Dear Swimmers,
 
We hope this finds you well and looking forward to a fun and active summer! We are writing with important news for our lap swim community.

Starting TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2022, the JCC Main + Training Pools will transition to a drop-in format for all regularly scheduled lap/open swim hours. Advance booking and reservations will no longer be needed or accepted for adult lap swim. The booking period opening tomorrow, Wed, June 15 at 8 pm, will cover reservations for June 19–27 and will be the final reservation period. Thereafter, no reservations will be required (details below).

We’ve been delighted by the excitement and commitment of both our new and longtime members, and this change is necessary to meet the expanding needs of our community. While many swimmers enjoy the lap swim reservation format, we are eager to provide maximum flexibility in arrival and departure times, swim duration, and general ease of planning your swims without technicalities. One major limitation of the reservation format is that no-shows and late cancellations prevent optimal pool utilization and access when there is space in the pool.  

Please join us in ensuring the JCC remains the most welcoming, respectful, and outstanding swim experience in the city. Please reacquaint yourself with JCC Swim Etiquette and our Aquatics Code of Conduct. The summer pool schedules can be found HERE.

Thank you to the hundreds of members who completed our recent pool survey. We are grateful for your overwhelmingly positive feedback about the way the JCC has ensured safe and continuous pool operations since reopening in October 2020. At every turn, the JCC has held the health, safety, and experience of our members at the forefront of each decision, and we will continue to do so.

If you have questions or wish to provide additional feedback, kindly use this form (in lieu of emails or phone calls). For assistance with aquatics group exercise or family swim reservations, please email personalservice@mmjccm.org. To inquire about your membership account, please email membership@mmjccm.org.

Thank you for your cooperation and for exercising kindness, patience, and community values to your fellow swimmers and aquatics staff. We greatly appreciate your loyalty. 

Best in health,

Todd Elkins, Chief Health + Wellness Officer
Melissa Donovan, COO, Health + Wellness
Carolina Stapleton, Senior Director, Aquatics

POOL FAQ: WHAT TO EXPECT

Do I need any reservations at all for adult lap swim?
Effective June 28th, 2022, pool members will no longer need any advance booking or reservations, nor will the JCC accept any reservations, for general adult lap/open swim in the Main Pool and Training Pool. The member swim schedules can be found here.

What do I still need a reservation for?
Reservations will still be required for the newly added family swim spots on Saturdays and aquatic aerobics group exercise classes. All other children’s swim school, adult learn-to-swim programs, private swim, or other classes require advance registration as usual.

Where can I find the lap swim schedule?
The summer pool schedules will be posted on our website and on the pool deck. The JCC hours of operation are always found here. 

Do I need to bring anything to the pool deck with me?
All swimmers will be required to check in by swiping your active, valid JCC Health Club or Pool Member ID card at the 6th floor pool deck to gain entry. Bring this with you to the pool deck. You will be able to leave it on the desk or please plan to store it with your belongings.

How do I check in for lap swim, exactly?
You will check in with your active, valid JCC Health Club or Pool Member ID card. Please remember that you should scan your ID once at the security desk in the lobby to gain access to the building. Then you will swipe again on the 6th floor pool deck to gain entry to the pools. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding that scanning in two places is important for the safety and security of our building.

How will you manage pool capacity and lanes? 
Pool capacity and lane speed management will be managed with the safety of our swimmers at the forefront of operations, every minute of the day. We will still maintain an average capacity of 25 swimmers in the pool during lap swim when 5 lanes are available; however, this will vary based on conditions as deemed appropriate by the lifeguards and aquatics staff.  

What can I expect in terms of the number of swimmers sharing my lane?
Based on current usage patterns, you can expect an average of 4–5 swimmers in your lane depending upon the time of day. Historically, the morning hours are the busiest and the evening hours have the lightest usage.

Will I ever have to wait to swim?
Please be prepared that a lifeguard may ask you to wait a few minutes by the side of the pool if your preferred speed lane has reached maximum capacity. Your patience and cooperation are appreciated. 

What about the Training Pool?
The training pool capacity will be 10 swimmers for all open swim times, with the exception of Calm Rehabilitative Hour (last hour of the evening) which is a time for those in our community who are living with, but not limited to, conditions affecting physical mobility. During this time, the Training Pool floor rises at the start and end of this hour to accommodate members, and capacity will be limited to approximately 4.

How do I learn about proper JCC Pool Swim Etiquette?
Please familiarize with this helpful page.

What is the JCC Aquatics Code of Conduct?
This code of conduct is an important reminder of the values that drive our community and the expectations of behavior and conduct for all individuals in the aquatics center.

What if I need assistance or have questions while at the pool?
As always, please find the nearest JCC lifeguard or Aquatics staff member. We are always happy to help and appreciate your deference to our safety protocols.

August 27, 2021

Dear Friends,

The High Holidays are REALLY early this year, an oft-repeated sentence when Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah fall on the same day. As a person who lives in two time zones—Jewish and American—it can be very strange to wear summer clothes to synagogue and serve chicken soup and brisket to my family (because what else would I serve?) when it might be 90 degrees.  

But this year, of course, it’s even more dislocating, as we continue to battle the pandemic and our plans for gathering, whether in synagogues, outdoors, or with family and friends, keep shifting. There is a part of me that wants to suspend time and wait until things get better before celebrating the new year and all it promises.

But as we have discovered, we can’t cancel holidays. And we especially can’t cancel the work that we need to do leading up to the holidays, because the process of teshuva/repentance takes some time and effort and is a necessary part of being human. We need to acknowledge where we have missed the mark and where others have missed the mark with us. We need to forgive. We need to be forgiven. Whether we are in the heat of the city or at the beach, in synagogue or in our homes, we are all carrying more than our share of anxiety this year and the month of Elul is the time we set to face all of this and deal with it.

How come I ate so much ice cream and watched so much stupid TV during the pandemic? Why didn’t I learn a foreign language, spend more time appreciating what I have, or living in the moment? Could I have been a better boss, a better friend, a better daughter, a better sister, a better wife, a better mother? When I look back now on this year, it’s hard not to see my shortcomings.

It has been a year of disappointments for so many of us. "Why didn’t you get vaccinated?" "Why aren’t you wearing a mask?" "Why did you scream at me when I was only trying to help?" "Why can’t you understand what I am going through?" "Why didn’t you say thank you for all I have done?" "Why didn’t you see how much pain I am in?"

And for those of us who use this time to hold God accountable, there are too many questions. Why did so many people have to get sick and die? Why are fires raging and floods devastating whole communities? Why is this pandemic not over yet?

This month is a gift. It is a time to look at our mistakes and resolve to do better. It is a time to let go of all the slights, the hurt, and the pain, because we are all human and messing up is part of life. We say it to our children all the time. Elul is the time when we say it to ourselves and to one another. As hard as it is to do, I am going to figure out where I screwed up and make some promises to myself to do better. I’m going to remember that we are all created in the image of God and deserving of kindness and forgiveness.

Much as I would rather make gazpacho this year, I’m sticking with chicken soup. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

August 18, 2021

Dear JCC Community,

As you know, Mayor de Blasio announced new vaccination requirements in New York City in response to rising COVID-19 rates and the Delta variant. A phase-in period commenced on August 16, and full enforcement begins September 13. While the NYC guidelines relate specifically to indoor fitness, dining, and entertainment, we have decided to make the vaccination requirement a policy for all individuals entering the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan and JCC Harlem.
 
At every turn during the pandemic, the JCC has prioritized the safety and well-being of our staff and community. Our commitment to one another is a core value at the JCC and characterizes good citizenship. 
 
We are encouraged by the high vaccination rates in our neighborhood, yet recognize that hundreds of the children we serve are not yet eligible for vaccination. We need to do everything we can, consistent with our values, to keep those most vulnerable as safe as possible; and we believe that this policy is the best way to ensure wellness in our community. 
 
Vaccination Policy

Beginning Monday, September 13, all individuals over the age of 12 will be required to show proof of full vaccination* each time when entering the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan at 334 Amsterdam Avenue and JCC Harlem at 318 West 118th Street. You may present your New York State Excelsior Pass, NYC COVID Safe app, or your vaccination card for building and program entry.

• Please continue to bring your JCC ID or any valid photo ID to show to Security.
• Parents and caregivers accompanying children to JCC classes must show proof of vaccination in order to enter the building, even if the class is a drop-off.

Mask Policy

Masks are required in all shared, public areas of the JCC, including the entry, lobby, hallways, elevators, program spaces, and locker rooms, especially where it’s difficult to maintain social distance, and where children may be present. Please note:

• In children’s programs, masks are required for all adults, children over 2, instructors, and any support staff present.
• Certain programs for adults may not require a mask with proof of vaccination. 
• Health Club, Pool, and Basketball members are not required to wear masks within designated Health Club areas. We ask that you continue to show your vaccination app or card at the Health Club check-in desks for the time being so that we can update your account status.

JCC policies are subject to change based on NYS, NYC, and CDC guidelines, as well as the recommendations of our own health advisors. Any updates will be communicated to you via email and on this page.

I’m in awe of the resilience, creativity, and dedication that our JCC staff, members, and broader community have demonstrated throughout the pandemic, and I am deeply grateful for your ongoing commitment to the JCC through membership, donations, and program participation. We are so excited to launch our incredible fall season of programs, hear the joyful sounds of children’s sports in our gymnasium, welcome back members for workouts after summer vacations, and start the New Year with you.
 
Thank you for your role in keeping our community safe. We hope that the steps that the city and the JCC are taking to ensure safety in our programs will provide greater peace of mind. It has been a pleasure seeing so many of your faces returning in person to the JCC with confidence, and I’m looking forward to brighter days ahead.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

*”Fully vaccinated” per CDC guidelines means 2 weeks have passed since receiving the second dose of an FDA- or WHO-authorized double-dose vaccine, or the sole dose of an FDA- or WHO-authorized single-dose vaccine.

August 11, 2021

Dear JCC Health Club Members,

Last week, Mayor de Blasio announced new vaccination requirements for indoor fitness, dining, and entertainment facilities in New York City in response to rising COVID-19 rates and the Delta variant. A phase-in period commences this Monday, August 16, and full enforcement begins September 13. 

We are confirming the JCC’s compliance with this mandate and timeline, and to update you on changes regarding building entry location, protocol, and other Health Club news.

We also want to share that, in light of the Mayor’s new guidelines, and consistent with our values, we will be requiring that JCC staff across all areas of the building be vaccinated. While we recognize that the NYC guidelines relate specifically to fitness centers, entertainment, and restaurants, we have decided to make this a staff-wide policy, and are in the process of planning an institutional policy as we believe these guidelines are the best way to ensure wellness in our community.

New Building Entry

• Starting Monday, August 16, all JCC Health Club, Pool, and Basketball Members and fitness class participants will enter through the front doors at 334 Amsterdam Avenue.
• Continue to bring your JCC ID or any valid photo ID to show to Security AND be prepared to present your New York State Excelsior Pass or your vaccination card for building entry. 
• Health Club, Pool, and Basketball members should continue to book your workout in advance or on your way into the building for swift check-in. 
• After September 13, members who do not show proof of vaccination will not be permitted entry to the JCC Health Club.
• See below for our mask policy.

Aquatics Updates

• Pool capacity (and access) has increased again. Health Club and Pool members will now be able to book five swims per week, effective immediately. Swim sessions will continue to be 45 minutes to ensure optimal capacity and serve the greatest number of members. 
• Swimmers, we ask that you please arrive on the pool deck as close to your swim time as possible to reduce traffic and crowding.  
• Starting Monday, additional swim spots will be open as a result of Day Camp ending. Please be advised that a new fall pool reservation schedule takes effect on Sunday, September 12, when the JCC Fall Aquatics program season begins. Changes will be updated on the JCC Mindbody app/page.

Fitness + Basketball Updates

• In-person group exercise has resumed, while virtual group exercise classes are still going strong. Book a class! 
• Basketball in the 3rd Floor Gymnasium is open for member booking. Come shoot hoops! 
• Inspired by the Olympics? Health Club members are welcome to unlimited Fitness Center visits and may make a same-day pool reservation, if desired. 
• Locker rooms are open for member use, including cubbies, showers, towel service, and hair dryers. Wipes are available for the cleaning of surfaces before and after use. Locker rental without personal laundry service is available; please email personalservice@mmjccm.org if you are interested.

Mask Policy in Health Club

Provided you have shown proof of vaccination, JCC members are not required to wear masks within the Health Club. Your Excelsior pass or vaccination card may be shown at any Health Club welcome desk. At this time, the JCC Health Club Staff will continue to wear masks.

Mask Policy in Public Spaces

As we believe everyone carries a responsibility for the health of our community, we ask that ALL individuals continue to wear masks in building entry areas, the lobby, hallways, elevators, and locker rooms, where it’s difficult to maintain social distance, and where children may be present.

Looking ahead to September

Please note that the JCC Health Club will have modified hours on Labor Day and be closed on September 7, 8, and 16 in observance of the High Holidays. 

Your cooperation with our health and safety protocols is appreciated to ensure smooth transitions. For assistance with Fitness or Pool reservations, email personalservice@mmjccm.org. If you have questions about your membership account, please email membership@mmjccm.org. 

We hope that the steps that the JCC is taking to ensure health and safety will provide greater peace of mind this fall. It has been a pleasure seeing so many of your smiling faces returning in person to the JCC with confidence, and we look forward to brighter days ahead.

Todd Elkins
Chief Health and Wellness Officer

Melissa Donovan
Chief Operating Officer, Health and Wellness

June 22, 2021

Dear JCC Health Club Members,

We hope this finds you safe and well on the doorstep of summer! 

We’re excited to be writing with an update on JCC Health Club protocols in light of Governor Cuomo’s recent announcement confirming the ‘reopening’ of New York State. We are encouraged by the steady climb in vaccination rates in our neighborhood and city, and the greater safety, comfort, and freedoms we can now embrace.

Starting TODAY, Tuesday, June 22, JCC Health Club, Pool, and Basketball members will no longer be required to complete a health declaration, and temperatures will no longer be checked upon entry. Additionally:

Faster Entry

• You’ll continue to enter through the 76th Street door and bring your JCC ID or any valid photo ID to show to Security.
• Fitness Center: After booking your workout, you’ll be able to bypass the lobby stop and proceed straight to the Fitness Center. You’ll check in at the 4th floor welcome desk and show your vaccination card if you wish to unmask. 
• Pool: Members will stop in the lobby for a brief check-in where you can show your New York State Excelsior Pass or vaccination card before heading directly to the locker rooms up to 20 minutes before your swim. Swim sessions will continue to be 45 minutes to ensure optimal capacity and serve the greatest number of members.

Fitness Updates

• Fitness Center hours have been extended to 10 pm on weekdays and 9 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. 
• Health Club members are welcome to resume an unlimited number of Fitness Center visits, including drop-in visits, and can make a pool reservation on the same day as a fitness workout, if desired, through the JCC MindBody page/app. 
• Closures for deep cleaning have been eliminated, so there is no limit to the duration of your workout.

Aquatics Updates

• Health Club and Pool members will be able to book four swims per week starting tomorrow, Wednesday, June 23 at 8 pm.
• Pool capacity has been increased to 20 swimmers in most sessions.
• Closures for deep cleaning have been eliminated and four new swim sessions will be added starting Sunday.
• Swimmers will be allowed to enter the locker rooms up to 20 minutes before your reservation, if desired, though we ask that you please arrive on the pool deck as close to your swim time as possible. 
• Note: From today through August 12, daytime capacities reflect camp pool use of lanes four and five between the hours of 9 am and 3 pm.

Additional Reopenings 

• Basketball in the 3rd Floor Gymnasium is now open for weekday afternoon and evening reservations. Check-in will take place on the 3rd Floor.
• In-person group exercise classes will continue to be introduced onsite through the summer and fall. Virtual group exercise classes will also remain part of our Health Club schedule. 
• Locker rooms are open for member use including cubbies, showers, and hair dryers. Wipes are available for the cleaning of surfaces before and after use, for everyone’s benefit. 
• Towel service will resume July 1. Please help us conserve by using one towel per person.
• Locker rental will resume July 5 without personal laundry service. Please email personalservice@mmjccm.org if you are interested in locker rental. 
• And more to come!

Mask Policy Reminder

JCC members who have been vaccinated, and can show proof of vaccination, are not required to wear masks within the Health Club. Proof of vaccination can be shown at any Health Club desk by displaying your vaccination card or the New York State Excelsior pass. Unvaccinated individuals must continue wearing a mask and practice social distancing per CDC guidelines. 

Day Camp and Community Covenant

Today, we began the joyful tradition of welcoming children into the building for the start of Day Camp @ the JCC, a particularly sweet milestone this year. As we wrote to you when we changed our mask policy, we believe everyone carries a responsibility for the health of our community. As a building that serves both adults and children of all ages, for the time being we ask that vaccinated individuals continue to wear masks in certain shared spaces, including the building entry, lobby, elevators, and locker rooms, where it’s difficult to maintain social distance, and where children will be present. If you’re not vaccinated, we ask for your commitment to continue wearing a mask. At this time, the JCC Health Club Staff will also continue to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.

More In Store 

We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we begin phasing out restrictions. We are keeping closely attuned to the NYC public health landscape and working tirelessly to ensure responsible implementation of changes. Your cooperation with JCC health and safety protocols has helped us reach this wonderful milestone, and will ensure smooth transitions to future phases. 

For assistance with Fitness or Pool reservations, email personalservice@mmjccm.org. If you have questions about your membership account, please email membership@mmjccm.org. We are grateful for your loyalty and look forward to seeing you more often.

Wishing you a happy, strong, and wonderful start of the summer! 
 
Best in health,

Todd Elkins
Chief Health and Wellness Officer

Melissa Donovan
Chief Operating Officer, Health and Wellness

New JCC Health Club Mask Policy

May 23, 2021

Dear JCC Health Club Members,

We hope this finds you safe and well. Since the recent announcements from the CDC and New York State, the JCC has been exploring responsible implementation of the guidance. We are writing with an update on new protocols for the Health Club.

Health Club Mask Policy Change

Starting tomorrow, Monday, May 24, JCC members who have been vaccinated, and can show proof of vaccination, will no longer be required to wear masks within the Health Club. Proof of vaccination will be required at our Health Club desks by displaying either your vaccination card or the New York State Excelsior app. To obtain the app, search for “Excelsior Pass” in the App Store; visit this page for easy, step-by-step instructions on how to download it. Please note this is a transitional time for all; if any JCC staff member asks you for proof of vaccination during your visit, your prompt cooperation is appreciated. 

All other health and safety protocols, including social distancing, remain in effect at the JCC until further notice. 

Community Covenant

We believe everyone carries a responsibility for the health of our community, and place the highest value on ensuring safe, communal spaces that inspire comfort and confidence. As a building that serves both children and adults of all ages, we ask that vaccinated individuals enter the building with mask on and wear masks in certain shared spaces including the entry, lobby, elevators, and locker rooms, where it’s also more difficult to maintain social distance. And if you’re not vaccinated, we ask for your commitment to continue wearing a mask during your visit. At this time, the JCC Staff will also continue to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.

More Exciting Changes

The JCC will continue to adapt as new guidelines come our way—with you, our loyal members in mind. Changes are afoot, and we’ll keep you informed at every step. Some of the current developments include:

• We’re increasing our pool capacity effective immediately in a phased plan
• By eliminating cleaning closures, we’ve added more continuous fitness access
• Certain group exercise classes have resumed in the building
• Rooftop films and select programs are back in person
• Camp and summer classes for children are open for registration 
• Basketball courts will soon reopen for member use 
• Health Club hours will expand again in the summer 

We are keeping closely attuned to updates from the Governor and Mayor’s office, especially those specific to NYC businesses, and working constantly with our consulting physician to plan for more transitions ahead. 

Until then, we appreciate your cooperation with JCC health and safety protocols. For help with Fitness or Pool reservations, email Personal Services. If you have questions about your membership account, please email JCC Membership. We are grateful for your loyalty. 

We look forward to seeing your smiling faces soon! 

Best in health,

Todd Elkins, Chief Health and Wellness Officer
Melissa Donovan, Chief Operating Officer, Health and Wellness

Dear JCC Health Club Members,

We hope this finds you safe and well. Since the recent announcements from the CDC and New York State, the JCC has been exploring responsible implementation of the guidance. We are writing with an update on new protocols for the Health Club.

Health Club Mask Policy Change

Starting tomorrow, Monday, May 24, JCC members who have been vaccinated, and can show proof of vaccination, will no longer be required to wear masks within the Health Club. Proof of vaccination will be required at our Health Club desks by displaying either your vaccination card or the New York State Excelsior app. To obtain the app, search for “Excelsior Pass” in the App Store; visit this page for easy, step-by-step instructions on how to download it. Please note this is a transitional time for all; if any JCC staff member asks you for proof of vaccination during your visit, your prompt cooperation is appreciated. 

All other health and safety protocols, including social distancing, remain in effect at the JCC until further notice. 

Community Covenant

We believe everyone carries a responsibility for the health of our community, and place the highest value on ensuring safe, communal spaces that inspire comfort and confidence. As a building that serves both children and adults of all ages, we ask that vaccinated individuals enter the building with mask on and wear masks in certain shared spaces including the entry, lobby, elevators, and locker rooms, where it’s also more difficult to maintain social distance. And if you’re not vaccinated, we ask for your commitment to continue wearing a mask during your visit. At this time, the JCC Staff will also continue to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.

More Exciting Changes

The JCC will continue to adapt as new guidelines come our way—with you, our loyal members in mind. Changes are afoot, and we’ll keep you informed at every step. Some of the current developments include:

• We’re increasing our pool capacity effective immediately in a phased plan
• By eliminating cleaning closures, we’ve added more continuous fitness access
• Certain group exercise classes have resumed in the building
• Rooftop films and select programs are back in person
• Camp and summer classes for children are open for registration 
• Basketball courts will soon reopen for member use 
• Health Club hours will expand again in the summer 

We are keeping closely attuned to updates from the Governor and Mayor’s office, especially those specific to NYC businesses, and working constantly with our consulting physician to plan for more transitions ahead. 

Until then, we appreciate your cooperation with JCC health and safety protocols. For help with Fitness or Pool reservations, email Personal Services. If you have questions about your membership account, please email JCC Membership. We are grateful for your loyalty. 

We look forward to seeing your smiling faces soon! 

Best in health,

Todd Elkins, Chief Health and Wellness Officer
Melissa Donovan, Chief Operating Officer, Health and Wellness

May 20, 2021

Dear Friends:

Jewish tradition is filled with stories of individuals who take transformative journeys late in their lives. Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Miriam, and Naomi are just a few who make invaluable contributions at mature ages. Instead of diminishing, their relevance to their communities intensifies as they age.

The lessons we learn from today’s older adults are no less significant and provided the inspiration for the creation of our Wechsler Center for Modern Aging last fall.

The 16 Over 61 Awards are a unique partnership between the JCC and the Forward, in which we spotlight the creativity, leadership, and initiative of adults who exemplify our collective values. We received more than 100 nominations from across the U.S. and Canada, representing a vast range of experience and backgrounds. A selection committee representing both organizations, as well as professionals and laypeople from diverse fields, chose the final 16. Meet the recipients here.

Our 16 Over 61 recipients, along with the other nominees, don’t let age define or stop them. “The point,” said one, “is to embrace and celebrate age wherever one is on the chronological scale. We have been granted a gift of longevity, and we must use that gift.” “Judaism instructs that our time on earth is a gift to ourselves and to all those whom we encounter,” shared another.

Those selected include rabbis, an artist, a musician, social justice advocates, a prison chaplain, educators, LGBTQIA+ activists, and the founder of a Jewish humor group. One had his second bar mitzvah at the age of 83. The youngest is 65; the oldest is 99. All are still active in their fields. What they have in common is a sense of purpose and the desire to leave the world a better place.

Selecting the final 16 was not an easy task. The impressive lifetime accomplishments of each of our nominees are worthy of recognition.

The JCC and the Forward are inspired by our entire community. We wholeheartedly agree with the words of the recipient who said, “To truly honor older persons in our society, we need to work together to elevate their standing, both in our consciousness and in our communities.”

Rabbi Joy Levitt, Chief Executive Officer, Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan
Jodi Rudoren, Editor-in-Chief, the Forward
Susan Lechter, Director, The Wechsler Center for Modern Aging

April 13, 2021

Dear JCC Community,

With mixed emotions, I am writing to let you know that Rabbi Joy Levitt, our beloved CEO, shared with the Board of Directors last evening her plan to retire at the end of this year.

On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Joy for her incredible devotion and leadership over the past 24 years. She has had a profound impact on our institution, staff, and community.

We have created a transition team and are putting together a plan that will ensure a smooth process. The Board has the utmost confidence in our executive team and entire staff to successfully work through this period in partnership with Joy. As you know, we have been opening our doors gradually, guided by regulations from federal, state, and local authorities, and look forward to welcoming you all back with open arms. We will keep you apprised of our plans.

On a personal note, this email would not be complete without a few heartfelt thoughts of my own about Joy. I have been lucky enough to have worked with her for the past 10 years. Her enthusiasm, dedication, thoughtfulness, and creativity are contagious; they have helped to recruit the best and the brightest staff, community partners, philanthropists, and board members over the years. There is no question that Joy has been the primary reason for the JCC’s incredible growth and success over the past two decades, and we are eternally grateful for her efforts.

We will find many opportunities to thank and honor Joy before the end of the year. In the meantime, please see the letter below that Joy asked me to share with you, our community.

With gratitude,

Sheryl Kaye
Chair, Board of Directors

******************

Dear Friends,

Last night, I informed the Board of Directors of my intention to retire at the end of December. For more than two decades, it has been my privilege to work alongside a dedicated and talented staff, an engaged and generous Board of Directors, and a community that has inspired me every day. Together, we have nurtured families, young people, and modern agers, deepened our connections to Jewish life and Israel, helped people stay healthy, expanded our world through the arts and film, and renewed our commitments to social responsibility and people with special needs. We built Camp Settoga and we opened JCC Harlem. With our synagogue and school partners, we helped shape Jewish life with an approach that is open, inclusive, creative, and values-driven. 

Even during this challenging year, the JCC flexed its muscle of expansion rather than contraction. We launched The Wechsler Center for Modern Aging. We welcomed thousands of people online each week. We hosted film festivals that were more widely attended than ever before (be sure to check out ReelAbilities, opening April 29). Volunteers made sure that people got the help they needed, whether it was getting on Zoom, making vaccine appointments, teaching kids to read, or simply staying connected to us. More than 5,000 people came to our Passover programs, and this week we will celebrate Israel’s birthday, despite the challenges of COVID-19. I could not be prouder to have been a part of all of this work.

I expect the next several months to be filled with progress, as we continue to welcome you back to our Center for Health and Wellness and to the sounds of campers giggling, both here at 76th Street and at Camp Settoga. We hope to begin in-person adult programming soon, and I look forward to seeing you once again in the lobby in a safe and joyful way.

As the JCC enters its 20th year on 76th Street, I know that we will continue to go from strength to strength.

With gratitude for the blessing of having had the best job in Jewish life,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

January 29, 2021

Dear Friends,

It was four years ago (feels like both yesterday and forever ago) that the Meyerson family made a deep and abiding investment in the JCC by making a gift to help secure our future. None of us could have foreseen that this gift would be both transformative and critical to our ability to serve our community throughout the pandemic and beyond. 

Marlene Meyerson was a small but mighty force of nature who delighted in watching her children and grandchildren thrive at the JCC—at nursery school and after-school, in the gym and at Jewish learning programs. She believed in the power of community to help people grow. She was generous and funny, irreverent and kind. She was an incredible woman, friend, grandmother, and mother. To me, she was a real lady.

Here at the JCC, we feel enormously proud to bear her name, and we work hard to make sure that we stay true to the values that animated her life. Her favorite phrase, "onward and upward," has inspired us to continue to push ourselves out of our comfort zone and into a place where we can meet the challenges of the day. Never has this felt more important than now. Whether it is in a new initiative around diversity, equity, and inclusion; increased focus on racial justice; bold new work in the area of technology and its intersection with wellness in older adults; or expanded programming for people recovering from breast and ovarian cancer, the JCC strives to honor Marlene’s memory every day. 

We can do this and more because of the generosity of Marlene’s family and because so many more people stepped up to help, inspired by the Meyersons' philanthropy and by our mission to help shape 21st century Jewish life and build community. When Marlene's daughter, Marti, announced their gift, she challenged us to continue to think big. Our board and staff heard the call and have continued to shape Jewish life here in the city and beyond. We know that once the pandemic is in the rearview mirror, we will need to take the lessons we've learned from this crisis and bake them into the way we serve the community. How will we address the changing urban landscape? How will we respond to an increasingly technology-driven world? What are the new needs of the most vulnerable people among us, and how can we best collaborate with others to meet those needs?

We can ask these questions with confidence because we have a community that is committed to inquiry. For that, and so much more, we will be eternally grateful to the Meyerson family for setting a new course for the JCC.

Click here to watch a brief video of the dedication of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, which took place on February 2, 2018.

Onward and upward.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

January 22, 2021

Dear Friends,

Following the months and weeks and days of turmoil, my most fervent wish for you today is a Shabbat shalom, a Shabbat that brings peace and fullness to your home, a Shabbat in which the candle’s light glows with the possibility that hope still lives, that vaccines are on the way, and that we can begin to plan for a tomorrow that will feel and taste different for sure, but oh, so good.

At the JCC, we are starting to plan for that tomorrow, and we need your help. We have always tried to keep our ear to the ground, listening carefully to what you tell us you need. We want to help you grow and learn in this ever-changing Jewish landscape. But without the opportunity to bump into you in the lobby, talk to you in the elevator, or meet you after a class or event in the auditorium, we have to find creative ways to hear what’s on your mind.

So we've created a survey designed to do just that. It will take you about eight minutes, and it’s completely confidential, I promise. By completing the survey, you’ll help us shape our plans to welcome you back into the building, help us understand your situation, and let the JCC know how it can best serve you in these times. Click here to complete it.

We've learned so much during these difficult times. We've learned the value of friendship, and the significance of community, especially when people need a helping hand. We have experienced the pain of loneliness, grief, and anger, and we have seen moments of grace that bring tears to our eyes. Please know that the staff and board of the JCC are studying these lessons, so we can be a stronger, wiser, more compassionate community for all of you.

So take time to fill out the survey, by Monday, February 1 if you can. Take it for us. For you. For all of us. And when it’s done, we'll share our findings with you, so that together, we can build a better JCC.

If you have any questions about the survey, don't hesitate to reach out to us at survey@mmjccm.org.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

January 15, 2021

Dear Friends,

Who could have imagined that a shot in the arm would be a spiritually uplifting experience? The truth is, I don’t like needles (who does?) and my wonderful physician often has to remind me to get my flu shot. I know, I know. But COVID-19 has changed all of that and most of us have been anxiously awaiting our turn to receive the vaccine that will begin to help us resume some sense of normalcy, even as we remain vigilant. When the Governor announced that those over 65 were now eligible, I was extremely fortunate to get an appointment. On my way to the vaccine site, I stopped off to buy chocolates for the person who would give me the shot. Truth be told, I did it because I was so overcome with gratitude to this nameless nurse who spends her days now giving people vaccines. I needed a way to say thank you. I handed her the chocolates right before she gave me the shot and we both started to cry. The shot itself was a non-event—I felt nothing, perhaps because the sense of thankfulness filled every part of my body. At once I felt grateful to the people who have worked tirelessly to develop this vaccine, to those who were willing to help test it, to the manufacturers and the people that drove the trucks to get it to us, and to the staff that supports and administers the vaccine each day. 

I am so mindful of how hard this process has been for so many. Here at the JCC, we are working hard to figure out how to help those who are eligible for the vaccine navigate the online registrations. We hope to have more information for you in the coming weeks; stay tuned.

There is a prayer that Jews say at special moments: Praised are you God, Ruler of the Universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this moment. I recited this prayer more fervently than ever before and added words of gratitude for those who helped make this possible. It was a sacred moment for me.

This is a sacred time in our country as well, as we commemorate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and mark the inauguration of our new president. Please join us for the Cinematters: NY Social Justice Film Festival, our festival honoring Dr. King, with films and conversations running through Monday. With the peaceful transition of power and renewed commitment to strengthening our democracy, with continued safety measures concerning the virus, and with the hope vaccines will be made more readily available, we will soon see the ray of light at the end of this dark tunnel.

In the meantime, we are here for you to work out, take a swim, watch a film, or join us for the countless virtual experiences that continue to connect us. We have learned that we are so much more than a building. We are a powerful community here to support one another through these challenging times.

With a sore arm and a grateful soul, I wish you a Shabbat shalom. 

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

January 14, 2021

Dear Friends,

We've been overjoyed with the response to the launch of our new Wechsler Center for Modern Aging, which seeks to reimagine older adulthood as a time of expansive possibility, purpose, community engagement, mutual support, and blessing. Many of our members and participants have enjoyed our ongoing virtual programs, and we have been thrilled to greet all of you. Now, as part of our continuing celebration, we're excited to share our newest project, The 16 Over 61 Awards, a unique partnership between the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan and The Forward.

Jewish tradition showcases transformative journeys that begin at older ages. Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Miriam, Naomi, and countless others offered life-changing and age-defying contributions in their mature years. Their importance and relevance to their communities and tribes only intensified as they aged. 

We are blessed to draw from a religion and culture that values the worth and experience of older adults. The 16 Over 61 Awards will spotlight the creativity, leadership, and initiative of sixteen adults over the age of 61 who exemplify the values of the Wechsler Center. The awards will illuminate and show gratitude to experts, educators, leaders, and volunteers, nominated by YOU, and chosen by a committee of peers, lay leaders, and Jewish professionals, who are deeply ensconced in active life.

Have someone in mind? Click here. Nominations will be accepted through February 15, and the honorees will be notified in mid-March. A virtual celebration will follow; details are forthcoming. Questions? Email us at sixteen@mmjccm.org.

Celebrating older adults is at the heart of the Wechsler Center’s mission. We look forward to hearing from you about the incredible people in your life and our community. 

Sincerely,

Susan Lechter
Director, the Wechsler Center for Aging

Sarah-Kay Lacks
Director, the Center for Jewish Living

January 8, 2021

Dear Friends,

When the story of this week is written, it will describe some of the worst moments in our country’s history. It will be up to us—all of us—to make sure that it is one of our finest moments as well. We are at an inflection point, and we ignore this opportunity at our peril. At a moment when the pandemic and our corrosive politics have caused us to feel so powerless, we must find the strength to make this a more perfect nation.

What have we learned and what must we do? We have learned that words matter. Ugly inciteful speech led a hateful mob to storm our nation’s capital and violate the very seat of democracy. We have watched in full view the manner in which our society has valued white lives over Black lives. The images of white people roaming through the Capitol, trashing offices, and apparently getting away with it, must finally force us to face white supremacy and work toward reckoning with our history for a better future. We have learned that our democracy is fragile, and that even those who pledged an oath to the Constitution can and will allow naked ambition to trump their obligations and responsibilities to the people.

If we truly learn these lessons, not just for a moment but for good, our democracy will endure. Our president-elect speaks words of unity, of comfort, and of outrage against injustice. All good, but it’s our job to make these words true for everyone. It’s our responsibility—not someone else’s—to make sure that Black lives indeed matter, and that we can live together with our differences, elevating the common good and our shared values.

The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan stands ready to protect our democracy because our message is simple: in community we are better and stronger. For more than 150 years, community centers across America have enabled Americans new and old to find their place in our democracy. Today we have renewed our commitment to do this work. Please join us at 3 pm [Jan 8] for “We the People: An Interfaith Virtual Vigil for Democracy,” as we stand together with people of all faiths to reclaim our democracy.

When the history of this week is written, let it be said that this was the moment we joined together to make a more perfect union. As Rabbi Tarfon said, “We are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are we free from the obligation to start.”

With determination, I wish us all a Shabbat shalom.  

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear JCC Members,

We have officially opened! We've been counting down the days until your arrival in the JCC Fitness Center, and it's been wonderful to reunite with the members we welcomed back today. Our center is polished and bright, the music is on, and our staff can’t wait to motivate you toward new exercise goals. Make your reservations and come on home! 

Book Now
To get started, you'll need to follow two easy steps. First, set up your JCC Mindbody account if you don’t already have one. Second, make reservations for your upcoming workouts (required for entry) to secure your preferred workout time. In advance of your session, you’ll receive an email with a link to an online health declaration that you’ll need to complete before arrival on the same day as your workout, and display the confirmation on your phone when you check-in at the JCC.

Reminders for Your Visit:

• Arrive at the JCC’s 76th Street door and queue up outside at your reservation time, ID in hand
• Make sure you’ve completed your health declaration in advance of your arrival
• Please wear your mask at all times. Per state guidelines, bandanas, buffs, and gaiters are not acceptable face coverings
• You will receive a quick, contactless temperature scan at check-in 
• Come prepared to work out, as our locker rooms and showers are unavailable
• Please bring a refillable water bottle and your own hand towel
• Practice social distancing and follow all JCC signage and protocols
• Wipe down equipment before and after use, wash hands, and use available hand sanitizer 

Please also review our reopening web page, which contains everything else you need to know about the JCC’s health and safety protocols. And if you haven’t watched it yet, check out this short video we’ve created about your new JCC experience. 

Note that the JCC Fitness Center will close at 4 pm on Sun, Sep 27, and remain closed through Mon, Sep 28, in observance of Yom Kippur.

Membership
Our Membership team is in the process of restarting all Health Club memberships for October. Please note that after October 1, Health Club membership is required for access to the JCC, as well as for free access to virtual drop-in group exercise classes. If you wish to keep your membership on pause, please fill out this form. To continue taking advantage of virtual drop-in group exercise classes while your membership is on pause, you may purchase a JCC Class Pass.

Pool Reopening
We’re pleased to let you know we have received guidance from the Mayor's office on the reopening of indoor pools. The JCC Health Club is in the midst of a phased reopening to ensure sound operations, adhere to capacity guidelines, and keep the health and safety of our community as top priority. With the newly issued guidelines, we are formulating a timeline for restarting our aquatics operations, and will keep you posted.

Other questions? Email our Membership department and we’ll answer as soon as we can. Your patience is appreciated—as you can imagine, our inboxes are overflowing at this exciting time, so it may take up to 48 hours for us to reply.

The day we’ve long awaited is finally here. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Welcome home.

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

December 11, 2020

Dear Friends,

What was the real miracle of Chanukah? Was it that a small band of people triumphed over the mighty Greeks? Was it that the Temple was restored? Or was it that the oil that should have lasted one day lasted for eight days? As I process the last nine months, for me the miracle of Chanukah is that the Jews bothered to light the Menorah at all, knowing that they had insufficient oil to make it through the week. Despite the loss, they chose to act. They chose to hope.

I have watched this miracle every day at the JCC, this decision to defy despair. Last week, we marked the 1,000th virtual session held by The Jack and Shirley Silver Center for Special Needs, when the Lit Club members came together to share their work in a warm and supportive environment.

Just think about that. Where once we believed that the only way we could build community was in person, now we know that we can create deep and exciting opportunities that continue to connect people to one another in the virtual landscape. Some of our writers are working on novels, others are writing children’s books, and still others are journaling their daily and weekly experiences through COVID-19. They come to hone their craft, but they stay because they are a community of writers who support and care for one another.

In yet another innovative program, a group of young adults in the Center for Special Needs “traveled” to Russia this week. They were joined by a Russian American who shared her family’s story and talked about her return to Russia many years after leaving. They embarked on an interactive tour of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Later in the week, they discussed the history of ballet in Russia, focusing on The Nutcracker, and then learned about and designed their own nesting dolls.

As one board member put it so well at the beginning of the pandemic, we are all in the same storm, but we are not all in the same boat. Some boats are sturdy and powerful, while others are leaky and fragile. Our mission during this challenging time is to be the marina for our community, holding all boats, while recognizing the vulnerability of so many in our community. For our special needs community, where isolation is a constant concern, the pandemic has threatened to further deepen the experience of loneliness. That’s why we were up and running virtually within a week of the shutdown of the building. And that’s why we will stay with those who need us most, doing what we do best, providing high-quality programs and experiences that inspire, engage, and connect us to one another.

What does it mean to be the marina of our community? It means providing safe harbor until the time we can sail once again. It means defying despair and choosing hope. As we begin to see the light at the end of this long tunnel, I hope you will join me in choosing to see the light that's right in front of us.

Happy Chanukah and Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

November 27, 2020

Dear Friends,

On this, the day after a Thanksgiving like no other, during which I still managed to eat too much, I am thinking a lot about our country. I am thinking about every poll worker and poll watcher who showed up all across America and did their job so our votes would be counted. And I am grateful. I am thinking about Tony Blinken, the nominee for Secretary of State, who described his stepfather’s liberation from the death camps of Nazi Germany, seeing an African-American soldier peering down from a tank, and saying the only three words he knew in English: "God bless America." Indeed. I am thinking about every single small act of kindness we are now bestowing upon our neighbors, friends, and family, when we wear a mask, stay socially distanced, or postpone large and small events, just so the people we love and the people we don’t know stay safe and alive.

I am thinking about our favorite Upper West Side restaurants, whose ingenuity gave us some semblance of normalcy as we ate on the sidewalks, and how they will need us more than ever, now that it’s cold, to order takeout as much as we can. And I woke up to Black Friday sales from our favorite Upper West Side stores and promptly bought too much because I so want them to survive this pandemic.

When the pandemic began back in March, we had no idea what to expect, but now we do. We know it’s going to be a long winter. And this is my promise to you: the JCC will continue to find ways to help you through this, however we can. We will be in your living room with interesting conversations. We will help you stay healthy with fitness classes. We will continue to innovate, finding new ways to engage you, entertain you, inform you, and help you stay connected to one another. 

Here is one more thing we know: things will get better. And we will all need to play a part in our recovery. We will need to stay vigilant. We will need to stay connected virtually. We will need to strengthen the institutions and businesses that we want to see strong as we come out of this pandemic. Most of all, we need to hope. We have learned so much about ourselves and one another, and this knowledge can be a tool to help us rebuild.

When I asked my granddaughter what she is thankful for this year, she did not mention the latest toy she received (and trust me, she has plenty of them). She said she was grateful for the JCC's Saul and Carole Zabar Nursery School; her teachers, Aida, Alyssa, and Sarah; and all of her friends. Then she said, “And I am grateful for all the doctors who are helping people get better from the virus."

How do you teach empathy? I don’t know, but I do know that our children are learning it every day, and that they will be better citizens of the world for having developed such a sense of concern for the well-being of others. 

And for that, on this day after a Thanksgiving that was like no other, I feel hopeful.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Swimmers,

Starting Sun, Nov 15, we will be increasing our pool capacity to better serve a larger number of JCC swimmers by permitting two swimmers per lane for each reservation slot. For our initial phase of pool reopening, and out of an abundance of caution, we have limited pool usage to one swimmer per lane. We have consulted with our team of health and safety experts, and adapted our operations to ensure all guidelines set forth by governing bodies, including the CDC, are upheld.

In this transition, please note:

• Swimmers will continue to be assigned lanes and individual bins for personal belongings.
• Swimmers in the same lane will be assigned a water entry/exit/resting point at opposite ends of the pool in order to maintain social distance.
• Upon arrival, swimmers may be asked to estimate their lap swim speed. While we acknowledge this is subjective, this information will assist with lane assignments on the pool deck.
• An additional shower adjacent to the pool deck (in the Family Changing Room) will be available for a pre/post swim rinse.
• Masks are required on the pool deck at all times, including before and after your pre/post swim rinse. Masks should be removed only when you are ready to enter the pool or shower.
• Swimmers are responsible for bringing their own watertight pouch for their mask, and/or a second backup mask given the wet environment.
• Swimmers must bring their own accessories, water bottle, and personal towel as locker room usage remains limited to bathroom use and quick changes.
• Swimmers must adhere to all JCC health and safety requirements and the instructions of the JCC lifeguard staff at all times.

Tomorrow, on Wed, Nov 11, at 8 pm, reservations for the upcoming week (Sun, Nov 15-Sat, Nov 21) will go live, and will reflect the increase in pool capacity. Reservations will be limited to three spots per swimmer for this seven-day period. Helpful tip: remember to refresh the JCC Mindbody reservation webpage if you are logged in before 8 pm in order to view and reserve newly released spots.

Please note: We are continuing to implement more changes to our reservation format. Our team is working tirelessly to establish the most equitable and convenient booking protocol given system limitations. Stay tuned for more information.

And don’t forget: We’ve added a waitlist! Enroll in the JCC Mindbody text alert option, book a waitlist reservation, and if your preferred spot opens, it will be held for one hour for you to confirm or decline it. For those who need to cancel their original reservation, we urge you to do so at least four hours before your reservation, so we may provide another member with the opportunity to swim.

Finally, we invite pool members who aren’t able to secure swim time to enjoy a courtesy visit to the 4th Floor Fitness Center. Please contact personalservice@mmjccm.org to request a visit or with any questions about Health Club reservations. For questions about your membership account, please email membership@mmjccm.org and kindly allow 48 hours for a reply. 
 
Thank you for your loyalty and commitment to the JCC. We look forward to seeing you soon!
 
Regards, 

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Members,

We’ve got exciting news to share with you today, starting with more opportunities for you to work out and swim! We’re grateful that our Health Club reopening has been met with so much enthusiasm, and appreciate your loyalty and membership, which are vital to the JCC’s endurance.

Expanded Hours
Early birds and night owls, rejoice! Starting Mon, Nov 2, the JCC Health Club hours will expand to 6:45 am–9 pm. You’ll notice new fitness and lap swim reservation entry times at 6:45 am and 7:45 pm every day, in addition to those available now. We’ve also created a wider range of 4th floor fitness entry times, with longer morning and evening workout blocks to better accommodate your schedule. Check out the options and book your reservations now!

Swim Booking Improvements

Swimmers, we’re pleased to announce changes to our reservation system, reflecting your feedback to improve the timing and convenience of online lap swim booking.

Effective Wed, Nov 4, at 8 pm, and continuing every Wednesday night at 8 pm, reservations for the full upcoming week (Sunday through Saturday) will go live. Reservations will be limited to three spots per swimmer for the seven-day period. We hope the new reservation schedule and the extended bookable period will make booking easier and create greater access to the pool. You’ll be emailed a reminder before it’s time to switch to the new process.

To prepare for the new booking format, please note that lap swim booking for days beyond Mon, Nov 9 will be unavailable from midnight TONIGHT, Fri, Oct 30 through Wed, Nov 4 for system maintenance. This affects pool booking only, and not fitness reservations. Swim reservations for Nov 10–14 will become available Wed, Nov 4, at 8 pm in the new format. 

Waitlist Availability

We’ve added a waitlist option in our online reservation system, so you can secure a spot if there’s a cancellation at a time that works for you. Enroll in the JCC Mindbody text alert option, book a waitlist reservation, and if your preferred spot opens, it will be held for you for one hour to confirm or decline it. For those who need to cancel, we appreciate your strict adherence to our cancellation policy, and urge you to cancel at least four hours before your reservation, so we may provide another member with the opportunity to swim.

Increased Pool Capacity

Additionally, we are planning to increase pool capacity very soon, which will allow us to accommodate more swimmers throughout the week. We’re in the process of adapting our operations with the health and safety of the community at the forefront of our changes. Please stay tuned for an update next week.

Courtesy Fitness Visits

In the meantime, we invite pool members who aren’t able to secure a swim time to enjoy a courtesy visit to the 4th Floor Fitness Center. If you've never experienced the Fitness Center, this is a great way to try it out. It’s been getting rave reviews for its cleanliness, spaciousness, and comfort. To learn more, check out this short video. Please contact personalservice@mmjccm.org to request a visit.

More to Come

We’re grateful for your support, feedback, and for sticking with us during our phased Health Club reopening. For questions about your membership account, please email membership@mmjccm.org and kindly allow 48 hours for a reply. For questions about Health Club reservations, email personalservice@mmjccm.org and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

We look forward to seeing you earlier (and later) at the JCC, starting this Monday!

Regards, 

Todd Elkins
Chief Health and Wellness Officer

Melissa Donovan
Chief Operating Officer, Health and Wellness

Dear Members and Friends,

By now, you’ve received information about the phased reopening of the JCC Health Club, including our Fitness Center and Main Pool (for adult lap swim), both of which are ready to help you get back on track to building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

As a reminder, you can book Fitness reservations or Lap Swim reservations in the Main Pool after setting up your JCC Mindbody account, and you can read about our policies and practices on our reopening web page.

For those of you who may be “on the fence” about returning to an indoor fitness facility, we understand your trepidation at this unprecedented time. We want to assure you that the JCC has gone above and beyond to make sure our spaces are safe, clean, and comfortable. We’ve met and exceeded the requirements and guidelines issued by governing bodies such as NYS, the CDC, and DOH. We’ve received stellar reviews from members, and have been gratified by your reassurance and enthusiasm. Schedule a reservation to try out the Fitness Center and see it for yourself! You can book a courtesy visit here (even if your membership is on pause) or simply email the membership department with your name and desired day and time, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Aside from rigorous adherence to basic government-mandated precautions that staff and members follow—mask requirements, online health declarations in advance of arrival, touchless temperature scans, maintaining a 6’ minimum distance, and following specific traffic paths through the building to minimize overlap—the JCC has instituted vigilant cleaning protocols that affect almost every aspect of building operations, including:

• Separate entry and exit areas to minimize building traffic crossover
• EPA-approved, hospital-grade disinfectants and cleaning solutions used
• Hand sanitizer dispensers and disinfectant wipes that are visible throughout the building, and monitored throughout the day to ensure they are fully stocked and available 
• Masks and gloves are used by all building maintenance staff

In addition, we follow CDC guidelines with respect to air quality in our building. Bringing fresh air into the facility and flushing the existing air out prevents particles that carry the virus from lingering in the air and settling in the building. Our new air handling guidelines include: 

• Increased ventilation in all public spaces
• Increased percentage of outdoor air that circulates into the system to the maximum rate permitted
• Upgraded MERV 13 air filters in all major air handlers
• UV disinfection installed in all major handlers
• Portable UV disinfection machines used as needed on the 4th and 6th floors
• Stand-alone HEPA filtration units for high traffic or risk areas

For a thorough review of the JCC’s cleaning and sanitizing protocols, I’ll refer you to a document developed by Kahn Architecture & Design and the JCC with the health and safety of the physical plant in mind. You can read specifics about JCC’s cleaning protocols, systems upgrades, and air quality here. 

The bottom line: We’re looking out for your safety and well-being in our building at all times, guided by the values the JCC holds near and dear.

Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it. Make your reservation for a fitness workout today and decide for yourself. And if you catch me on my way to my personal training session, be sure to say (a socially distant) “Hello!”

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Members,

We're approaching an exciting milestone—the next phase of our JCC Health Club reopening! Our Main Pool will be open for adult lap swim starting this Thursday, October 8.

3 Easy Steps to Book Your Swim 

1. Set up your JCC Mindbody account, if you don’t already have one
2. Read about our health and safety standards and member protocols, on our updated reopening web page
3. Make reservations (required for entry) for your return to the pool

In advance of your session, you’ll receive an email with a link to an online health declaration that you’ll need to complete before arrival on the same day as your swim, and display the confirmation on your phone when you check in at the JCC.

Recap: What You Need to Know

• Swim reservations will be limited to 5 swimmers per session (1 per lane). Bookings will be in 45-minute sessions (total time from building entry to pool deck exit), which are followed by 15-minute closed periods for deep cleaning. 
• Arrive at the JCC’s 76th Street door at your reservation time. After a quick temperature scan and lobby check-in, you’ll take the elevator directly to the 6th floor, where you'll enter through the family changing room. (Note that upon reopening, this space will not be in use as a shower/changing area.) 
• Mask-wearing is mandatory in the building and on the pool deck—everywhere other than in the water. 
• Please arrive ready to swim with your bathing suit under your street clothes and a bag for your personal belongings. Bring your own towel, swim cap (required), goggles, and other personal swim accessories, and a refillable water bottle. 
• Once you’re on the pool deck, you’ll receive a lane assignment and be directed to a specific bin (corresponding to your lane) for your things. 
• Please utilize the pool deck shower for your pre/post-swim rinse. Our locker room showers, lockers, towels, and hairdryers are currently unavailable. 
• To exit the pool deck, you’ll take the stairs from the pool deck to the 5th floor locker rooms, which will be available for a quick post-swim change and for bathroom/sink use only.  
• To exit the building from the 5th floor, take our designated elevators or stairwell, then head out of the building the way you entered, via the 76th Street door. 
• Our Training Pool is currently undergoing maintenance and will not be in operation for this phase of reopening. We will keep you posted. 

Please watch the short pool reopening video linked above and here for a quick overview of what you can expect when you come to the JCC for your swim.

Your Membership

Our team is working steadily to resume all JCC Health Club and Pool memberships this month. Membership will be required to access the reservation system as well as our free/discounted virtual drop-in group exercise classes. More information about Pool membership activation and billing is forthcoming, and no action is required on your part. If you wish to keep your pool membership on pause and have not already contacted Membership, please fill out this form. To continue taking advantage of virtual drop-in group exercise classes while your membership is on pause, purchase a JCC Class Pass. (Basketball memberships remain on hold until the 3rd floor gym reopens for member use.)

Other questions? Email our Membership department and we’ll answer as many of your questions as we can as quickly as possible. It’s a busy time, and your patience is appreciated. 

I hope your first swim back in our pool fills you with a sense of renewal. See you on the 6th floor.

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

P.S. Our weekday Fitness Center hours have expanded to 8 am–8 pm, with new morning workout slots available by reservation. Upon opening, our pool hours will also be 8 am–8 pm, seven days a week, with the first swim entry time at 7:45 am.

Dear Members,

We’re excited to announce the next phase of the JCC Health Club’s reopening, which begins less than one week from today, on Thursday, October 8, with the opening of the JCC Main Pool for adult lap swim. The pool is newly-filled, the deck is sparkling, the water temperature is right, and our aquatics staff can’t wait to reunite with you on the 6th floor!

In addition, I’m pleased to let you know that as of this Monday, October 5, our weekday Fitness Center hours will be expanding to 8 am-8 pm, with new morning workout slots available by reservation. Upon opening, our Pool hours will also be 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week, with the first swim entry time at 7:45 am. 

Health Club and Pool Members are invited to begin making lap swim reservations starting early next week (we’ll send you an email with a link when booking is open). Please note that Health Club members who wish to visit both the fitness center and the pool will need separate reservations for each area. If you haven’t already, please set up your JCC Mindbody account in advance so you’re ready to make reservations.

Swimmers: after booking your reservation, you’ll receive an email with a link to an online health declaration that you’ll need to complete on the same day as your workout before your visit. You’ll arrive at the JCC’s 76th Street door at your reservation time. After a quick temperature scan and lobby check-in, you’ll take the elevator directly to the 6th floor, where you'll enter through the family changing room. Once you’re on the pool deck, you’ll receive a lane assignment and be directed to a specific bin (corresponding to your lane) for your things.

In accordance with New York City and State guidelines, and to meet the highest health and safety standards, you’ll observe some changes in our aquatics center for this initial phase of reopening, including:

• Mask-wearing is mandatory in the building and on the pool deck everywhere other than in the water during your swim.
• Reservations will be limited to 5 swimmers per swim session (1 swimmer per lane).
• Swim reservations will be 45 minute sessions (total time from building entry to pool deck exit) which is followed by a 15 minute closed period for deep cleaning. 
• Please arrive ready to swim with your bathing suit under street clothes and a bag for your personal belongings, as you’ll be directed straight to the 6th floor pool deck.
• Please bring your own towel, swim cap (required) and other personal swim accessories, and a refillable water bottle. 
• Please use our on-deck shower for your pre-swim rinse.
• Our Training Pool is currently undergoing maintenance and will not be in operation for this phase of reopening. We will keep you posted. 

Following your swim, you can utilize our on-deck shower for a rinse. Please note our locker room showers, lockers, and towels are currently unavailable. Locker room access will be limited to a quick post-swim change and for bathroom/sink use. To exit the building, you’ll take the elevators or designated stairwell and leave the way you entered, via the 76th St door. 

Pool membership status: Our team is working steadily to resume all JCC Health Club and Pool memberships in the month of October. Membership will be required to access reservations as well as free/discounted virtual drop-in group exercise classes. More information about pool membership activation and billing is forthcoming, and no action is required on your part. If you wish to keep your pool membership on pause and have not already contacted Membership, please fill out this form. To continue taking advantage of virtual drop-in group exercise classes while your membership is on pause, you may purchase a JCC Class Pass. (Please note that Basketball memberships will remain on hold until the JCC courts reopen for member use.)

More details are forthcoming! All JCC pool protocols and procedures will be updated on our website soon where you can already find fitness center reopening information. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email Membership and we’ll answer as much as we can, as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience.

I look forward to seeing you back in the water soon!

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

What does it mean to be a neighborhood? For 20 years, the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan has worked hard and well with the synagogues, schools, businesses, cultural organizations, and all of you to make the Upper West Side a place that excites and engages, a place where families have felt safe. At the JCC, our values literally hang on the walls, as if to say, “This is what we stand for, even when we can’t quite get there.”
 
COVID-19 has challenged all of this. With businesses struggling, houses of worship pivoting mightily to virtual prayer, our beloved JCC still waiting to fully open, rising unemployment, and so many leaving the city, our neighborhood is sometimes hard to recognize.

The city’s decision to relocate 600 people from homeless shelters into Upper West Side hotels was motivated by a need to de-densify overcrowded conditions that could lead to virus hotspots. This decision has polarized our community and severely challenged the agencies that run these shelters. 

In fact, we are less divided than online comments and social media would have us believe. We can all agree that homelessness in our city is a serious problem. We can all agree that shelters must not become COVID-19 hotspots. We can all agree that children should be able to walk safety to and from school. We can all agree that people should be able to take a walk without being harassed.

We all want the same thing: a safe and comfortable neighborhood. All of us should be working to make sure that the service providers in the hotels have what they need to keep their residents safe and occupied, and that our partners in law enforcement have the tools they need to keep the streets safe. All of us should be demanding that our elected officials make sure that there is open and honest communication as they navigate these challenging times.

In response, I have joined the community advisory board that has been created at the borough president’s urging. I have also spoken with Captain Neil Zuder of the 20th Precinct to discuss ways we can work together to ensure the safety of all.

What can you do?  Here’s my short list.

• Resist gossip. I have asked the Department of Homeless Services to respond to concerns raised by members of the community and to answer our questions truthfully and clearly. In the meantime, if you hear something, try not to share it unless you know it’s true. We are all anxious enough without making things worse by spreading unsubstantiated rumors.
• Educate yourself. The city homeless crisis is complex and in many ways intractable. Here’s a video featuring the head of Project Renewal, one of the city’s oldest and best providers of shelters (and the agency managing the relocated shelter at the Lucerne Hotel). 
• Communicate your concerns to our elected officials. The only way our city works is if we all are part of the solution. Here are links to the Mayor’s office, the Department of Homeless Services, our city council member Helen Rosenthal, our State Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, our State Senator Robert Jackson, and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.
• Click here to read the letter that Gale recently wrote to the commissioner of the Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services, signed by all of our elected officials.
• Attend the Community Board 7 town hall on Monday, August 24. Click here to register.
• Call 911 if you see a crime or are concerned that one might be about to happen. Call 311 if you see something that, while not a crime, is inappropriate behavior on the street. The Police Department has told me that they depend on full reporting in order to do their jobs well.
• Check out the web page of The Joseph Stern Center for Social Responsibility if you are interested in offering volunteer assistance to the providers of the shelters. In the coming days, we will be learning how we can help. Your synagogue or church may also have resources—check them out.

What does it mean to be a neighborhood? It means looking out for one another, working with business leaders, government, religious and cultural institutions, and resisting the temptation to leave our values at the door. We are in the middle of a national health crisis, and we must do everything we can to reduce our fears and remain committed to each other and our community. We must remember that this crisis will end, and there will be much work to do to rebuild our neighborhood and our city.  

The JCC is ready to join with partners in our neighborhood to do the work that strengthens the city we love. We hope you will join us.

Shabbat shalom.

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Members,

We're approaching an exciting milestone—the next phase of our JCC Health Club reopening! Our Main Pool will be open for adult lap swim starting this Thursday, October 8.

3 Easy Steps to Book Your Swim 

1. Set up your JCC Mindbody account, if you don’t already have one
2. Read about our health and safety standards and member protocols, on our updated reopening web page
3. Make reservations (required for entry) for your return to the pool

In advance of your session, you’ll receive an email with a link to an online health declaration that you’ll need to complete before arrival on the same day as your swim, and display the confirmation on your phone when you check in at the JCC.

Recap: What You Need to Know

• Swim reservations will be limited to 5 swimmers per session (1 per lane). Bookings will be in 45-minute sessions (total time from building entry to pool deck exit), which are followed by 15-minute closed periods for deep cleaning. 
• Arrive at the JCC’s 76th Street door at your reservation time. After a quick temperature scan and lobby check-in, you’ll take the elevator directly to the 6th floor, where you'll enter through the family changing room. (Note that upon reopening, this space will not be in use as a shower/changing area.) 
• Mask-wearing is mandatory in the building and on the pool deck—everywhere other than in the water. 
• Please arrive ready to swim with your bathing suit under your street clothes and a bag for your personal belongings. Bring your own towel, swim cap (required), goggles, and other personal swim accessories, and a refillable water bottle. 
• Once you’re on the pool deck, you’ll receive a lane assignment and be directed to a specific bin (corresponding to your lane) for your things. 
• Please utilize the pool deck shower for your pre/post-swim rinse. Our locker room showers, lockers, towels, and hairdryers are currently unavailable. 
• To exit the pool deck, you’ll take the stairs from the pool deck to the 5th floor locker rooms, which will be available for a quick post-swim change and for bathroom/sink use only.  
• To exit the building from the 5th floor, take our designated elevators or stairwell, then head out of the building the way you entered, via the 76th Street door. 
• Our Training Pool is currently undergoing maintenance and will not be in operation for this phase of reopening. We will keep you posted. 

Please watch the short pool reopening video linked above and here for a quick overview of what you can expect when you come to the JCC for your swim.

Your Membership

Our team is working steadily to resume all JCC Health Club and Pool memberships this month. Membership will be required to access the reservation system as well as our free/discounted virtual drop-in group exercise classes. More information about Pool membership activation and billing is forthcoming, and no action is required on your part. If you wish to keep your pool membership on pause and have not already contacted Membership, please fill out this form. To continue taking advantage of virtual drop-in group exercise classes while your membership is on pause, purchase a JCC Class Pass. (Basketball memberships remain on hold until the 3rd floor gym reopens for member use.)

Other questions? Email our Membership department and we’ll answer as many of your questions as we can as quickly as possible. It’s a busy time, and your patience is appreciated. 

I hope your first swim back in our pool fills you with a sense of renewal. See you on the 6th floor.

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

P.S. Our weekday Fitness Center hours have expanded to 8 am–8 pm, with new morning workout slots available by reservation. Upon opening, our pool hours will also be 8 am–8 pm, seven days a week, with the first swim entry time at 7:45 am.

Dear Community,

Even more than all the programs we offer at the JCC, I'm inspired by the friendships that are made every day in our 60+ community, most of which started with a simple hello at a class or event. This is why we are here. This is why older adult programming is so central to our mission.

The JCC has been a home away from home for older adults for more than two decades. Even before the building opened, we were holding programs in rented spaces (trust me—I was there!). Our goal has always been to help people find purpose as they grow older and to honor their wisdom and talents.

It is with great excitement that I announce the new Wechsler Center for Modern Aging, which seeks to reimagine older adulthood in a Jewish communal setting as a time of expansive possibility, purpose, community engagement, mutual support, and blessing. While we have understood the importance of such a center for some time, we are particularly proud to launch this new project during these challenging times, when social connectedness—a cornerstone of healthy aging—is so difficult.

Please join me to commemorate the launch of this center, which will include a number of special events and key initIatives, including:

• A Virtual Celebration of the launch on Thursday, October 15
• The first all-virtual Symposium on Positive Aging on Monday, November 16
• Programs that reflect the latest key research and best practices in the field of aging
• A permanent virtual center, in parallel to programs in the building, encompassing current and new programming, fostering social connections, and poised to embark on new innovations, so individuals may participate with ease from anywhere
• New efforts to make sure older adults feel supported when they face challenges, including the recently-formed Caring Initiative
• A focus on technology tutorials and a variety of learning opportunities to expand technological fluency, encouraging connection to friends, family, and an ever-changing virtual landscape
• The inaugural 16 Over 61 Awards, which will honor 16 individuals who exemplify the mission and values of our new center

None of this would be possible without the generous support of Dana Wechsler Linden and Larry Linden, who have listened to our goals for the new center and responded with a resounding “Yes!” Dana's enthusiasm has rippled throughout the JCC over the past few months, and we are proud to partner with her in building a best-in-class center for modern aging. While her support helped launch the center, we hope that our community will sustain it. Please click here to make a gift in honor of this exciting new initiative.

The pandemic has brought new urgency to our work, as we seek to provide ways to build community when we cannot be physically together. We have been inspired by the ways our older adults have “come together” during this challenging time, and we are more convinced than ever of the need for our new center. We hope you will join us in celebrating this important new phase for the JCC.

In gratitude and friendship,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear JCC Members,

I'm thrilled to announce that the first phase of the JCC Health Club reopening will begin on Monday, September 21, with the 4th Floor Fitness Center. This will follow the start of the school year for The Saul and Carole Zabar Nursery School, which begins classes on September 16. We’ve missed our community dearly and can’t wait to begin welcoming you back to the building, in phases, with your health and safety as our highest priority.

Over the next three weeks, we will be refining our operations and conducting final checks to make sure the JCC meets or exceeds all New York State guidelines and New York City Department of Health inspection requirements, and complies with CDC-approved cleaning and sanitization processes. We have begun recalling Health Club staff for training and they can’t wait to see you!

What to expect
Our Fitness Center will reopen with modified operating hours, viewable soon on a dedicated web page. We eagerly await more information from the city on the timeline for indoor pools, which do not have permission to open right now. The gymnasium, showers, steam room, massage services, and on-site group exercise classes also remain on pause until further notice. Limited basketball court access and personal training services are expected to resume soon. We’ll keep you updated every step of the way.

New health and safety standards
New entry and exit protocols will be employed to manage reduced capacity, facilitate social distancing, and reduce traffic crossover. Fitness reservations will occur within 90-minute workout blocks separated by 30-minute closed periods for deep cleaning after members exit the floor. You’ll observe enhanced and frequent cleaning and disinfection throughout the building all day, every day. You’ll see hand sanitizing stations on every floor and throughout the Health Club. You’ll see signage enforcing mask requirements and reminding you to remain six feet apart from your fellow members, and floor mats to encourage distancing. Machines in the Fitness Center will be marked and spaced appropriately, with certain cardio machines moved into our 4th floor studio to offer you the greatest number of options. Wayfinding and etiquette signage will help to ensure your experience is safe and smooth. 

Online reservations: coming soon
In accordance with government mandates, a timed reservation and health declaration is required for all JCC Health Club visits. In advance of our reopening, you’ll be able to schedule your workouts in the Fitness Center for the week ahead via the JCC website or the JCC/MindBody app. Closer to your workout time, you’ll receive a short health declaration survey in which you’ll be required to answer questions related to your health status and acknowledge the risks associated with visiting the JCC. Samples of both the reservation and health declaration process, and more details about reservations, will be available in advance of reopening.

New building entry and arrival procedures
All Health Club members will enter through the JCC’s 76th Street door near the corner of 76th and Amsterdam Avenue. Masks are required for entry and at all times in the building. Please bring ID and proof of your reservation, which can be displayed on your phone. Upon arrival, you’ll be subject to a contactless temperature scan, and a brief check-in with a JCC Health Club ambassador, who will direct you to the 4th floor via the nearby designated stairwell or elevators.

To exit the building after your workout, you’ll be directed back down the stairwell or the elevators, then out the same way you first entered—via our 76th Street door.

Planning your visit
As locker rooms will be intended only for bathroom and sink use (showers won’t be available upon reopening), we ask that you arrive prepared to work out. We request that you reduce your time in the building by exiting promptly after your workout. Please bring your own water bottle; you’ll be able to utilize our hands-free water refilling stations. We also ask you to bring your own hand towel as laundry service will be unavailable at this time. Small pouches will be permitted on the fitness floor to carry your essentials. More details about what to expect and how to prepare for your visit will be available on our website soon.

Your membership
We recognize that this is a period of transition for everyone in our community. Whether you’re ready to start working out in the Fitness Center or prefer to stay virtual, your JCC Health Club membership has you covered. You’ll be able to schedule reservations while continuing to enjoy your free/discounted access to virtual JCC programs—including our popular group exercise classes. More information about membership activation and billing is forthcoming, and no action is required on your part yet. (Please note that pool and basketball memberships will remain on hold until the JCC pools and basketball courts reopen.)

Forthcoming details
We know you have questions! Rest assured, all JCC rules, regulations, and procedures will soon be available for you to read on our website. As we receive new information and guidelines from the city, we’ll be sure the website reflects the most current information to help you plan for your return to the JCC. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please email our membership department.

Stay healthy and stay tuned!

Sincerely,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

P.S. It takes the generosity of our members to keep the JCC going strong. Please consider donating to our Emergency Fund. Thank you for your support.

Dear JCC Members,

We are pleased to let you know we have received preliminary guidance from the Governor's office on reopening fitness operations in the JCC. As you know, the JCC Health Club has been hard at work planning for a smart, safe reopening with the health of our community in mind. We are eagerly awaiting more information from the Mayor's office and, with these combined government guidelines, will be formulating a precise timeline for reopening the fitness center, gymnasium, and pool.

We are currently reviewing our plans with our team of experts to make sure our Health Club meets or exceeds the guidelines while awaiting the city's instructions. We've established new protocols, developed an online reservation system, and re-mapped spaces to support social distancing. You can expect temperature checks, mask requirements, new directional traffic patterns, enhanced CDC-endorsed cleaning and disinfection protocols, and much more. 

Meanwhile, The Saul and Carole Zabar Nursery School is busy preparing for a strong start to the nursery school year. Together, our Nursery School and Health Club teams are closely coordinating to ensure the health and safety of every child, adult, and staff member at the JCC.

Rest assured, your JCC membership remains on pause until we reopen the building, and we hope you'll continue to enjoy our virtual programs. As always, if you have any questions about your membership account, please email Membership.

We will update you on Health Club reopening plans as soon as we are able, and we look forward to welcoming you back to the JCC.

Regards,
Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Members,
 
We hope this finds you and your families healthy. We miss seeing you in person and feeling the energy you bring to our building every day. It’s been a time of much uncertainty for everyone, but one thing is certain—we can’t wait to welcome you back.
 
We plan to reopen the building in early September starting with Fitness + Wellness operations. In order to maintain the highest standards of health and safety for our members and staff, we've established new protocols, re-mapped spaces to support social distancing, and reviewed our plans with a team of experts (including a physician, a hygienics consultant, and architects) in order to reopen in accordance with all CDC and New York City/State guidelines. As other JCC programs and services return to the building, we will keep you updated. 
 
You’ll notice a number of changes in the reopened JCC, including:

• An online reservation system to reserve your workout time
• Touchless temperature checks and health declarations
• Mask requirements and social distancing regulations
• New and enhanced CDC-endorsed cleaning and disinfection procedures 
• Limited capacities in Health Club facilities to allow for distancing and deep cleaning
• Contactless check-in and new lobby + elevator protocols
• Guided directional traffic patterns to promote minimal contact
• Separate building entrance and exit points
• Hand sanitizing + wipe stations and other healthy hygiene supports
• Clear, concise signage reinforcing safety protocols and wayfinding
• PPE requirements and training for staff 
• Health and safety ambassadors to ensure a smooth experience

Look for more detailed communication from us in the weeks ahead that expands on the points above, including a webpage dedicated to reopening plans and protocols. 

Your membership remains on pause, and you have not incurred any charges during our closure. Monthly billing will resume when we reopen the building, and monthly-paying members will be notified in advance. Annual memberships will be extended to cover the time period of closure.

The financial impact of COVID-19 on the JCC has been severe and we have had to rely on the generosity of our community more than ever. Thank you to those that have chosen to donate your membership dues or contribute to our Emergency Fund. There’s still time to help! Donate your monthly dues if you're able, or, if you're an annual member, let us renew your membership, without the extension, on your original anniversary date. These forms of support will help us reopen strongly and safely, and ensure that our staff and operations can continue to serve you. To donate your dues, or renew on your original schedule, please click here. If you have any questions about your account, please email our membership team or call 646.505.5700.

Thank you for your patience and loyalty. Your belief in the power of community to get us through tough times is what keeps us strong. When it comes time, we look forward to being reunited with you in the building.
 
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. Best wishes for a continued safe and healthy summer. 

Regards,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow night, as I sit down to Shabbat dinner for the first time in many months with some of our children, our discussion will not begin with the usual banter or even with predictions about when the city might reopen. Tomorrow night's dinner will begin with the recitation of the Emancipation Proclamation, which I must admit I have not read since high school. We will do this because it is a tradition on Juneteenth, a holiday that marks the day that Union Soldiers declared that the civil war was over and that the enslaved were free. The reading will be followed, I am sure, with a discussion in which our grown children interrogate us on how we have used our pulpits and privilege to advance the cause of racial justice. And while our answers will not satisfy them—and shouldn't satisfy us either—the conversation itself will mark an important moment, when we communicate again to our children (because the story must be told and retold) that our justice commitments and our Judaism are inextricably linked by a tradition that demands that we fight for those who are not yet free—because once we were not free and because we are expected to understand that every person is created in God's image.

Whether you celebrate Shabbat or not, whether it is your tradition to celebrate Juneteenth or not, I urge you to take time tomorrow with your friends, your families, or in your own quiet reflection, to deepen your understanding of this day, which Governor Cuomo has just declared a state holiday, and to commit to acts of justice.

Tomorrow night at Shabbat dinner, we will make Kiddush and bless our children, mindful that we have never worried that the color of their skin puts them at risk from the very people sworn to protect them, and with a deeper appreciation now of the anxiety that accompanies Black and Brown parents every day. We will make motzi over the challah and we will have our Shabbat meal. And before we conclude, we will recite the Kaddish for Black Lives.

For Rayshard Brooks. For George Floyd. For Breonna Taylor. For Ahmaud Arbery. And for so many more.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

Behind each magical JCC moment are unique and amazing people who make it all happen: our program team, marketers, fundraisers, audiovisual and technology staff, and so many others. Due to the financial impact of COVID-19, we’ve had to lay off or furlough 35% of our staff. It has been by far the hardest time in our institution's history. Each of these staff members has been a valuable asset to the JCC; each will be sorely missed. 

We know these colleagues well. We have deep respect for their work; we know each other's families; we partner on important projects; and we dream together about all the ways we can make this community stronger. Just as we will feel their absence, we know that you will as well, either because the phone may ring an extra time before we answer or because there’s a program at the JCC that you love that may not run in the months ahead. I know that many of you have built relationships with people on our team, and I know you will miss them. We are all grateful to the departing staff for their incredible service to this community.

Which brings me to tomorrow, and the next day, and the days after that. The JCC you’ll see moving forward will be one marked by grit and ingenuity. We have always aimed to do work that is timely and relevant, to create joyful moments in Jewish life, and add meaning and value for so many people in our community. We will continue this work, even as we know it will look different. As we prepare to reopen the building as soon as it is safe to do so, your opinion is valuable to us. Please use this form to share your thoughts. How can we continue to play a role in your life?

Without your continued financial support, we would not be able to do the exceptional things we’re doing now. Our Emergency Fund was set up to keep bringing you virtual programs, to support our staff, and to enable us to safely reopen the building. I am committed to doing those things, now more than ever. Whether those programs bring seniors together in a game of bridge, encourage members of our Adaptations community to learn social skills, empower those looking to stay in shape while stuck indoors, or provide a fulfilling summer for kids deprived of camp, we’re determined to keep them coming. 

As we head into Shabbat, please know that I remain fiercely dedicated to strengthening our community. The JCC has proven that it is so much more than a building. You’ve told us, through your stories of friendships made, lessons learned, and moments celebrated, that the JCC has always mattered and that it still does. Times are uncertain, but community is not.

Please stay well. I can’t wait to see you soon.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

We are grieving and we are stunned by the horrific, public murder of George Floyd and by the injustice, violence, and uncertainty that has gripped our city and our country. We mourn the tragic deaths of Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, David McAtee, and countless others. May they rest in peace. And may we not.

May we not rest in the illusion that this happened somewhere else. May we not get comfortable with the false belief that this murder is unusual. May we not become numb to the pain of mothers who cry for their sons, sisters for their brothers, children for their parents. Those who have enjoyed the privilege of white skin carry responsibility for the racism that is tearing apart our nation. Through negligence and silence, we have become accessories to the injustices committed against people of color in our nation.

When I was ten years old, I saw my mother cry for the first time. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me that these were tears of joy—over the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which contained provisions barring discrimination and segregation in education, public facilities, jobs, and housing. I remember asking my mother if this meant the end to discrimination. She struggled to find language that would be comprehensible to a child about how this very important law did not, in fact, mean the end of discrimination, though perhaps it signaled a beginning.

Activism dominated my high school and college years, with demonstrations against the war in Vietnam, for civil rights and women's rights, the beginning of LGTBQ activism, and the fight to end the oppression of Soviet Jews. Our generation thought we were pretty powerful. We thought we ended segregation; the war ended; we believed women were liberated; and that we had at least begun to secure the rights of Lesbian and Gay people. Soviet Jews were allowed to leave. We were proud of the work and went on with our lives. Now it seems so shortsighted.

Because here we are. With the modern-day lynching of Black and Brown people by police, and the systemic racism so pervasive in so many aspects of our lives, not just in law enforcement, my mother's words are prescient. I don't mean to suggest that nothing was accomplished back then; only to say that it is abundantly clear that laws, while necessary, are not sufficient to move a society out of its refusal to accept responsibility for the stain of slavery, the lynchings that followed, the segregation that divided us further, and the mass incarceration of Black and Brown people that is our modern-day slavery.

And now here we are. The murder of George Floyd did not happen in a vacuum. It is on all of us to understand how we got to this terrible point in our country and work in partnership with communities of color to stop it. This is a moment when the Jewish values we hold dear must be lifted up by each of us. This is a time to donate to organizations fighting racism, to vote for those who commit to work for all who live in our country, regardless of the color of their skin. This is a time to join with others in the Jewish community and beyond who are working tirelessly to speak out against the taking of Black lives. This is a moment to learn, to care, to scream from the rooftops: Black Lives Matter. This is a time to scream from the rooftops: Not in my city. Not in my country. Not on my watch. This is not a time to expect others to do the work. I know that. This is on me and on many of you; I hope you will join me.

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

I miss you. Every one of you. Those of you who swim and those of you who study. Those of you whose children giggle on the roof and those of you who play bridge. I miss the talk in the elevators and my training sessions in our fitness center. I even miss my trainer, which is saying a lot for this reluctant exerciser!

But it fills my heart to see the ways in which you are showing up. You're asking how you can help. You're emailing us to let us know what you need. You're reaching out to each other. You're supporting our Emergency Fund. Thousands of you have been coming to classes and concerts and our Lunch and Learn sessions. You read names of Holocaust victims with us overnight and celebrated Israel's birthday with music, cooking, and conversation. I am blown away by all of it, and beyond grateful. 

As the weather warms and you begin to walk the streets of the UWS, you'll begin to see changes in the windows of our building. We want to share your messages of hope and gratitude for all to see. I think we can all use beauty and hope in the moments ahead. What are you grateful for right now? We want to know. Let us know by filling out this form and we'll display your words in the windows. Feel free to sign your name or make your words anonymous—either way, it's gratitude that will help us get through these challenging times.

We're continuing to think about the weeks to come, mindful that your health and safety are our first priority. As we await the day we can reopen, we're thinking about every aspect of our building and every possible way we can adapt so we can be together safely. Mostly, we're thinking about chesed—that hard-to-translate Hebrew word that describes a way of being in the world that exudes lovingkindness. It's a JCC filled with chesed to which we aspire, one in which you feel cared for and safe, in which the warmth of tradition can easily reach you, even from six feet away.

Stay well. Stay with us. We give you community and you give us life.

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

P.S. To read responses to Rabbi Levitt's request, click here.

Dear Friends,

Our thoughts are with all of you now as you care for yourselves and your families during these very difficult days. Here at the JCC, we have had to make hard decisions in order to safeguard our community as we navigate this unprecedented time. We had hoped to reopen on April 20, but it is now apparent that this will not be the case. We will be in touch as soon as we know that it is safe to reopen. We are as eager to welcome you back as you are to return.

The closure has meant drastic reductions in revenue, specifically in program and membership fees, and has required major staff and programming adjustments. About 400 of our beloved staff have been furloughed, and everyone else has taken pay cuts. We remain committed to serving our community, especially those who are most vulnerable, including isolated older adults and people with special needs. This is why we have created the JCC Coronavirus Emergency Fund.

The goal of the fund is to quickly secure donations that will help us get through this crisis. Funds will be used to support staff, allow us to stay connected to you through online programming, and sustain us so that we may open our doors again. This has been the hardest moment in the JCC's history, and we need your support now more than ever. Please give what you can. Every dollar counts, and thanks to the generosity of some of our donors, every gift you make to the Emergency Fund will be matched dollar for dollar, so your gift will have double the impact. Please click here to make your matching gift.

As many of us prepare for Passover and Easter this week, we hold on to the values that unite us. Spring will come, and with it, the promise of growth and opportunity. We are a resilient community, and together we will get through this. It won't be easy and it won't be quick, but as I watch the generosity displayed by every health worker, every police officer and firefighter, every person sewing masks, buying groceries for neighbors, or calling isolated seniors, it's abundantly clear: Love is bigger than a virus.

Please take care of yourself and let us know if we can be of service to you or a loved one.

With fierce determination and heartfelt wishes for health and strength,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

I hope this email finds you and your loved ones well. Though we cannot physically be with you, please know we see you. We see your anxiety and isolation, and we see your creativity and generosity being expressed throughout our great city. We are doing our utmost to respond to you, and we will continue to do so as our extraordinary staff builds our virtual JCC every day.

I am writing to let you know that our building will be closed through Sunday, April 19 as we continue to monitor the state of our city, our schools, and the health of our community. We will update you on our plans accordingly.

We realize some of you have questions about your membership and program enrollment, and we appreciate your patience as we've prioritized the JCC's many pressing needs. You will be hearing from us separately very soon. Our strength comes from your incredible support and participation, whether through membership dues or class fees. This period of closure is financially challenging, and our staff is working around the clock to support your needs.

Programs that have begun to meet online—including JCC Nursery School, specific young children/pre-nursery programs, Ulpan classes, and several of our ongoing programs—will continue to meet as they have this past week.

Please look for the "Daily Roundup" email each weekday, which can help structure your day with activities and opportunities to stay engaged in the world through wellness, art, film, Jewish learning, and more. Also keep an eye on our Virtual JCC page for upcoming and ongoing opportunities. We're grateful to those of you who have let us know how much this means to you and to your families. 

Making sure our community stays strong and supported is of utmost importance to us at this time. Please let us know if you need a caring connection or are able to offer help by filling out this form. We have a cohort of staff and volunteer leaders who are eager to be in touch with you in the days and weeks ahead.

• In one week we connected with over 1,000 people—young, old, and everyone in between
• Each day our nursery school teachers "meet" their students in virtual classrooms to continue to play and connect in new ways
• 160 Ulpan (Hebrew language learning) students meet up in structured classes online
• Each one of our communities of young adults with special needs met up throughout the week in chatrooms to stay connected and provide each other the support that they so need at this moment in time
• We have been offering ongoing health and wellness classes, including daily meditation five mornings a week at 7:30 am and four afternoons a week at 5:45 pm
• We ended the week with a wonderful pre-Shabbat concert by acclaimed klezmer clarinetist Michael Winograd

Over the past two weeks, we are aware of six people on our staff, board, and in our JCC community that have tested positive for COVID-19. We are pleased to report in each case, those people are doing well and recovering quickly. In each situation, we have been in direct touch with the communities or people who have been in direct contact with the individual who tested positive to make them aware of the particulars of their own potential exposure.

Difficult times require tremendous efforts. As we continue to move our community to a virtual platform, we need your support. Please consider making a donation to ensure that we can continue to serve our JCC family during the days ahead.

Stay home and stay healthy.

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

We are writing to let you know that we have made the difficult decision to close the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan and JCC Harlem through March 27. We want to be clear: We are not aware of ANY new reports of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan (and there were no reports at JCC Harlem). We are taking this step because we are listening to health experts who say the best way to keep everyone safe is to practice social distancing. We want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Because so much of our work at our buildings is about bringing people together, this feels like the right time to think out of the box (quite literally) and serve our community beyond our buildings. We are so proud of the community we have built—our thousands of older adults who are here every week, our hundreds of adults with special needs, our cancer care and Parkinson’s participants, along with thousands of infants and young children and everybody in between—and we are committed to keeping everyone who walks through our doors safe and healthy.

Sometimes the right thing to do is also the hard thing to do. We know that now more than ever, many in our community will feel more isolated as a result of our decision. We are committed to our core values and we know we are MORE THAN JUST BUILDINGS. As we write this letter, our staff is mobilizing to create opportunities real and virtual for us to stay connected. We are thinking about a volunteer corps to support our seniors, zoom meditation and stress reduction classes, Jewish learning online, cooking demos, free streaming of our films, group fitness classes on our Youtube channel, and much more. 

To our JCC Members and enrolled program participants: please know that we take seriously the investment you make in your and your family’s JCC participation. We will communicate directly with you as soon as we are able regarding your membership or missed programs. As our staff is occupied prioritizing health and safety and reorganizing certain operations, your patience is appreciated. 

There is so much we don’t know and yet what we know is also powerful. We know that we are responsible for one another. We know that at times like this, generosity expands our sense of well-being. We know that when we are kinder and more caring, we not only help others but feel better ourselves as well.

In the past week, we have seen an outpouring of support for our JCC and, frankly, for us personally. Whatever other communities of which you are a part, we urge you to let them know you are grateful for their work. You should never underestimate how much your words matter. And when you have a criticism because we don’t always get it right, please be mindful that here, your words matter as well. Don’t hesitate to help us do better; we rely on your feedback. 

Most of our staff will be working remotely during this time. We want to give a huge shout out to them. They are the most dedicated folks we have ever seen and are balancing their own health concerns, travel issues, and family challenges along with the rest of us. We are all stronger for their commitment and dedication.

At the end of the day, the board of directors and the staff made this call together. We did so with tremendous thoughtfulness and care for the community and staff.  It is in just these moments when we understand how important the community/professional relationship really is, and ours is quite extraordinary. We want to publicly thank the members of our board (click here for their names) for their constant support as we navigate these choppy seas.

We hope to have better news in the weeks to come.  We are a resilient community and we know we will get through this—together. In the meantime, please do everything you can to stay healthy and ensure the health of those around you.

Best wishes,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Sheryl J. Kaye
Chair, Board of Directors

Dear Friends,

We are writing to let you know that we learned today that a child who was in a program at the JCC on Saturday night has since tested positive for COVID-19 along with her mother. Both mother and child are currently asymptomatic and doing well, and we appreciate their quick and honest communication with us. All parents with children in that program have been directly notified of the specific situation.

Out of an abundance of caution, the Board of Directors of the JCC has made the decision to close the JCC tomorrow (Wednesday, Mar 11) and Thursday, Mar 12 in order to do a thorough and deep hospital-grade sanitizing of our building. It is our expectation that we will reopen on Friday; should that change, you will hear from us.

While the Department of Health has not asked us to close any part of the JCC, we believe this is the right decision as we navigate these uncharted waters. Our concern for your health and safety is always uppermost in our minds.

The JCC is more than a building. It is the heart of our community and we are here for you even when we aren’t physically open. You will be hearing from us with suggestions about how to stay engaged and connected with the many resources we have available. Our staff will be working diligently to help you find good films, podcasts, articles, and lectures worth taking a look at, and making suggestions about how to stay healthy and connected.

Please email us if you have any questions. We will stay in touch as more information becomes available. We are deeply grateful to those of you who have called or emailed with your support for our work during these challenging times. Now it’s time to call the people you love, hold the people you can, and remember that together we will get through this. We remain committed to the community we are building—one filled with chesed/lovingkindness and connections to one another.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions. If you don't see the answer to your question here, send us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. 

What steps is the JCC taking to ensure the building is clean?

• We are consulting with health agencies, including the New York City and NY State Department of Health, as well as the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who provide guidance about actions to help prevent the spread of any respiratory disease.
• We have stepped up our hygiene and cleaning practices, including the frequent cleaning of commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs, handrails, and table tops, as well as locker rooms and fitness equipment, with a combination of alcohol-based and hospital-grade cleansers. 
• You will see more hand sanitizer stations around the JCC as well. We have introduced additional disinfectants throughout the day as an extra precaution. In addition, the JCC is piloting a new daily cleaning protocol using a special sanitizing machine that will be used on every floor of the building.  

When should I stay home?

• The CDC and NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene recommend that you stay home if you have a fever and/or flu-like symptoms and see your healthcare provider if appropriate.
• The CDC recommends that older adults and those who have chronic illness or are otherwise immunocompromised should stay home as much as possible, avoid those who appear ill, and avoid large gatherings.  
• The Department of Health & Mental Hygiene is asking New Yorkers who return from the following countries to self-isolate for 14 days as a precaution: China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan. Please note, other countries may be added to this list and it may be updated based on current news.
• To return to the JCC, you must be fever-free or symptom-free for 24 hours unmedicated.

What steps should I take to avoid becoming ill?

• Wash your hands frequently and vigorously for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, especially after touching public surfaces. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. 
• Avoid handshakes, hugs, and high fives.
• Cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue, sleeve, or your elbow.
• Immediately dispose of used tissues and wash or sanitize your hands.

Are programs being cancelled? 

• While a limited number of programs have been canceled, as of Mar 9, there is no plan to widely cancel JCC programs. As we move forward, on a case by case basis, some may need to be cancelled, postponed, or rescheduled.

Dear Friends,

I'm sure you've each received many Coronavirus-related emails and news updates, but as the week comes to a close, I wanted to reach out to let you know the latest on the steps we are taking. 

First, please know that you—our community—are on my mind and in my heart. We are "in this" with you and working closely with our staff and lay leadership to (1) pay attention to the ever-changing situation and (2) adapt our programming and cleaning practices in ways that minimize the transmission of germs in our building. We also continue to be in close communication with the New York City and New York State Departments of Health, and appreciate their support and clarity as questions come up. 

A few specific notes:

• This Saturday's (Mar 7) R&R Shabbat program is cancelled. It will give us an opportunity to do a thorough cleaning of our building from L3 to the 8th floor. 
• The fitness center, gymnasium, and pool will remain open, and other weekend programs will continue to operate as scheduled.
• As you may have heard, out of an abundance of caution, many neighborhood Purim carnivals (including the one scheduled for this Sunday at JCC Harlem) have been cancelled. That doesn't mean you can't use the time at home to celebrate. Whip up some delicious hamentaschen (s'mores-flavored!), check out this fun Purim piece in the Daily News, or invite your neighbors along and start up a wild and crazy costume parade in your hallway. It's the UWS...why not?

And here are some helpful resources for you:

• nyc.gov/health
• cdc.gov/coronavirus
• wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

As we face this outbreak, individuals and communities need to strike a balance between vigilance and the need to go on living our lives. This is hard to do, but important. Please take a deep breath, make a phone call to someone who might be more isolated, and let them know that they are not alone. Understand that everyone expresses anxiety in different ways—so be patient and kinder than necessary. 

As the situation changes and there is more to say, we will continue to be in communication with you. 

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends,

As public attention worldwide focuses on the novel coronavirus outbreak, and with the news of the first confirmed case in New York City, we know that this may be causing some unease, and want to let you know about our response at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan.

We consult with health agencies, including the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, as well as the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who provide guidance about actions to help prevent the spread of any respiratory disease. We also reference policies and practices of organizations such as the New York City Department of Education, and we reflect on our own past experiences with other diseases, including flu outbreaks such as novel influenza H1N1.

At the JCC, we are stepping up our hygiene practices, including the frequent cleaning of commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs, handrails, and table tops, as well as locker rooms and fitness equipment, with a combination of alcohol-based and hospital-grade cleansers. You will see more hand sanitizer stations around the JCC as well. We are introducing additional disinfectants throughout the day as an extra precaution.

This is a good occasion to review what each of us can do to help our community remain healthy at all times. We are all in this together.

• Keep others healthy – We are in the business of welcoming people into our space, so it feels strange to say “stay home.” But if you or your child have a fever and/or flulike symptoms, please do remain at home and see your healthcare provider if appropriate. We are asking the same of our staff. It is good practice to cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, using a tissue or sleeve, and throwing tissues in a bin immediately after use.
• Keep yourself healthy – Wash your hands frequently and vigorously for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, especially after touching public surfaces. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. 
• Keep working out – Please remember to wipe down equipment in the fitness areas before and after using. Disinfectant wipes are available on the fitness floor and in all studios.

In addition to prevention, I also want to emphasize the value of chesed, or kindness. During stressful times, people may incorrectly direct their fear toward others. I want to remind us all to counter stigma by learning and sharing facts. Viruses do not target specific racial or ethnic groups. We stand together at the JCC with all of our New York communities.

Thanks for joining us and doing your part to help keep the JCC a healthy and safe environment. We welcome you to upcoming weekend activities—our fitness center, aquatics center, gymnasium, and community spaces are open and thriving. We will continue to carefully monitor and plan for changing conditions, and will share updates with you as soon as they become available. 

Rabbi Joy Levitt
Chief Executive Officer

The process of renovating the 7th floor has begun. We anticipate this project being complete just after Passover 2020.

We've heard from many of you about how the environment impacts your experience at the JCC, and hope that the addition of items such as smart boards, new chairs, and improved lighting and sound will positively affect how you learn, connect, and enjoy being part of this community. That matters to us, and we're pleased to be spending January through April preparing for the decades ahead.

What can you expect during construction? 
It's our goal to minimize the inconvenience and ensure you continue to get the most out of your programs. One elevator will be dedicated to transporting project materials in the mornings from 6-8:30 am. Elevator doors will not open on the 7th Floor during construction/renovation work. 

What can you expect after construction?  
Smart boards, new chairs, new lighting and sound equipment, as well as a Beit Midrash and Library flexible enough to become one large space, or two or three smaller ones, with the addition of soundproof, movable walls. The Makom meditation space will enjoy improved sound mitigation and storage.

Questions or comments? 
Click here to leave your question or comment in a form, and we'll respond to you as soon as we can. 

We know that construction of any kind can be an inconvenience, but we look forward to welcoming you back into these spaces after Passover. I hope you'll agree that the renovations make a difference in your experience, and that your future here is worth investing in.