JCC State of Mind - September 15, 2023

“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”?---Andy Warhol

Organizations often find it difficult to change for several reasons, which can vary depending on the specific organization and its context. Some of the most common hurdles to change include, but are certainly not limited to, cultural inertia, rigid organizational structures, aversion to risk, lack of employee engagement and perceived time constraints. However, at the JCC, you might think that one of the C’s in our name stands for “Change” given our longstanding record of overcoming and adapting.

Take for example our senior center pilot in the South Hills, which launched in February 2023 and is funded by the Jack Buncher Foundation to better meet the needs of older adults in the local community. Through?AgeWell at the South Hills, we have grown to provide the area’s only kosher grab-and-go and congregate meals 3 times per week as well as a number of activities and clubs that match the interests of our members and mitigate the risk of social isolation. One recent experience, though, really speaks to the value of trying new things and meeting audiences where they are. In recognition of National Grandparents Day, AgeWell at the South Hills hosted an intergenerational program for older adults and their grandchildren. Despite concerns over children within our early childhood center having to be picked up from school and then return to the JCC, nearly 30 grandparents and their grandchildren gathered Monday evening for a slew of activities that included line dancing, arts & crafts, games, puzzles and of course ice cream BEFORE dinner! Kudos to our AgeWell team for dreaming in color and not letting logistics get in the way of harnessing connections across the generations and building stronger families!

And then there is our High Holidays of Hope. Six years ago, we dedicated ourselves to providing a different type of high holiday experience than what is traditionally offered throughout the community. That experience, in and of itself, was a decision to change the way that we celebrate the holidays. Based on the data of the 2017 Pittsburgh Jewish Community Study, we began to offer something different to meet the needs of members of the Jewish community who do not go to synagogue on the high holidays (50% according to the study), those who want something supplemental to synagogue services, and the non-Jewish community who wants to be in Jewish space on the high holidays (who now represent 25% of?our attendees). ?

Through the years, we have continued to offer High Holidays of Hope as an adult-centric, intellectual experience only in Squirrel Hill. Despite the success of this approach, this year marks another change in our ongoing efforts to meet the needs of the community. ?While still offering an adult-centric?Yom Kippur High Holidays of Hope, including a contemporary yizkor/memorial service, we are offering a more active community experience on Rosh Hashanah that is accessible to every age in both Squirrel Hill and the South Hills.?Our?Start the New Year with a Mitzvah?is built on the threefold concept of what these high holidays are all about.?Jewish wisdom teaches us that we can impact our fate in the Book of Life through three actions:?prayer, repentance and charity.?When you scan the offerings in our community, it is easy to find places to pray on Rosh Hashanah.?We also know that so many of us are introspective at this season.?However,?no where?in our community, other than at the JCCs in Squirrel Hill and South Hills, can you come together on Rosh Hashanah to engage in charity as a whole community no matter your age.

Change can be hard, but with commitment and the right approach, such as a data informed vision of community and partnering with five congregations (Beth-El Congregation,?Kesher Pittsburgh,?Rodef Shalom,?Temple Emanuel?and?Temple Sinai), organizations and communities can overcome obstacles and evolve to meet new challenges and opportunities.

Shabbat shalom and l’shana tova. Wishing you and your families the best this new year has to offer.

Jason