Shames JCC

JCC Celebration
2024-05-30 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for a special evening to celebrate the expanded Harold & Elaine Shames JCC on the Hudson and recognize the contributions of our entire community. This celebration will be held in The Ark, our new theater and event space.
Honoring
Judy Cohen
and The Family of Harold and Elaine Shames:
Mitchell Shames, Harry Livenstein, Risa Shames and Neil Silverston, and Barbara Livenstein
Program
Cocktail hour reception from 7-8PM, followed by program and seated dinner beginning at 8PM
Cocktail attire suggested
Host Committee
Leslie Alkalay, Rachel Alkon, Lisa Cohen, Andrew Eifler, Daniel Fossner, Charles B. Friedman, Allen Halpern, Steve Kasoff, Emma Katznelson, Scott Krady, Nancy Lonky, Barry Reichgott, Barbara Robertson, Brad Schwartz, Dara Seiken, Jon Weiss, and Fred Yerman

Verve Book Club: Shanda by Letty Cottin Pogrebin
2024-05-29 11:30 - 13:00
The word “shanda” is defined as shame or disgrace in Yiddish. In her astonishingly candid memoir, author, activist, and Ms. magazine founder Letty Cottin Pogrebin seeks to understand the role of shame and secrecy in a family of devout Jewish immigrants whose social status — in America and even among one another — required the calculated concealment of a number of uncomfortable truths. Beginning with her own long-suppressed secret, the story spirals through the hidden lives of her parents and relatives—revealing the truth about their origins, personal traumas, marital misery, abandoned children, religious transgressions, sexual identity, radical politics, and illnesses.

Massages by Michelle
2024-05-29 10:00 - 15:00
Get a free 10 minute massage at the J! New York State Licensed Massage Therapist Michelle Pachon is back by popular demand. She specializes in Swedish, CTT (deep tissue), sports massage and myofascial release.

JCC Closed (Memorial Day)
2024-05-27 05:00 - 22:00

Birdie’s Batch Memorial Day Pop-Up
2024-05-23 15:00 - 17:00
Get your long-weekend goodies at the J! Birdie’s Batch will be selling a variety of crostatas and cookies to take to Memorial Day BBQs, or just enjoy at home!

Out to Lunch with the JCC: Santorini Greek Restaurant
2024-05-22 12:30 - 14:00
Join your fellow foodies for our next lunch outing to Santorini Greek Restaurant in Sleepy Hollow! Your lunch will be served family-style and includes Greek salad, falafel, chicken kebabs, pita, and coffee or tea. Bring your appetite and a friend, or come make new ones! These events are always lots of fun and are open to all.
NOTE: We will be meeting at Santorini, 175 Valley St, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591. Metered street parking is available. If you need a ride from the JCC or have room in your car for others, please email cjacobs@shamesjcc.org when you register.
$30 cash for all, includes food, tax and tip

Caregiver Conversation Circle
2024-05-20 13:00 - 14:00
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.

Jess Velona presents Vietnam and the Road to Watergate: Lessons from the Johnson and Nixon Tapes
2024-05-20 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-05-13 10:00 - 11:30
Key decisions about the Vietnam War were made in a single room where most of the conversations were recorded. In this 2-session class, Jess Velona uses tapes rarely heard before to explore this window into history. You’ll listen toturning points such as the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, Johnson’s tortured decision to escalate the war, his dismissal of antiwar protesters as “mentally diseased,” and his belated recognition that his presidency had been destroyed. You’ll listen along when Johnson discovers, at the end of the 1968 campaign, that his new bid for peace is being sabotaged by candidate Nixon himself. Once Nixon takes office, explore his struggle to contain the wave of protests set off by the invasion of Cambodia and his shock of the Pentagon Papers leak.

Soccer Clinic and Open House with J Sports Academy
2024-05-19 15:00 - 16:00
Elevate your game! Meet camp leadership and our coaching staff and learn about all that J Sports Academy has in store for this summer!
Join us at our open house and FREE soccer clinic with Coach Ken Ortiz, collegiate soccer player, on Sunday, May 19, from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm at The Masters School. Meet our coaches, explore the exceptional fields and courts, and get excited for summer!
Can’t make it to the open house? Check out jsportsacademy.org or contact info@jsportsacademy.org to set up an appointment to speak with our leadership team.

Foreign Affairs Discussion Group: Good News Around the World
2024-05-15 19:00 - 20:30
Bad news dominates the headlines these days, from wars to natural disasters. While we can’t ignore the bad news–and the media seems to relish in delivering it–we can choose to look also at the positives. The world has seen major advances in many areas, including health care, environmental protection, reduced global poverty, literacy gains, and curbs in population growth. We’ll discuss why our bias for bad news keeps us from appreciating the progress achieved and hinders our abilities to adapt to and even reverse many of the problems we face.

Coffee and Games
2024-05-15 11:30 - 13:00
Grab a friend or meet a new one over coffee and a good game. We provide Scrabble, playing cards, Rummikub, Mah Jongg, Othello, chess, and more; you’re also welcome to bring your own. Feel free to bring your lunch!

Falafel Pop-up With Chef Noam
2024-05-14 11:00 - 16:00
Chef Noam Zabari has been cooking traditional Yemenite food from a young age. He has been working in cafes and local restaurants since the age of 15, and started his own catering business in 2020. In honor of Israel Independence Day, Chef Noam will be at the J selling made-to-order falafel, falafel sandwiches, and hummus plates.

Israeli Culture Connection with Noy
2024-05-14 11:00 - 12:00
Come connect with our Shishin (Junior Israeli ambassador) Noy Laufer, born in Haifa. Noy is spending her gap year after graduating high school working with different institutions. In a roundtable conversation, she will share her experiences and perspectives as an Israeli. Light refreshments will be served.

Rodney King Trial: A Dramatic Transcript Reading
2024-05-13 13:00 - 14:00
On March 3, 1991, four white police officers savagely beat Rodney King, a Black man, during his arrest for driving while intoxicated–and it was all captured on video. The ensuing trial, in which the officers were charged with using excessive force, shocked the nation, as did the verdicts. Join us to re-enact the trial in a dramatic reading of the edited transcript with facilitator Aytan Adler. Much like a table reading for a play, participants will be assigned parts (judge, attorney, plaintiff, etc.) with time for discussion. Bring your curiosity and creative spirit.

Pop-Up Shop: Handmade Jewelry by Alla Stoyan
2024-05-11 09:00 - 11:00
Member Alla Stoyan will be selling homemade jewelry. Come get your loved ones a gift—or for yourself!

Reel To Real Film and Discussion Series: Groundhog Day
2024-05-09 18:30 - 21:00
Join us for our next Reel to Real in which we have dinner and watch a movie together, then explore the cinematic themes and how they play out in real life. This month’s selection is Harold Ramis’s classic comedy Groundhog Day (1993) in which cynical weatherman Phil Connor (Bill Murray) discovers that he is stuck living the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over again. At first, he uses this to his advantage, then comes to the realization that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing every day.
In our ever-unsettling world, we can easily slide into the tyranny of busyness. Some of us stay busy all the time to fend off feelings of emptiness, loneliness, or depression. The ancients have taught us that true happiness and peace originates from within. But is this possible when our consumer society emphasizes external things, activities, and accomplishments? We’ll discuss these questions as we watch Bill Murray navigate the quagmire of eternal limbo, and discuss how each of us deals with the onslaught of distraction that prevents us from true connection with each other.
Program schedule:

6:30 Dinner available
7:00 Film begins
8:30-9:00: Discussion (stay as long as you like!)

About the presenter: Scott Bloom has spent his 33-year career at the intersection of mental health, schools, and communities. He was the founding director of School Mental Health Services for the New York City Department of Education, where he built a city-wide system of mental health services and resources in over 1800 city schools to better serve the needs of 1.2 million students and families. Mr. Bloom has certification as a psychotherapist and a private practice and supervision in New York City.

Pop-Up Shop: Jewels of the East
2024-05-09 10:00 - 13:00
Looking for mother’s day gifts for the mothers in your life? Support a local business that sells embroidery and jewelry from around the world.

JCC Book Club: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
2024-05-08 19:00 - 20:30
This historical drama novel by New York Times bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid tells the story of an aging and reclusive Hollywood star, Evelyn Hugo, who gives a final interview about her glamorous and scandalous life to an unknown journalist, Monique Grant. Evelyn shares stories of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. As Evelyn’s story nears its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

Volunteer Opportunity: Make Blankets for Project Linus
2024-05-08 11:30 - 13:00
Join us for an afternoon of tikkun olam. We’ll make no-sew fleece blankets for Project Linus, which provides handmade blankets to children in the United States who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. These blankets provide children with a sense of security, warmth, and comfort. Blankets are simple to make and all materials are provided.

Pop-Up Shop: Skincare by Born to Be Free
2024-05-07 09:00 - 12:00
Come shop natural skincare with eco-friendly packaging from Born to Be Free!

Tami Arnowitz presents Connecting the Yoms: An Exploration of Yom Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron, and Yom Ha'aztmaut
2024-05-06 10:00 - 11:30
Within the Jewish calendar there are periods of time when holidays are connected to each other and, in their connection, add another layer of meaning to the days. We see this with Yom HaShoah, Yom HaYizkaron, and Yom Ha’atzmaut. As we observe Yom Hashoah on May 6, this discussion will look at each holiday’s meaning and how their connection amplifies and enhances the individual days.

Connecting the Yoms: An Exploration of Yom Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron, and Yom Ha'aztmaut
2024-05-06 10:00 - 11:30
Within the Jewish calendar, there are periods of time when holidays are connected to each other and, in their connection, add another layer of meaning to the days. We see this So too with Yom HaShoah, Yom HaYizkaron, and Yom Ha’atzmaut. As we observe Yom Hashoah on May 6, this discussion will look at each holiday’s meaning and how their connection amplifies and enhances the individual days.

Community Art Celebration
2024-05-05 14:00 - 17:00
Join us to celebrate new art at the J this Spring!
Come and enjoy art by over 30 local artists, art-making activities for all ages, wine and cheese, and live music by Dillon Kondor.
Registration recommended but not required. Please consider a donation to the JCC to support arts programming. This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Freedom of Speech, Majority Rule, and Cancel Culture—with Rabbi Daniel Reiser, Temple Beth Shalom
2024-05-03 10:00 - 11:30
We live in a country with freedom of speech. Does that freedom apply even to offensive opinions? We live in a democracy. Does that mean that the majority is always right? We will reflect on how a story from the Talmud helps us to unpack these important questions.

Croton Point Park: Westchester’s Jewel on the Hudson With Caroline Curvan and Ross Craven
2024-04-29 10:00 - 11:30
Croton Point Park encompasses miles of Hudson River shoreline with astonishing views and remnants of the region’s past. Ancient shell mounds shed light on the Indigenous peoples who inhabited the area for generations prior to European colonization. Remains of the first commercial vineyard in the northeast are just steps away from historic brickyards that helped build Manhattan. Though the Point served as a dumping ground for much of the twentieth century, local efforts have restored the park into a model of environmental conservation. This talk will explore the past, present, and future of this remarkable park.
About the Presenters:
Scott Craven is a former Ossining Police Captain and Historian of the Town of Ossining. His masters’ thesis focused on the environmental history of the area. An avid fisherman, paddler and cyclist, Scott has a unique in-depth knowledge of the Point..
Caroline Ranald Curvan is the Town Historian of Ossining, as well as a professional researcher, writer and teacher. A writer with a popular local blog (OssiningHistoryontheRun.com), she is also an adjunct professor of Composition and Literature at Mercy University.

Bonding Brunch and Photoshoot (Fashion, Beauty, and Bonding Women’s Group)
2024-04-27 10:30 - 13:00
Ages 18+
This social group intends to provide a special, welcoming place for folks identifying as females with disabilities to come together and connect. In partnership with professionals including from Neiman Marcus, we will learn make-up, hair, and fashion techniques in a fun, supportive environment that celebrates diverse beauty.
Our final session will culminate in a brunch and a photoshoot! Participants will be able to practice the skills that they have learned throughout our first three sessions. We will have a makeup station and hair station so that the participants can get all glammed up before their photoshoot! Please note, this photoshoot will only be open to individuals who have taken part in one or more of the other sessions.
To register, email abridson@shamesjcc.org

Trip to “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” + post-show talk with the cast
2024-04-24 13:00 - 17:30
White Plains Performing Arts Center, 11 City Place, White Plains, 10601
$45 members; $60 non-members, includes tickets and r/t transportation from the JCC
Join us for a matinee performance of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical “Beautiful,” based on the life of songstress Carole King. This uplifting show chronicles the life of Carole King (born Carole Klein), from her days as a spunky, young songwriter in Brooklyn, to chart-topping hitmaker, and finally, to her own life-changing, trailblazing success with Tapestry.
Featuring unforgettable classics such as “You’ve Got a Friend,” “One Fine Day,” “So Far Away,” “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” and “Natural Woman,” this musical phenomenon is filled with the songs you remember and a story you’ll never forget.
NOTE: Transportation to and from the theater from the JCC is included. After the show, we’ll be treated to a post-show conversation with the cast —just for JCC participants!
Tickets are non-refundable after April 7.

Passover Friendly Lunch at the J
2024-04-24 12:00 - 13:00
Join us for a spread of deli salads (tuna, egg, veggies), drinks, dessert, and of course, matzah!

JCC Closed (for Passover)
2024-04-23 05:00 - 21:00
