Since October 7, many in the Jewish community have struggled to find joy and hope. We are living in a bewildering time, wondering when life—whether life—will go back to normal. At the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, these eight months have challenged and inspired them to answer this question:
How do we acknowledge the weight of this time, this unwieldy moment, while also honoring everything joyful about our culture and community?
Through the hundreds of programs offered, the JCC has learned once again that being in community is what will lead us forward.
“Being together reminds us of our humanity; it affirms that we always have reasons for optimism, for hope, and for joy,” says Rabbi Joanna Samuels, CEO of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan.
As the weather warms up, New York City enters a temporary bliss. The sun sets later, and our dark city uniforms disappear. The JCC is on a mission to harness the luminosity of this season with a Summer of Light—a campaign designed to bask in, share, and celebrate the joys and pride of Jewish identity, inclusivity, and levity.
Join us on the Upper West Side all summer long for JCC programs and events, from ice cream socials and rooftop yoga to uplifting movies and music. Come inside for an interactive gallery installation and enjoy our colorful building makeover. Take selfies with our bright, bold backdrops, pick up stickers and buttons to wear and share proudly, and keep an eye out for fun activations and giveaways, all presented as part of the Summer of Light.
We hope to illuminate your social media feeds! Follow the JCC on Instagram and Facebook, and tag the JCC to share your light.
In the fall, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the first anniversary of October 7 will bring a natural gravitas to our shared world once more. Until then, the JCC’s Summer of Light creates an ephemeral opportunity to be boldly, mindfully, inclusively, and proudly Jewish together.
