games & cardsLecturesartswellnessspecial programs
Intermediate Bridge Bidding: Polishing Your Basics
No class Nov 23
9:30AM-11:30AM (optional practice follows)
This course takes you a step beyond the bare basics while we review and expand on the finer points of Standard American bidding. Every hand you play will be analyzed with tips on bidding, play and defense.
Instructor: Amy Nellissen
- Member $195
- Public $225
Beginner Canasta Lessons
7-9PM
This class is designed for beginners.
Instructor: Sharyn Gropper
- Member $80
- Public $110
Beginner Mah Jongg Lessons
12:30-2:30PM
This class is designed for beginners.
Instructor: Stacy Budkofsky
- Member $70
- Public $90
Intermediate Mah Jongg Lessons
No class Nov 7
12:30-2:30PM
A chance to strengthen your basic skills.
Instructor: Stacy Budkofsky
- Member $70
- Public $90
Special Game Player Mixer – plus Staff Meet-and-Greet
Tuesday, Oct 17
1:30-3:30PM in the Chazen Senior Center
Are you looking to join a Mah Jongg, Canasta or Bridge game? This special event is for players (of all experience levels) to meet each other and form new groups. And you can start playing on the spot! Attendees are welcome to drop by any time during the mixer. It’s also a perfect time to get to know the Adult Life Dept. staff, who will be on hand to discuss our programs and get input from members. Whether you play a game or not, please drop in and say hi.
Refreshments will be served.
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration not required.
Open Game Time
Monday-Friday, 9:30AM-5PM
The Esther Gitlow & Yvette Tekel Senior Program has tables available daily for Mah Jongg, Canasta, Rummy Q, Bridge, Scrabble and other games.
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration not required.
Knitting & Crocheting Circle
Tuesdays, Sept 5-Dec 19
No meeting Nov 7 & Dec 26
9:30-11:30AM
Create blankest, hats, sweaters and more. Some projects are donated, some are sold and some are created as gifts for family and friends. Instruction, encouragement and socialization. Novices welcome.
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Myrna’s Doodlers
Wednesdays, Sept 6-Dec 27
No meeting Sep 20
12-1:30PM
This fast-growing craze has hit the J. Join us with your “adult” coloring books and colored pencils as we chat and create together.
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Powerful Women in Judaism
6 Mondays, Oct 2-Nov 6
1PM-3PM
Facilitator: Merri Rosenbaum
FREE. JCC Members & Hadassah Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Modern Judaism
10 Tuesdays, Sept 19-Nov 21
10:30AM-12PM
Jews in the modern age. Who are they? What are they all about? What do they believe in?
Instructor: Shel Haas
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Films with Renee
Wednesdays each month
1PM-4PM
Sept 27: The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974), starring Richard Dreyfuss
Oct 11: Don’t Drink the Water (1969), starring Jackie Gleason & Estelle Parsons
Nov 8: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), starring Marilyn Monroe & Jane Russell
Dec 6: Avalon (1990), starring Aidan Quinn & Elizabeth Perkins
A retrospective of classic American films including a presentation with background information, analysis and discussion.
Facilitator: Renee Weiner
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Book Review Club
Wednesdays
1PM-2:30PM
Sept 6: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Oct 25: CANCELLED
Nov 29: Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Dec 13: CANCELLED
Facilitator: Lucille Schroeder
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
AARP Lectures at the J
Convicting the Innocent: Death Row and America’s Broken System of Justice
Wednesday, Sept 13
12:30PM-2PM
Guest Speaker: Stanley Cohen, a veteran award-winning journalist, author of ten previous books, who has worked as an editor, writer and reporter for newspapers and magazines.
Cohen chronicles nearly 100 cases of wrongful conviction in which the convicted party was exonerated after serving sentences sometimes in excess of 30 years, most of it in solitary confinement. He reveals how eyewitness error, jailhouse snitch testimony, racism, junk science, prosecutorial misconduct and incompetent counsel have populated America’s prisons with the innocent.
Climate and Conflict
Wednesday, Oct 18
12:30PM-2PM
Guest speaker: Mark A. Cane is the G. Unger Vetlesent Professor Emeritus at Columbia University. With Dr. Stephen Zebiak, he devised the first numerical model able to simulate El Niño, which led to the first physically-based El Niño forecasts in 1985.
Why do humans fight? Have changes in climate been an important influence in the past? Will they be in the future? Anthropologists and historians have a rich store of anecdotal evidence, but this evidence invites skepticism. A recent, contrasting approach applies measure-able methods to investigate the connection between climate and conflict. Dr. Cane will discuss his own work on two topics: El Niño and the global incidence of civil conflict, and the impact of climate change on the Syrian civil war.
Irving Berlin: An American Institution
Wednesday, Nov 15
12:30pm-2pm
Guest speaker: Marty Schneit is a licensed New York City tour guide, historian and born-and-bred New Yorker. He has lectured at the New York Public Library, National Council of Jewish Women, 92nd Street Y, among many other venues.
Irving Berlin IS American music. During his long and popular career, Berlin published an estimated 1,500 songs, with his first song earning him just 37 cents. Schneit will discuss how this immigrant from Russia came to embody the classic rags-to-riches story. Songs to be discussed include: Alexander’s Ragtime Band, God Bless America, White Christmas, Puttin’ on the Ritz and There’s No Business Like Show Business.
Save the date for additional AARP Lecture at the J: Dec 20
Bagels and coffee are available at a nominal fee.
FREE and open to the public.
Registration not required.
For further information, please contact Norm Cohen, AARP Rockland County Program Director at 845-623-7606 or Myrna Arin at mtarinny@yahoo.com
Ongoing discussion groups
Schmooze on the News
Mondays, Sept 11-Dec 18
No meeting Nov 13 & Dec 25
12:30PM-2PM
Roundtable discussion on topics in the news. Occasional guest speakers invited. Facilitator: Shel Haas
SCHMOOZE ON THE NEWS GUEST SPEAKER SCHEDULE
October 2: Maureen Porette, Rockland County Executive candidate
October 9: Michael Sullivan, Clarkstown Town Supervisor candidate
October 16: Ed Day, Rockland County Executive candidate
October 23: George Hoehmann, Clarkstown Town Supervisor candidate
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
5 Star Trivia
Tuesdays, Sept 5–Dec 19 & Thursdays, Sept 7-Dec 21
No meeting Sept 21, Nov 23, Dec 26 & 28
11AM-12PM
This group could also be called Cerebral Gymnastics. Test your knowledge on a variety of subjects, while having fun and keeping brain cells jumping.
Facilitator: Martin Resnik
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Women’s Discussion Group
Tuesdays, Sept 5-Dec 19
No meeting Nov 7 & Dec 26
12:30-2PM
This member-led rap group is for women who are looking for a warm, welcoming place to share and help one another.
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Men’s Discussion Group
Tuesdays, Sept 5-Dec 26
12:30-2PM
What’s said in the room stays in the room. Be part of this member-led rap group for men only.
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Women’s Views on the News
Thursdays, Sept 7-Dec 28
No meeting Sept 21, Nov 23
11AM-12:30PM
You are invited to join a women’s group open discussion on local, national and international current events. This is a lively gathering of women who care about our world.
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Men’s Discussion Group II
Thursdays, Sept 7-Dec 28
No meeting Sept 21 & Nov 23
12:45-2:15PM
There’s never enough time to chat – so we’ve created a second discussion group. This is a member-led rap group for men only.
FREE. JCC Members Only.
Registration required for free events.
Candidates Forum
Sunday, Oct 29
2-4:30PM
Join us as local political candidates discuss the issues of the day.
FREE, open to the public
Registration not required.
For more information, please contact Linda Berns, League of Women Voters, 845-357-3568
Take Back Your Power and Raise the Bar
5 Thursdays, Oct 19, 26 & Nov 2, 9, 16
7:30-9:30PM
Join transition coach and career management expert Nancy Karas in a series of workshops that will allow you to change the direction of your life. Learn how to move forward with great achievement in both your business and personal endeavors. Live the life you dream with confidence. You will find clarity, gain momentum and create your own success through a series of exercises, group discussions and a step-by-step method to achieve your goals.
- Member $100
- Public $125
Registration required by October 16.
register
Armchair Aerobics
No class on these Mondays: Oct 9, Nov 13 & Dec 25
No class on these Thursdays: Sept 21, Oct 5, Oct 12, Nov 23 & Dec 28
10-10:45AM
Sponsored by Institute for Advanced Rehab at Friedwald Center.
Instructor: Rafael Muniz
- Member $50
- Public $65
- Fitness Member FREE
Active adult fitness classes offered at the JCC Wellness Center.
Complementary month of fitness and wellness for all community members.
Offerings include classes such as Tai Chi, Yoga and Active Adults in Motion as well as access to free weights, strength training, cardio machines and locker with full amenities. Contact Ellen Schmall about membership at 845-362-4400 ext . 537.
STERLING BANK ADULT 35+ WINTER BASKETBALL LEAGUE
- Member $150
- Public $190
Defensive Driving
Open to all ages and drivers licenses including learners’ permits. Completion of a NY DMV approved Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP) provides a 10% reduction for 3 years, off of the motorist’s liability, no-fault and collision insurance premiums. If you have a traffic ticket, the benefits are even greater: this course can mean a 4-point reduction on your driving record.
Register early as space is limited.
Instructor: Art Aldrich
Shabbat Study with a Schmear
Sponsored by Fountain View
Fridays, 12:30 at JCC Rockland
Fees
Members $8
Public $15
Register for all 8 sessions for $54 (Dec 1 event not included)
Bagels and coffee served. Registration required.
8 sessions
Sep 8: Armchair Tour of the Lower East Side
From the comfort of our plush chairs, take a trip to the Lower East Side and visit Yonah Shimmel’s Knish Bakery, Katz’s Delicatessen, Ansche Chesed, The Daily Forward and Rabbi Eisenberg, one of the few remaining Torah scribes on the Lower East Side. Listen to a number of stories about some of the great people who lived there – such as Irving Berlin, Eddie Cantor and George Burns. Marty Schneit, a licensed New York City tour guide, will take us on a wonderful adventure back in time!
register
Nov 3: Frank Sinatra: Lost Recordings Revived
A small glimpse of a career spanning almost seven decades, this presentation will feature Sinatra aficionado, Floyd Lapp, who will share the stories and actual recordings of some of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ rare interviews and performances.
register
Dec 1: Dina Gold: Stolen Legacy
Part of Festival of Arts, Books and Culture
When former BBC investigative reporter and TV producer Dina Gold was a little girl, her grandmother told her stories about the glamorous life she had led in pre-war Berlin and how she dreamed of one day reclaiming the grand building that had housed the family business. Dina will share her fight to recover her family’s building and the sordid history of the insurance company that had unjustly occupied it.
$18 per person
Jan 5: Navigating the Changing Jewish Community in Rockland County
Rabbi Brian Leiken from Temple Beth Sholom will discuss the realities, challenges and opportunities today’s synagogues face as the community changes and evolves.
register
Feb 2: Israel for Real
We know how the media portrays Israel, but what is it really like to live there? How do Israelis view America? Rabbi Scheff from Orangetown Jewish Center will share his experience and views of the Jewish State.
register
March 9: Jewish Image in American Film
Speaker Art Aldrich will share how the Jewish image in American film has changed since the early 20th century with the evolution of Jewish immigrants and their assimilation into society. From awkward “strangers in a strange land,” Jews have risen to prominence in a variety of occupations and professions. But despite that success, have Jews shed those feelings of being outsiders? We will analyze several contemporary films to reveal the nature of this conflict.
register
April 13: A Story of Survival
To commemorate Yom Hashoah, Holocaust survivor Charles Srebnik will share his story from his early years hiding in a Catholic orphanage to his tween years working for the underground movement. His path also lead him to advocate for other survivors and to help them obtain reparations from the German and French governments.
register
May 4: The Ziegfeld Follies
Marty Schneit tells the tale of the chorus girls from Florenz Ziegfeld’s 1907 – 1931 theatrical spectaculars. The Ziegfeld Girl became an American Institution, a symbol of the modern independent woman, and Florenz Ziegfeld was instrumental in bringing women to the center of society. This lecture will also discuss other important figures from the period, and the following songs will be presented: “My Man,” “Love Me or Leave Me” and “A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody.”
register
June 1: Anti-Semitism in Rockland County
Gary Spitzer, Jewish Federation of Rockland CEO, will lead a conversation on the principles and values of the Federation’s community relations work, with some case studies on fighting anti-Semitism, advocating for Israel and other political topics.
register
JCC Rockland Thanksgiving Luncheon
Wednesday, Nov 22
11:30AM
The JCC is all about welcoming new generations of members to our community. Every year our Early Childhood Center families host a special Thanksgiving meal, and we are very excited to invite our senior adult members to join them. Our Thanksgiving will include songs and stories, and then a family-style lunch. We hope this first intergenerational event will become a popular JCC tradition.
$18, open to the public
register
JCC Rockland Senior Adult Chanukah Klezmer Concert
Wednesday, Dec 13
1:30-3PM
Entertainment by Metropolitan Klezmer
Enjoy latkes and jelly donuts, followed by the music of Metropolitan Klezmer. They bring eclectic exuberance to Yiddish musical genres from all over the map. Performing vibrant versions of lesser-known gems from wedding dance, folk, swing and tango styles, as well as soundtracks from vintage Yiddish films, they re-invent tradition with both irreverence and respect. It will be an exhilarating musical journey!
Member $20 Public $28
register
Sunday, Sept 10, 11AM-1PM, bagels and lox lunch at JCC
Member $10 Public $12
register
Sunday, Sept 17, 12PM lunch at Sutter’s Mill, Suffern, NY
Sunday, Oct 1, 11AM-1PM, social gathering at JCC
Refreshments served
Member $5 Public $7
register
Wednesday, Oct 18, 6PM dinner at Hogan’s Diner, Orangeburg, NY
Sunday, Nov 5, 11AM-1PM, bagels and lox at JCC
Member $10 Public $12
register
Sunday, Nov 19, 12PM lunch at Amici Italian Restaurant, Nyack, NY
Sunday, Dec 3, 11AM-1PM, social gathering at JCC
Refreshments served
Member $5 Public $7
register
Sunday, Dec 17, event at a restaurant TBD
For more information and to register, please contact Gene Arkin, 845-356-5525