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Research proves the lifelong importance of exercising body and mind. For adults 60+, the JCC offers resources to keep you engaged. Drawing on decades of experience, the JCC offers activities that address the social, cultural and physical needs of these members. Hope to see you at the J!
All programming takes place at the Uptown JCC unless otherwise stated.
For information, email Josh Brooks or call 504-897-0143.
Download a copy of our monthly newsletter for April 2025.
May 20, 2025: The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr
The Goddess of Warsaw is an enthralling tale of a legendary Hollywood screen goddess with a dark secret about her life in the Warsaw Ghetto. When the famous actress is threatened by someone from her past, she must put her skills into play to protect herself, her illustrious career, and those she loves, then and now.
Los Angeles, 2005. Sienna Hayes, Hollywood’s latest It Girl, has ambitions to work behind the camera. When she meets Lena Browning, the enormously mysterious and famous Golden Age movie star, Sienna sees her big break. She wants to direct a picture about Lena’s life—but the legendary actor’s murky past turns out to be even darker than Sienna dreamed. Before she was a Living Legend, Lena Browning was Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew whose life and family were destroyed by the Nazis.
Warsaw, 1943. A member of the city’s Jewish elite, Bina Blonski and her husband, Jakub, are imprisoned in the ghastly, cramped ghetto along with the rest of Warsaw’s surviving Jews. Determined to fight back against the brutal Nazis, the beautiful, blonde Aryan-looking Bina becomes a spy, gaining information and stealing weapons outside the ghetto to protect her fellow Jews. But her dangerous circumstances grow complicated when she falls in love with Aleksander, an ally in resistance—and Jakub’s brother. While Lena accomplishes amazing feats of bravery, she sacrifices much in the process.
Over a decade after escaping the horrors of the ghetto, Bina, now known as Lena, rises to fame in Hollywood. Yet she cannot help but be reminded of her old life and hungers for revenge against the Nazis who escaped justice after the war. Her power and fame as a movie star offer Lena the chance to right the past’s wrongs . . . and perhaps even find the happy ending she never had.
A gripping page-turner of one of history’s most heroic uprisings and an actress whose personal war never ends, The Goddess Of Warsaw is filled with secrets, lies, twists and turns, and a burning pursuit of justice no matter the cost.
Tuesday, May 20 | 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Free and open to the community
Please RSVP by May 19
Learn To Play Bridge Online
Want to join a game online? Click this link for more info: ClubKing Inc.
Questions? Email info@ClubKingInc.com.
Intermediate through advanced players can join us for classes and online play here.
LECTURE: UNDERSTANDING THE MIDDLE EAST WITH AVI MELAMED
Join Middle East expert Avi Melamed for an in-depth lecture offering insights into the complexities of the region. Delve into a deeper discussion about this hotly debated area as Avi answers questions from the audience, providing expert analysis and helping to unravel the complexities of current affairs, history, and geopolitical dynamics. This lecture promises a compelling and informative experience for those looking to better understand the Middle East.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL EVENTS IN THE SPRING 2025 CULTURAL ARTS SERIES.
Email Josh Brooks or call (504) 897-0143 with any questions.
BETTER BALANCE
Balance exercises, along with certain strength exercises, can help prevent falls by improving one's ability to control and maintain body position, whether one is moving or still. Join us for this invigorating, low-impact class.
Wednesdays | 10:45 - 11:30 am
No charge members / $2 non-members
DANCE FOR PARKINSON'S
This FUN, free creative movement classes are specially designed for people living with Parkinson’s. Caregivers and supporting family and friends are welcome, as are individuals with other movement or neurological challenges. Participants report benefits such as improved mood, balance, flexibility, and strength. No experience necessary.
Please join us and dance to LIVE MUSIC by accompanist Jeffrey Pounds!
Sponsored by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust, classes are modeled after the Dance for PD® program developed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group, whose network of affiliates now spans over 300 communities in 25 countries around the world!
Wednesdays | 10:30 - 11:45 am
Pre-register onsite during class times, or in advance here. Visit NOBA for more information.
GUIDED GROUP MEDITATION
Join us for a guided meditation class geared towards seniors. The class will take place on chairs and will begin with soft stretching and yoga. It will then move to a guided meditation, led by a certified yoga and meditation instructor. Class will conclude with the group processing what they experienced. Start your day off right and learn the skill set to incorporate meditation into your daily lifestyle.
Fridays | 11:00 - 11:45 am
No charge members / $2 non-members
Instructor: Jennifer Martinez
SENIOR CHAIR EXERCISE
Designed for seniors at all levels and abilities, this class involves stretching and strength training. Either exercise from a chair or standing, according to your comfort level. Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes. Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
Mondays, 10:45 - 11: 45 am with Peggy
Tuesdays, 10:45 - 11: 45 am with Monica
Thursdays, 10:45 - 11: 45 am with Peggy
Join us for mah jongg, Rummikub or bridge. Challenge your brain, meet new people and spend the afternoon with friends. Bring your lunch; dessert and coffee will be provided.
JCC - Uptown
Tuesdays | 12:00 - 3:00 pm
Free and open to the community
Email Josh Brooks or call (504) 897-0143 with any questions.
Grief Support Group
The JCC is partnering with Jewish Family Service (JFS) to provide a grief group to the New Orleans community. The group provides a safe space to share feelings, learn coping strategies, and connect with others who are grieving.
Mondays | March 10 - April 21
2:00 - 3:30 pm
Email jonathan@jfsneworleans.org for more information
Shavuot Luncheon
Join us for a delicious dairy luncheon prepared by Chef Jeff celebrating the harvest holiday of Shavuot which is best known for the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Learn about the holiday and how it is celebrated around the world.
Thursday, May 29
12:00 - 2:00 PM at the Uptown JCC
$3 Member | $5 Non-member
RSVP with this form or to Josh Brooks by Monday, May 26
Join us for our monthly Lunch & Learn as we discuss interesting topics with a local Jewish leader. This month Rabbi David Cohen-Henriquez from Shir Chadash will be joining us after we have a light lunch.
JCC - Uptown
Thursday, April 3 | 12:00 - 1:30 pm
$3 members / $5 non-members
RSVP with this form or to Josh Brooks by Monday, March 31
RSVP by Thursday, May 8.
RSVP by Thursday, June 5.
Movie Day: The Piano Lesson
Thursday | April 24 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
A fight over an heirloom piano stirs up ghosts of the past in this Denzel Washington-produced adaptation of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Bring your lunch; movie snacks will be served.
RSVP to Josh Brooks
Movie Day: Queen Bees
Thursday | May 8 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Temporarily forced to stay in a retirement community, a headstrong woman navigates mean cliques, high-stake bridge games and new relationships. Bring your lunch; movie snacks will be served. RSVP by Monday, May 5.
RSVP with this form or to Josh Brooks
The JCC is traveling to Northern Italy - New Itinerary
The JCC's trip to Italy has been revised! The new trip takes day trips across Northern Italy while enjoying the comfort of staying in only one hotel. We are planning a trip from June 26 - July 4, 2025, visiting Treviso, Verona, Venice, Asolo, the Dolomites, and Bassano del Grappa.
To learn more about this trip, click HERE.
Special thank you to our peer facilitators: Dov Glazer, Jillian Richman, and Carol Tully
Email Josh Brooks or call 504-897-0143 if you have questions.
Current Events Group
Meet others to discuss current news and events. No particular viewpoint is required, just an interest in what's going on in the world. Bring an open mind. This group will meet on the second Tuesday of each month.
Tuesdays | January 14 - December 9 (no meetings in June or July)
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Free and open to the community
RSVP with this form or to Josh Brooks
Men's Group
The JCC Men's Group is a monthly discussion group for retired gentlemen to create community and conversations. Meeting on the first Friday of each month, this group provides an opportunity for men to come together to connect, reminisce, and explore a range of topics with their peers.
Fridays | January 3 - Dec 5, 2025 (no meeting in June or July)
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Free and open to the community
RSVP with this form or to Josh Brooks
Play Reading Group
Meeting on the third Wednesday of each month, the idea of this group is really very simple; we get together, we sit around a table and we read a play aloud. Everyone has a part or two to read.
Wednesdays | January 15 - May 21
2:00 - 4:00 pm
Free and open to the community
RSVP with this form or to Josh Brooks
Stressed? If you're feeling it, chances are your child is feeling it too. You know the signs; when your mind starts racing and your heartbeat starts racing, your tendency is to get louder and faster. But what you and your body and your child need is for things to slow down and start making sense.
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Members can now access Online Member Services on mobile devices by downloading the New Orleans JCC app in the App Store or Google Play.
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