Coming Home to Community: A Lifelong Connection to the JCC

By Jordan Zilberman

My mom moved from Denver, Colorado to Pikesville in 1989. My dad grew up in Baltimore City – he went to the Owings Mills JCC but didn’t know much about the surrounding community. When they married, they migrated to Owings Mills. When I was born, my parents, like many young families, were searching for Jewish community.

They found Lamaze classes and playgroups that eventually led them to the JCC preschool, where I started in the 2’s class about 27 years ago. I stayed at the JCC through Kindergarten and continued going for Aftercare and the School’s Out program throughout my elementary school years. 

The JCC Early Learning Center was a huge part of my childhood and my family’s integration into Jewish Baltimore County. Over the years, I kept coming back: as a camper at The Loft, a participant in the Top Notch Teens (TNT) program, a volunteer, and later a Noah’s Ark summer camp counselor during college and beyond. The wonderful teachers I met made such an impact on me that they were one of the big reasons I became an elementary school teacher.

I always felt safe and a part of something bigger at the JCC. I made lifelong connections and friendships. One of my childhood friends from JCC Kindergarten signed the ketubah at my wedding!

Now, as a parent myself, returning to the JCC feels like coming full circle. Raising my daughter, Noa, surrounded by Jewish community is deeply important to me. Bringing her back to the place where I felt so comfortable in my Jewish identity feels like the perfect place to start her journey. I know she is surrounded by Jewish values, Jewish education, and a community that will welcome her the same way it welcomed me.

Having been a JCC camper and counselor, a teacher, and now a parent, I see the importance of community from every perspective. The JCC is a place where children learn not just academically, but socially: through friendships, collaboration, and exposure to people from many backgrounds.

Becoming a parent has also shifted how I approach my work as a teacher. I now have a better understanding of the trust parents place in the people caring for their children each day. That perspective has deepened my commitment to creating a supportive environment for both my students and their families.

This is also what inspired me to become a Connector. I started the role not long before Noa was born because I wanted to meet new families, share experiences, and build relationships. It has helped me create a support system for both of us while giving me the chance to connect with others in a relaxed, welcoming way.

For me, the JCC has always been about more than programs. It’s about relationships and community. And now, watching Noa begin her own journey here feels incredibly meaningful.

Learn more about the Stoler Early Learning Center: jcc.org/program/stoler-early-learning-center/