Shames JCC

Censorship in America with Evan Weiner
2023-04-10 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Censorship in America with Evan Weiner
Censorship in American media has been going on for decades. Historically, books have been banned, content for television deeply restricted, and movies edited for obscenity. Journalist and media expert Evan Weiner will discuss the why and how of censorship in America that has persisted despite the freedom of speech amendment.

JCC Book Club (evening session)
2023-04-11 18:30 - 20:00
Want to join a book club but don’t know where to start? Curious about the bestseller “Lessons in Chemistry” that everyone is talking about? Join us for the inaugural Shames JCC book club on 4/11, 6:30-8:00 pm!

JCC Book Club (daytime session)
2023-04-12 12:30 - 14:00
“Whenever you feel afraid, just remember. Courage is the root of change – and change is what we’re chemically designed to do. So when you wake up tomorrow, make this pledge. No more holding yourself back. No more subscribing to others’ opinions of what you can and cannot achieve…When you go home today, ask yourself what YOU will change. And then get started.” -Elizabeth Zott, Lessons in Chemistry
Join us to discuss the bestselling book Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, which explores love, loss, family, sexism, science, cooking, relationships, and so much more. Set in the 1950s and 60s, the themes and lessons are relevant today–but Elizabeth Zott is like no one you have ever encountered before.
Need a copy of the book? Local store Transom Bookshop in Tarrytown is offering 10% off when mentioning the JCC book club. Email hello@transombookshop.com or call (914) 848-4232 to reserve your copy.

Yoga & Mindfulness with Jennifer Monness
2023-04-12 18:30 - 20:00
Yoga & Mindfulness with Jennifer Monness
For Stress Awareness Month, join us for a session with The Meditation Lab: Moving Towards Stillness. This unique workshop teaches the principles of mindfulness and how you can apply them to your life. During this session, you will have the opportunity to move towards stillness by exploring simple stretches to warm your body and settle your mind. From there, you will be led through some mindful breathing exercises, guided relaxation, and simple meditation. Participants will gain an understanding of how meditation further enhances one’s overall health and well-being by increasing focus, improving productivity, and reducing stress.

Pop-Up with Parson Brown
2023-04-13 11:00 - 13:00
Pop-Up with Parson Brown
To continue our Stress Awareness Month offerings, stop by the J to pick up CBD wellness products made by a local, majority women-owned business that makes you feel good, both inside and out. Parson Brown’s mission is to craft sustainable, functional, and beautiful hemp-derived products. They source the highest quality and most sustainable ingredients and are committed to prioritizing sustainable business practices. Pick up their bestselling CBD oil, candles, body cream, and bath salts.

Allowing Nature to Hold Us: Grief and Healing through Nature-Based Practice
2023-04-13 18:15 - 19:45
The Shames JCC on the Hudson is proud to offer our first in-person Healing Workshop in partnership with COPE.
When grieving, people often follow an innate desire to be outdoors. These instincts to be with nature are important to follow, as time outside can be healing during grief. In this workshop, learn what to do to optimize the healing benefits of nature through mindfulness techniques, easy-to-replicate ways to engage your senses, and spiritual connection practices thatoffer gentle pathways to peace and healing.
*Please bring something that you will be comfortable sitting on outdoors. This can be a beach chair, blanket, yoga mat, etc.

The Torah in the Tarot
2023-04-14 10:00 - 11:30
Would you believe that there is a connection between Tarot cards and Judaism? Join us to hear Tarot researcher Stav Appel discuss his provocative thesis that the Tarot de Marseille–the artistic ancestor of contemporary Tarot cards– originally served as a tool for secret Jewish education during the exile of Jews from France.
Together we will explore the ways in which the original Tarot may have been a secret Torah, designed to avoid detection by unwanted eyes during one of the darkest moments of Jewish history.
*Please note that this class is not a Tarot reading class*

Yom Ha Shoah Reflections: A Jewish Childhood in WWII Britain
2023-04-17 10:00 - 11:30
Cynthia Ehrenkrantz was six in 1939 when Britain entered World War II. Seeking Shelter is her vivid child’s-eye account of life in wartime England as she lived it: an adored only child in a large Jewish clan whose comfortable existence became one of food shortages, gas masks, air-raid sirens, and – worst of all – being sent away for months and years at a stretch to escape German bombs. Cynthia will reflect on the mixed realities of wartime and read passages from her book.
About the Presenter: Originally from London, Cynthia’s work has appeared in Gourmet News Magazine, Simple Cooking, Jewish Post & News, riverSedge: a Journal of Art and Literature, and How Not to Greet Famous People: The Best Stories from Ducts.org. A resident of White Plains, NY, she also performs her work at regional storytelling events and sings with the Yiddish Philharmonic Chorus.

Social Club: Tour the Rockefeller Peonies
2023-04-19 08:00 - 17:00
Social Club: Tour the Rockefeller Peonies
Wednesday, May 10; 12:45-2 pm
FREE for members and nonmembers + parking
To celebrate spring, the Shames JCC is planning a group visit to see, smell, and learn about the beautiful peonies at Rockefeller State Park Preserve. We will meet at 12:45 PM for a BYO picnic lunch and then hear a talk about the peonies with the VP of Friends of Rockefeller State Park Preserve, M. Evelyn Hadad. After the program, you’re welcome to stay and further explore the property on your own. Register Here
NOTE ON PARKING: Meet at the main parking area off Route 117. Parking is $6 per vehicle collected by automated pay station and cars are checked daily, year-round 8:00 am to 4:30 pm for a dashboard parking ticket.
For NYS adults 62 and older, simply scan your NYS driver’s license at the pay station for a free parking ticket. Interested in carpooling? Email cjacobs@shamesjcc.org.

PARADE on Broadway
2023-04-19 12:15 - 18:15
Broadway Trip to “Parade”
Join your JCC friends for a matinee showing of PARADE on Broadway starring Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award® winner, Ben Platt, and rising star, Micaela Diamond.
The New York Times hails PARADE as a Critic’s Pick and “the best-sung musical in many a New York season. It recalls an era of big casts, big stories, and big talent in a time when musicals actually felt like events.”
PARADE is based on the real-life story of Leo and Lucille Frank, a newlywed Jewish couple living in Georgia in 1913. When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and devotion. Riveting and gloriously hopeful, PARADE reminds us that to love, we must truly see one another.
The show begins at 2 PM and runs for 2.5 hours including intermission. Comfortable transportation to and from the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre will be provided; the bus will leave the Shames JCC at 12:15 PM and return after the event at approximately 6:00 PM.
Space is limited to 14, nonmembers are welcome!
This event is generously subsidized by UJA/Verve 55+ Living and is non-refundable after March 1. For more information about the show go to www.paradebroadway.com

Laughter Yoga with Vinodray Shah, MD
2023-04-21 10:30 - 11:30
Experience Laughter Yoga, a unique exercise routine that combines unconditional laughter with yogic breathing. Laughter reaps many scientific benefits including reduction of stress, anxiety, and depression; lower blood pressure; a strengthened immune system; and much more. Laughter is initially stimulated as a physical exercise and soon leads to real and contagious laughter. Bring your playful spirit!
About the presenter: Vinodray R. Shah, MD was a plastic surgeon for 35 years in Massachusetts before retiring to the Rivertowns. He is a certified Laughing Yoga instructor who runs programs at Phelps Hospital, Gilda’s Club, the senior centers in Elmsford, Ardsley, and Ossining. He is a passionate believer that laughter is the best medicine.

Family Friday: Swim Under the Stars
2023-04-21 18:00 - 19:30
Family Friday: Swim Under the Stars
Splish, Splash it’s a JCC bash! Come kick-off your weekend with a dip in our pool! We are thrilled to be offering a Friday night free-swim to families who have a member with a special need. The pool will be exclusively reserved for this event, we can ensure a sensory-friendly pool environment for a fun family night out!
Please note:
-We ask that at least one person over the age of 18 accompany the individual with a supportive need to ensure safety.
-Swim levels will be determined upon arrival. For those who wish to swim in the deep end, a swim test will be conducted.
-If your family member needs 1:1 assistance, we ask that you please come prepared to get in the pool with them or ensure they are accompanied by someone in the pool over 18 who can support their needs.

Screening and Q&A of Dear Babe
2023-04-24 10:00 - 11:30
Dear Babe follows the journey of a young Jewish American soldier who fought in World War II and was among the first to liberate a concentration camp. Rosanne Ehrlich, the film’s director and former VP of Paramount Pictures, will talk about the process of turning letters sent home and archival footage into an award-winning documentary that was shown on PBS and in film festivals.
About the Presenter: Roseann Ehrlich has worked in the movie and TV industry for twenty-five years, including as a writer-producer on shows such as The Great Ships series for the History Channel, and as a V.P. for Paramount Pictures.

Project Genesis: An Interfaith Conversation Between Two Clergy
2023-04-25 10:00 - 11:00
Project Genesis: An Interfaith Conversation Between Two Clergy
Join Rabbi Jay Stein and Reverend Gareth Evans as they discuss the story of Jacob wrestling with a man or an angel. Have you ever wondered what our faith teaches us about angels? Both Christianity and Judaism have a belief in intermediary forces called angels. This session will explore what our faiths say about the role they play in this story and the implications for our own lives.
Project Genesis: The same story can have multiple meanings. The books of the Old Testament in particular are ripe with symbol, metaphor, and character, providing the reader with the opportunity to unpack and analyze the meanings. In Project Genesis, we will discuss different interpretations of some of the beloved stories we learned as children and now revisit as adults.

Lunch Club: Osaka Restaurant
2023-04-26 13:00 - 14:30
Bring your appetite and join your fellow foodies for our next lunch outing to the delicious Osaka Japanese restaurant in Tarrytown! Your lunch includes your choice of Hibachi-style (grilled) protein, soup, salad, noodles, vegetables, rice, and hot tea. The menu is suitable for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Bring a friend, or come make new ones! Lunch Club is always lots of fun and carpooling is available.
Location: Osaka, 134 Wildey St., Tarrytown, NY
$20 per person (tax and tip included)

Blissful Journey
2023-04-30 13:00 - 15:00
This 90 minute specialty class will provide a full mind, body, and soul experience. Led by yoga teacher Sharon Bridson, this yoga journey will include a slow flow, supported restorative poses, and a yoga nidra practice which will result in a deeper state of relaxation and awareness.
Members $15/Non-Members $20

Identity, Politics, and Law in Israel Today: What’s Next?
2023-05-01 18:30 - 20:00
How are issues of identity, history, politics, and law impacting current events in Israel today? As we commemorate Israel@75, join Masua Sagiv, Scholar in Residence of the Shalom Hartman Institute based in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Koret Visiting Assistant Professor of Jewish and Israel Studies at U.C. Berkeley, as she explores the challenges and opportunities facing Israel today and what they might mean for the future of the Jewish State.

JCC Community Art Celebration
2023-05-07 14:00 - 17:00
JCC Community Art Celebration

Join us to celebrate all of the new art at the JCC this spring!
Come and enjoy:

Art by over 50 local artists ages 4-99!
Art-making with artists Melissa Lohman-Wild and Erwin Ong, all ages welcome.
Live music
Wine from My Sherry and More and cheese from Bloomy Cheese & Provisions, plus soft drinks and snacks.

This event is generously sponsored by Jocelyn Cloder of Compass Real Estate, Breakaway Landscaping Corp, ENT & Allergy Associates, ProClinix Physical Therapy and Chiropractic, and Crown Products.
Registration is recommended but not required. Please consider a donation to the JCC to support arts programming.
Cover art by Kevin Sterne, Inez Andrucyk, and Carol Herd-Rodriguez.

Before There Was Elvis with Michael Shamosh
2023-05-08 10:00 - 11:30
Before There Was Elvis with Michael Shamosh
Elvis Presley, a cultural icon of the mid-20th century, borrowed from several musical styles during his career. In this lecture, we’ll discuss, and listen to, the music that influenced Elvis and learn how he brought these musical forms into the mainstream. We’ll hear the music of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Hank Snow, Arthur Crudup, and others as we examine the environment that was instrumental in the creation of a legend.

Mother’s Day Pop-Up: Fused Glasswares by Abe Rosenthal
2023-05-09 09:00 - 14:00
Mother’s Day Pop-Up: Fused Glasswares by Abe Rosenthal

Get your gifts for the mothers in your life here at the J! Member Abe Rosenthal will be selling beautiful blown-glass gifts: plates, bowls, coasters, hearts, and hanging vases

Mother's Day Pop-Up: Jewelry and Embroidery from Jewels of the East
2023-05-10 10:00 - 13:00
Jewelry and Embroidery from Jewels of the East
Get your gifts for the mothers in your life here at the J! Come peruse unique jewelry and shawls from all over the world from Jewels of the East. See more on their website.

Social Club: Tour the Rockefeller Peonies
2023-05-10 12:45 - 14:00
Social Club: Tour the Rockefeller Peonies
FREE for members and nonmembers + parking
To celebrate spring, the Shames JCC is planning a group visit to see, smell, and learn about the beautiful peonies at Rockefeller State Park Preserve. We will meet for a BYO picnic lunch and then hear a talk about the peonies with M. Evelyn Hadad. After the program, you’re invited to stay and further explore the property on your own. Register Here
NOTE ON PARKING: Meet at the main parking area off Route 117. Parking is $6 per vehicle collected by automated pay station and cars are checked daily, year-round 8:00 am to 4:30 pm for the dashboard parking ticket.
For NYS adults 62 and older, simply scan your NYS driver’s license at the pay station for the free parking ticket. Interested in carpooling? Email cjacobs@shamesjcc.org.

Foreign Affairs Discussion: Will Brexit Destroy the United Kingdom?
2023-05-10 18:30 - 20:00
Foreign Affairs Discussion: Will Brexit Destroy the United Kingdom?
Two world wars and the end of its empire diminished the United Kingdom’s role in the 20th century. The 2016 Brexit referendum vote to leave the European Union has further undermined the country’s global role and threatens the breakup of the Union of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. This discussion will look at the economic and political costs of Brexit and whether or not the United Kingdom will hold together.
About the facilitator: David Cheney is an international economics writer, instructor, and trainer for international and educational institutions. He has held a variety of positions at the International Monetary Fund and has provided communications and writing support for a number of multilateral institutions including the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. David has served as an adjunct professor of Global Economics and Writing at NYU and currently runs two foreign affairs discussion groups at the Manhattan JCC and Scarsdale Adult School.

Mother's Day Pop-Up: Jewelry from Ariane’s Jewel Box
2023-05-11 10:00 - 12:00
Jewelry from Ariane’s Jewel Box
Get your gifts for the mothers in your life here at the J! Find curated, trend-setting jewelry from Ariane’s Jewel Box. See more on their website.

The Rise of Anti-Semitism in the American Media with Noah Berger
2023-05-15 10:00 - 11:00
The Rise of Anti-Semitism in the American Media with Noah Berger
In the last 10 years, we’ve seen an alarming rise in antisemitism, both abroad and at home, and the American media has remained mostly silent. Noah Berger will look at how antisemitism in America is being portrayed–or not–and how the media typically responds.
About the presenter: Noah Berger has a MA in Global Conflict and Security from the University of Kent. He has worked with the World Jewish Congress and has served as campaign manager for various political figures. Having lived abroad in a number of countries including China, Belgium, and Israel, Noah has seen firsthand the pros and cons of the global political structure in diverse contexts.

Container Gardening with Take Home Plants
2023-05-15 13:00 - 14:30
Container Gardening with Take Home Plants
$15 members/$23 nonmembers
Join us outside (weather permitting) for a container gardening class with our resident gardener Amy Pane! After a brief tour of the JCC garden, we’ll discuss the best ways to create a garden in a small space. This class will review the differences between cold-season and warm-season crops; succession planting (anticipating the seasons to maximize space sharing); fertilizing; garden maintenance; the importance of choosing the right crop for the right location, and more.
Those who attended the winter gardening workshop will learn how to transfer their plants and everyone will have the opportunity to plant their own container of a fast-growing crop such as radish or lettuce to take home. All supplies are included and all levels are welcome!

Guided Birdwatching Tour at Rockefeller Preserve
2023-05-17 08:00 - 09:30
Guided Birdwatching Tour at Rockefeller Preserve
Join Anne Swaim, executive director of Saw Mill River Audubon, for a guided birdwatching walk at Rockefeller Preserve in Sleepy Hollow. A limited amount of binoculars are available to borrow on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please plan to arrive by 7:45 am to park, pay for parking, and meet up with the group. Especially come earlier if you want to borrow a pair of binoculars from Audubon.
Meet at the main parking area off Route 117. Restrooms are available in the parking area. Parking is $6.00 per vehicle collected by automated pay station and cars are checked daily, year-round 8:00 am to 4:30 pm for dashboard parking tickets.
For NYS seniors 62 and older, simply scan your NYS driver’s license at the pay station for a free parking ticket, Mondays-Fridays.

Become a Reading Buddy!
2023-05-18 10:00 - 12:00
Become a Reading Buddy!
JCC Lobby
Interested in being a reading buddy to an elementary school-aged student? The Family Services Society of Yonkers is looking for volunteers to help children build their literacy skills this summer. Stop by the information table before or after your morning workout on May 18 to learn more!

Volunteer Opportunity: Baby Bundle Making
2023-05-19 10:00 - 12:00
Baby Bundle Making
For the past month, the JCC has been collecting items for a Baby Bundle for patients of Open Door Family Medical Center, the majority of whom live at or below the federal poverty line, and who must make the hard choice between paying bills and buying items their babies need. On May 19, we are gathering adult volunteers to package these items and write notes to the families.

Family Friday: Swim Under the Stars
2023-05-19 18:00 - 19:30
Family Friday: Swim Under the Stars
We are thrilled to be offering a Friday night free swim to families who have a member with a special need. The pool will be solely reserved for families with differing needs. By doing this, we can ensure that we are offering a sensory-friendly pool environment for a fun family night out!
Please note:
-We ask that at least one person over the age of 18 accompany the individual with a supportive need to ensure safety.
-Swim levels will be determined upon arrival. For those who wish to swim in the deep end, a swim test will be conducted.
-If your family member needs 1:1 assistance, we ask that you please come prepared to get in the pool with them or ensure they are accompanied by someone in the pool over 18 who can support their needs.
