When opportunities to travel locally closed up this year for participants in the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan's Connections group, they didn’t let it slow them down. Instead, they embarked on a global adventure.

For some, it was finding food for Passover. For others, it was finding a way to obtain needed medications. For some, it was the desire to find a substitute for their weekly bridge game. And for many, it was just the need to know that they had not been forgotten in isolation. Times are uncertain. Community is not.

Written by Cynthia Ceilan

"The fellowship of women from around the world who are making truly impactful change is not to be underestimated," says Meg Sullivan, director of JCC Harlem. "For someone like me, who is still in the early stages of my career, it's a particular honor to be among such giants."

Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Joanne Edgar, and Ellen Sweet are former editors of Ms. magazine, the publication that symbolized the “second wave” of feminism in the 1970s and 80s; they’re also members of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan community. With this summer marking the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, it seemed an ideal time to bring them together to discuss the parallels between Ms. and the JCC, the changing face of feminism, and more, which we did in early March.

For women living with breast or ovarian cancer, the JCC’s Shirley Kohn Spa Day--now in its 13th year--serves as a much-needed respite from the daily stress and worry that having a devastating illness can bring. But they aren’t the only ones who benefit. The event volunteers, some of whom have had cancer and been participants at past Spa Days themselves, get as much, if not more, than the attendees.

Empowering children to be their strongest, most confident selves is undeniably important. Just as crucial is the role families and other adults play in that endeavor. But as kids—especially girls—reach school-age and beyond, providing that support becomes more challenging. Vanessa Kroll Bennett, who in 2019 was named scholar in residence for the JCC's Bert and Sandra Wasserman Center for Family Life, has experienced this firsthand as a mom to three sons and a daughter, ages 9 to 17.

Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone and into the unknown requires a little, well, comfort.

For the more than 300 children who attend the JCC's Camp Settoga in Pomona, NY, that comfort comes from the camp's staff—a good number of whom hold positions at the JCC during fall, winter, and spring. From boarding the bus for the very first time to taking the tests that will determine their swim level, campers—and their parents—find reassurance in familiar faces.

This year, the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan has been fortunate to welcome several new staff members. Now, with our newest center and department heads comfortably settled in at the JCC, we'd like to make a few introductions.