“Sam, something is going on in Israel.” Those were the first words I heard from one of my best friends on the morning of October 7, 2023. The day before, we met in Boston to see a concert. While it was a short drive from my then-home in Springfield, Massachusetts, my friend traveled from our […]

The 28th Annual Ann Katz Festival of Books & Arts returns this fall with authors, filmmakers, artists, food and conversations designed to bring people together. For nearly three decades, the Ann Katz Festival of Books & Arts has brought compelling voices and fresh ideas to Indianapolis. This fall, the tradition continues with a 2026 lineup […]

As the floodwaters rose across Greater Indianapolis this past weekend, I found myself scouring news sites and social media, trying to comprehend the damage throughout our community. By Saturday evening, I was overwhelmed by the scale of the destruction. I wanted to help but did not yet know how. Around 7:30 pm, I texted my […]

One Friday morning a few weeks ago, I walked into my office and found a voicemail from lifelong JCC member David Berman. That voicemail led to a conversation I have continued to think about. When I called him back, it became clear that David was not calling with a concern or a request (though those […]

This morning, I logged into Facebook and one of those “On This Day” memories caught my attention. It was a picture of me holding my newly earned spin instructor certification, and I couldn’t believe that fourteen years have already passed.Seeing that photo immediately took me back to a chapter of my life that I don’t […]

Yesterday, I learned that 77% of people seeking Jewish connection turn to a JCC first. That number should command our attention. Rabbi Daniel Septimus shared this datapoint throughout his visit to Indianapolis this week. Daniel, the former CEO of Shalom Austin, now leads JCC Association’s new Center for Jewish Peoplehood. He repeated the statistic because […]

Recently, I walked into a restaurant to meet a special group for breakfast. Before I even reached the table, I could hear the laughter. Stories were flying back and forth, old memories resurfacing, and every conversation seemed to find its way back to one person: the late Rod Hofts, who served as the JCC’s Director […]

This past weekend, I traveled to the Detroit area to celebrate a family simcha (a joyous occasion): the b’nai mitzvah of two of my next generation cousins.As we sat together before the service began, my cousin, the mom of one of the b’nai mitzvah boys, quietly shared something that has stayed with me all week. […]

As we close out the week, I find myself reflecting on one of the highlights of the past several days: the first meeting of our JCC Hand in Hand Annual Campaign Task Force. Led by JCC Past Board Chair Katy Cantor and JCC Board member Suzanne Rothenberg, this dedicated group has already begun laying the […]

At 7:41 a.m. on Thursday, I received a text letting me know that the JCC had lost power. As inconveniences go, it was a pretty significant one. We were in the first week of camp, transitioning classrooms in our Early Childhood Education center, and navigating one of the busiest times of year for membership, aquatics, […]