J Blog

My son has graduated from Pre-K like his sister before him, and our seven years at BAS are coming to an end. I am overwhelmed with emotion at the thought that next year we won't be returning to BAS as a family.

That, as a part of the BAS community, we have experienced our very last drop off and pick up. That I can no longer take secret joy in absorbing all of the beautiful creations that decorate the walls of the hallway and the doors of the classrooms. That my children will no longer be protected by the loving arms of the people we have together trusted and loved, cried on and celebrated with. That we will no longer see those cherished faces that we have confided in and collaborated with.

When I was younger I enjoyed drawing horses and tried out watercolors and colored pencils at one point, but never really had the time to take classes and develop my skills. I’ve always enjoyed looking at art work and photographs of plants and animals and dreamed of creating beautiful images myself. Last fall I started in the Studio Painting class with Susan Wingfield as the teacher.

Seasons and celebrations always seem to have a relationship with food. With summer being the most popular season for BBQs, picnics, weddings, graduations and, of course, travel vacations, there are plenty of opportunities to make poor food choices and overeat.

Here are some tips to enjoy your summer while maintaining a healthy weight.

Volunteers like Michael Brown sustain the Meals on Wheels program at the J. With the summer here, many of our regular volunteers go on vacation, and our local homebound seniors still need their daily hot meal and a friendly face. We need regular volunteers just as much as we need a casual volunteer to come help once or twice each month.

Michael shares his rewarding experience about the program.

The slower summer months are the perfect time to try a new class or return to the dance classes of your childhood. Ballet and tap are two disciplines that many learned as children and now seek the opportunity to revisit as adults.

We offer beginner through intermediate/advanced adult dance classes. Join instructors Sofia Aranha for ballet and Dorena Battaglino and Cathy Marmolejo for tap.

Whose Side Will You Take to Get in Shape?
In the spirit of summer competition, our next fitness challenge, Trainer vs. Trainer, starts next week. Angela and Ulises face off in a challenge to get you in beach body shape in no time. Once you choose your team, either Team Angela or Team Ulises, you can choose to train with your group either once or twice a week for the duration of the challenge.

The educators never stop learning at the Bertha Alyce School! Much like the children they teach, these educators never stop spreading their enthusiasm as they make new discoveries and grow in their abilities. With a culture emphasizing continuous professional development and collaboration, it is a natural next step that the educators of Bertha Alyce will now be educating professionals from across the nation.

The term Circuit Training is used often in the fitness industry. Fitness magazines and websites are filled with articles that include a variety of circuit style workouts.

Circuit Training can play a role in your fitness routine regardless of whether your goals are gaining strength, adding lean muscle or losing weight. There are many additional benefits in utilizing this type of workout. Let's start by defining what Circuit Training is.

J Camps opens in a few short weeks. We are getting excited about everything that we have to offer this summer, and we cannot wait to welcome you and your children. 

One of the many things that makes J Camps special is the diverse population of our campers and staff. The world that we live in is ever-changing, and the needs of our campers and staff constantly evolve. The social and emotional well-being of our campers and staff is as important to us as their physical safety here at camp.

Last summer, we contracted with a psychologist on a part-time basis to help us on this front and felt that even though the help was limited, it made an important impact. 

The J invites you to two free screenings of this important film.

A famous story in the Talmud teaches about a gentile who came before the great Shammai and said: “I will convert [to Judaism] if you can teach me the entire Torah while I stand on one foot.” Shammai pushed the man aside with a ruler that was in his hand. The man then came before the great Hillel [with the same proposition], and Hillel converted him, saying, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor, that is the entire Torah, the rest is just commentary, now go and learn.”