Adults

Annual JCC Gala and Meeting 2023

Fri 06/30/23By

Food, fun, and fundraising for a good cause were the hallmarks of the JCC’s Annual Meeting and Gala. More than 200 community members gathered at the beautiful Owera Vineyards in Cazenovia, New York for the Sunday, June 4 event, to enjoy cocktails and a kosher meal catered by Essen New York Deli of Brooklyn.

“Phenomenal” was the word Marci Erlebacher, executive director of the Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center, used to describe the ceremony. “Everyone had a great time. The feedback I’m getting is what a successful event we had.”

In its 160th year, The Annual Meeting and Gala is a community event that supports various JCC scholarships for the Early Childhood Development Program (ECDP), Summer Camp including support for children with special needs, the After School Program, and more. During the event, outgoing board members were recognized, new officers were sworn in, and three community members — Shai Jaffe, Steven Wladis, and outgoing board president Steven Sisskind — were honored for their service, dedication, and contributions to the JCC. This year a video highlighting the honorees’ reflections on receiving these awards was also shown during the ceremony.

Jaffe received the Kovod award, which signifies honor and importance, and is given to a community member who has taken an active and outstanding role in events and programs. Jaffe, a graduate of Syracuse Hebrew Day School, works with the Afterschool and Camp programs as well as the ECDP.

Wladis received the Kovod Gadol award, which means great honor, and is given to a community member who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment, energy, and loyalty to the JCC and greater community. Wladis is managing principal at OneDigital, the VP of finance for Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas (CBS-CS), is actively involved with The Wladis Hats & Gloves Foundation, and has served as a JCC board member for nearly 20 years. “It’s extremely humbling to receive the Kovod Gadol Award, but also very meaningful, given that my father is in the JCC’s Hall of Fame,” Wladis said.

Sisskind received the Hall of Fame award, which is given to an individual who has dedicated themselves to the Syracuse Jewish community and to the advancement of the JCC. Sisskind is the owner of Sisskind Funeral Service, LLC and has served as president of the JCC’s Board of Directors for the last decade. “This year’s gala was everything I could have hoped for and more,” Sisskind said. “The video was spectacular, the food was delicious, the room was full, but not crowded, and everyone was just so happy to be there!”

After serving as president for an unprecedented 10 years, Sisskind passed the gavel to Phil Rubenstein, president of Syracuse’s United Radio and VP of the JCC board.
The Annual Meeting and Gala is the JCC’s biggest fundraiser, and Erlebacher was happy to report that the goal for this year’s event was met. “Without this event and without the generosity of our community we wouldn’t be able to give out as much in scholarships.” She added, “[The event] also means a lot to us because we’re honoring people who have been of service.”

 

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Adults

Chanukah at the JCC

Thu 11/03/22By

Chanukah is closer than you think. The passing of Rosh Hashanah brings a new year with new opportunities. In the spirit of the new year, the JCC is looking forward to providing a sense of normalcy that has been missing these last few years. The pandemic gave everyone an appreciation for the feeling of fellowship and strengthened the bond within the community. Now that people are beginning to feel a semblance of safety, the JCC hopes to bring a party that is warm and familiar through ritual and celebration.

The JCC’s annual Community Chanukah Party is making its return. The event will be held on Sunday, December 18th from 12:30pm – 3:00pm and is being sponsored by the Jewish Federation of CNY. Families will be invited and welcomed to join for a fun-filled afternoon. The eyes of the children will brighten as soon as they walk through the doors and see inflatables, crafts, face painting, balloon twisters, a photo booth and more. Refreshments will be provided and delicious food will be offered including latkes, bagels, fruit, and everyone’s favorite sufganiyot (jelly donuts). 

The After School Program will be hosting their Chanukah Party Tuesday, December 20th during the program. Children will get to play dreidel, pin the fork on the latke, eat sufganiyot and more. Each child will get a Chanukah goody bag to take home.

As usual, the Early Childhood Development Program will be celebrating Chanukah.  All classrooms will celebrate the holiday at their own developmental level within the classroom. The wings of the classroom will be decorated for the holiday and will have special materials for the occasion. On Wednesday, December 21 the classrooms will have their own Chanukah Celebration all day with special activities, crafts, latkes and sufganiyot.

Chanukah for the Senior Department will be celebrated on Friday, Dec 16th. A special lunch and sufganiyot will be served. We will have entertainment for this celebration. Reservations are required.

Finally, the whole community is invited to join us for nightly menorah lightings at the JCC. Children from Early Childhood and School Age programs come together to sing the blessings and watch as the lights are lit. Those without family to bring can find family within the comfort of the community. We will light the menorah at 4:30pm each weeknight during Chanukah. 

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Adults

Night of Shopping

Mon 10/31/22By

The JCC is hosting a night of shopping! Take the opportunity to support women owned businesses and local vendors. This is the perfect place to purchase holiday gifts for loved ones. Wine will be available and the event is open to the community.

Get a jump start on your holiday shopping! Join us for a night of shopping women owned local businesses! We will have many local vendors and businesses with perfect holiday gifts to give or for yourself! Support the Early Childhood Development Program, local vendors and businesses. Open to the Community! Vendor Tables still available!
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Adults

JCC Book Talk: Atomic Anna

Wed 10/19/22By

The JCC of Syracuse is co-sponsoring a book talk with the JCC of Palm Beaches via Zoom on Tuesday, December 6 at 7 pm. Atomic Anna is from the author of A Bend in the Stars, an epic adventure as three generations of women work together and travel through time to prevent the Chernobyl disaster and right the wrongs of their past.

Rachel Barenbaum is a prolific writer and reviewer. Her work has appeared in the LA Review of Books, The Tel Aviv Review of Books, and more. She is a scholar in residence at the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute at Brandeis and is the founder and host of the podcast Debut Spotlight. In a former life she was
a hedge fund manager and spin instructor. She has degrees from Harvard in Business, and
Literature and Philosophy. She is an elected member of Town Meeting in Brookline, MA.

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The JCC of Syracuse is co-sponsoring a book talk with the JCC of Palm Beaches via Zoom on Tuesday, December 6 at 7 pm. Atomic Anna is from the author of A Bend in the Stars, an epic adventure as three generations of women work together and travel through time to prevent the Chernobyl disaster and right the wrongs of their past.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rachel Barenbaum is the author of the critically-acclaimed novels Atomic Anna and A Bend in the<br>Stars. She is a prolific writer and reviewer. Her work has appeared in the LA Review of Books, The<br>Tel Aviv Review of Books, and more. She is a scholar in residence at the Hadassah-Brandeis<br>Institute at Brandeis and is the founder/ host of the podcast Debut Spotlight. In a former life she was<br>a hedge fund manager and spin instructor. She has degrees from Harvard in Business, and<br>Literature and Philosophy. She is an elected member of Town Meeting in Brookline, MA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->
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Adults

JCC Book Talk: Cyclorama

Wed 10/19/22By

The JCC of Syracuse is co-sponsoring a book talk with the JCC of Palm Beaches via Zoom on Wednesday, February 22 at 7 pm. Cyclorama is a “deeply moving, propulsive story of ten teenagers brought together by a high school production of The Diary of Anne Frank that will shape and influence the rest of their lives.”

This zoom talk will be moderated by the JCC of palm beaches. This is a free event for the members of the JCC.

The author, Adam Langer is a journalist, editor, and the author of a memoir and five novels including The
Washington Story, Ellington Boulevard, The Thieves of Manhattan, The Salinger Contract, and the
internationally best-selling novel Crossing California, which was described in the Chicago Tribune by James Atlas as “the most vivid novel about Chicago since Saul Bellow’s Herzog and the most
ambitious debut set in Chicago since Philip Roth’s Letting Go.” Formerly a senior editor at Book
Magazine and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, he currently serves as culture editor
at The Forward.

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Adults & Seniors

JCC Play: The Jewish Cavalier in Blue

Thu 09/22/22By

Love letters and journals from the Civil War will be turned into dramatic readings and performed for all to see. All of the letters and journals will feature residents of Syracuse & CNY residents from that period. Letters will be from Lieutenants, Commanders, black soldiers, former slaves, nurses and fiancées.

The play will be held Sunday, November 6 at 11:30am. Reservations are needed. The show is free. Light refreshments will be provided. 

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Adults & Seniors

JCC’s Senior Program Spotlight

Tue 09/06/22By

JCC’s Senior Program

The new normal has not been easy for seniors. A gruesome pandemic put the elderly at an advanced health risk. In a world where seniors often struggle with loneliness and lack of direction, fear of contracting COVID made those struggles even more arduous. Seniors were already prone to staying at home and isolating themselves. Endangering oneself just by stepping outside and socializing was an unfortunate reality. The Senior Program at the JCC made sure to be there when things were bleak, and always will.

The JCC’s Senior Meals don’t have your typical cafeteria food. There is a suggested donation of $5 per meal. The program is subsidized by the Onondaga County Adult and Long-Term Care Service, which allows us to keep our cost low. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect a mundane meal with a taste that matched the inexpensive cost. Luckily, the JCC has a culinary institute trained chef who works magic in the kitchen and runs one of the only Kosher certified meal sites outside of New York City that serves meals 5 days per week.

Senior Lunches have become one of the best kept secrets in the county. It has become an experience that attendees don’t just look forward to, but crave. “I have a major health condition and have a problem eating enough food, my appetite is severely diminished. It helps tremendously to sit and have a good conversation while eating good food” said Karen Nezelek. Instead of simply satisfying those that eat to live, Chef Donna goes the extra mile and satisfies those that live to eat. 

During the pandemic, when many places were shutting down, the dining hall was closed but the kitchen was not. The JCC offered curbside delivery at the same cost. The servers maintained their relationships with the seniors on a first name basis. The food gave seniors a place to go and people to see, even if it was just at a distance. 

Now that life has begun to settle down, the dining hall is again a place for seniors to enjoy their meal and make friends along the way. The JCC has created a safe environment where all are vaccinated and smiles can once again be met with smiles. 12pm from Monday-Friday has become a comforting time for seniors. It doesn’t stop at lunch. The JCC also offers Shabbat meals where challah bread is broken and seniors do the prayers. 

The JCC simply cares more about the people than the money. The health of the community is a constant point of emphasis. The facility is kept in pristinely clean conditions, free nutritional counseling is offered throughout the year, and flu clinics are offered during the fall.

Every third Friday of the month, the JCC brings in a neighborhood advisor, where members of the community are given the opportunity to be heard. Events are thrown for national and Jewish holidays. Those that wish to celebrate among friends can do so at the JCC at no charge. 

Seniors can struggle with feeling alone, now more than ever. At the JCC, there is a community to rely on. There are friends to be made. 

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Adults

Adult Tap Class

Thu 08/25/22By

Tap into your dancing skills! The JCC is offering adult tap dancing classes for beginners and the advanced! The Advanced Tap Dance class will be offered on Tuesdays from 6:30–8 p.m. starting October 11th. It will be taught by longtime JCC tap instructor Barry Shulman.

On Wednesdays starting October 12th, Angela Saturno will teach a Beginner Tap Dance class from 6:30–8 p.m. followed by an Intermediate Tap Dance class from 8–9 p.m. The cost is $5 per person each night. A limited number Tap shoes are available on a first come first serve basis.

The JCC’s Tap classes are open to anyone age 12 and older. No prior dance experience is necessary. Plenty of free parking is available. Tappers are asked to arrive early to sign in.

Tap into your dancing skills! The JCC is offering adult tap dancing classes for beginners and the advanced! The Advanced Tap Dance class will be offered on Tuesdays from 6:30–8 p.m. starting October 11th. It will be taught by longtime JCC tap instructor Barry Shulman. On Wednesdays starting October 12th, Angela Saturno will teach a Beginner Tap Dance class from 6:30–8 p.m. followed by an Intermediate Tap Dance class from 8–9 p.m. The cost is $5 per person each night. A limited number Tap shoes are available on a first come first serve basis. The JCC’s Tap classes are open to anyone age 12 and older. No prior dance experience is necessary. Plenty of free parking is available. Tappers are asked to arrive early to sign in.
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