Your Virtual JCC

A FREE, PRIVATE VIRTUAL WORKOUT WITH YOUR SQUAD
You are invited to share your J with everyone. Choose your guests, select a time and format and we will do the rest.

Your Squad will stay safe in their own homes while enjoying the benefit of staying active and staying social, virtually!

To learn more or set up your virtual workout, contact Amy Hodge at amyh@minnesotajcc.org 

CLICK HERE for Group Ex Schedule

CLICK HERE to register for classes

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@minnesotajccjcc.org

*St. Paul JCC Members Only

Enjoy the benefits of a personalized workout and coaching in a virtual small group setting.

VIRTUAL YOUTH POWER CLUB
MONDAYS & THURSDAYS • 5 PM
$149/MONTH (2X/WEEK) • $100/MONTH (1X/WEEK) • $25/CLASS
MEMBERS AGES 12+
Whether missing your school sport or looking for fun ways to exercise virtually with kids your own age, POWER CLUB has something for everyone!

CLICK HERE to register

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

Click here for Silver & Fit workouts.

CLICK HERE to view the JCC YouTube Channel

AGES 12 AND UNDER
FREE FOR MEMBERS • $24 NON MEMBERS & NON ACTIVE MEMBERS
Give your kids an outlet for all their energy with this four-week adventure the entire family can enjoy! Each week your child will participate in one interactive Zoom call on Sundays to inspire creativity and imagination, and three challenges that reinforce healthy habits through simple and fun activities designed to help them stay active. This is complimentary to our current active members. For non members or memberships on hold, there is a small fee!

WEEK 1: MIND MASTERS
Get kids moving and thinking! Participants will have fun naming animals and designing their perfect imaginary island.

WEEK 2: MOVE IT
Let kids be kids with Wacky Sports Day, a card game designed around healthy movement, and a fun dance party.

WEEK 3: BRAIN FOOD
Kids will learn how to fuel their bodies for movement, then mix it up to see who can master the water bottle flip and reimagine a healthy family dinner.

WEEK 4: TAKE CARE
The final week’s adventure includes a yoga class, cup stacking challenge, and an imagination station challenge to help kids learn how to wind down after a full day of activity.

For more information and to register, contact Tara Freiberg
taraf@minnesotajcc.org or 651 + 255 4761

MEMBERS AGES 12+
$100/MONTH (1X WEEK) • $149/MONTH (2X WEEK)
Whether missing your school sport or looking for fun ways to exercise with kids your own age, POWER CLUB has something for everyone! Safe, socially distanced, outdoor and indoor options for small groups.

For more information and to register, contact Anna Golv
annag@stpauljcc.org or 651 + 255 4765 

SONGS OF THE THE THRILLING THREE:
BILLIE HOLIDAY, ELLA FITZGERALD AND SARAH VAUGHN
MARCH 31 • 1 PM

Professional vocalist and instructor Vicky Mountain will entertain us with songs made famous by the “thrilling three,” Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn. Stories and songs include “God Bless The Child” and “All of Me” (Billie), “A Tisket, A Tasket” and “Blue Skies” (Ella), “Whatever Lola Wants” and “Lullaby Of Birdland” (Sarah) and many more.

Join Zoom Class HERE
Meeting ID: 898 1223 2024
Passcode: 119277

VICKY MOUNTAIN MUSIC CLASS: LISTENING CLASS – MARVELOUS MEN
APRIL 14 • 1 PM

Featuring Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, voice instructor Vicky Mountain shares with us the magic of these “Marvelous Men.” We will listen to select recordings and interesting background stories about the singers and their music. Class will include a YouTube playlist.

Vicky Mountain, voice instructor, believes that people sing from the inside out. She looks at the physical act of singing as more of a sport than an art – the sport being the vocal technique and the art being the interpretation of the music and poetry – the integration of the two making for a complete and healthy performer. Vicky is a founding member of The Jazz Vocalists of MN and has been a long time member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

Join Zoom Class HERE
Meeting ID: 898 1223 2024
Passcode: 119277

TWO MONDAYS PER MONTH • 9 – 10 AM
Listen and learn from inspiring, knowledgeable and prominent individuals of the Twin Cities. Professors, sports figures, entrepreneurs, theater directors and more!

Monday, March 22
The Bias Inside Us, with Laura Zelle
Join us as we welcome Laura Zelle, Director of Holocaust Education at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas (JCRC) as she discusses The Bias Inside Us; an exhibition that is an exploration of the science of implicit bias, how biases affect an individual’s behavior, the social effects when biases are left unchecked, and how bias in the world can be challenged through awareness of one’s own biases.

CLICK HERE to preview the exhibition, The Bias Inside Us.

Join Zoom Meeting HERE
Meeting ID: 828 5869 1877
Passcode: 866593

Monday, March 15
Pandemic Then and Now: Protective Antibodies in 1918-19 and 2020-21
Join us as William Hoffman, Communications Director, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, who has worked closely with geneticists, bioengineers and clinicians for nearly four decades presents Pandemic Then and Now: Protective Antibodies in 1918-19 and 2020-21. Mr. Hoffman will be accompanied by Dr. Claudia Cohn during the Q&A portion of this presentation. Dr. Claudia Cohn will be available to answer questions about coronavirus infection, antibody response, vaccines, virus variants, convalescent plasma therapy and more. She is an LMP associate professor, director of the U of M Blood Bank Laboratory, and chief medical officer of the AABB (American Association of Blood Banks).

Join Zoom Meeting HERE
Meeting ID: 869 2551 3548
Passcode: 713189

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.

4TH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH • 10 – 11 AM
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.

March Book: American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
American Dirt is a 2020 novel by author Jeanine Cummins, about the ordeal of a Mexican woman who had to leave behind her life and escape as an undocumented immigrant to the United States with her son.

Group Discussion: March 25 • 10 AM

Join Zoom Meeting HERE
Meeting ID: 859 1884 5348
Passcode: 24691

Enjoy a morning coffee break, learn and speak a little Hebrew. This informal class is designed as an opportunity to meet and talk all things Israel with our Community Shlichah, Keshet Edry. This RAJE (Random Act of Jewish Education) is free, some Hebrew experience is helpful in this conversation based program and everyone is welcome.

If interested, please contact our Community Shalicha, Keshet Edry, at kedry@stpaulfed.org for dates & times.

PIRKE AVOT: ANCIENT RABBINIC WISDOM FOR TODAY’S WORLD
1ST & 3RD FRIDAYS • 11 AM – NOON ON ZOOM
The imperative to live life from your true self, as the image and likeness of God, flowers in the words of the early Rabbis (250 BCE–250 CE) who captured God’s call to be holy in Pirke Avot – 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. Drop in, no experience is necessary.

For more information, contact Sara Lynn Newberger at sara.lynn@ttsp.org

MUDDY WATERS: CLIMATE CHANGE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM JEWISH TEXTS

A virtual Exhibit featuring new works by the Jewish Artists' Laboratory

Muddy Waters explores a wide array of pressing environmental issues using a diverse breadth of art forms. These new works comment both subtly and overtly on the current state of our planet, our responsibility to serve as activists and how art plays a key role in making change.

ARTISTS INCLUDE: Aarah Aizman, Susan Armington, Robyn Awend, Jaymee Chanen,
Gloria Cooper, Toni Dachis, Suzanne Fenton, Ann Ginsburgh-Hofkin, Leah Golberstein, Jonathan Gross, Rani Halpern, Bonnie Heller, Sylvia Horwitz, Anita Konikoff, Paula Leiter-Pergament, Carolyn Light Bell, Lynda Monick-Isenberg, Alison Morse, Aimee Orkin, Dina O’Sullivan, Diane Pecoraro, Kris Prince, Phil Rosenbloom, Sarah Routman, Roslye Ultan, Susan Weinberg, Rochelle Woldorsky, Liba Zweigbaum-Herman

CLICK HERE to view the exhibit

VISUAL PRAYER

The Interfaith Artist Circle of the Twin Cities is a group of visual artists who pursue art as a spiritual journey. Originally founded in 2005 as the Jewish Women Artists’ Circle, the group now includes women artists from multiple faiths. The exhibit, Visual Prayer is the creative exploration of prayer through images, finding commonality and connectivity as well as diversity among religions. This exhibit was curated by Aimee Orkin, a Judaic artist and teacher who embarked on a one year sabbatical studying prayer with rabbis, scholars and cantors. “We hope our interfaith exhibits in the community will inspire collaboration among all faiths,” states Aimee Orkin.

Artists include: Jeanne Aaron, Beth Andrews, Hend Al-Mansour, Sandy M. Baron, Jane Bassuk, Kirsten Malcolm Berry, Sandra Brick, Gloria Cooper, Elizabeth Erickson, Lucy Rose Fischer, Renanah (Rani) Halpern, Angela Heida, Joyce Lyon, Aimee Orkin, Paula Leiter Pergament, Susan Peploe, Regula Ruselle, Anita White, Rochelle Woldorsky

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL EXHIBIT

Click here for family activities

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

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.

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