J Blog

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.   

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.