Playful by Design with @Mothercould Myriam Sandler

Your vote matters! 2026 is a major statewide election year, meaning New Yorkers will head to the polls in June to choose candidates for state and local offices, including Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Senate, and State Assembly.

Here are some resources to help you prepare for the primary election.

• Locate your Early Voting or Election Day Polling Site
• Learn about Ballot Proposals and NYC Elected Offices
• Visit The Board of Elections in the City of New York or NYC VOTES for more information.

Important Dates:

• June 8 | Change of address deadline.
• June 13 | Last day to register to vote.
• June 13 – June 21 | Early voting 
• June 22 | Last day to apply in person for an absentee or early mail ballot.
• No later than June 23 | Put your ballot in the mail, ensuring it receives a postmark.
• No later than June 23 at 9 pm | Drop off your ballot at your county Board of Elections Office.
• June 23 by 9 pm | Drop off your ballot at an election day poll site.
• June 23 | Election Day!

Esther, an American woman (Mili Avital), travels to Jerusalem to search for a missing part of her family history. With the help of an Israeli professor (Ori Pfeffer), Esther discovers a shocking truth about herself and how it all connects to the era of early settlers in the 30’s. This surprising romantic drama, uniting the past and the present, is based on the novel “The Loves of Judith” by the beloved author Meir Shalev.

Dir. Guido Chiesa 

(Narrative | Italy | 2025 | 117 min) 

Mon, Jul 6, 6 pm

Tue, Jul 7, 6 pm 

The screening on July 7 will be followed by a Q+A with actress Mili Avital.

Wed, Jul 8, 6 pm

 

We Met at Grossinger’s is a joyfully nostalgic journey through the Jewish Catskills—once known as the Borscht Belt—told through the rise and fall of its most beloved resort: Grossinger’s Resort and Hotel, the real-life inspiration for Dirty Dancing.

Dir. Paula Eiselt

(US, 2026, 104 min)

Co-presented by Uptown Film Center.

Set in the 1960s, Wes Anderson’s tender and offbeat summer adventure, Moonrise Kingdom follows two young misfits who fall in love, run away together, and discover the thrill and vulnerability of first independence.

Dir. Wes Anderson

(US, 2012, 94 min)

This screening is co-presented by the Uptown Film Center.

Kevin Bacon stars in the definitive summer rebellion classic, a high-energy story of youth, music, and liberation.

Dir. Herbert Ross

(US, 1984, 107 min)

Screening followed by Q+A with Kevin Bacon.

This screening is co-presented by the Uptown Film Center.

Thirteen-year-old Ethan is supposed to be preparing for his bar mitzvah. But despite his Jewish family, Ethan is convinced his spiritual calling lies with the Catholic church, where he secretly finds solace under the guidance of Father Diaz.

Dir. Herschel Faber

(US, 2026, 94 min)

Experience the heart of Israeli cinema at the 14th Annual Israel Film Center Festival.

Whether you are a lifelong cinephile or new to Israeli cinema, this festival offers a window into the diverse narratives and vibrant culture of Israel. Join us for:

• Exclusive Screenings: Get a first look at gripping new releases and experience curated films.

• Expert Insight: Engage with experts during exclusive Q+As.

• Community Connection: Join a network of film lovers, industry professionals, and cultural enthusiasts.

About the Israel Film Center

We serve as much more than just a theater. The Israel Film Center is a hub for:

• Annual Festivals + Screenings: Keeping the pulse of Israeli cinema alive year-round.

• Israel Film Center STREAM: The most extensive online database and streaming service for Israeli and Jewish films in the U.S.

• Industry Support: Empowering filmmakers through the Israel Film Center Fund.

Join us for a hands-on morning of community care! In partnership with District 6 Council Member Gale Brewer and Adamah NY, we’re gathering to clean, cultivate, and mulch our neighborhood street trees.

Street trees are the lungs of our city, and a little extra care goes a long way in keeping them healthy and vibrant. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a first-time volunteer, we’d love to have your help.

Unlock the Language of the Prophets—In Just Six Weeks.

Stop skimming and start reading. This free Hebrew Reading Crash Course is designed for those who want to go from “Aleph” to “Fluent Reader” without the years of school. In partnership with the National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP), we provide a streamlined, high-impact curriculum that works.

• Fast-Track Learning: Master the entire alphabet and basic phonetics in 6 sessions.

• Expert Guidance: Perfect for beginners or those needing a refresher.

• Community Focused: Learn in a supportive, small-group environment.

Reserve Your Spot. Space is limited to ensure personalized instruction. Pre-registration is required.

6 Tuesdays, Jul 7-Aug 11, 5-6:30 pm

Plan ahead for a season of growth at the JCC. Our fall children’s classes offer a dynamic mix of programs designed for every age and stage, combining creativity, movement, and skill-building in a supportive environment.

Fall Program Guide | Click Here

• Expert-led classes across multiple disciplines
• Programs tailored by age and developmental stage
• Opportunities to build confidence, skills, and friendships
• Secure your spot early for our most popular neighborhood fall programs

Registration opens

• • May 12 for Members
  • May 19 for the Public

Explore Programs:

• • Infants + Toddlers
  • Fall Afterschool Clubhouse
  • Fall Swim Classes
  • Enrichment Classes

Summer is coming and it’s never too late to work on your swimming! Registration is now open for adult summer swim classes. Save your spot in the pool and choose from beginner through advanced swim clinics. For more information, contact us at jccswimschool@mmjccm.org.

Adult Beginner 1
Come learn the fundamentals of swimming and water safety in a supportive and relaxed group setting in our Adult Beginner 1 Swim Clinic. In this weekly clinic we will introduce safe swimming foundations such as breath control and learning to float, as well as rudimentary freestyle and backstroke technique. This class has no prerequisites and is suitable for all beginner swimmers.
LEARN MORE

Adult Beginner 2
Continue your progress from our Beginner 1 Swim Clinic or join us if you meet the prerequisites below. In this weekly clinic we will continue to build on our rudimentary knowledge of freestyle and backstroke as we are well on our way toward mastering those skills. This class will focus on precision and efficiency in each stroke as well as breath control, while continuing to emphasize important water safety skills. Prerequisites: Swimmers must be comfortable fully submerging, and have learned the foundations for flutter kicks and pulling.
LEARN MORE

Adult Intermediate
Join us in our Intermediate swim clinic! Whether you’ve graduated from our beginner clinics or already meet our prerequisites we’ll help you become a confident, capable, and courteous lap swimmer. Our excellent instructors will give you tips and tricks to sharpen your technique while building endurance and speed in the water. Prerequisites: Swimmers must be able to swim 50 meters of freestyle and backstroke continuously.
LEARN MORE

Adult Advanced
Our advanced swim clinic is for swimmers looking to build their endurance while following a 45 minute swim workout. Work with our expert coaches on drills to develop your core strength, stroke timing, and stamina. Classes will include a mix of drills, instruction, and continuous swimming. Prerequisite: Swimmers must be able to swim 50 meters of freestyle and backstroke continuously and follow a 45 minute swim workout without pause.
LEARN MORE

Don’t wait to register, spots are limited! Arthritis Water Exercise classes are already sold out.

Join us for some summer fun on the JCC roof! Professional instructors will lead beginner-friendly lessons in Dance Your Way to Happiness, Nia Dance, Yoga, 5Rhythms® Emerging Waves, and Salsa. Enjoy mocktails and light snacks while you mingle with other participants. Bring a friend or make new ones at this fun evening out. All levels welcome. Part of Summer of Light.

Schedule
Click below to learn more and register.

May 18 | Dance Your Way to Happiness

June 22 | Yoga

July 13 | Salsa

July 27 | Nia Jam

Aug 3 | 5Rhythms® Emerging Waves

Aug 10 | Salsa

Get an insider’s look at how digital media is transforming Jewish storytelling through 18 dynamic new projects. Join the Jewish Writers’ Institute to explore the work of the 2026 Digital Storytellers Lab Fellows, who are telling stories about Bukharian food, Ladino music, heroines of Torah, and talking pickles on platforms including YouTube, Webtoon, Instagram, TikTok and podcasts. Clips and conversations from leading experts in media will highlight the new opportunities, frustrations, and audiences for Jewish stories. Meet the creators and share a toast at a brief reception following the conversation. 

Join us for a vibrant evening with acclaimed chef and four-time James Beard Award nominee Hillary Sterling as she celebrates the release of her long-awaited debut cookbook, Ammazza!

A love letter to a life in food, Ammazza! brings together over 100 seasonal recipes shaped by Sterling’s journey, from her Brooklyn upbringing in a spirited, food-centered Jewish household to her deep connection with Italian cuisine, and her rise through some of New York’s most celebrated kitchens. Now at the helm of Ci Siamo, she has earned widespread praise for cooking that is both technically precise and deeply soulful.

Ballerina Boys is a portrait of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (The Trocks), an all-male ballet company known worldwide for blending classical technique with comedy and satire. For over 50 years, they’ve performed en pointe and in drag, challenging ballet’s rigid gender norms and championing equality, inclusion, and social justice. Inspired by the 1969 Stonewall Riots, their work reflects the defiant, creative spirit of the gay rights movement.

Dir. Martie Barylick, Chana Gazit

 

THE FLOATERS follows struggling musician Nomi, who accepts a last-resort job from her overachiever best friend Mara: mentoring misfit campers, the “Floaters,” at their childhood Jewish summer camp.

Dir. Rachel Israel 

Part of the JCC’s Summer of Light.

We’re excited to offer the following free Member Mingle events for JCC Health Club + Pool members!

Join us for these casual gatherings where you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Connect and schmooze with fellow members
• Meet our directors from our fitness, aquatics, and membership team
• Learn more about programs and get tips on favorite classes
• Enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks

SCHEDULE
Please click the dates to add to your calendar. When RSVP is available, please do so.

Wed, May 27, 3:30-5 pm | Chair Massage, light bites, and wine | RSVP HERE

Thu, Jun 11, 10-11:30 am | Celebrate our new app with coffee, pastries, and fruit | RSVP HERE

September TBD| Mingle in our Sukkah

October TBD | Morning mingle

November TBD | Pre-thanksgiving mingle

December TBD | Chanukah themed mingle

Stay tuned to this page for more information!

Join us for an evening of rejuvenation and renewal. In the company of others impacted by breast and ovarian cancer, receive helpful tips on unwinding and letting go of stress. Learn simple, mindful breathing, gentle stretching, and self-massage techniques.

This program has been named in loving memory of Shirley Kohn. It was created in partnership with Dr. Alison Estabrook, a nationally recognized breast cancer surgeon, and Caroline Kohles, JCC Director of Health, and is co-sponsored by SHARE, Sharsheret, and Moving for Life.

Become a JCC Health Club, Pool, or Basketball Member in May + Score $0 Initiation Fee!* 

Belong to something stronger. More than a gym, you belong here! The JCC has everything you need in one place. Enjoy the use of two pools, a spacious fitness center, gymnasium with two basketball courts, unlimited group exercise classes, pickleball games, discounts on other JCC programs, friendly staff, and warm community!

Book a tour now and get a free trial. Have questions? Email joinjcc@mmjccm.org or call 646.505.4414.

*Restrictions apply.

Secure Your Spot: 2027-2028 Nursery School Tour

Get ahead of the admissions rush! Join the JCC Nursery School for a tour of our classrooms and a deep dive into our curriculum for the upcoming 2027-2028 school year.

When:  9:30 am – 11 am

Where: The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan

Highlights: Meet our educators, explore our facilities, and simplify your application process.

Looking for a reason to ditch the desk and elevate your evening? We’re hosting an exclusive rooftop happy hour designed specifically for the 20s + 30s crowd. We’re skipping the lukewarm beer and heading straight for the clouds with a boozy twist on a childhood favorite. Join us this June for a boozy ice cream rooftop happy hour!

Summer children’s classes offer a dynamic mix of programs designed for every age and stage, combining creativity, movement, and skill-building in a supportive environment.

• Expert-led classes across multiple disciplines
• Programs tailored by age and developmental stage
• Opportunities to build confidence, skills, and friendships
• Flexible options to fit your summer schedule
  
  Registration opens
  • April 15 for Members
  • April 22 for the Public

Explore Programs:

• Infants + Toddlers
• Summer Swim Classes
• Enrichment Classes
• Day Camp @ the JCC

Join Dr. Gillian Goddard, an acclaimed endocrinologist and author of The Hormone Loop, for a transformative discussion on women’s hormonal health. This engaging talk, moderated by bestselling author Emily Oster, delves into the four key hormone loops—the reproductive, thyroid, growth hormone, and adrenal systems —and their impact on mood, metabolism, fertility, and menopause.

Discover practical strategies for advocating for your health during puberty, perimenopause, and beyond. Empower yourself with scientific insights and real patient stories to navigate your hormonal journey effectively.

Behind Her Eyes tells the powerful journey of one of the youngest survivors of the Holocaust who uses the power of social media to bridge across generations. Born in Poland in 1938, Tova was one of the few Jewish children to survive the horrors of Auschwitz. Tova proves that understanding how and why hatred erupts can serve as one of the strongest antidotes to building empathy and compassion.

Screening followed by Q+A with Tova Friedman.

Dir. George and Teddy Kunhardt

(US, 2026, 38 min)

Day Camp @ the JCC is right around the corner, don’t miss your chance to join an unforgettable summer experience! Begins, June 16–August 13

This summer, we’re expanding to welcome children ages 3–10 with brand-new divisions:

• Lower Division (Ages 3–5)
• Middle Division (Ages 6–7)
• Upper Division: Specialty Camps (Ages 8–10)

Day Camp @ the JCC delivers the ultimate city camp experience—swimming, sports, arts, cooking, yoga, engineering, and so much more—right here on 76th and Amsterdam, using our world-class facilities: indoor heated pools, culinary + art studios, rooftop playground, and a full gymnasium. Campers also spend time outside each day, and older campers participate in sports every morning in the park.

Upper Division Specialty Campers enjoy concentrated time in the specialty of their choosing each week: Sports, Theater, and Visual + Culinary Arts.

Don’t wait! Secure your child’s spot for an unforgettable summer of growth, fun, and friendship today!

A Meaningful Approach to B’nai Mitzvah Preparation

Preparing for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is an important milestone for many families. This program offers a thoughtful and engaging path for students who want to explore Jewish identity, tradition, and community in a supportive learning environment.

Hosted by Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan on the Upper West Side, this experience focuses on helping students understand the meaning behind becoming a B’nai Mitzvah while building confidence and connection with peers.

Why Families Choose This Program

• Small cohort learning environment, no affiliation required.
• Discussion-based Jewish learning
• Focus on identity, meaning, and community
• Designed for grades 6 and 7 students
• Alternative to traditional Hebrew school models

On Monday, June 8, from 6:30–8:30 pm, we will come together at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of The Jack and Shirley Silver Center for Diverse Abilities—two decades of inclusive, supportive, and adaptive programming, and a community built on belonging. All are welcome, and we encourage you to invite family members and friends to experience the place so many of us call home.

The evening will include dinner and dancing, activities, interactive experiences, and quiet and sensory-friendly zones.

Get your tickets below!

Donate now to help make the next 20 years possible.
Click here to see our community in action!

We’re thrilled to announce The Marlene Meyerson JCC Annual Benefit 2026 will take place on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

Secure your tickets with a donation today!

PLEASE NOTE: Donations of $1,000 or more receive tickets commensurate with gift levels, which will be communicated via email from the JCC.

We can’t wait to see you this spring!

Add to Calendar

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HONORING
Shelly Kivell, Philanthropist
Ilana Ruskay-Kidd, Founder and Head of The Shefa School

EVENT LEADERSHIP
Event Chairs
Lisa Messinger
Marti Meyerson and Jamie Hooper

Event Vice Chairs
(In Formation)
Lynn Bartner-Wiesel and Elisha Wiesel
Madelyn Bucksbaum Adamson
Tracey and Andy Appelbaum
Janis and Andy Arno
The Aronson Family
The Belfer Family
Robin Bernstein and John Ruskay
Susan and Jonathan Bram
Emily Caslow and Jeff Feig
Lisa Covey and Garry Popossky
Ariel Devine and Michael Lief
Leslie and Mitchell Dorf
Ariela Dubler
Elena Ezratty
Joanne and Duane Fiedler
Cheri Friedman
Bonnie and Peter Gatof
Sheri and David Gellman
Patti Grabel
Rebecca and Larry Grafstein
Ellen and David Horing
Stacey and Curtis Lane
Jennifer Lee and Scott Klein
Jenny and Greg Lyss
Jill Marino
Dorothy Matza
Donna McKay
Eileen and Michael Meyers
Jane and Daniel Och
Ellen J. Odoner
Linda and Seth Plattus
Abby Pomerantz Rothschild
Tina and Steven Price
Dina Pruzansky and Mike Herman
Nina and Ivan Ross
Lenore Ruben
Amy and Richard Ruben
Scott Ruskay-Kidd
Daniel, Emma, and Gabriella Ruskay-Kidd
Sheri and Jimmy Rosenfeld
Drs. Gail and Leonard Saltz
Abby and Jeremy Schiffman
Erica and Eric Schwartz
Beth and Uri Shabto
Amy and Corey Shanus
Sarene Shanus and Harold Treiber
Patty and Howard Silverstein
Cathy Taub and Lowell Freiberg
Liz and Dennis Ulrich
Ayala and Ken Usdin
Teri and Barry Volpert
Debra Wasserman and Jason Glasser
Caroline Gittis Werther and Daniel Werther
Lise and Jeffrey Wilks