Starting March 25, the Rosenbloom OM JCC main entrance will temporarily close as we redesign our front lobby. The new temporary entrance will in the back of the building by the CSA studio. Members and guests will need to follow signs and drive around the right side of the building.View parking map

Shabbat candle lighting: 7:11pm

JCC Blog

Mar17
by admin

Summer Camp Gives All Children Roots & Wings

By Lisa Handelman, Camp Director at Capital Camps

When my children were young, I recall a friend telling me that the greatest gift I can give my kids is roots and wings.  Roots are the security an individual has when they develop a strong sense of personal identity.  Being connected to family, friends and a broader Jewish community grounds us.  Wings are the confidence to go out into the world.  Wings involve being poised, independent and resilient.  Jewish camping is one way to give children both roots and wings.

Molly Harburger, a J Camps and Capital Camps camper, shared how both camps provide the grounding we want for our children. “In both camps, you explore your...

Mar17
by admin

Meet Kim Young: Human Resources Generalist

Join us in giving a warm welcome to Kim Young, our new Human Resources Generalist! For those who take group fitness classes, Kim is already a familiar presence, having been a member and enthusiastic participant for years. Kim’s passion for fitness, her experience, and dedication to community make her the perfect addition to our JCC staff. Learn more about Kim in the brief interview below.

How did you come to your position at the JCC? 
I originally saw the posting in December of 2022. I was transitioning from another position and happened to be at the J taking a class. I asked Surena if the position was still available and when she said yes, I submitted my resume, and I met...

Mar10
by admin

Introducing the NEW Gordon Lobby!

Image: Cutting the ceremonial ribbon at the Gordon Center are (left to right) Baltimore County Councilman Israel C. “Izzy” Patoka, Associated President Marc B. Terrill, Baltimore County Executive John “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr., JCC CEO Barak Hermann, past JCC board president Myrna Cardin, Baltimore County Council President Julian Jones, Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, former JCC board chair Joe Meyerhoff, JCC board president Laura Rubenstein. (Photo by David Stuck)

Nearly 100 guests — including Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, Baltimore County Executive John “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr., Baltimore County Councilman Israel C. “Izzy” Patoka (D-2nd), and other business and civic leaders — were on hand Thursday, March 9, for an...

Mar01
by admin

Purim Family Values!

By Rabbi Arel Platt, Director of J Life

Riddle: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?
Answer: Footsteps

Purim is one of the most family friendly Jewish holidays. It is the perfect recipe of joy because it promotes good values, silliness, and fun. Besides the parties, carnivals, and costumes, Purim is framed by 4 key mitzvot (commandments) that not only inspire us to take care of each other, but also bring these important traditions into our lives. Here are the values inspired by the 4 mitzvot, and ways your family can celebrate them:

1st Mitzvah) To listen to the Book (Megillat) Esther. Tell the story of Esther, and have your family act it out with costumes and things you find around the house. The...

Feb28
by admin

Inspiration as a Maccabi Baseball Commissioner

Brett Weil, Mini & Jr. Maccabi baseball parent in 2016-2018 and Baseball commissioner in 2018 and 2023, shares why he took his Maccabi commitment to the next level. 

Looking back on my upbringing as an assimilated Jew in Northern California where I played baseball throughout high school and American Legion, I could have greatly benefitted from the Maccabi tournaments had I only known about them. After UCLA, where I played club ultimate frisbee, my spiritual odyssey took me to Israel where I studied at Aish HaTorah yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem. I was activated to transform my own life and also embarked on a lifelong passion of inspiring Jews to live...

Feb27
by admin

Why Mini & Jr. Maccabi Games Deserve our Support

Darrell Braman, current JCC board member and past coach whose children both were participants in Maccabi, shares his experiences about the games. 

While I have coached my son and daughter in several sports and watched them compete on the athletic field hundreds of times, I am probably most proud of their involvement in the Maccabi program.   Sam (21) and Maddie (25) both attended Jewish Day School in Baltimore, so the draw for me and my wife was not so much the Jewish values and pride that Maccabi promotes -- which are a true strength of the games -- rather, it was the sense of being part of something bigger and yet more basic, as part of a uniquely...

Feb22
by admin

Meet Geena Ghimire: System Support Specialist

The JCC is thrilled to welcome Geena Ghimire, our new System Support Specialist! Geena recently moved to Baltimore and is excited to be a member of the JCC support team. While you may have not met Geena personally, chances are that if you’ve had any type of technical issue with the My J app, Geena has had a hand in resolving the problem. Learn more about Geena below.

What excites you about working at the JCC? How did you get your job? 
The people and community of the JCC. Everyone that I have come across and met in the past couple of months of working here has radiated such a welcoming, helpful, and kind energy. I came across a job posting here at JCC Baltimore and...

Feb21
by admin

My Stoler Early Learning Center Journey

Jillian Miller, Assistant Director of Noah’s Ark camp, shares her ELC story.

When I sit and think back about where my journey with the ELC began, it seems like such a long time ago and yesterday at the same time. We moved locally in December of 2014 with our 5-year-old daughter and our 2-year-old son, who would soon be joined by a little brother 8 months later. I remember calling the Stoler Early Learning Center before we even moved to sign my daughter up to start in January of 2015 at the preschool and the director...

Feb13
by admin

What it Means to be a Maccabi Coach

Seth Chait, Mini & Jr. Maccabi coach for 2018, 2019 and the upcoming 2023 games, shares about his experience.

Growing up in a small Jewish community in Dover DE, I had heard about the Maccabi Games yet never participated in them.  As a youth and teenager, a good portion of my identity was playing sports including competing at the college level with Wake Forest University. When our children Zach & Samara were old enough to play youth sports here in the Baltimore area, my year-round coaching career began in soccer, basketball and baseball. 

My coaching involvement in the Baltimore community put me in contact with the JCC and Rebecca Chinsky. When I found out that the Mini & Junior...

Jan31
by admin

Happy Birthday to the Trees!

By Rabbi Ariel Platt, Director of J Life

Why do trees hate riddles? Because it’s too easy to get stumped.

The holiday, Tu BiShevat (15th of Shevat), is often referred to as the “Birthday of the Trees”. This year it begins at sundown February 5th, and ends at sundown February 6th. In Israel it also marks the beginning of Spring. There are great traditional ways of celebrating, such as planting a tree, or having a Tu BiShevat seder. However this year, since it is the “Birthday of the trees,” my family is going to plan a birthday party for our favorite tree. I invite you and your family to join us in trying something new, and plan a birthday party for your favorite tree or trees.

When planning your birthday party, here is a list of details to think about:

  1. Decorations - create decorations to hang on your tree
  2. Food - You can...