News

On Sunday, November 10, from 10:30 am - 12 pm, join author Danielle Sharkan and ADL facilitator Jerry Pinsker for a book reading of Sharing Shalom and a discussion on navigating antisemitism for young families. Sharing Shalom is a book about a little girl who is very proud of her Jewish identity, customs, and traditions until someone purposefully destroys her family’s synagogue in a hateful act of antisemitism.

Following the reading, Danielle Sharkan and Jerry Pinsker, a local ADL facilitator, will discuss tangible and accessible ways to help parents and teachers discuss antisemitism with children. Childcare will be provided for children 4 - 10 years of age, and the book will be available for purchase.

Join the Women of the J at the Boulder JCC on Monday, October 28, from 6 to 8:30 pm for a night of Health Education about the BRCA gene. Gynecologic oncologist Dr. Christine Walsh of CU Anschutz will present the science behind the gene and why everyone must know their status.

Health education for women is crucial to cancer prevention. Every person has a BRCA gene, but sometimes mutations prevent genes from doing the job correctly. We will discuss the barriers to testing and hear personal stories on how the test can save a life. Our speakers will address issues concerning life insurance, mental health support, and what happens next. Everyone who qualifies is eligible for a free screening test.

Women of the J present the program in partnership with Boulder Hadassah and Jewish Cancer Prevention. Women of the J Programs are Underwritten in Honor of Marc H. Monheimer by the Mervyn L. Brenner Foundation. 

In the largest room at the Boulder Jewish Community Center (JCC), more than 550 people gathered together to sing, pray, mourn, and connect on Monday night as they marked one year since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Community members held hands and passed Kleenex boxes down the packed aisles as they listened to songs and stories of loved ones who passed away last year.

 “I could easily have just been in mourning at home with my family, I could have lit a candle,” Yoav Lurie told CPR News. “But in a moment like this, it's critical to be together as a community with other people and have this concept of shared pain… And it's an opportunity to listen to other people's pain and their experience of it and to be here for them and to be here together.”

Join the Boulder JCC and the Milk and Honey Farm for Sukkot on the Farm on Sunday, October 20, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Bring all the generations of your family to Milk & Honey Farm to celebrate the Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. Spend time in the sukkah, shake the lulav, feed the animals, taste our farm's bounty, and participate in other seasonal farm activities. Bring a picnic lunch and stay to eat in the sukkah after the program. This program is designed for children 0-10 and their siblings and families. Advance registration is required.

The Museum of Boulder and the Boulder JCC proudly collaborate to bring you this Thursday's speaker for the 12th season of Boulder Conversations with Extraordinary People with guest speaker Marion Kreith! This series highlights the innovative people whose connection to our city makes Boulder the remarkable place it is today. This season’s theme is Diversity and Partnership, and together, the Museum of Boulder and the Boulder JCC have chosen to collaborate with eight impactful Boulder organizations that have made immense contributions to the living history of our community. The community has requested to return this series, Boulder Conversations with Extraordinary People, for a 12th season after a COVID hiatus. It is a unique and wonderful experience to have someone welcome you into their life's journey. Sitting with someone's story can illuminate the moments that shaped people's values and led them on extraordinary paths. 

In 2008, Women of the J at the Boulder JCC was just a thought. Beth Margolis took it upon herself to make her dream a reality, and in 2012, she spoke to Jonathan Lev about finally bringing this idea to life. To create this vision, with the Boulder JCC still located in a small building on Kalmia, Beth partnered with Susan Rona to build active volunteer leadership. Together, they reached out to three other women to help steer the committee, Kate Litwin, Karli Sherwinter, and Gena Walk, and together, the five of them were able to bring the Women of the J to life. 

Following a year of brainstorming, the first advisory board retreat in August of 2014 marked a journey of curiosity and community, where each member got to know each other better and planned events for the first year. On a snowy November night, the first-ever Women of the J event, “Women, Wine, and Welcome,” kicked off with over 100 women showing up to find community and connection through the programs. Women of the J officially became a new affinity group for women of all ages to connect through social and educational events and various mitzvah opportunities each year. 

As we move into this season of renewal, we cannot help but reflect on the significance of October 7—a day that will forever be etched in our collective memory. This date marks the anniversary of a tragedy that deeply affected our community and the world. As we gather to remember the devastation that occurred, we also remain steadfast in our hope for the release of the 101 hostages, still held in captivity nearly a year after their horrific kidnapping by Hamas.

To mark this solemn anniversary, our community will host a special program of remembrance at the Boulder JCC on Monday, October 7, from 6 to 10 p.m. This gathering is intended to foster an environment of reflection, support, and connection, ensuring that we do not stand alone in our grief but together in unity and resilience.

As the Jewish High Holidays approach, this time calls for a sense of reflection, renewal, and community. The Boulder JCC invites individuals and families to unite this high holiday season, honoring traditions passed down through generations. The Boulder JCC is excited to offer a vibrant array of events and activities designed to engage, inspire, and uplift all community members. From a creek clean-up to food drives and family programs like Sukkot on the Farm, there’s something for everyone to celebrate the richness of this meaningful time. Join us as we embrace the high holidays and create lasting memories together.

Alissa Davies and Courtney Cotton, both Denver and Boulder-based abstract artists, will open a new exhibit at the Boulder JCC Messinger Gallery on Thursday, September 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Courtney Cotton and Alissa Davies met while enrolled in a Colorado Business Committee for the Arts business group. They immediately connected over the power of creating art, working with intuition, and using art to process life. Having been approached by Alice Messinger of the Boulder JCC Messinger Gallery, Cotton immediately invited Davies to participate in the exhibit, believing the two would create work that would complement each other. 

Join the Boulder JCC on Monday, September 23, for Faces of October 7th with Ofri Reiner. Ofri Reiner, a resilient Israeli survivor of the harrowing Nova massacre, at just 21 years old, has already faced the darkest trials, emerging with an indomitable spirit. Her journey is intertwined with the tragedy of war; her beloved brother, Shalev Dagan, served as a combat soldier in Golani 51 and tragically lost his life. 

Even with all these tragedies, Ofri Reiner is more than just a survivor; she is a storyteller who weaves the threads of her family's journey with her own. Through her public speaking, she eloquently shares the profound impact of loss, grief, and trauma, inspiring others to find strength in adversity.

This program is made possible by an Israel Engagement Grant from JEWISHColorado and support from StandWithUs. Ofri Reiner will speak in Levin Hall at the Boulder JCC on Monday, September 23, from 7 to 8:30 pm, with doors opening at 6:30 pm. Please register ahead of time on the Boulder JCC website.