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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 aclanton@nojcc.org or call 504-897-0143
Download a copy of our monthly newsletter for September 2026.
October Book Club: Sunflower House: A novel by Adriana Allegri
Reviewer: Diane Zimmerman, Jewish Community Leader & Educator
The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri is a historical fiction novel exploring the Nazi Lebensborn program—a state-run eugenics project designed to breed racially pure "Aryan" children. It follows Allina Strauss, a half-Jewish woman who conceals her heritage to survive and ultimately risks everything to save innocent children from Nazi control 
Tuesday, October 20 | 1:30 - 3:00 PM
Free and open to the community
RSVP by Monday, October 19th
November Book Club: Returning: a search for home across three Centuries by Nicholas Lemann
Reviewer: Elizabeth Kahn, former librarian and media specialist, Patrick F. Taylor Academy and Tulane University.
Returning: A Search for Home Across Three Centuries is a searing family memoir by journalist and historian Nicholas Lemann. It traces five generations of his German-Jewish family as they transition from humble beginnings to wealthy, assimilated plantation owners in the American South, ultimately exploring themes of belonging, race, and religious identity.
Tuesday, November 17 | 1:30 - 3:00 PM
Free and open to the community
RSVP by Monday, November 16th
Call (504) 897-0143 with any questions. All programs take place at the Uptown JCC.
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.
CHAIR YOGA & GUIDED MEDITATION
This class is geared towards seniors and will take place on chairs. It begins with soft stretching and yoga, then moves into guided meditation. Led by Kelly Bond in the Mind/Body Studio.
Fridays | 11:00 am - 11:45 pm
No charge members | $2 non-members
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, Tuesdays and Thursdays | 10:45 - 11:45 am
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
Call (504) 897-0143 with any questions.
Sukkot Party
Join us for a festive celebration of Sukkot, a week-long Jewish festival where families build a temporary hut called a sukkah and eat meals in it to commemorate the Israelites' 40 years in the desert. We will enjoy a delicious harvest feast and celebrate the traditions of the holiday.
Thursday, September 24 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
$3 members | $5 non-members
RSVP by Monday, September 21
Hertha Bart Memorial Luncheon
Join us for an elegant luncheon honoring the memory of our past member, Hertha Bart. Enjoy a delicious lunch and entertainment by one of Pat O’Brien’s fabulous pianists, Ben Michaels. There is no charge for this event, but reservations are required and for members only. This luncheon is sponsored by Hertha’s loving children, Vivian Cahn and Morris Bart.
Thursday, October 15 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
No charge, members only
RSVP by Monday, October 12
Lunch & Learn with the Rabbi - October
Join us for our monthly Lunch & Learn as we discuss interesting topics with a local Jewish leader. This month, Rabbi Silverman from Touro Synagogue will be joining us after we have a light lunch.
Thursday, October 1 | 12:00 - 1:30 pm
$3 members | $5 non-members
RSVP by Monday, September 28
Lunch & Learn with the Rabbi - November
Join us for our monthly Lunch & Learn as we discuss interesting topics with a local Jewish leader. This month, Rabbi Mendel Rivkin from Chabad will be joining us after we have a light lunch.
Thursday, November 5 | 12:00 - 1:30 pm
$3 members | $5 non-members
RSVP by Monday, November 2
Morris Bart Sr., Lecture Series: Jews, Coffee, and The Promised Land
Our Talmudic sages cautioned Jews against going abroad alone at night. You could fall into a ditch, invite scandalous gossip, be robbed or murdered. Be especially afraid on Tuesday nights and Erev Shabbat. The demoness “Agrat, daughter of Mahalat, she and 180,000 angels of destruction go out at these times.” (Pesachim 112b:15). Then, in the 15th century, a nadol gamur, a new thing which hadn’t existed before, was introduced to the world by way of Ethiopia and Yemen: coffee. Coffee stimulates wakefulness. “Coffee makes the night a day, and thoughts sharper than a blade”. Coffee and the coffeehouse culture it seeded liberated the night for purposes pious to profane, political to philosophical. Coffee was a great disrupter. Wherever coffee houses insinuated themselves, trouble brewed. How has Judaism responded to coffee and coffee houses? What influence have they had on Jewish religious practices and secular culture over the succeeding five centuries? Retired New Orleans tour guide, David Feldman, will talk about these questions - over coffee.
Monday, October 12 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Free for members | $10 non-members
RSVP by Thursday, October 8
Morris Bart, Sr. Lecture Series: Notable Jewish Architects in the History of New Orleans
In this lecture, New Orleans architect Louis Kong will cover several influential architects who worked in the city of New Orleans. He will examine their works and the design philosophy behind their works. Together, we will communicate with them through their buildings, discover their thoughts in creating these monumental structures, and see how their architecture influences our environment. A catered lunch will be served.
Monday, November 9 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Free for members | $10 for non-members
RSVP by Thursday, November
Morris Bart, Sr. Lecture Series: Building Bridges Across Borders: The Value of International Education
What happens when students from around the world become part of our communities or when our own community members venture abroad? The answer is far more than an educational experience. International education fosters understanding, builds lasting relationships, strengthens local communities, and fosters understanding and connection across cultures.
Join Mariette Thomas, Director of the Center for International Education at Loyola University New Orleans, for a conversation about the many ways global learning experiences enrich our lives. Drawing on stories from her own travels and years of working with students from around the world, Mariette will discuss how international students enrich our communities, how international experiences can shape lives and broaden perspectives, and why global exchange remains one of the most effective ways to build understanding and connection across cultures. Whether you've traveled the world or simply enjoy learning about it, you'll leave with a greater appreciation for how international education helps build bridges that benefit us all.
Monday, December 14 |12:00 - 2:00 PM
Free for members | $10 for non-members
RSVP by Thursday, December 10
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Writer Lloyd Vogel forges a friendship with famed children's television host Fred Rogers and learns to make peace with his painful past. Starring Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, and Susan Kelechi Watson. Bring your lunch; movie snacks and coffee will be provided.
Thursday, September 17 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
No charge for members and non-members
RSVP by September 15
Remarkably Bright Creatures
In this 2026 Emmy nominee, a wily octopus brings together two lost souls (Sally Field and Lewis Pullman).
Thursday, October 29| 12:00 - 2:00 PM
Free and open to the community
RSVP by Monday, October 26
Movie Day: The Choral
Ralph Fiennes stars in this drama about an enigmatic choirmaster who uses music to unite a Yorkshire town amid the turmoil of WWI.
Thursday, November 19 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Free and open to the community
RSVP by Monday, November 16
NOMA: Tour of the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
Where art meets nature - experience 100 works of art set in a unique Louisiana landscape. Join your friends for lunch at Cafe NOMA and then a docent-led tour through the sculpture garden.
Thursday, October 8 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Free admission for Louisiana residents courtesy of The Helis Foundation.
RSVP by Monday, October 5
Ogden Museum: Louisiana Contemporary
Ogden Museum of Southern Art first launched Louisiana Contemporary, presented by The Helis Foundation in 2012, as an annual survey exhibition that would bring to the fore the work of artists living in Louisiana and highlight the dynamism of art practice throughout the state. Since the inaugural exhibition, Ogden Museum has shown works by over 650 artists, making Louisiana Contemporary an important moment in the national arts calendar to recognize and experience the spectrum and vitality of artistic voices emanating from New Orleans and art communities across Louisiana.
Thursday, November 12 | 1:15 - 2:30 pm
Admission to the museum is free to Louisiana residents on Thursdays, courtesy of The Helis Foundation Art for All program.
RSVP by Monday, November 9
The Kaiut Yoga Method: A Talk by Ravi Kaiut
What most people call aging is often something else entirely: The gradual loss of adaptability and mobility inside the body. As joints lose movement, circulation decreases. The nervous system shifts into protection. Compensatory movements slowly become your life. Pain begins to feel normal, but decline is not inevitable. In The Kaiut Yoga Method, Ravi Kaiut introduces a radically different way of understanding movement, pain, and long-term health. Instead of chasing strength, flexibility, or performance, this book focuses on something far more fundamental: restoring the conditions that allow the body to thrive again.
Ravi Kaiut is a Brazilian author, researcher, and educator whose work explores the intersection of movement, neuroscience, and human longevity. His work focuses on a central question: how the condition of the body influences the nervous system and shapes the way human beings age.
Bring your lunch; dessert and coffee will be provided.
Wednesday, October 21 | 12:00 - 1:30 pm
Free and open to the community
RSVP by Monday, October 19
iPhone Basics: Master Your Device with Confidence
New to smartphone technology? This gentle, step-by-step class removes the frustration from technology. Learn to navigate your screen, adjust essential settings, and connect with loved ones safely. Bring your lunch; dessert and coffee will be served.
Thursday, October 22 | 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Free and open to the community
RSVP by Monday, October 19
Special thank you to our peer facilitators: Dov Glazer, Jillian Richman, and Carol Tully
Call 504-897-0143 if you have questions. All groups take place Uptown.
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
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Free and open to the community
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
12:45 - 2:00 pm
Free and open to the community
Knit One, Crochet Too
Come and knit and crochet along with us. Beginners are welcome; we will get you started. Already an expert? Share your expertise with the group. Bring your works in progress and some show-and-tell items. Other handicrafts are also welcome.
Every Monday
10:00 - 11:00 am
Free and open to the community
RSVP with this form
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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