JCC Indianapolis Together, we inspire all people to become the best versions of themselves
JCC Indianapolis is proud of its Jewish heritage and seeks to create a community space driven by these values. For a listing of Jewish holidays, visit https://jccindy.org/about-us/holidays/
The following are programs specifically for, or about, Judaism.
Shinshinim
Thanks to funding from the Jewish Agency for Israel, the greater Indianapolis Jewish community will have an opportunity to engage with young emissaries from Israel who are here as part of the Shinshinim Young Ambassadors program to bring Israeli culture to life. The program is a partnership between Combined Jewish Philanthropies and the Jewish Agency for Israel. The JCC is a constituent agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis and receives funding for programs like this through its Annual Campaign.
Shinshinim, a Hebrew acronym for Shnat Sherut or “year of service,” are the best and the brightest of Israel’s recent high school graduates who have deferred army service to spend a year in a diaspora community. They serve the community through volunteering in synagogues, our JCC, Hebrew schools and youth groups.
Meet Our Shinshinim
Maya has been singing for as long as she can remember and playing guitar since she was 13, so she looks forward to incorporating Israeli music into her work. She enjoys reading and sports, and she has a special interest in science, particularly human anatomy and the physical laws of the universe.
Jasmin has been a dancer since she was four. Like Maya, she enjoys reading and sports, and she also likes to paint, play the ukulele, travel, play “thinking games,” watch comedy movies and play with her dog. She looks forward to teaching about Israel through dance and art.
Follow them on Facebook or Instagram. Or subscribe to their newsletter, Shinshi-NEWS below.
And if you would like to host the students, please contact Eric Koehler at ehkoehler@JCCindy.org.
BBYO Chapter
For Jewish teens. BBYO is the leading pluralistic teen movement aspiring to involve more Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences. For over 95 years, BBYO has provided exceptional identity enrichment and leadership development experiences for hundreds of thousands of Jewish teens.
Interested in joining? Contact
Ethan Cohen
BBYO City Director
317-532-5996
ecohen@JCCindy.org
Members may join the following Facebook groups:
Follow us on Instagram: IndianapolisBBYO
For more information about BBYO, visit the Kentucky-Indiana-Ohio region page on the BBYO website.
Events
The J is a partner in hosting a Jewish and Israeli Film Festival.
Jewish & Israeli Film Festival
Other upcoming Jewish events:
The Albert and Sara Reuben Holocaust Memorial Garden
Located on the Max and Mae Simon Jewish Community Campus, is the Albert and Sara Reuben Holocaust Memorial Garden. The centerpiece of the garden is a sculpture “Surviving Spirit” by survivor Alfred Tibor, a single statement of the horror and triumph of the Jewish people.
The base of the monument is six-sided like the Jewish star. It is inscribed with the names of some death camps and concentration camps. The Mourner’s Kaddish (Jewish prayer for the dead) is part of the Memorial as well as a poem and a quotation from Elie Wiesel.