The Power of Your Membership in Action
Features: Because of the J…
- 2021 ECS Completion Ceremonies (6/18/2021) - On June 17 and 18, the SJCC's Early Childhood School held completion ceremonies for its PreK and Kindergarten classrooms. We were so excited to be able to welcome immediate families back to the J to celebrate with their children.
- President Responds to Inauguration Letters (6/9/2021) - During the week of Joe Biden's inauguration as 46th President of the United States, members of Ms. Schuman's kindergarten class at the J's Early Childhood School wrote him letters. And this week they got a response. Enjoy!
- Because of the J: Barbara and Laura Crawford (5/3/2021) - Barbara Crawford and her daughter, Laura, depend on the SJCC pool for both their physical and mental well-being. When it reopened, they were eager to suit up. “The pool was a godsend," said Barbara
- Because of the J: The Garden Feeds Our Community (4/21/2021) - The SJCC Kesher Community Garden has been a beloved part of our campus for the past decade, and this past summer it became a lifeline for those experiencing food insecurity.
- Because of the J: Frank Martin (4/2/2021) - When schools closed due to COVID-19 last March, Frank faced three bored kids at home needing attention, and a team of employees depending on his business for their livelihoods. When ECS reopened last July it provided much-needed stress relief—and a path forward.
- Because of the J: The Gandert Family (3/30/2021) - Working from home and managing two young girls was a challenge for the Gandert family. Now that ECS has reopened, they're grateful for the education, community, and normalcy their kids are enjoying - even in this difficult year.
Photo Galleries
- Final Party – Summer J Camp Week 10 (8/27/2021) - Can't believe this is a wrap to Summer J Camp for 2021! Week 10 was a fun one as we "partied" all the way to the final day. Here is a look at the fun from this final week at Summer J Camp...
- Getting Creative – Summer J Camp Week 9 (8/20/2021) - We got creative in week nine of Summer J Camp, thanks to engineering with LEGOS, ceramics and mosaics, dance class, arts + crafts session, and more. Check out this week in pictures...
- Paddling Lake Washington (8/18/2021) - This week is our first-ever Paddleboard Class led by SJCC staff member Jessi. Five community members are learning to paddleboard on Lake Washington! We even had some visitors take in the action. Good work class. Enjoy these photos from the class...
- Rolling Along with Summer – Summer J Camp Week 8 (8/13/2021) - It is the final weeks of summer and our Summer J Camp is still rolling along, including rolling our own challah this week! Check out this week in pics...
- Finding A Specialty – Summer J Camp Week 7 (8/6/2021) - Our specialty camps took center stage during week seven of Summer J Camp. Take a look at the fun from week 7 at the J...
- Wrapping up July at Summer J Camp (7/30/2021) - Summer J Camp wrapped up the month of July this week getting crafty with math, hanging out at the water front, working with castles and dragons, taking in some Israeli culture, and so much fun. Take a look at this week in photos from J Camp...
SJCCtv Featured Videos
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SJCCtv Replay: Holiday Cooking Demo with Honey & Co. (Sept. 12, 2021)
Live from London! Watch the replay of this virtual holiday cooking demonstration with the award-winning, London-based Israeli chefs from Honey & Co. Held live on Zoom on Sept. 12, 2021. Moderator by Pamela Lavitt, Director of SJCC Arts + Ideas and Festivals.
Chefs Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich take us on a culinary journey filled with flavor and fire from the grill demonstrating delicious recipes while sharing stories and culinary culture collected from five Middle Eastern cities from their new cookbook "Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire in the Levant.".
About Honey & Co.
Sarit Packer grew up in Northern Israel, where she was surrounded by a rich food culture from a young age. After deciding to pursue a career in food, she moved to London to train as a chef at Butler’s Wharf Cookery School then rose through the ranks as a chef at many of London’s finest kitchens, including Executive Chef heading up Ottolenghi’s pastry team.
Itamar Srulovich was born in Jerusalem, and his earliest memories are of time spent around his grandmother’s kitchen table with his family, feasting on home-cooked Egyptian and Yemeni cuisine. Itamar moved to Tel Aviv in 1999 and joined Orna and Ella, an Israeli bistro, working his way up from kitchen porter to chef. In 2002, he moved to Joya, an Italian restaurant located in Herzliya, where he spent a year as a chef on the pasta team, and where he also met his wife-to-be Sarit Packer. In 2006, Itamar became Head Chef at Yotam Ottolenghi restaurants Notting Hill and Belgravia before leaving to fulfill his dream of opening his own restaurant with his wife.
The two opened Honey & Co. in June 2012. They later added a deli, Honey & Spice, and a grill house, Honey & Smoke. They have published four cookbooks: “Honey & Co. Food From The Middle East,” which won Sunday Times Food Book Of The Year; “Honey & Co. The Baking Book”; “Honey & Co At Home”; and their most recent, “Chasing Smoke.” They cohost the podcast “Honey & Co.: The Food Talks,” where they invite influential guests from the food and drink industry to Honey & Spice on Monday nights. They also write a weekly recipe column for FT Weekend Magazine.
About ”Chasing Smoke”
Fire has always seasoned Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich’s food—both at home and in their own grill house restaurant, Honey & Smoke in London—and “Chasing Smoke” will help you fall in love with the magical quality of this comforting, no-fuss, friends and family fare. Organized into five ingredient-led chapters, it couldn’t be easier to create a simple mouth-watering meal for two or a joyful feast. The book features recipes culled from five Middle Eastern cities: Alexandria, Egypt; Amman, Jordan; Acre, Israel; Izmir, Turkey; and Thessaloniki, Greece. The recipes are bursting with culinary inspiration from the best fire-fueled eateries each destination has to offer—from the greatest grill houses to the humblest roadside kebab joints, balcony culture, and open fires on shores. They also share age-old tricks and techniques, curious kitchen tools, and clever “rainy day” advice on how to recreate these dishes using a coal- or propane-fired grill or a conventional oven or stovetop so the recipes come together and cook with the flavor of smoke.
Purchase copies:
https://www.amazon.com/Honey-Co-Chasing-Cooking-Around/dp/1911641328
Sponsored by Samis Foundation -
SJCCtv Replay: Kids' Book Fest - “Ezra’s Invisible Backpack” (Sept. 10, 2021)
Replay of our Kids' Virtual Book Fest on Zoom with the reading of "Ezra's Invisible Backpack" from authors Dina Rock and Hannah Cohen on Sept. 10, 2021.
This program is for elementary-aged children to help them prepare to head back to school with a focus on their mental health. Authors Dina Rock and Hannah Cohen read their book “Ezra’s Invisible Backpack,” and led a discussion with students about how to support themselves and their friends, ask for help, and how to manage worries when returning to school while in a pandemic.
About the Book:
“Ezra’s Invisible Backpack” is a picture book that shows us how kindness and communication with those around us can go a long way in making our classmates feel understood. The invisible backpack is a concrete tool for children to utilize in their daily lives to better express their emotions. It’s the perfect book to inspire empathy and empower children to identify and understand their emotions.
About the Authors:
Hannah Cohen is an actor and creator based in New York City. She has worked with children her entire life, helping them learn and grow through various art forms. After struggling personally for years with mental health, and losing her cousin to depression, she was inspired to share this story in hopes of helping children develop a foundation of positive mental health from a young age.
Dina Rock, an elementary school educator for over 30 years, has been sharing her love of literature with students throughout her career. Dina believes the message of a story can empower someone to believe in themselves and speak their truths. Her experience in the classroom, working with children of all ages, coupled with the loss of her nephew to depression, inspired Dina to write a story that fosters positive mental health.
In partnership with the Jewish Book Council. Book sales partner: Island Books. -
Light the World (Or Ha'olam) Video Series: Yom Kippur
Our new Light the World (Or Ha'olam) series continues as we explore the holiday of Yom Kippur.
This is a new virtual series for our younger audience (early childhood) on SJCCtv, linking daily life with Jewish values through engaging, entertaining, and educational experiences out in the world. Host + ECS teacher Emily Jane Schankerman, combines daily outings, storytelling, and friendly conversations with community members, to promote connection, curiosity and compassion for all, gratitude, hope, and the meaning of Tikkun Olam -
Light the World (Or Ha'olam) Video Series: Rosh Hashanah
Welcome to the first video in our new Light the World (Or Ha'olam) series exploring the holiday of Rosh Hashanah.
This is a new virtual series for our younger audience (early childhood) on SJCCtv, linking daily life with Jewish values through engaging, entertaining, and educational experiences out in the world. Host + ECS teacher Emily Jane Schankerman, combines daily outings, storytelling, and friendly conversations with community members, to promote connection, curiosity and compassion for all, gratitude, hope, and the meaning of Tikkun Olam. -
Rolling Into 5782: Ready For Fall at the J
Rolling into September and the Jewish New Year, SJCC CEO Amy Lavin shares the excitement of fall at the J: a new school year, family programs, fitness, and a community that never closes. Plus: an update on the J’s new COVID-19 mitigation protocols. -
2021 Summer J Camp: A Look Back
Summer J Camp was back this summer and you spent 10 weeks with us! We can't believe we wrapped up another J Camp. Enjoy a look back at this amazing summer! Special thank you to our Summer J Camp sponsors JayMarc Homes, Farmers Insurance – Marc Singer Agency LLC, The Boutique Lounge, and Mercer Island Pediatrics – Dr. John Schreuder & Dr. Hal Quinn.
By the Numbers
Your membership powers the J and help us create a place where friendships form, traditions thrive, and 
community strengthens. Here’s just a glimpse at how many lives your membership has impacted in 2020-21:
- More than 200 individual campers filled with ruach (that’s “spirit” in Hebrew)
- 139 young learners exploring the world around them in traditional age-based preschool classes plus our new kindergarten, outdoor, and virtual programs
- 1,000 households from all over the world that Zoomed in to our virtual Seattle Jewish Film Festival
- 200+ people working out virtually every week at more than 225 virtual fitness classes since April 1
- Nearly 700 people exercising in the building every week in fitness classes, lap swim, and instructional family swim, and the Fitness Center
- 50 future teen leaders exploring their Jewish values and working together to raise money for their community
- More than 50 community + family events online (since April 1), bringing more than 1,000 families with young children singing and celebrating together
- More than 800 SJCCtv videos to engage the community from storytime to fitness (since March 15)
- More than 3,500 people each month in #VirtualSJCC programs (since April 1)
- Creating more than 600 Purim2Go kits to bring Jewish holidays into homes in innovative ways
- More than 200 pounds per week of food for our neighbors in need, collected through our new Mitzvah Corps program
- 900 virtual programs since March and more than 165 Safe Start-permitted activities at the J since June 1
- 300-plus hours of Virtual SJCC/Zoom events since April 1
We are transitioning to a daily digital health attestation process for everyone entering the SJCC.