As we prepare to begin Chanukah — a holiday that celebrates the power of small lights to push back great darkness — I’ve been thinking a lot about where light shows up in our community. Not only in the menorah we light in Celebration Plaza on campus, but in the daily acts of dedication, kindness, and care that make our JCC glow from the inside out.

Earlier this week, JCC Board of Directors member Jeff Cohen wrote a message to our staff that captured this beautifully. With Jeff’s permission, I want to begin by sharing his words with you, because he frames exactly why Chanukah feels so resonant at the JCC this year:

As someone who walks through our doors before most people have located their first cup of coffee, I have the privilege of seeing the JCC at its most honest hour — the early morning. And every day, without fail, I’m greeted by the same thing: a remarkable team that shows up with commitment, passion, and the kind of good humor that makes even a pre-sunrise workout feel civilized.

Debbie T. and Debbie K. at the front desk set the tone — warm, welcoming, and impressively awake. Linda keeps the place looking its best, reminding me that ‘sparkling clean’ is not a given, but a daily act of care. I see this morning crew more often than I see some members of my own family, and they never miss a beat.

But I also know the magic of the JCC doesn’t stop at 8 a.m. or with the people I bump into on my way to the fitness center.

It takes an entire community of professionals — on the fitness floor, in early childhood, aquatics, cultural arts, administration, maintenance, camp, and everywhere in between — to keep this place humming. And they do it with an energy and enthusiasm that can’t be taught. The JCC isn’t just a center; it’s a heartbeat. It’s a gathering place. It’s a home for thousands. And that only happens because of them.

Jeff’s message reflects what so many of us know to be true: the JCC shines because our staff brings their collective light — steadily, reliably, generously — day after day, illuminating the lives of all who walk through our front doors. 

In that spirit, to celebrate and honor our team, we will be closing the JCC early this Friday (today) afternoon at 3 pm for a staff holiday celebration. It’s a small gesture compared to the immense impact they make, but I hope it offers them a moment to connect, enjoy one another, and feel appreciated by the entire community.

As we enter Shabbat, begin Chanukah, and move through the entire holiday season, may we remember that light grows when shared. Our staff shares their light with all of us, and, in doing so, they help the JCC strengthen what it has always been: a place of community, belonging, and hope that not only withstands the test of time but also continues to flourish as time passes.

Thank you for supporting our team and for being part of this community we build together, light by light. 

Wishing you a peaceful Shabbat and a Chanukah filled with warmth, joy, and growing light.

Shabbat Shalom,

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO