I can’t recall all the details of the very first spin class I attended — who the instructor was, what music played, etc.  — but I will never forget how I felt when as a 20-something I walked into the spin room of the JCC in my hometown. 

I was a little unsure and a little determined; I wanted to prove something to myself and wanted to feel stronger. And I was nervous.

At the time, I was simply trying to get in shape and reach a healthy weight. I certainly wasn’t imagining I would one day teach the very class that began my wellness journey. And I never imagined that my first job at a JCC would actually be as a spin instructor — and that years later I would be writing to you as the CEO of an amazing JCC nearly 500 miles away.

Yet, looking back that spin room shaped me. It was there, among the bikes and the other far more experienced riders, that I began to understand JCC’s and community from the inside: people coming together, bound by a common purpose, welcoming and being welcomed, all at different points in their health journey, celebrating fitness in a comfortable, energizing and non-judgmental way.

Being new and uncertain, that welcome mattered. I will never forget it.  Being seen mattered. Effort — not perfection — mattered. The energy and camaraderie in the room carried me when my legs felt shaky. And  though I haven’t been in the spin room as much as I would like to have been as my career unfolded, the experience of my early days on the bike has stayed with me. 

So…after hanging up my clip-in shoes for a while, I am about to put them back on! I’m deeply excited to teach a new pop-up class: Spinyan on Friday, February 27 at 9:00 am.

It will be a playful blend of spin and minyan. In Jewish tradition, a minyan is the quorum of 10 required for certain sacred prayers. Some of our most meaningful prayers cannot be said alone. They require 10 people willing to show up — to count and be counted.

It’s more than a number, however.  A minyan helps make holiness possible in a community; it also reminds us that creating and sustaining  a community is an essential ingredient in achieving holiness. 

Spinyan carries that same spirit, but in motion. There is no prayer required or expectation of perfection. Just presence – and a willingness and passion to be part of a community.

Whether you are Jewish, of another faith or not of any faith; whether you’ve been riding for years or haven’t touched a bike in a decade, you belong in that room. Come tired or energized. Out of shape or in rhythm. Please, come exactly as you are.

When I teach spin, I feel the real pulse of a community. I see resilience in sweaty faces and quiet determination in the final seconds of a steep climb. I see people choosing to show up not just for themselves, but also for one another. I see striving, which is an essential cornerstone of Judaism.

My mission —  literally as a spin instructor and figuratively as our CEO — is not to ride ahead of you. It’s to ride with you and to have you ride with me. To listen and notice when the resistance needs adjusting; to steady the cadence when the hill feels endless; to lead not by talking but by doing; to be with you side by side, to huff and puff together, as we will and wheel ourselves to greater heights.

I never see our  JCC as just a building or a hub of programs and activities.  I see it and love it at its essence —  as a gathering place where we, a living, breathing community, love, live, laugh and grow stronger together, supporting one another on a collective ride.

So, I hope to see you there as Spinyan debuts on Friday, February 27 at 9:00 am.  I will always save you a seat!

Shabbat Shalom,

Sam Dubrinsky
Chief Executive Officer