J Blog

We are so excited for the start of the 2019-2020 school year at the Bertha Alyce Early Childhood School (BAS)! Our teachers have been hard at work learning, growing, and preparing for the new school year that began this week. 

Some of you may know that being a JCC preschool means we are part of a larger network which includes JCC preschools across North America. The Early Childhood branch of this network is called the Sheva Center. The Sheva Center offers JCC preschools an innovative approach to early childhood education, empowers teachers and directors, and positions JCC early childhood education centers as examples of excellence.

The time has come to end the summer vacations and begin to plan for the new year. In Jewish tradition, this new year is marked by Rosh Hashanah and begins the celebration of the high holidays.

As you gaze out at the beautiful pool, water, trees, and children enjoying each other, it is important to remember the creation of the world. A few common themes of importance at the time of the new year are reflection, positive changes and newness. 

Our Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver hot lunches to homebound seniors Monday-Friday. Leslie Morrison is one of our regular volunteer drivers, and she brings her three children to help. She recently reflected on her experience volunteering for Meals on Wheels:

Functional Training is a term that has saturated the fitness industry over the last decade. It has been used to market and promote multiple formats of exercise and has been included in a wide variety of fitness articles in magazines, social and internet media. But do we understand what the term Functional Training actually is? 

We are proud to announce our Senior Companions Program (SCP) volunteer Julia Penson has been selected as a WellCare Champion. The WellCare Champion competition, presented by WellCare Health Plans, recognizes the exceptional service of residents in Southeast Texas on behalf of older adults.

The WellCare Grand Champion will be chosen through a public voting process August 5-September 13, and his or her selected nonprofit organization will be awarded $25,000 as a charitable grant. You can vote once per day from each of your devices. 

Penson exemplifies the qualities of a WellCare Grand Champion. A smile on her face, she often rolls up at five in the morning to help her first client as an SCP volunteer.

At The Ellen Boniuk Early Childhood School and The Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center, family engagement is a pillar to building a robust community. As a Jewish Community Centers of North America early childhood program, we believe strongly in fostering relationships with our families as we support their families’ Jewish Journeys.

Our Houston Gymnastics Center (HGC) is celebrating the successes of two of our gymnasts, Michael Artlip and Sage Goldman.

Michael recently placed 5th to qualify for the USA National Gymnastics Championships junior division at the 2019 Men’s National Qualifier at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Sage competed in the Jr. USA National Trampoline and Tumbling competition and placed first in the 14 & under Level 10 division along with partner Jayden McCarter from Manning Gymnastics in Victoria, TX, in the Synchronized Trampoline competition at the T & T National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa last week.

Contributions by Caitlin Cecil, Health and Fitness Coordinator

As is the case with so many things in our lives today, people are turning to online assistance when it comes to weight loss and fitness. Who among us hasn't typed in key search words such as "building muscle," "toning arms, butts and legs," "best ab workout" or "quick weight loss.” In fact, "how to lose weight" is in the top 10 of most asked questions online and is searched online about 1,300 times a day.

Along with an overwhelming amount of nutritional information, that may or may not be accurate, there are countless programs and workouts that can be found online. As you filter through search results, it's difficult to know what is legitimate and what can actually work for you. Below are some guidelines  you can use as you search for the right fitness program. 

When I was first offered the marketing internship at the J, I was ecstatic. A summer job in my field of study? Yes, please. However, I did have one small concern: what were the people like? I attend a religious college where there, ironically, isn’t a very accepting and loving sense of community. I was worried that this would also be true at the J but, within the first week, I was gladly proven wrong.

In the 1920s, Joseph Pilates introduced his method of exercise to help injured athletes and dancers return to fitness and health. In today’s fitness world, many places offer Pilates, but may not appear to offer the foundation that J. Pilates had in mind. 

It is overwhelming with the number of studios, boutiques and formats to choose from. Pilates is for people of all ages, backgrounds, and is as much a mental workout as it is a physical one. Concentration is important, as is form while slowly repeating the movements.