YES! I would like to support the J.
Donate HERE or contact Elana MacGilpin at 860-231-6317 or emacgilpin@mandelljcc.org
The Mandell JCC serves as a gathering place for our community. Members meet for yoga and then enjoy a coffee at the J Café. Seniors come for a speaker and have lunch together. Children fill the halls of the Early Childhood Centers with the sounds of laughter. Teens pack the gym to play basketball. Adults come to see a film or an author. Members work out in the fitness center and join group exercise classes to get stronger and stay healthy.
The Mandell JCC is the heartbeat of our community, the place where connections happen and where people thrive. We are here every day, but there are certain days that it just seems to matter more. After October 7, the JCC was a place to gather, to light a candle, to pin on a blue ribbon. And it was also a place to get away from it all with a game of pickle ball, to swim laps in the pool; a reliable respite from the weight of the world.
The JCC is where our community comes together.
Membership revenue and program fees do not cover our costs. Donations and grants are vital to our operations. We need your help so that we can always be the gathering place for this community, on the good days and on the challenging days. Now more than ever.
As we enjoy the spring weather, and get ready for a busy summer, please consider a gift to the J.
With gratitude,
Steven M. Greenspan, Chair of the Board
David Jacobs, President & CEO
"Our Friends of the J Campaign makes it possible for us to provide fulfilling programs, foster connections, and build a vibrant community."
The Shved Family
“Everyone is accepted, there is no judgment; everyone is treated equally because you are part of the theater community.” This is how Alla and Klim Shveddescribe the JCC Youth Theater program. Their three kids, Brayden, and twins, Marianna and Fallyn, all love it. “Watching them build new friendships has been a truly beautiful experience. They’ve made new friends from other schools and towns, built stronger bonds with current friends, and formed mentoring relationships with the older cast members and counselors.”
When talking about their favorite things about the program it was tough to single one out. “For us its confidence, confidence, confidence! It takes a lot of courage to stand up in front of a group of adults to audition, and even more to get up on stage by yourself for call backs. We couldn’t be more proud of our kids for doing an uncomfortable thing, and coming out on the other side stronger for it.
We took a poll with the kids, and without a doubt, they all agreed that their favorite part of the experience was the performance! The exhilaration of show day when the lights come on, the audience seats fill up, and everything comes together. The end of the theater season is always bittersweet. It’s hard to say goodbye to their theater family, but they eagerly look forward to next year.”
Carol and Bob Tellar
“The JCC is a whole community!” That’s how Carol and Bob Tellar feel about the Mandell JCC. Bob, a native of Hartford, and Carol, who moved here from New York at the age of 12, both engaged with the JCC on Asylum Avenue without knowing each other. This spring, they will celebrate their 60th anniversary.
Carol and Bob have actively participated in almost every aspect of the JCC from watching their four grandchildren learn to swim to attending Jewish Book and Film Festival events, frequenting The Swim & Tennis Club and visiting Jonathan’s Dream. “Sometimes, we just walk on the track, or get a cup of coffee at the café. Its somewhere to be and we always see people we know.” This year, they enrolled in Brainsavers, a nationally recognized program that focuses on brain and body fitness for seniors. Carol has a neurological condition and feels that, “Anything I can do to help myself – I am doing.” She appreciates that Brainsavers offers both cognitive and physical activities. “All of the instructors are phenomenal. I feel so good after each class. Everyone is friendly. You can sit next to anyone. I definitely feel an increase in socialization just by being here.” Bob says, “I have a good memory and Brainsavers is helping it get better.” And in spite of two major medical conditions, he feels that the physical activities, are keeping him active. Brainsavers is one more aspect of the JCC that is keeping Carol and Bob healthy and active, well into their 70’s and 80’s.
