Early Childhood Framework Introduced at Professional Conference Draws Large Cohort of Educators

Daddy, make sure you spell our name right so we can win the Chanukah Raffle!  (Choopla 2012)

JCC Association of North America has recently launched Sheva, an early childhood education framework that strives to raise the level of excellence in the ECE programs offered by JCCs through facilitated learning communities. Early childhood directors from all over the continent were first introduced to the new program at the JCCs of North America Professional [...]

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Parashat Tazria-Metzora (Leviticus 12:1-15:33)

“This shall be the law of the leper on the day of his purification: he shall be brought to the priest.”(Leviticus 14:2) We read two parashot (portions) this week because of the way the Jewish calendar is calculated. Months are determined by the moon’s cycle, but the year is determined by the sun’s. Therefore, a [...]

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Jared Foundation Funds Discover: CATCH Training

campyel

Staff members from four JCCs will be learning techniques to combat childhood obesity, thanks to a generous grant from the Jared Foundation. Jared Fogle, spokesperson for SUBWAY® sandwich shops and founder of the foundation, endorsed JCC Association’s Discover: CATCH program last year and the foundation has contributed to help train JCC staff in different parts [...]

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Parashat Sh’mini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47)

“These are the creatures that you may eat from among all the land animals: any animal that has true hoofs, with clefts through the hoofs, and that chews the cud – such you may eat.” (Leviticus 11:2-3) Parashat Sh’mini helps to answer the question of how humans can reflect God’s holiness. One way is through [...]

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April, 2013 Website of the Month – JCC of Schenectady

schenectedy

JCC Association is pleased to announce that the JCC of Schenectady in Niskayuna, New York is the JCC Facebook of the Month. They successfully ran a campaign to get an outdoor movie screen and projector for their summer camp. Congratulations! Visit their page: JCC of Schenectady Please feel free to e-mail us suggestions regarding any [...]

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Shabbat Chol Hamoed Pesach (The Intermediate Shabbat of Passover)(Exodus 33:12-34:26)

“Then I will take My hand away and you will see my back; but My face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:23) Because this Shabbat falls during Pesach, the regular cycle of parashot (Torah portions) is interrupted by a special holiday reading. There is also a special haftarah, or reading from the Prophets, and many synagogues [...]

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Parashat Tzav (Leviticus 6:1-8:36)

“Moses said the community, “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.” (Leviticus 8:5) The altar or the iPad?  That’s the challenge Parashat Tzav presents this week.  Not literally, of course, but metaphorically.  Tzav repeats the instructions for how to perform the sacrifices and describes the ritual for ordaining the kohanim, the priests.  [...]

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Rabbi Menachem Fruman and the Israeli Elections

Zelda, one of Israel’s great poets wrote “Every person has a name that his enemies gave him and his love gave him… Every person has a name that the sea gave him, and that his death gave him.” (from a longer poem “Every Man has a Name”) Sometimes, it’s enough to participate in a man’s [...]

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Parashat Vayikra (Leviticus 1:1-5:26)

“It is a law for all time throughout the ages, in all your settlements: you must not eat any fat or any blood.”  (Leviticus 3:17)   What a difference a week makes! Last week we reveled in the glory of the unity of the Jewish people as Moses assembled them all to build the mishkan, [...]

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New Date for TAG Training in Chicago Area

Camp Jaycee Swim

We are excited to announce that our Chicago TAG Training Seminar has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 10 (we had to move it from our original date in February due to weather). TAG: Jewish Values through JCC Camping® is a curricular initiative designed to enrich the Jewish component of the JCC camping experience. TAG develops [...]

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