Tweens + Teens

Pottery: Handbuilding + Wheel Throwing (10–13 Years)
The JCC Ceramics Studio is a playground of creativity for young artists. Join the fun as we spin, shape, and spark imagination in our pottery adventure together.

Bold Pop (10–13 Years)  
This high-energy dance class combines hip-hop, jazz, and popular dances, helping children develop greater confiDANCE. Dancers learn body awareness, self-esteem, physical strength, coordination, and teamwork skills. Classes incorporate musicality, child-generated movement, and storytelling through dance and music. Taught by BOLD Arts. Classes meet on Mondays and Thursdays.

Cooking Social: Easy Fun Fad Foods
Join in on this tasty and fun cooking series just for tweens and teens inspired by the coolest recipes on social media. It's a great way to make new friends and level up those kitchen skills.

High School Portfolio Prep Class (Grades 7–8)
Middle school artists cannot miss this opportunity to develop a strong foundational art portfolio for high school admissions, art programs, or their personal development. Taught by a professional artist, this class will focus on 2D art, such as painting, drawing, collage, printmaking, and mixed media. Students will explore their creativity and build a cohesive collection of artwork that highlights their skills and reflects their unique personalities. 

Pilates 4 Attention + Mindfulness (10–13 Years)* 
This small-group Pilates plus props class raises awareness of inattentive/hyperactive behaviors and teaches tools for centering, focusing, and slowing down. Through the mind-body connection, participants develop core strength and stability, body awareness, and self-regulation. It is appropriate for participants with ADHD, attention issues, mild sensory issues, executive functioning deficits, and/or anxiety. No formal diagnosis is necessary.

Instructors: Randi Stone, Pilates instructor + Elizabeth Capobianco, child psychologist

Joyful Journeys Yoga (14–18 Years)*
This eight-week yoga workshop explores mindful movement and breathing techniques to help alleviate stress, better understand the connection between mind and body, and foster self-discovery and emotional regulation. Guided by the core principles of yoga, including non-harm and truthfulness, these sessions area space to cultivate joy in community with one another. We will enjoy exploring who we are and nourishing our mind and body. This workshop is in partnership with Three and a Half Acres Yoga, which trains yoga instructors in a trauma-sensitive approach to yoga practice. 

Tween Fit Lab (Ages 10-13)
This youth specific functional fitness class, focuses on resistance training, injury prevention and enhanced sport performance. Have fun with peers, learn how to build strength and experience the physical and mental health benefits of exercise!

Small Group Fitness Training for Teens (10–18 Years)
The JCC offers a small-group personal training program to build strength and stability, improve balance, increase stamina, and more! We’ll use our state-of-the-art facility with a JCC personal trainer. Cohorts are formed by gender identity, or you can come with a group! Sign up, and we’ll match you with a group, or you can come with one. Email personalservice@mmjccm.org for more information.

Tween + Teen Personal Training offers customized guidance to boost fitness knowledge, comfort, and achieve age-appropriate goals with certified JCC Personal Trainers who specialize in working with youth. From first-timers to young athletes, the JCC is a safe and welcoming environment for youth fitness. To inquire about personal training, email personalservice@mmjccm.org.

Did you know that the JCC Health Club is one of few in the city that offers Teen Membership (14-17 years)? Teen Members enjoy amazing benefits, including full access to our state-of-the-art fitness center, pools, basketball courts, pickleball games, group exercise classes, wellness programs on stress resilience, and more. Teens also get special member discounts on customized guidance to gain fitness comfort and conditioning goals through JCC Personal Training. For more information on Teen Memberships, email joinjcc@mmjccm.org or call 646.505.5700.

Off-the-Bimah B'nai Mitzvah Program (Grades 6-7)
This two-year B'nai Mitzvah program ushers your child into young Jewish adulthood and lays the foundation for continuing active participation in the Jewish community. 

Mental Wellness Fellowship (Grades 10–12)*
This fellowship will provide a deep dive into mental health concerns and mental wellness. Sessions will explore mental health diagnoses and red flags, substance use disorders, identity, diversity and belonging, stigma, healthy relationships with technology and social media, healthy friendship and romantic relationships, resilience, faith and spirituality, and self-care. Teens participating in the full series will be certified in Teen Mental Health First Aid and receive a Certificate of Completion as a Teen Mental Wellness Advocate.

Teen Mental Health First Aid Training (Grades 10–12)*
One in six youths ages 6–17 experiences a mental health challenge every year, and when they need help, 80 percent of teens turn to their peers first. Learn how to recognize red flags and support your peers in this nationally accredited course. Teens will be certified in Teen Mental Health First Aid.

Babysitting + CPR Safety Course (11–15 Years)
Are you a tween or teen who loves to babysit? Are you looking to start a babysitting business? Join this five-hour certification course for safe and successful babysitting. This course makes learning fun, from getting a business started to working with parents and children to key safety, caregiving, and first aid tips. The course will be offered on Oct 20 and Dec 8.

LGBTQ+ Book Club (12–15 Years)*
Turn to the next page to discover inclusive storytelling and thoughtful discussion in the JCC’s LGBTQ+ Book Club! This group will center the voices of LGBTQ+ authors, stories, and teens. Allies and teens of all identities are welcome and encouraged to join.

Writing the Character-Driven College Essay (Grades 11–12)
This workshop is for any high school junior or senior who needs guidance crafting their personal statement. Being able to express yourself clearly about who you are as a person, and who you hope to become as a result of your college education, will not only help you with your applications but it will also help you better define what you want to get out of your college experience and beyond.

BBYO (Grades 8-12)  
BBYO is the leading pluralistic Jewish teen movement in North America, open to teens in Grades 8–12, with more than 600 chapters worldwide. The JCC chapter of BBYO Manhattan offers a place for teens to grow as individuals, build leadership skills, and be part of a larger BBYO community. This year we’re adding a BBYO chapter to the existing BBG and AZA chapters. With this new gender-inclusive chapter addition, every teen can find the perfect chapter for them @ the JCC!

Mitzvah Sundays (Middle School or 10–13 Years)
Want to make a difference in your community regularly? Join tweens on Mitzvah Sundays for hands-on community service and Jewish service learning with monthly service projects. The JCC will provide documentation showing completion of community service hours for this program.

Community Cooks (12–15 Years)
Work together in the kitchen to prepare and cook a delicious meal for a local organization in need. This isn’t your ordinary service project; it’s a hands-on culinary and social justice experience nestled in Jewish values that fosters an environment rooted in empathy, compassion, and the struggle against hunger and homelessness. The JCC will provide documentation showing completion of community service hours for this program.

JCC Teen Volunteer Corps (Grades 9–12) 
Engage in acts of kindness and community service to heal the world, starting in our UWS community. This volunteer-centered program offers teens a platform to impact the lives of others and themselves while connecting with Jewish values. Teens will develop empathy, critical thinking, and social responsibility through need-based service projects, neighborhood partnerships, and focused discussions. Each Sunday’s timing will vary depending on the project’s needs and will last between 2 and 4 hours.

Jewish Youth Climate Movement (14–18 Years)  
Passionate about climate change? Join the JCC's JYCM Kvutzah (Jewish Youth Climate Movement Group) and become a member of this Gen-Z-led movement dedicated to combating climate change and environmental justice from a Jewish lens.

Literacy + Math Tutoring (14 and older)
Advance educational equity in NYC through academic support and mentorship to public school students in grades 1–5: Tutor a student in reading or math, read stories during lunchtime, or help with homework! The ideal tutor is a responsible and caring role model eager to maximize their impact through training, self-reflection, and proactive communication. Experience working with children is helpful but not required. Tutoring sessions run October through May. 

Volunteer with The Jack and Shirley Silver Center for Diverse Abilities (Ages 14–21)
The Jack and Shirley Silver Center for Diverse Abilities builds and nurtures an inclusive and accepting community where individuals of all abilities and their families have opportunities to make meaningful connections to each other and their communities. Learn more by emailing Julie Singer at jsinger@mmjccm.org.