Your Virtual JCC

We’ll work together to create a customized training plan, hold you accountable and show you how to train smart – not just hard. Plus, we will help you stay motivated and focused on your goals while you build a relationship with a professional trainer who cares!

• Gain general strength and flexibility
• Improve balance and core strength
• Lose body fat and weight
• Reduce pain or ease back into exercise after an injury
• Customized programs designed to fit your goals

Express Session (30 minutes) Starting at $46
Full Service (50 minutes) Starting at $77

To schedule a session or to learn more, contact Anna Golv, Fitness & Group Exercise Manager at annag@stpauljcc.org

*St. Paul JCC Members Only

Classes by your favorite JCC Group Ex instructors.

Click here for Silver Sneaker workouts, wellness videos and exercise programs.

Click here for Silver & Fit workouts.

Click here for over 90 workouts to get you started.

Click here for the Hebrew Word of the Day!

As adults, it is our responsibility to teach our children about racism. This two-part program will give you tools to guide these important conversations with the children in your lives.

In partnership with TTSP and Hineni

Session 1: Teaching Ourselves – Led by Dr. Hannah Shacter Lichtsinn
Thursday, July 9 · 10 – 11 AM
Before teaching our children about racism and its impact on our world, we first need to educate ourselves. In this session we will discuss the concepts of racism, antiracism, white privilege, and white supremacy in the context of our own lives. You should come with an open mind and ready to learn. There will be no judgment here, but I hope to challenge the way you think about race and racism in our own community. I will share resources for further reading and exploration during this session.

Dr. Hannah Shacter Lichtsinn, is a pediatrician and internal medicine doctor in St Paul. Her clinical work centers on caring for adolescents and young adults with complex illness, specifically sickle cell anemia. She has been a health equity advocate for many years and is a member of MN Doctors for Health Equity as well as a board member for the MN chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is also the co-chair of Our Stories. Our Health, which is working to change MN health policy by amplifying the voices and stories of Minnesotans. She is an alumnus of the St Paul JCC ECC and a current ECC and Butwin parent, where she also serves as the Camp Butwin Medical Director.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88983506765?pwd=VUhTekV1cnMwSFJmUWNSUkxNV3BFQT09
Meeting ID: 889 8350 6765
Password: 290892

Session 2: Teaching Our Children – Led by Dr. Hannah Shacter Lichtsinn
Tuesday, July 21 · 10 – 11 AM
In this session we will talk about ways of discussing racism with our children. We will be joined by Doctor Nathan Chomillo, MD, who is a pediatrician, father, and co-founder of MN Doctors for Health Equity. We will share resources and language that can help guide these conversations. Our children are smart and they are perceptive. Through direct conversations, we can help them understand their role in fighting against racism in our community.

Dr. Nathan T. Chomilo, is Medical Director for the State of Minnesota’s Medicaid & MinnesotaCare programs and practices as a General Pediatrician and an Internal Medicine Hospitalist with Park Nicollet Health Services/HealthPartners. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Early Childhood and Section on Minority Health, Equity & Inclusion, is one of the Early Childhood Champions for the MN chapter of the AAP, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School and is a founding board member of the organization Minnesota Doctors for Health Equity (MDHEQ). His advocacy work with Reach Out and Read MN & MDHEQ has been recognized by Reach Out and Read National which awarded him the 2018 Medical Champion Achievement Award and by the City of Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights which recognized him as a 2019 History Maker at Home recipient. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife & son.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84886105072?pwd=Q05CS25OMCtwd3JPUXNEZ1lxYUNzQT09
Meeting ID: 848 8610 5072
Password: 508219

Click here for family activities

Listen to Stories – Tune in every day at 3:00 pm for a new story.

Click here for Music with Wendy, every Wednesday and Friday at 10:20 am.

Now more than ever it is critical that we imagine, create, share and spread joy to each other. It is in this spirit that we have launched STAGES BEYOND THE STAGE. These FREE virtual Theatre activities for AGES 18 months to 18 years will be designed to get our bodies, voices and imaginations moving and creating!

Park Square Theatre Presents: The Diary of Anne Frank
By Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett
Directed by Ellen Fenster

In this surreal time, Park Square Theatre invites you experience a unique and powerful Zoom presentation of The Diary Of Anne Frank. Get to know the extraordinary young woman who wrote:

“It’s difficult in times like these: ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to be crushed by grim reality. Yet I still believe that people are truly good at heart.” - Anne Frank, July 15, 1944

STREAM THE PRODUCTION HERE

Enjoy watching members from our own community, as they perform amazingly funny and poignant stories from their own lives - recorded live at the 2020 Twin Cities Jewish Humorfest.

The search for Jewish film begins and ends with JFI On Demand, an innovative curated streaming service of Jewish films.

Click here for a 30-Day free trial of Menemsha Films' new streaming service dedicated solely to JEWISH themed films and entertainment.

Mideast to Midwest

Zehorit was born in Israel to a Yemenite immigrant family. Growing up in multi-cultural Givat Olga, she experienced Israel’s rich ethnic diversity through food and celebration. Following high school graduation, Zehorit Joined the Israeli army, where she became an officer, finishing her service as a lieutenant. She then majored in English Literature and Political Science at the Tel Aviv University.

While working in a Minneapolis summer camp she met her husband and relocated. Since then Zehorit has been raising her 4 children, teaching cooking classes in both the Jewish and the general communities and volunteering. Zehorit brings to the kitchen her Mediterranean roots, her passion for healthy and flavorful dishes and her love of people and storytelling. Teaching in the Twin cities for the past 10 years, she shares her appreciation for the way in which culture, geography and history shape our food and the way we gather to eat it.

Food is a vehicle to creating community, to shaping memory and to sharing cultural richness. - Zehorit Heilicher

Planting for Pollinators taught by Ramsey County Master Gardener
Wednesday, July 15 ·10 – 11:30 AM
Pollinators are critical to a healthy environment and many native species are in jeopardy. Learn what you can do at home to create healthy pollinator habitats for native bees and butterflies in in your own yard. Registration due by Friday July 10

Please email Barbie Levine at blevine@stpauljcc.org to register and Zoom link and materials will then be sent to you.

Growing Microgreens taught be Ramsey County Master Gardener
Wednesday, August 5 · 10 – 11:30 AM
Don’t have garden space - No Problem! Come learn about growing microgreens, quick-growing vegetable and herb seedlings that can be grown indoors and can be used in salads or as fresh green in many types of dishes. Registration due by Friday July 31

Please email Barbie Levine at blevine@stpauljcc.org to register and Zoom link and materials will then be sent to you.

Our Book Group reads a wide variety of texts: novels, memoirs, non-fiction, short stories and everything in-between! The conversations are enlightening and fun; the people are engaged and enthusiastic

July Book: The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
Group Discussion: Thursday, July 23 • 10 - 11 AM

Listen and learn from inspiring, knowledgeable and prominent individuals of the Twin Cities. Professors, sports figures, entrepreneurs, theater directors and more!

Mondays • 10:30 AM - Noon

Do you have a passion for words? Join like-minded writers in this supportive and uncritical weekly creative writing group.

To join the group, contact Barbie Levine at blevine@stpauljcc.org

ANNUAL READING & RECEPTION
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4 • 2 PM
Members of the long-running and beloved, Creative Writing Workshop, will read from their fiction, memoirs, essays, and poetry. Reception will follow the reading. Free and Open to the Community.

Sponsored by the Frances and Ted Shuirman Endowment Fund, the Kissen-Rosen Fund and the Calmenson Family Fund of the St. Paul JCC Endowment Funds.

The Challenges of a Democratic Faith: American Jewish Sources
Teacher: Earl Schwartz
Tuesdays, July 14 – 28 · 7 – 8 PM
$36
In this series we explore American and Jewish sources on the virtues societies ought to embody. We compare and contrast American, Jewish, and American-Jewish narratives and value concepts relating to ought-to-be societies, reflect on how they are to be constructed, and how they are sustained.

In partnership with Hineni

REGISTER HERE

Modern Hebrew for Adults
Tuesdays, June 9 - August 25 • 7 - 9 PM
$300
Zoom link will be provided upon registration.
Acquire the ability to speak, understand, read and write Israeli Hebrew with other interested adults! Music, videos, newspapers, poems, short stories, podcasts and other authentic Hebrew texts will augment the textbook.

You can use this placement tool to estimate which level of Hebrew proficiency you have so we can place you in a corresponding class. The level of these classes will be determined by the participants.

We are currently running one class at about the 4-5 level taught by Susie Chalom.

Co-sponsored by the St. Paul JCC.

Register here

Pirke Avot: Ancient Rabbinic Wisdom for Today's World
Pirke Avot, is a collection of pithy sayings on how best to live an ethical life. Come study this ancient work with much to say to our lives today.

Fridays 11 am - Noon on Zoom

Circle of Drowning Prevention

Josh the Otter is a great story that covers water safety tips for your family.

RESPECT the Water
Water Safety is still a priority, even if you can't get to the pool today. Check out this page to learn to RESPECT the Water.

NDPA
Educate children and caregivers about water safety. Stay in the know with these Water Safety Steps.

Verbal Cues
Verbal cues are very important to alert your swimmer to a change in activity. This is especially important when preparing to go underwater, as with bobs or jumping in. Counting or saying 'Ready, Set, Go" are excellent ways to verbally prepare your kiddo. Verbal cues also keep young swimmers safe. Learning to wait for a signal before jumping in helps prevent unexpected entries into the water. You can practice the basics with a game of red light, green light or putting your swim in charge of the situation, and you become the "good listener".

Kicking
Practicing kicks without the pool can be fun! Little ones can practice in the tub, lying on their front or back. Older swimmers can lay on the edge of the bed, practicing kicking in the air. Wherever they are, make sure they keep their legs straight but flexible with toes pointed, making little splashes. Kicking should come from the hip, using the entire leg-no bicycle kicks!

Will It Float? 
Have your child select a few item from around the house for bath time and have them guess if they will sink or float. If you use kitchen items (those are my families favorites), you can also pretend to make food as an added bonus. You should really try an orange: Does it float or sink? Peel the orange and try again: What is different? The peel of the orange is like a lifejacket for your swimmers. When you back at the pool, you can also look for what things might float (Hint: PFDs, lifeguard tube, rescue ring).

Deep Dive
The tub can be a great place for your to explore opening your eyes under water. Have a few prizes you can drop to the bottom of the tub and have your swimmer look under the water to try to find them. Want to a add a challenge to the skill: Fill the tub with bubble bath. This is a great way for you to try out a pair of goggles, if you have them. 

Splashing
Gently introducing your young swimmer to water is imperative to having a good relationship with it. Turn this introduction into play time! Using a colander, watering can or a paper cup with holes punched in it, sprinkle water over their head while in the tub. Smile and laugh while doing this, so they associate this activity with positivity. Teach them to wipe their eyes with their hands after getting wet. Progress to poring cups of water over their head and having them wipe their eyes afterwards. This activity will prepare them for their next step, submersions!

Bubbles
Practice blowing bubbles underwater. Start out with teaching your child how to “blow out candles”, then when they are able to breath out through their mouth, have them try this with their nose. To do nose bubbles, encourage your child to hum and breathe out as they put their nose underwater. If they want a challenge, count how many seconds they can make bubbles! 

Water Hokey Pokey
For very young children, acclimate them to water by playing a game of Water Hokey Pokey. Encourage them to put their chin, ears, mouth, and back of their head in the water. Ex: “We put our right hand in, we take our right hand out...”

Submerging
Submerging is an important skill in learning to swim. Not approaching this properly can cause unnecessary fear to be associated with this fundamental skill. Start slow, by putting different parts of the face in the water. Begin with dipping the chin in the water, then move to covering the mouth with water. Next, have them move their head so they can look directly at the bottom, then dip nose in water. Continue this with eyebrows and forehead. Finally, dip entire face in the water. All of this should be done under the child's own power, so they are controlling the activity. With this method, water avoids going up the nose and scaring the child from going underwater again.

Backfloats
Back floats can be challenging! Often, young swimmers do not like the feeling of water in their ears. They will become better with practice once they become more desensitized to the feeling. The bathtub is a great place to get in this practice because of the shallow floor. You can start, just like in the pool, with a hand under the head and back. Help your swimmer practice taking slow breath, getting relaxed, and even tipping their head back with a high chin. They will slowly become more independent, and you can add a little more water to the tub to float higher.

Emergency Preparedness
There is nothing like life altering days to make us think about if our family is ready for an emergency to occur. There are great resources available on https://www.ready.gov/plan to help guide the discussion with your family. If you are going to be socially distancing and getting quality family time in, why not be prepared for now and emergencies that may occur in the future. There are great resources available for kids here, but the Daniel Tiger App for Parents has also been a great tool to help work through life lessons (Chris is using it to potty train this week as well.) 

We also Partner with the American Red Cross for our Health and Safety Classes taught throughout the year. Click the link above to see the resources they recommend for preparing for emergencies. Once we're open, we will be releasing a new round of classes for CPR/AED/First Aid, Lifeguarding and more. Consider checking out a class, and you can learn more about classes at the St. Paul JCC and Sabes JCC.

Click here for a good workout

Dryland training prepares us for life in the pool! Check out these mini sets to do from the comfort of your home!

Set 1
:40 sec on / :10 sec off - 3 x (Mountain climbers / Bird dogs / Burpees / Plank / High knees / Streamline stretch)

Set 2
Streamline stretch / Downward dog/ cobra / Inchworm push-ups—build to 5 / Burpees with 5 X jumping jacks / Burpees with lunges / Plank / Streamline crunches / Plank with shoulder taps / Streamline flutter kicking / Streamline squats + hold / Single, single, double leg lowers / Mountain climbers

Set 3
Streamline stretch / Downward Dog & Cobra / Running in place / High knees / Butt kickers / Lunge hold / Push-ups / Snowboard burpees / Squat burpees / Tuck jump + squat push up / Streamline crunches / Streamline flutter kick

Yoga is one of our favorite compliments to an in water workout. Here is a great resource for swimming specific stretches to improve your skills in the water. Click here to learn more.

At Home Aquatics BINGO!
Join us in a fun game of BINGO while we are away from lessons! You gave from now until we are open to complete the activities on this card. Turn into your aquatics staff in the first seven days we are open to be entered into a raffle for a free session of swim lessons! Download card here

Watch Sidney's Ball Handling Video

Watch Sidney's Shooting Technique Video

Sidney's At Home Workout

Yoga for Basketball Players - Yoga is a great compliment to our gym workout. It helps increase range of motion, flexibility and maximize athleticism.

More Basketball Activities

Watch Coach Hanna's Video

Hanna's Notes for Video

Other Activities
Juggling
Soccer Games
Fun at Home

Yoga for Soccer Players - Yoga is a great compliment to our gym workout. It helps increase range of motion, flexibility and maximize athleticism.

Fly Like a Butterfly

Under the Sea

Jumping Rope Instruction 

Kicking the Ball Activity 

Hand/Eye Coordination 

Gross Motor Activity with a Ball or Balloon

Fine Motor Skills with Cones

Coordination and Balance Motor Exercises

Agility Drills with a Ladder

Speed, Agility and Quickness Drills with Cones

Sports Movies & Documentaries

Family Workout

Getting Fit Counting to 100

Get Moving Bingo
Download Card & Watch Instruction Video

Physical Activity Bracket Challenge

If you are 60 and in need of meals delivered to your home, please contact Jill Grover, with JFS at jgrover@jfssp.org or  651 +315 9167

If you are 60 and over and in need of transportation to essential medial appointments, please contact Anne Rickert at 651 + 255 4743

Want to talk on the phone with a student from HMJDS (Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School)? You will meet some interesting youth and find out how students are spending their time these days. Call Barbie Levine at the St. Paul JCC at 651 + 255 4734, to get in touch with a student.

Certified Metro Mobility customers, can now order groceries and household essentials online from a store that has online shopping and local pick up. Metro Mobility will pick your order up and deliver to for to your house with NO delivery fee.

You can book same day or in advance, for groceries and household essentials, just like you book a ride for yourself. You’ll receive your delivery within 60 minutes of the scheduled pickup time.

Please book rides with your provider. For questions about the service, contact the Metro Mobility Service Center at:
Call 651 + 602 1111
TTY 651 + 221 9886
metromobility@metc.state.mn.us

Grocery assistance - orders can be place online or by phone and will be delivered.
helpatyourdoor.org or 651 + 642 1892

*Sliding fee

Tikkun Olam - Donating Gloves to Health Care Professionals

Have you always wanted to visit a famous museum or park but haven't had the chance? Tour these places from the comfort of your home!

Top 10 Museum Tours

More Famous Museums

Israel Museum in Jerusalem

Rembrandt Museum

National Parks - guided park tours, click and learn

Nature Areas - click and learn

Street Art Tour - graffiti and murals

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

National Museum of Air Force

National Aquarium in Baltimore Click and learn

The MET Museum - Click and drag around during the video for a 360 degree view

Adult Coloring - printable coloring pages  

Daily Doodles - doodle activities with Mo Willems

Digital Color by Number

Storyline Online - books read out loud with animated pictures

Daily Online Crossword Puzzle

Daily Online Jigsaw Puzzle

Home Safari - Fascination and fun animal videos form the Cincinnati Zoo

Sea Curious - Kids ask and learn about animals at the Shedd Aquarium

St. Paul Wellness Program
Are you a current participant in the St. Paul Wellness Program? Contact Anna Golv, at annag@stpauljcc.org, to set up an online session with your personal trainer.

Click here, for Silver Sneaker workouts, wellness videos and exercise programs

Classes by your favorite JCC Group Ex instructors

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Jellies, Sharks, Coral Reef, Aviary and more!

Georgia Aquarium - Penguins, Whales, Jellies, Otters and more!

Houston Zoo - Giraffe, Elephant, Gorilla, Rhino and more!

San Diego Zoo - Koala, Owl, Tiger, Polar Bear and more!

Atlanta Zoo - Panda