What a Fitness Class Taught Me About Gratitude
| My first job at a JCC was as a group fitness instructor. More specifically, I taught cycling classes. While I hung up my clip-in cycling shoes several years ago, I am often reminded of the power of group fitness classes. Just last week, Hand in Hand Co-Chair Katy Cantor and I attended the Aqua Aerobics group’s informal monthly breakfast, organized by Lori Kaufman-Flora who the group lovingly refers to as their “social director.” Our reason for joining was to hear feedback, share more about Hand in Hand, and ask them to join us in making a gift to the campaign. But as we sat at the large breakfast table learning more about each person, overwhelmed by the gratitude they all had for one another, the real gift was simply being in community with them. As we head into Thanksgiving, I have continued to reflect on that morning. Thanksgiving is rooted in gratitude, reflection, and the simple act of gathering around a table. And that’s exactly what I witnessed: a group of people who show up for one another, who celebrate milestones, hold one another in difficult times, check in on each other’s families, and make space for joy. Their monthly breakfast wasn’t a formal event, yet it embodied the spirit of Thanksgiving more beautifully than any perfectly set holiday table. Listening to the group talk about why they come to class, what keeps them connected, and how deeply they value having a place where they feel known and supported reminded me of why our JCC matters. It’s not the equipment or the water temperature or the class schedule — though those things are important. It’s the feeling of belonging that happens when people show up for one another, week after week, month after month, year after year. In many ways, that Aqua Aerobics breakfast wasn’t so different from those early mornings I spent teaching cycling. In both spaces, I saw strangers become friends, and friends become a community. I saw how wellness can be a doorway into something so much bigger: connection, purpose, confidence, all while having a little fun (most of the time!). This Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful for moments such as that breakfast — moments that remind us why we do this work and why it matters. Being with the Aqua Aerobics group felt a bit like returning to the cycling studio: that familiar feeling of leading a group of people breathing together, encouraging one another and finding strength in the presence of those around them. Life, just like a good ride, always feels better when you’re not doing it alone. From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving, |
| Shabbat Shalom, |
| Sam Dubrinsky, JCC Indy CEO |