take part in activities both indoors and outdoors. In addition to previous summers’ activities, campers will also now have access to two swimming pools and larger field space. To ensure the health and safety of all its campers, Sunrise will have exclusive use of their own program areas separate from the Staten Island Academy’s summer programs.
 
Unfortunately, over the past year, we have all experienced firsthand what it feels like for a family of a child with cancer. The fear and uncertainty that we have been feeling is what our campers and their families have felt every day since their diagnoses. That’s why we’re thrilled to be able to bring back a safe, in-person experience for these children to allow them to socialize and enjoy themselves. Sunrise Day Camp brings back the joys of childhood to children struggling with cancer, transforming months of loneliness and isolation into summers filled with friendship, laughter, and happiness.
 
Sunrise will operate this summer from July 1 - August 5, with enhanced safety protocols in place to minimize the potential of any COVID-19 transmission at camp. A virtual camp option will also be available for those families who may prefer or need distance-camping.
 
Recognizing the extraordinary financial demands that a child’s chronic illness can have on a family, Sunrise Day Camp and its year-round and in-hospital programs, Sunrise Sundays and Sunrise on Wheels, are provided completely free of charge to campers’ families. Sunrise Day Camp-Staten Island proudly serves children with cancer and their siblings from Staten Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and nearby New Jersey on a non-sectarian basis. We are a proud member of the Sunrise Association, whose mission is to bring back the joys of childhood to children with cancer and their siblings worldwide.
 
Funds for Sunrise Day Camp-Staten Island are raised through donations and community events, including our annual SunriseWALKS in June. We hope you will join us for this year’s event, SunriseWALKS YOUR WAY, which will take place on Sunday, June 27th. You can participate in the walk from anywhere that is fun, meaningful, and safe! You can learn more and register here.
 
We are eagerly counting down the days until summer is here, and we can’t wait for our Sunrise campers to get to explore their new summer home!

In memory of Dr. Ronald Leventhal. 
-​​Laura & Steve Kessler

In honor of Jackie Reiter. Sorry this is late. But you deserve all the Mitzvah. Thank you for always thinking of us.
-Robyn, Judy, Chris, Kevin, and all our families

Over the next two weeks, we will celebrate Passover and Easter, two holidays that foster a sense of togetherness. In particular, the story of Passover tells us that, even when facing great adversity, when we join together, we can overcome hardships. No matter what struggles we face, we can persevere if we all work as one.
 
As we come together as one community, we continue to be there for those who need us. Last Wednesday, we hosted two major events to serve different needs in our community. We worked with the Borough President’s office and VitaCare Pharmacy once again to vaccine 400 people.
​
In the spirit of community cooperation, our staff and partners pitched in to make sure everything ran smoothly. When we needed an additional person to administer the vaccines, the Borough President’s Director of Health & Wellness, Dr. Ginny Mantello, jumped into action. We are grateful for our partners’ continued support in helping vaccinate our community.
 
At the same time that vaccines were being given out inside the Bernikow Building, we hosted a Passover food distribution outside in the parking lot. Through a partnership with COJO, Project Hospitality, UJA, and Met Council, we were able to provide over 800 Kosher for Passover food packages to those in need.

In addition, during the food distribution, we received a donation for our food pantry for our friends at Temple Israel. This generosity will allow us to feed even more families this holiday season.
It was amazing to see all the people we were able to help through these initiatives, and it underscored the importance of the work we do every day. We will continue to work with our community partners to serve those in need throughout this pandemic and for years to come.
 
As we move into the holidays, we will take a short break to celebrate and reenergize so that we can continue this important work throughout the spring and summer. On behalf of our JCC family, I wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.

In addition to its traditional summer camp offerings, the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island will offer sports camp experiences, including basketball, soccer, gymnastics, and swimming, along with a performing arts camp.
 
Specialized sports programs will include Core 24 Basketball Academy Camp, JCC Soccer Academy Camp, USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Training Camp, and Trident Aquatics Camp. These camps offer instruction tailored for children at every skill level, from beginners to more advanced competitors. Beyond building athletic skills, campers will learn positive values like good sportsmanship while also having fun and making new friends.
 
Basketball, soccer, and gymnastics camps will take place from June 28 to August 20, with options to register for up to 8 weeks. Aquatics camp will take place from June 28 to July 30, with options to register for up to 5 weeks. Sibling discounts are available for all sports camps.

Recently, we’ve seen a frightening uptick in violent acts across the country. Many of these acts have been targeted against members of the Asian-American community. We are horrified and saddened by these hateful acts and stand strong with the AAPI community to condemn this bigotry and violence. We grieve the loss of life and pray for peace in our community and country.
​
At our JCC, we truly believe that the answer to hate is love. Hate and violence of any kind have no place in our society, and every day, we push back against those who promote racism and bigotry. Through education and community building, we work to make sure everyone feels included in our programming. Everyone is welcome at the JCC, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion. We will continue to work to ensure that all people are treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve. 

​The Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island partnered with Borough President James Oddo’s office to vaccinate hundreds of seniors and Holocaust survivors against COVID-19 over the past two weeks.
 
Through this partnership, the JCC hosted a pop-up vaccination clinic at the Bernikow JCC March 2nd & 3rd with VitaCare Pharmacy. During the two-day clinic, VitaCare distributed over 650 vaccines to Staten Island seniors.
 
Additionally, the Borough President’s office helped the JCC get vaccination appointments for 80 Holocaust Survivors and frail seniors at other vaccination sites in the borough.
 
“We are beyond grateful to our friends at the Borough President’s office and VitaCare Pharmacy for all their work on this issue,” noted JCC CEO Orit Lender. “For our seniors and Holocaust survivors, who are the most vulnerable to COVID-19, this vaccine could mean the difference between life and death. We are so thankful to Borough President Oddo, Dr. Ginny Mantello, and Boris Natenzon of VitaCare Pharmacy for recognizing this and helping us meet the needs of our most fragile community members.”
 
"Over the last few days, over 650 people were vaccinated at the JCC. This would not have been possible without the cooperation of the city and state in terms of supply, and without the leadership and goodwill of our friends at the JCC and Boris Natenzon of VitaCare Pharmacy who, with his staff, administered the vaccines. Thank you to all of the good people who made this happen," said Borough President Oddo.
 
The clinic was part of a larger effort on the JCC’s part to help spread awareness about vaccine safety and get vulnerable members of the Staten Island community vaccinated.
 
“Helping our community members in times of crisis is what we do best. It is a privilege for us to play a part in bringing an end to the pandemic,” Lender added.
 
In addition to the clinic, the JCC hosted a COVID-19 Vaccine Town Hall with Richmond University Medical Center Thursday night. At the virtual event, Dr. Philip Otterbeck answered questions from the audience about vaccine safety and efficacy.
 
To see the recording of the RUMC Town Hall event or to sign up for more information on upcoming vaccine clinics, click here.

​A year ago, our lives changed forever as COVID-19 began taking hold in New York City. On this solemn anniversary, I have been reflecting back on the struggles of the past year.
 
On March 17, 2020, the JCC’s doors officially closed to the public. But they never actually closed to those who needed us most. While most of our city was forced to shut down, our services were deemed “essential,” forcing us to adapt and find new ways to help those who are struggling.
 
As the needs of the community doubled, tripled, quadrupled, and even quintupled, the JCC staff was there every step of the way, helping Staten Islanders navigate these uncertain times. Our Kosher Food Pantry and Social Services Department began managing a huge influx of clients. We offered grab-and-go meals and virtual programming to isolated seniors. We began Resource Navigation, connecting individuals with COVID-19 to much-needed services. Our Early Childhood Education had to adapt to ever-changing regulations in order to get kids back in the classroom. We began hosting children at five JCC sites through the City’s Learning Bridges program, which provides a place for students to safely learn virtually on the days they are not physically in school.
 
Most recently, we’ve helped seniors in our community wade through the confusing and difficult vaccination appointment booking process. We were able to refer seniors and other eligible people to local vaccination sites, and just this week, we were able to partner with the Office of the Staten Island Borough President and VitaCare Pharmacy to vaccinate 650 seniors at our facility. We are also hosting a COVID-19 Vaccine Town Hall with Richmond University Medical Center to help educate the public about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. You can find more information here.
 
While our staff members have certainly been tested by this pandemic, they have also grown too, rising to the challenge and showing what an extraordinary group of people they are. Having to adapt to this different style of work hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve seen so much creativity from our staff as they find innovative ways to connect with people virtually.
 
While we celebrate our achievements over the past year, we also must acknowledge the intense sense of loss we feel. Losing over 1,500 of our family, friends and neighbors to this virus has taken its toll on all of us. Our thoughts are also with those who are still recovering from COVID-19, as well as our friends who are struggling financially and emotionally through the pandemic.
 
To honor those we have lost, we will hold a Virtual Memorial on Monday, March 15th at 3pm. We invite all to join us as we remember our members and participants who were taken from us by COVID-19. We mourn with our community for those we lost, who will never be forgotten.
 
Jewish teachings tell us it is our duty to heal ourselves and others. At our JCC, we are committed to this principle, guiding those who are hurting in our community to support systems. We will continue to help those who are isolated find meaningful connections. If you need us, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can find our full list of COVID-19 Connect to Recovery Services here. The JCC will always be here for you, no matter what you need, in both good and bad times. We have begun looking towards the light at the end of the tunnel, and with more opening up in our city and state, we eagerly await the day all of our services can be back in-person again.

In memory of Arnie Beiles:
Our deepest sympathy and all our love to the entire family. Annie will be greatly missed and we treasured our friendship. He will be with us always.
​-Susan & Mark

Susan, may Arnie's memory always bring you peace and comfort.
-Denise and Michael Saul

Our deepest condolences to the entire Beiles family on the loss of your beloved husband, Arnold Beiles, father and grandfather. May you find solace in your beautiful memories. Keep them close on your hearts and he will live on in each of you.
-Daryl and Fred Googel 
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In memory of Dr. Ron and Helene Leventhal:
Dear Bob, We send our condolences to you and your family on your dad’s passing and wish to pay tribute to him and your mom.
-Jane and Cliff Schorr

So sorry to hear of your father's death. He was a great guy.
​-Lois & Mike Schaffer 

In memory of Lee Ralph Grumbach:
What an exceptional person Lee was. Even though I did not know him personally his life story was one to be greatly admired.
-Harvey Goid

In memory of Lee Grumbach.
-Rosemary Trinkle Baran

In memory of Lee Grumbach.
​-Wayne and Deborah Hallard

With all our love for our sweet Uncle Lee. We still see him riding high in the saddle with a delighted smile in his face. 
​-Havi and Kate

Sage and Steve, We are very sorry for your Dad's passing. He seemed liked a person who really took advantage of life! Our deepest condolences.
-Sheri and Marc Urowsky

In memory of Shirley Horowitz:
Extending my heartfelt sympathy to Allen, Diane and Len on the loss of their mother, Shirley. My wonderful memories of growing up next door to the Horowitz Family will keep Shirley forever alive within me.
-Merle Lederhandler Toobin ​

So sorry for your loss. May her memory be a blessing. 
-Diana Leader ​

In memory of Arthur Weinberg:
In memory of our loving and kind cousin, Arthur Weinberg. May his memory always be a blessing.
Love to Robin and Chad during this difficult time.
​-Hilary BenAmi