"My hope for the whole festival is to help people feel more connected to books. I want people to be inspired to read more. It’s as simple as that."

— Udi Urman                   

“Chanukah is all about increasing light and all that light brings to our world—warmth, visibility, and illumination.”

— Jacqueline Marks                   

“It’s a beautiful way to get together with old and new friends and show how much we love and appreciate the JCC.”

— Natalie Batalion                     

"I believe that our ceramics studio is a beautiful showcase of what our community is all about. It's about the heart."

— Udi Urman                     

"We are excited to re-engage with our audiences and host these timely conversations, with hopes of activating people and changing perceptions."

— Carole Zabar                                         

"The emphasis will be on fresh, healthy, wholesome food…that's really what I do."

— Bruce Soffer

In the 21 years they’ve been coming to the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, Lenore and Steve Sherman have enjoyed a range of classes and programs together, from Zumba, Board30, and Pilates to jewelry-making, films, and conversations. They’re also regulars at the fitness center. “I’ll try any class the gym has to offer,” says Steve.

But it’s not just the programs that bring the Shermans back day after day. From the moment they walk through the doors at the JCC, this UWS couple seems to know everyone…and everyone seems to know them.

From the time it was introduced at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan in 2015, What Matters: Caring Conversations About End of Life has helped countless people record and communicate their end of life wishes to family, friends, and healthcare professionals. Research revealed that more than 90 percent of people consider it important to make their healthcare wishes known to others, yet just over a third of the population actually act to make that happen. "That’s a gap we wanted to fill," says Sally Kaplan, the program’s founding (and current) director.

When 10-year-old Leo logs on to his weekly Zoom call with Brooke Helburn, he doesn’t waste time on small talk. After an enthusiastic “Hi!” he cracks open his copy of Beverly Cleary’s classic Ribsy and, once Helburn reminds him where they left off the previous week, starts reading. “He’s all business,” she says, laughing.