Shames JCC

Spring Break Camp: Challenge Island, Grades K-3
2026-04-03 09:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, March 30–April 3; 9:00 am–1:00 pm (no camp April 2)
Members: $440; non-members: $480
In this project-based STEAM class, students tackle exciting engineering challenges. With over 200 innovative experiences, they’ll build, explore, question, and create while transforming critical thinking into action. Each day brings a new adventure filled with discovery, teamwork, and fun!

Spring Break Camp: Inclusive Set Design Studio (Grades 2 and Up)
2026-04-03 12:30 - 14:00
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, March 30–April 3; 12:30–2:00 pm (no program March 31 and April 2)
FREE for members & non-members
Bring the world of theater to life! Students will create props and backdrops for our upcoming Spring Revue. This offering is for 2nd grade and up, including teens, and young adults. People of all abilities are welcome and encouraged to join!

Tech Angels
2026-04-05 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-19 10:00 - 12:00
Every other Sunday
Drop in—no registration required.
Having trouble with your iPhone, Android, tablet, or laptop? Struggle with email, texting, apps, Zoom, or technology in general? Bring your device and your questions to the J and savvy volunteers from Irvington High School will help you at no cost!

Poetry in Music: How Melody, Words, and Rhythm Heal our Hearts
2026-04-06 10:00 - 11:30
Come watch (and hear) a spoken word soundtrack made right before your eyes. In this hybrid lecture/performance, Phylisha Villanueva, Westchester’s second official poet laureate, will perform original poetry as pianist Rocco Dapice improvises a soundtrack that perfectly compliments her words and tone. Between pieces, Rocco and Phylli will describe and demonstrate the healing power of music and the spoken word.
About the presenters:
Rocco Dapice is a pianist, teacher, writer, YAMAHA Performing Artist, and graduate of the Manhattan School of Music. He is on the faculty of the Manhattan School’s summer program and New Visions School for Advanced Math & Science; is a teaching artist for MSM’s Distance Learning center; and teaches privately. Rocco has performed widely in over 390 cities and is a member of ASCAP, the Jazz Education Network (JEN), and the National Assn. of Record Industry Professionals.
Phylisha Villanueva is a spoken-word artist, Belizean-American writer, author, educator, and advocate for community arts development, while serving as the second poet laureate of Westchester County. Born in the Bronx and raised in Yonkers, her work explores cultural storytelling themes. She currently runs The Yonkers Writing Group, plays with the Jazz and Poetry Choir Collective, and is almost done with her MFA in Poetry at Saint Francis College.
Register

A Time To Remember: A Passover Yizkor (Memorial) Conversation
2026-04-07 10:00 - 11:00
FREE for members and non-members
As the winter turns into spring, the Jewish calendar offers us a time to remember those who have died over the years. Our quiet conversation will be inspired by Jewish passages with opportunities for personal reflection and sharing. Join us for a morsel of matzah (with a schmear) and a moment of memory including the Memorial Prayer and Kaddish. We welcome you regardless of your religious background or practice.
Register

Third Act Circle: A Peer Support Group
2026-04-07 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-04-21 12:00 - 13:00
FREE for members and non-members
Those experiencing the stage of life referred to as “the third act” are invited to come together to talk, laugh, share stories, and support one another through life’s ups and downs. Whether you’re navigating retirement, dealing with health changes, coping with loss, or just looking to connect with others in a similar life stage, this group offers a place where you can feel heard and understood. Facilitated by Rena, the focus is on encouragement and community.

Shames JCC Youth Expo!
2026-04-07 14:30 - 17:30
Stop by the Quad for a fun, interactive afternoon showcasing the full range of youth programs at the J — from early childhood through the teen years.
This is a drop-in, explore-at-your-own-pace event where families can meet our incredible staff, jump into hands-on activities, and see what’s next as your children grow at the J. Whether you’re already part of one program or many, this is a great opportunity to experience everything we offer.
Come explore, connect, and enjoy some fun.

Hot Topics
2026-04-08 11:30 - 13:00
FREE for members & non-members
Discuss the month’s social and political issues with your fellow news enthusiasts. With timely and changing international, national, and local issues from the news arenas of government, arts, sports, science, and religion, we welcome all participants to voice their ideas. All points of view are welcome in this lively, thought-provoking, and civil discussion. Feel free to bring your lunch and/or a friend!

Group Outing: Tour of Studio Museum in Harlem Tour and Lunch
2026-04-09 09:45 - 15:30
$85 for members; $100 for non-members, incl. private tour, prix-fixe lunch at Red Rooster, and round-trip transportation from the JCC
Come explore the newly expanded Studio Museum in Harlem on a guided group tour. The museum’s $160 million transformation brings expanded galleries and enhanced spaces that deepen engagement with art by artists of African descent including Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Faith Ringgold, Kerry James Marshall, and Mickalene Thomas. Called a “remarkable accomplishment and an uplifting, uncompromising addition to the city’s civic landscape” by the New York Times, the museum celebrates Harlem’s legacy as a center of artistic innovation.
Afterwards, we’ll have a family-style lunch* at Marcus Samuelsson’s famed Red Rooster restaurant before returning home.
Schedule:
9:45 am: Bus departs JCC
10:45 am: Arrive Studio Museum of Harlem
11:00 am: Private tour plus time to explore on your own
12:45: pm: Walk to Red Rooster (5 mins)
1:00 pm: Family style 3-course lunch (vegetarian options available)
2:30 pm: Depart for JCC
3:15: Arrive back at JCC
*Lunch menu includes cornbread, deviled eggs, and salad for appetizers; Yardbird fried chicken and pan fried catfish w/ black eyed peas for entree (vegetarians/vegans will have an alternate main); mac and cheese, collards, and garlic mash for sides; and a chef’s selection for dessert.

Caregiver Conversation Circle
2026-04-09 12:00 - 13:15
Do you care for a family member with chronic illness or special needs? Join our conversation circle to connect with others in a similar situation. Whether you are responsible for a child with special needs, a spouse with cognitive or physical decline, or any other situation that fits, we welcome your participation. The group will be facilitated by longtime social worker, Joanne Reed. Coffee and tea will be served.

Book Club: “The Doorman” by Chris Pavone
2026-04-09 19:00 - 20:15
Named one of the Best Thrillers and a Notable Book of 2025 by the New York Times, “The Doorman” is a pulse-pounding novel of class, privilege, sex, and murder. The story centers on Chicky Diaz, a longtime doorman at a luxury building, who becomes entangled in a volatile night of secrets, infidelity, and violence.

Challah and Conversation: Compassion and Judaism
2026-04-10 09:30 - 10:30
Compassion and Judaism: Uncovering how Jewish values guide us towards compassion
FREE for members and non-members
Join Rena DeLevie in a conversation about how compassion is a core component of Jewish values and how those values can guide our daily choices.

Parkinson’s Symposium
2026-04-11 11:00 - 15:00
Parkinson’s Symposium
FREE
Register (in-person at the J)
Register (virtual, on zoom)
Individuals with Parkinson’s, as well as their family, friends, and community, are invited to hear renowned speakers from the Parkinson’s Foundation Centers of Excellence discuss current and upcoming treatments, ongoing research, and resources available to help live your best life with Parkinson’s.

An Evening with The Yale Whiffenpoofs
2026-04-12 17:30 - 19:00
Members: $35; non-members: $40
Every year, 14 of Yale’s top singers are selected to be in the Whiffenpoofs, the world’s oldest and best-known collegiate a cappella group. Singing a mixture of old Yale tunes, jazz standards, and other hits from across the decades, the Whiffenpoofs perform more than 200 concerts across six continents each year.

Impressionist Subjects: The Modern City and Suburban Landscape
2026-04-13 10:00 - 11:30
Impressionism, post-impressionism, and the famous artists from these movements are some of the most well-known aspects of art history. But the well-worn themes of light, color, and personal expression are only part of the story.
In this series of three lectures Dr. Morgan Ridler explores the lesser-known elements of these movements, including their historical and social context. She’ll explore the ways in which the modernization and industrialization of France set the stage for the revolutionary art of the twentieth century.
Join us for the next two:
May 4: Post-Impressionist Vision: Seurat, Toulouse-Lautrec and Cezanne
June 1: Post-Impressionist Escape: van Gogh and Gauguin

Film Screening: Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny
2026-04-15 11:30 - 13:30
FREE for members and non-members
This feature documentary explores the extraordinary life and work of one of the most influential and fearless political thinkers of the twentieth century. Hannah Arendt’s philosophical writings emerged directly from her dramatic and often terrifying experiences, coming of age in Germany as Hitler rose to power, then finding her way to the United States as a Jewish refugee.
Through her bravery, judgment, and unflinching capacity to “make the facts welcome,” Arendt transformed her time as a political prisoner, refugee, survivor, and observer of critical events in American history into thoughtful and daring insights into the human condition which continue to resonate more than a half century later.
Register

Lunch Outing: Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet
2026-04-16 12:30 - 14:00
$24 cash includes all food, tax, tip, and optional r/t transportation from the J
395 Tarrytown Rd, White Plains, NY 10607 (Crossroads Shopping Center)

Bring a big appetite and join us for an all-you-can-eat Asian lunch at Umi! You’ll want to go back for seconds (and thirds) of sushi, seafood, vegetables, ramen, hotpot, and more at this fresh and flavorful spot. Your meal includes unlimited visits to their buffet, beverage, tax, and tip. Space is limited to 20 – sign up early!
NOTE: We will be meeting at Umi, 395 Tarrytown Rd, White Plains, NY 10607 (Crossroads Shopping Center). Free parking is available in the parking lot. Need a ride from home or the JCC? Email Rena for options!
Register
(no cancellations after 4/14)

Common Ground–Tithing, Taxing, and Membership Dues
2026-04-16 13:00 - 14:00
Tithing, Taxing, and Membership Dues–The history, philosophy, and responsibility to financially support the community.
FREE for members and non-members
This tax-day inspired conversation with Rabbi Jay Stein (Greenberg Hebrew Center) and Rev. Wren Hillis (Commissioned Elder of The United Methodist Church; Lead Pastor of Aldersgate UMC and Ardsley UMC; NY Methodist Conference Archivist) we will explore our shared questions about financial support for communal organizations. Rabbi Ron Symons and Rev. Gareth Evans are pleased to host this conversation.
Register

Lisa Loeb Live at The Ark
2026-04-16 19:30 - 21:30
Experience Lisa Loeb up close in an intimate acoustic performance and conversation about the stories behind her iconic songs.
Don’t miss a rare chance to experience singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb up close and unplugged. We’ll transform The Ark into an intimate listening room for a special acoustic set filled with the heartfelt storytelling and iconic melodies that made Lisa a beloved voice in music.
From the timeless hit “Stay (I Missed You)” to new favorites, this stripped-down performance highlights the warmth, wit, and honesty that define her songs.
The evening also includes a special 20-minute Q&A with JCC CEO Adam Weiss, offering a chance to hear Lisa share the stories behind the music.
About Lisa Loeb:
With a legacy of nearly 20 studio albums and EPs, multiple entrepreneurial ventures, her own weekday SiriusXM radio show on ’90s on 9, and a proliferation of TV, film, commercial, and voiceover work, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter behind such era-defining hits like ‘Stay (I Missed You)’ from Reality Bites and ‘I Do,’ continues to cement her status as one of the entertainment industry’s hardest working, most creative and revered musical artists.
Cash bar; doors open at 7

Challah and Conversation–Revisiting the Israeli Declaration of Statehood, 78 years Later
2026-04-17 09:30 - 10:30
FREE for members and non-members
Join Rabbi Ron Symons as we time travel back in time to understand the mindset of the founders of the State of Israel. We’ll explore how they reached back in history and dreamed of a future of peace for the Jewish people in the State of Israel.

92NY Live Presents: CBS Sunday Morning’s David Pogue in Conversation with Lee Cowan — Apple: The First 50 Years
2026-04-17 14:00 - 15:30
FREE for members and non-members
Apple turns 50 this year; how did a scrappy technology company become something closer to an operating system for modern life? This question spurred CBS News Sunday Morning’s David Pogue to write a new book, Apple: The First 50 Years. Drawing on more than 150 interviews and rare access to Apple’s archives, Pogue traces the company’s full, frequently misunderstood story: its early experiments and false starts, its brushes with collapse, its rebirth under Steve Jobs, and its transformation under Tim Cook into the most valuable company in the world.
The conversation looks beyond products to the deeper effects of Apple’s influence — how its technologies have rewired our habits, reshaped our attention, and altered the way we think, connect, and move through the world. It’s a clear-eyed look at a company whose impact extends far beyond the devices in our hands.
NOTE: This event will be livestreamed with an in-person discussion afterward
Register

Cardboard Explosion: A Paper Heart Puppet Show & Workshop
2026-04-19 10:00 - 12:00
Spend a springy Sunday morning building your own puppet, taking in a creative puppet show, or both!
Enjoy stories brought to life using nothing but recycled cardboard and the power of your imagination! Puppeteer Brad Shur transforms simple cardboard shapes into elaborate puppet characters and tells stories that are sure to wow children of all ages.
From 10am – 11am, audience members (all ages) will enjoy a creative, whimsical puppet show all made from cardboard! After the show, 30 lucky ticket holders will get to work directly with Brad to build their own puppets from cardboard (perfect for early elementary students in grades K-3rd).
Sponsored by Cozy in the Crib

Ground • Move • Breathe
2026-04-19 12:15 - 13:15
A guided movement, breathwork, and meditation experience
FREE
This program is full; please email Tamicka to be added to the waitlist.
Take an hour to reset your nervous system and transition into the week feeling clearer and more grounded. Tal Gozhansky, breathwork facilitator and somatic coach, will lead a guided elemental rhythm experience that combines gentle movement, active breathing, curated music, and meditation. This session will serve to release stress and help you connect with your body in order to feel more alert, peaceful, and grounded.
Learn more about Tal here. Learn more about Elemental Rhythm here.
What to know before you come:

Wear comfortable clothing that allows easy movement
Yoga mats, blankets, and eye masks will be provided
Come as you are—curiosity is enough
It’s best to avoid a heavy meal right beforehand

Yom Ha’atzmu’at: Israel Independence Day through Competing Zionist Ideas with Rabbi Ron Symons
2026-04-20 10:00 - 11:30
Long before Israel became a modern state on May 14, 1948 and experienced the tragedy of October 7, 2023, Jews concerned about Israel discussed, argued, and fought over six different ways of defining “Zionism.” We will journey back in time to uncover these six streams anddiscuss their implications for today. Afterwards, we’ll enjoy an Israeli snack and drink a l’chayim (alcoholic and alcohol free) to continue the civil conversation as Israel celebrates its 78th year of independence.

Register

Falafel on The Hudson (in the café)
2026-04-22 11:00 - 14:00
In celebration of Yom Ha’Atzma’ut (Israel Independence Day), Chef Noam will serving up his highly acclaimed falafel in celebration of Israel’s 78th birthday.

Verve Book Club: "Awake" by Jen Hatmaker
2026-04-22 11:30 - 13:00
FREE for members & non-members
Through personal stories and hard-won insights, Hatmaker invites readers to examine the moments that shake us out of complacency and call us toward deeper authenticity. Written with warmth, humor, and compassion, the book encourages thoughtful conversation about faith, relationships, and personal growth. It’s an engaging and accessible read that resonates especially with those navigating life’s turning points.

2026 American Mahjong Card Guided Play Workshop
2026-04-22 14:00 - 16:00
$30 for members; $35 non-members
Let’s kick off the 2026 National Mahjong League’s card together! Young-Yi Clinton from Bamboo Haus Mahjong will lead us through guided play with this year’s newly released card. You’ll come away with strategies, tips, and guidance in recognizing patterns in order to choose the right hand to play. Seats are limited to 12.
Register

Challah and Conversation–Jewish Ethical Considerations About War
2026-04-24 09:30 - 10:30
FREE for members and non-members
Join Rabbi Ron Symons in a timely conversation about Jewish ethical considerations regarding war throughout the ages. Our conversation will afford us the opportunity to enter into shared language about obligatory and discretionary wars,with respectful conversation no matter the position you hold.
