JCC Association of North America

"A year has passed since that black, thick, smoky Sabbath. For 367 days, the country has been covered by a gray cloud of grief and sorrow, a cloud shedding salty tears instead of showers of blessing. Twelve months in which the sun’s caressing rays have failed to penetrate the mourning veil, the overcast mist. Three-hundred-sixty-seven days have passed, yet it’s still 6:35 a.m. on the morning of October 7, 2023. I can still hear the sirens piercing the holy silence of the holiday, and I can still sense the fear when realizing our enemies rose up to kill us all. It’s hard to describe the feeling today, on this anniversary. In so many ways, it is no different than yesterday and the day before. No one needs a reminder of the events of October 7. The wounds are still present. They haven’t gone anywhere; they are still bleeding, and healing has yet to begin. The phantom pains of what we lost are deeper than ever. We are reminded of the 1,600 of us who were murdered, the 101 hostages who are still in the dark, our cities that were burned and gone, and the confidence in our military intelligence that has been compromised. Still, dates matter. A one-year period measures the intensity of the destruction and the depth of pain... ...[b]ut alongside the horrors, the fighting, and the hardships, this year was characterized by an immense sense of Jewish peoplehood like I’ve never experienced before. This year, hundreds of thousands of JCC members participated in hundreds of events at JCCs across North America, standing in solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people in the face of rising antisemitism around the world. These events celebrated Jewish unity and shined a bright light upon us as we comforted one another at vigils and memorial ceremonies." Read more: https://lnkd.in/eQCkpjGt

Wishing you peace, joy, and renewal in the new year ahead. Shana Tova!

This year at JSummit, leaders from across the JCC Movement came together to share powerful insights, foster connections, and build relationships with fellow JCC leaders from around the world. Relive the key moments, watch the highlight video that captured the energy of JSummit, and read firsthand accounts from those who attended the conference in today’s JCC Association blog post. #JSummit2024

I'm in Chicago this week at JCC Association of North America's JSummit national gathering for JCC board and professional leadership. The level of enthusiasm, warmth, and sharing of ideas (and the music!) is off the charts. Evolve Giving Group is proud to be a sponsor and workshop facilitator amongst this inspiring group of individuals, looking to take the work of our Jewish community centers to the next level and beyond. Yesterday we talked about the critical importance of strong lay-professional partnerships in fundraising. Today I'm tackling the "power of leadership" and "effective board retreats". Thanks Carrie Darsky, Mark S. Young, Jennifer Mamlet, Sawyer Schwartz for this incredible opportunity, and love being with exceptional colleagues and friends, Phyllis Tabachnick, Addie Goodman, Mike Goldstein, Aliza Kline, Dara Freiberg, Amy Lavin, Jessica Grossnickle.

Elevated, the groundbreaking collaborative initiative between JCC Association of North America, Jewish Federations of North America, and the Union for Reform Judaism set to transform the field of early childhood Jewish education has launched in seven new North American cities for the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Read more about it here: https://lnkd.in/e-Du2xzc

The recently concluded JSummit 2024 was an extraordinary gathering of JCC Movement leaders, partners, and innovators. Read JSummit Chair Lisie Gottdenker's personal and meaninful Shabbat message, highlighting the power of our shared mission to strengthen Jewish communities worldwide. From thought-provoking keynotes to hands-on workshops, JSummit offered an unparalleled opportunity to engage with leading voices and explore strategies that will shape our collective future. If you missed it, you missed more than just an event—you missed a transformative experience that will drive real change for years to come. Stay tuned and be engaged as we continue this critical work! #JSummit2024

It’s hard to believe JSummit 2024 has come to a close! The past few days have been filled with joyful connections, deep learning, meaningful reflection, and most excitingly, an inspiring energy that will undoubtedly empower the leadership at our JCCs and strengthen the entire JCC Movement. At our final plenary, former Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett joined JSummit to address the challenges and opportunities facing North America’s Jewish community, the current situation in Israel, and the evolving relationship between Jews in the diaspora and Israel. He spoke powerfully about the resilience of the Israeli people, especially the youth, emphasizing that while the government may have faltered on October 7, the people of Israel rose to the occasion. Running toward danger, they acted swiftly to save and protect their fellow citizens. Though the relationship between North American and Israeli Jews may always be nuanced and complex, Bennett affirmed that, whether in Israel or the diaspora, the Jewish people are one people—always a family. No level of religiosity, no single government, and no political differences can change that. #JSummit2024

It’s been a long, difficult moment for the Jewish world, as many have felt our communal identity, legitimacy, and sense of purpose were under attack. During this morning’s JSummit plenary, in partnership with the Z3 Project , we brought the Israel-Diaspora think tank concept to the stage. The conversation featured sociologist Mijal Bitton, Ph.D., political journalist Haviv Rettig Gur, and JCC leader Zack Bodner. Centered around the idea of “unity, not uniformity,” they explored how JCCs and JCC Camps can leverage our institutions to revitalize the sense of Jewish peoplehood across communities. #JSummit2024

Sessions throughout #JSummit2024 have been packed with inspiring stories of partnership, peoplehood, and leadership. Yesterday, JSummit attendees had a phenomenal morning hosted by JCC Chicago at their Lake County campus where we saw examples of each in action. From Sunrise Association Day Camps which brings back childhood pleasures to children struggling with cancer, to the work of Apachi Day Camps and Camp Chi, we saw how JCC Chicago has been supporting Israeli campers, staff, and the wider community. Workshops paired learning with hands-on activities, giving us a true taste of the JCC day-to-day experience. We also explored how partnerships like with the Jewish United Fund (JUF) Early Childhood Collaborative, JCC Association’s Sheva Center, and ElevatEd, are advancing early childhood Jewish education across Chicago. Finally, we explored the Garoon Gateway to Science, a state-of-the-art outdoor science park modeled after a best-in-class experiential park at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, where we learned about its role in helping JCC Chicago welcome shlichim and Israeli campers after the events of October 7. With perfect, sunny weather, JSummit attendees wrapped up their visit with a camp cookout for lunch! It was a memorable day of learning, connection, and community. Thank you for having us, JCC Chicago! #JSummit2024

JCC lay leaders are a driving force in the JCC Movement. In today’s plenary, we were thrilled and proud as a new slate of individuals were elected to JCC Association’s board of directors, stepping into their roles for the next term. Acting president and CEO of JCC Association, Jennifer Mamlet shared reflections from her five months in office, offering vital insights—both inspirational and aspirational—on the next chapter for JCC Association and the JCC Movement. The session concluded with a conversation moderated by Rabbi Ron Wolfson, Ph.D., author of Jewish Communal Leadership: Lessons Learned from Leading Practitioners. The panel featured Amy Schiffman, President and CEO of the Evolve Giving Group ; Samantha Cohen, Senior Vice President of JCC Maccabi at JCC Association; and Lee Trepeck, CEO of Tamarack Camps. Together, they explored strategies for inspiring and training current and future leaders in the Jewish world. #JSummit2024