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.
Within the first few years, the Women of the J focused on building a community for multigenerational women while supporting numerous nonprofit organizations to give back to the community. There were mitzvah nights, where women would come together to make felt blankets for local organizations, dry soup kits, and much more. As new women joined the advisory board, they led the advisory board in what interests they had, which led to programs like soup cook-offs and a speaker’s series featuring highly accomplished women. Now evolving and continuously growing, the Women of the J has many annual events like the Annual Challah Bake and the Women's Seder and monthly events like book clubs, hikes, and social events.
In 2016, the Women of the J hosted the first Annual Challah Bake at the Boulder JCC, hosting over 150 and 250 community members each year since then. The event has become bigger and bigger, even virtually during COVID, hosting a challah bake for many different generations. In 2023, Women of the J also started hosting a Women's Seder for Passover, which is led by women and creates a women's lens in the Haggadah. This upcoming year will be the third annual seder, which had over 200 women last year.
Since its start, Women of the J has built extensive connections for many women at the Boulder JCC and has continued to be where many women have found connection and community through the past ten years. Beth Margolis, a founding board member, is ecstatic about what the future holds for Women of the J, stating, “I am blown away by the growth and evolution of WOTJ over the past ten years and so, so proud to have played a part in the launch of this fantastic program. In a city of transplants, we seemed to find a magic formula for women to connect and get involved with the J while having a good time and doing good things. I am excited about the future of WOTJ in the coming years.” Founding Board member of Women of the J Kate Litwin stated, “I am so proud to have been a part of starting something that has grown so much and been such a vital part of creating community and connection at the Boulder JCC, and I am excited to see what comes next.”
Visit the Boulder JCC website to learn more about Women of the J, check out upcoming events, or get involved.
