Do you know that feeling of relief when a weight lifts off your shoulders — a weight you didn’t even realize you were carrying?

That’s exactly how I felt last night at dinner with Jewish community leaders Beth and Steve Klapper and two of their daughters. JCC Board Chair David Katz, our spouses, and me were glad to have the girls — one a senior in high school and the other in her early 20s — join us for dinner. Both are committed to their Jewish identity and are involved in important Jewish community initiatives locally.

One of them shared about a trip to Israel through Birthright, an organization that provides free trips to Israel for Jewish adults ages 18-26. Listening to her, I was instantly transported back to my own first trip in 2012.

She described the sense of belonging — of being fully at home in her Jewish identity. As she spoke, I remembered my own moment of relief in Israel: waking up on that first morning, looking around, and realizing many around me had dark, curly hair just like mine. I didn’t need to straighten my hair. I wasn’t different. I didn’t stand out. It may sound small, but it was profound — like shedding a hidden burden I hadn’t realized I was carrying.

Around the table, we shared our own stories of finding belonging in Israel and in other Jewish spaces. David shared that at the JCC we’ve been talking a lot about the concept of Jewish joy. In a time when joy can feel scarce — amid upheaval in our country and violence across the world — spaces that nurture joy and safety are essential.

For me, one of those spaces is our JCC campus. Here, I can be Jewish — openly, proudly, safely. Here, our community can celebrate who we are without fear of misunderstanding. And what makes our JCC especially powerful is that it doesn’t stop at our community’s edge. We invite the broader Indianapolis community in. Together, Jews and those of other faiths alike experience Jewish values, programs, and friendships.

This isn’t just a feeling — it’s measurable. Our surveys show members and participants of our faiths at our JCC are engaging more deeply, attending Jewish programs, and building Jewish friendships. We know that education and exposure are antidotes to antisemitism. In other words, every moment of joy and belonging we create at the JCC is also building a safer future for our people.

As we finished dinner, we asked Beth and Steve the question all parents like us carry — what’s the secret to raising kids with strong Jewish identities? Their answer was simple but powerful: “You’re doing it. They’ll see your passion and commitment, and it will become theirs.”

Another weight lifted. At least for now. Because I know our JCC’s commitment, passion, and leadership will continue to anchor the next generation in Jewish identity, joy, and belonging –dark, curly hair or not — for years to come.

Sam Dubrinsky – JCCIndy CEO

Shabbat Shalom