JCC stories
The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan is actively shaping 21st-century Jewish life. The stories in this section, which also appear in our seasonal program guides, serve as an introduction to some of the people and programs that represent that change, that make us so much more than a community center. We hope they inspire as well as inform.
Several of the stories that appear here have short video companions. To watch these videos, click the link in the sidebar of each story. To watch all of the videos now, click here.
stories from Winter/Spring 2018
Teen Tutors Pay It Forward
For ninth-graders Jason Johnson and Kevin Morales, volunteering as tutors in Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Gift of Literacy and Math programs this summer was something of a déjà vu experience. In elementary school, they were students in the program themselves.
Witness Theater: Preserving The Past For Future Generations
In the JCC’s Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Family Auditorium, a group of 15 teens and senior citizens walk out in silence before a waiting audience. They’re there to share stories—the Holocaust survival stories of the very seniors now seated on the stage.
Healthy Body, Healthy Brain
While the brain/body connection for practices like yoga is relatively clear, the link in other fitness modalities is no less important. All are about “consciously connecting how the brain is influenced by movement, or the reverse,” says Chapman.
stories from Fall 2017
Ruth Messinger: Blazing New Trails
When the JCC's Joseph Stern Center for Social Responsibility was launched, it already has significant muscle behind it.
10 Years of ReelAbilities
In 2011, the ReelAbilities NY Film Festival screened the film Wretches and Jabberers, a documentary about two nonverbal men with autism.
Out at the J: Welcoming + Evolving
The new name is just one step. “It’s fun and exciting,” says Kanter. “Changing the name is an expression of our readiness to move forward.”
stories from Summer 2017
Classes—but Even More, Community
David Hatcher and his husband, Herbert Godoy, found their son, Jaylen, through David's job, but they found a community through the JCC.
Sharing The Voices of Israel
Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan has long prided itself on its deep connection to Israel; in fact, that connection is one of our core values.
Fly Fishing Vets Cast their Sights on The JCC
Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan's third-floor gym may not be the first place you'd expect to see a group of anglers practicing their fly fishing skills, but the JCC is a surprising place.
stories from Winter/Spring 2017
"Best Summer Ever": Reflections on Camp Settoga's Inaugural Year
The JCC purchased a beautiful 21-acre property in Pomona, NY, in January 2016. The site, formerly a German biergarten known as the Platzl Brauhaus, quickly morphed into a state-of-the-art Jewish day camp we named Camp Settoga, complete with a heated Olympic-size pool, a 16-element challenge course, tennis courts, basketball, gymnastics, golf, culinary arts, a working garden, and much more.