JCC impact report Fall 2023 - Flipbook - Page 2
A Letter From Our CEO
Dear Friends,
It is a remarkable thing to be closing out my first
year of leadership at JCC Greater Boston. Having
witnessed a full cycle of programs, experiences,
and joy, I am struck by the sheer expansiveness
of imagination and reach that is the JCC. I am
so proud that we touch the lives of so many
thousands of people every day and every year.
At the same time, the bigness of the JCC is
made up of infinite moments of connection and
community. This past Spring, I went to visit our
friends at the Hingham Early Learning Center for
their Friday morning Shabbat program. Each of
our schools has its own traditions and rituals, and
one of Hingham’s special traditions is the Shabbat
Shark — a giant, inflatable shark costume.
Inside the costume each week is someone’s
special adult in disguise. When it’s time, the entire
school — toddlers, preschoolers, and teachers
— start singing “Shabbat Shark” and one of the
school leaders leads the costumed shark out into
the sanctuary. The whole school sings and dances.
Then they wait with bated breath for the reveal of
whose mom, dad, grandma, aunt, or special friend
is inside. That child screams in delight, hugs their
grown-up, and the whole school cheers.
Moments like this happen every single day at
JCC Greater Boston, whether or not I’m there to
see them. Many of you have experienced these
moments yourselves. I feel so gratified that
our children’s and families’ lives at the JCC are
permeated by wonder: wonder for amplifying
Jewish joy; for trying new activities at camp or in
the gym; and for envisioning a community that will
grow with us as we age.
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