Jewish Community Council of Washington Heights-Inwood

Thank you Rabbi Guy Austrian for creating this short video to highlight the work of the JCC's food pantry. If you, or someone you know, needs food support, please reach out to [email protected]

The food drive and toy drive are up and running! Please bring non-perishable food items and unwrapped toys/games to the Mt Sinai side entrance. All donated items will be distributed to people in need right here in our neighborhood by the Jewish Community Council of Washington Heights

Lots of exciting events coming up in partnership with Mt Sinai Jewish Center, Fort Tryon Jewish Center, and Chabad of Inwood! Toy drive, Food drive, Chanukah gift boxes for seniors, see below for details!

Bennet Park Synthetic Turf Lawn Public Scoping Meeting Please join us for a discussion about the plan to install a synthetic turf lawn When: Thursday, October 29, 2020 Time: 6:30 8:00 p.m.... This project was funded by Borough President Gale Brewer and Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. NYC Parks is starting the design process for this project by holding a community input meeting, in which local residents and stakeholders will discuss this planned improvement for Bennett Park. With this input, we will develop a schematic design, which will be presented to Community Board 12 for public review at a later date. Please join us at this meeting and feel free to invite others who may be interested. This will be a virtual meeting. You must register in advance through the NYC Parks website: https://www.nycgovparks.org//bennett-park-synthetic-turf-l You will receive a link to the meeting by email after you register. For more information, visit nyc.gov/parks or contact Maria Febus at [email protected] // 212-795-1388 If you cannot attend the meeting, we still want to hear from you! After the community meeting you can submit online comments for one week using this link: https://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/input

According to a recent study by Columbia University researchers, more than 8 million Americans slipped into poverty since May, demonstrating the deep impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Here at the Jewish Community Council of Washington Heights we are doing our best to step in and step up. Just this week alone we gave food to 80 seniors on Monday, 122 individuals today, and 60 more seniors tomorrow. And we'll do the same again next week. If you can help support these efforts, please do so at jccwhi.org or Chase QuickPay to [email protected]

The JCC of Washington Heights is planning online socialization opportunities for seniors this winter. Please share your ideas for virtual trips, tours, concerts, performances, etc below!

Our social worker Robin just received this note from a community member. If you're able to make a donation so that we can continue supporting those in need, please do so at www.jccwhi.org or Chase QuickPay/Zelle to [email protected] Dear Robin,... I haven't seen you in person in awhile, but seeing you at the Zoom concerts makes my day. I hope you're healthy, happy, and having a great day. I've said it before, and I'll say it again because it bears repeating: Thank you for everything you do for me. I don’t know where I’d be today without the kindness and endless generosity of the JCC. Your help has meant the world to me. You have helped me tackle issues that I never could have handled on my own, this year more than ever. You continue to support me in every possible way, and I couldn't be more grateful. Shana Tova to you and your loved ones. May all of you be inscribed in the book of life for a happy, healthy, safe and sweet new year!

Time for Trivia Tuesday! Seniors living in Washington Heights have a hard time navigating public transportation, and cannot afford private cabs. The JCC of Washington Heights car service ("Rechev") will pick them up from their home and take them to a doctors appointment, the bank, and other errands. This service enables seniors to maintain their independence, safely and affordably. What is the name of the JCC's driver:... Joyce Shelley Miriam

All participants got the correct answer for last week's first Trivia Tuesday - the JCC of Washington Heights is located on Bennett Avenue! For our second round of Trivia Tuesday, today's question is: Before I became the Executive Director of the JCC, I was:... An accountant A social worker A teacher

Today kicks off our new Trivia Tuesdays! Our first question: Where is the JCC-WHI office & pantry located?... A. Fort Washington Avenue B. Bennett Avenue C. Nagle Avenue Post your answer in the comments below...

The chemicals released by your muscles when you exercise instruct your brain to change in certain beneficial ways, including reducing fear and anxiety. The exercise doesn't have to be hard; moving your body in any way, with any degree of intensity, can do it. On days when people exercise, stressful things take less of a toll on their well-being (Kelly McGonigal, PhD, author of The Joy of Movement) With this in mind, the JCC of Washington Heights has started a weekly exercise class for older adults that meets over zoom, taught by an RN and certified health coach. You can support this class, and many more programs, by making a donation on www.jccwhi.org or Chase QuickPay to [email protected]

A community member mistakenly received 18 meals from the City today, and recognized that they bore a kosher symbol. He wanted to ensure they would go where they were most needed, so a Jewish friend connected him with the JCC. Thank you to him, and to all those who seek out opportunities to connect and support, big and small.

We know that times remain uncertain. Please give generously if you can. Jewish Community Council of Washington Heights www.jccwhi.org

One of the new programs started by the JCC of Washington Heights to combat isolation is a weekly concert series for seniors, free of charge, that they can access by zoom (or call in). We encourage them to leave their video on so they can see each other, and chat before & after the concert. One of the participants just shared this feedback with us: We could listen to the same music on the radio, but knowing that people in the community are all being connected is really some...thing... Please reach out to [email protected] if you are, or know, a neighborhood senior who would like to stay connected to community while enjoying professional music.

We got mail! Every so often, we receive notes of gratitude from our clients. I'm sharing a small part of the note I received today with you here: "The JCC of Washington Heights was instrumental in helping me at a time when I could not help myself. In fact, the JCC was the only agency that helped me after I had requested assistance at other places following the assault...There is no way for me to adequately express my thanks for the very real and practical support you provided..."

The JCC of Washington Heights is looking to hire a part-time, bi-lingual Spanish/English, administrative assistant. Must be comfortable working with a broad cross section of the community, team player, good attention to detail. Please submit your resume to [email protected]

The Jewish Community Council of Washington Heights provides scholarships so that local, Jewish, low-income families can send their children to day camp (and, this summer, virtual/online camps). We are looking to raise funds from community members so that we can enable these children to attend camp, even if just for a short time. Summer camp can be transformative for families, providing a much needed break from life inside an apartment, enabling parents to work, and, especiall...y in the case of children with disabilities, providing some much needed respite. Traditionally, many of these families sent their children to camp in our neighborhood, which saved on transportation fees as well as being lower cost than other options. Unfortunately, these neighborhood camps are not able to open this year. Families are looking at costs of $250-$450 per week, per child ( several families have more than 4 children). All the families have applied to the camps for scholarships, but still face a considerable expense. Our goal is to raise $5,000, though of course the more we raise the more children we can help. If you are able to make a contribution, please do so via: Credit card: www.jccwhi.org Chase QuickPay: [email protected] Check: Made out to JCC-WHI, and mailed to 121 Bennett Ave, 11A, NY, NY 10033 Thank you in advance for supporting the JCC-WHI to support local families,