JCC Building and Operations Updates

Dear Springfield JCC Members & Friends:

Over the last four weeks, our staff has been working diligently to ensure the continuation of as many of our services as possible. It is with great excitement that we are reaching out to say that our outdoor cycling classes and many of our group exercise classes will be back in action!

We recognize that these programs are critical to our members and to our community as a whole. They are an essential part of our agency and our staff members are looking forward to seeing many of you in the very near future!

Our cycling classes will be held in the back staff parking lot at the JCC. Classes will begin on Saturday, December 17. The schedule can be found attached to this email and on our website here. We will be resuming the same schedule of classes we had prior to the fire, with the exception of a few days for the upcoming holidays. Be sure to reserve your bike via SignUpGenius here before class! (Please be sure to use the bathroom before you come to class as the building will be closed and no entry will be permitted.)

Many of our group exercise classes will be coming back via Zoom beginning Monday, December 19. These classes include: Strength & Sculpt, Yogalates, Better Balance, Restorative Yoga, Vin/Yin Yoga, Circuit Challenge, and Peaceful Minds. The schedule can be found attached to this email and on our website here. The Zoom login information for each class can be found on the schedule and direct links can be found on our website here.

Lastly, we will have select times to pick up your locker room belongings next week. At the following times, there will be a staff member at the front of the JCC near the big green awning who will hand you your belongings: Tuesday, December 20, 12:30 – 2:30 PM and Thursday, December 22, 12:00 – 2:00 PM. As more times become available we will send along updates with additional days and times.

Thank you all for your patience while we made arrangements for our exercise programs. We have truly been touched by the outpouring of support from our members, friends, and community over the last four weeks. We are looking forward to seeing you – both in person and virtually – at our upcoming classes!

Enjoy the upcoming weekend and Shabbat Shalom,

Cassidy Audet

Wellness & Recreation Director

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Dear Springfield JCC Members,

We are reaching out to provide you with an update regarding neighboring facilities that have graciously offered to accommodate our members while we assess the damage of the fire from Friday evening.

As we work to repair our JCC, the Mandell JCC in West Hartford has offered for our members to use their facilities. They can be found at 335 Bloomfield Ave, West Hartford, CT 06117. They have a fitness center, pool, gymnasium, and locker rooms available for use. We are so incredibly grateful that they are welcoming our members with open arms. Visit their website here.

The Enfield Tennis Club has provided us with a few times throughout the week for Pickleball. Those times are Monday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 22 from 12:30 – 2:30 pm and Sunday, November 27 from 7:30 – 9:30 am. They can be found at 226 Shaker Road, Enfield, CT 06082.

Wherever you decide to visit, plan to bring your JCC membership card to prove JCC membership and authorize usage of that facility.

As we have updates regarding facilities our members can use in this interim period, we will be sending that information out as soon as possible. It is important that you please refrain from reaching out to other local facilities on behalf of the JCC. We are actively looking to grow our partnerships with these organizations and will keep you updated as new opportunities arise.

We are so thankful to be surrounded by such a supportive community who will lift us up during this difficult time.

If you have any questions regarding our facility partnerships, please reach out to Cassidy Audet, Wellness & Recreation Director, at CAudet@SpringfieldJCC.org.

Thank you, beyond measure, for your continued support. We will provide continued updates as we have more information to share with our membership, as we are committed to keeping our entire agency and community apprised of any and all updates.

Sincerely,

Cassidy Audet , Wellness & Recreation Director

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO

Rich Goldstein, Board President

Dear ELC and KS families/caretakers and staff,

We are writing to share some exciting and long awaited news: we have specific return dates and a plan for going back to the Springfield JCC for our ELC and KidSpace programs! Please read the details below for specifics.

Early Learning Center:

We plan to return the children and ELC staff to our JCC at 1160 Dickinson Street on Wednesday, February 22, 2023. In order to maintain this target return date, the following will take place:

• Sunday, February 19: Staff will work in classrooms as teaching teams to ready materials and space for our return to the JCC.
• Monday, February 20: This is an originally planned Professional Development day in our calendar and we must maintain this PD day. The ELC will be closed on this day.
• Tuesday, February 21: Staff will resume room preparation for the majority of the day which means our ELC will be closed for childcare for the day.
• Tuesday, February 21: We will also host an Open House/Grand Re-opening for our children and families/caretakers from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. to come and walk through the newly renovated/updated ELC classrooms.  Feel free to drop by at any time with your children between 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, February 22:  Welcome back to the ELC, everyone!

Although tremendously exciting, we realize that the above timeline creates a disruption for many: staff being asked to work beyond the regular work week on 2/19; families/caretakers asked to find alternative care for children on 2/22. By no means are decisions to close our ELC or modify the calendar mid-year ever made haphazardly, this decision being no exception. Our return timeline was purposefully created around a weekend and an already established professional development day for our ELC staff, not to mention delivery dates of necessary replacement items. Come Wednesday, February 22, we will be eager and ready to welcome you and our ELC children back home to the J.

KidSpace:

KidSpace children and staff will return to the JCC at 1160 Dickinson Street on Monday, February 27, 2023. This is right after the February school vacation and after our “StayCation” week of care (vacation camp) that we are offering our KidSpace and CAP families at Mapleshade Elementary School (Monday, February 20 – Friday, February 24, 2023 – more information and registration form to follow soon via email). The return for our KidSpace children and staff also comes at a time that aligns nicely with a transition and/or time off for many children. Because the layout of the KidSpace areas are not altered as much as the ELC, we do not feel an “Open House” is necessary. Additionally, KS children have been playing on the playground of the JCC throughout the closure while at Tate, so the change for KS children and staff may have been gentler.

We are also finding ways to say goodbye to some amazing people both at Educare and at Tate.  Saying goodbye, even when it is a beautiful thing, is almost never easy. Our community partnership has blossomed into a tremendous friendship, one we are all very proud of and will continue to grow by way of group professional development and community-wide events.  And when the time comes for Educare or Tate to lean on us, we will proudly and without hesitation help. We have become colleagues and friends beyond measure.

I pray that we never, ever find ourselves in this position again. Recovering from a fire has been one of the most difficult times for our JCC.  And we (ELC and KS) are heading back to our J much sooner than other members of our agency.  It is certainly a bittersweet point in our journey.  We want our entire J to be open and we want everyone to feel as excited as we are at this moment.  However, it cannot and some do not – and we will continue to work diligently and intentionally to repair and reopen the rest of the facility when it is safe to do so.

Please reach out to me, Katie Burke or Maureen Marchacos with any questions. We continue to be grateful for your partnership, your children and this place we have come to together. We will be sharing this information with the children tomorrow, but feel free to share the good news when you see them tonight!

With gratitude,

Amy Stec, Sr. Director, Youth and Family Programs

Dear ELC and KS parents/caretakers,

Happy Hanukkah! I hope to see many of you at First Light later tonight, as we come together to celebrate the start of this holiday seasons. Tonight also marks one month since the fire. Being together and staying connected is so very important right now.

As we have mentioned many times since November 18th, “out of darkness comes light”. On the evening of November 18, the Springfield Jewish Community Center was enveloped in darkness because of a fire that significantly damaged areas of the facility and closed the building, impacting our ability to provide childcare, wellness activities, and other critical services.

Despite the darkness of that evening, it didn’t take long for the light to begin shining again. With the help of our leadership team here at the J and our community partners, we were able to find alternate facilities for our ELC and KidSpace. These homes away from home are good for now and alas, there is light.

This past week we learned some critical information from our adjusters and insurance company and had to make some hard decisions. More accurately, these decisions are more emotionally difficult. We learned definitively that nearly everything in our ELC and KidSpace areas were compromised by smoke and soot as a result of the fire. Among the items to be replaced are soft toys, crib mattresses, cribs, rest mats, toys left in open containers, the actual containers, games, food, bulletin boards, some parts of the cubbies – and nearly 6,000 books. We also know that the ceiling tiles need to be replaced; we have to correct some prior electrical work that is now not up to building codes; a fire alarm system for the entire building must be installed; carpets need to be either cleaned or replaced.

There are also additional hurdles to consider:

• We still face supply chain shortages.
• All industries, not just our childcare world, are getting pummeled by sickness resulting in labor shortages.
• Even the best of intentions don’t always result in sticking with workflow timelines – delays are to be expected.
• And this is a time of year for holiday celebration for many. Spending time with families and loved takes priority over work. This naturally impacts work production.

Because of all this, we are going to remain at Educare and Tate Behavioral through the end of January. Both agencies have graciously agreed to this much needed extension. There is nothing we desire more at this time than to return to our home at the JCC, but it is simply not safe nor advisable to do so prior to the end of January. We will continue to assess the work that is done and send regular updates as they become available. The executive leadership team, JCC board and vendors with whom we are working know that we are anxious to return to our ELC home, but that we also want the repair work done correctly. This restorative work will also help position us for the ELC that we want in the future, not just returning us to our original state. This is an opportunity for better. For light.

So look for the light. It is not to say that we are not sad or disappointed that we are not back home. It’s OK to feel this way. But the light is that we have support; we have means to do the repair work; we have alternate learning and care locations that continue to welcome us; and as we approach the upcoming Hanukkah season, a season of light, may we be grateful for all of the light in the midst of darkness.

I also sent this message via video to the staff, but the video is too large for this communication platform (Constant Contact). If interested, look for the video on our FB page or the Remini app later today/tonight.

Stay healthy and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Amy Stec, Sr. Director, Youth and Family Programs

November 28, 2022

Good afternoon, ELC and KS families/caretakers,

Happy Monday! I hope you all were able to rest over the weekend and perhaps spend some quality time with friends and family for Thanksgiving.  I am writing with some recent updates for our ELC and KS locations and programs.

ELC (Early Learning Center):

We are planning to remain at Educare through at least Friday, December 23, 2022. The work being done at the JCC to get us back to a safe and acceptable early learning center is taking longer than we had hoped.  We have been working alongside the Educare staff and our licensors to make this decision.  Everyone’s support of our children and staff has been remarkable and we are fortunate to now call these folks our friends. Since we will be staying longer than initially expected, there are a few things we need to adjust, so please make note of the following:

1. You may send in necessary items with your child for the week, and continue to send in items that are needed weekly, at the start of each week.  There is not a lot of storage space at Educare so we will be able to store one week’s worth of items for each of our children.
2. We met as an administrative leadership team today with Educare to review safety procedures, protocols and expectations, knowing we will be there for a few more weeks. We will need to review these same procedures, protocols and expectations with our staff in-person as well.  Because of this, we will have an early release for our ELC students this Thursday, December 1st, at 3:30 p.m. We realize this is unexpected and may cause a scheduling problem for your family, but the need to gather this week with our staff as well as Educare leadership is essential to operations and safety. Thank you so much in advance for your understanding of this scheduling adjustment.
3. During our meeting this morning, we learned that our emergency evacuation locations are Brookings Elementary School (primary location; 433 Walnut Street, Springfield) as well as Springfield College lot 3B (secondary location; corner of Hickory Street and Sheffield Street), both located within walking distance of Educare.  I am sharing this with you all so that in the event of an emergency, you have this information ahead of time. Should an emergency happen, you will be notified via phone and email which location we are utilizing.
4. While dropping off and picking up children at Educare, we ask that you turn off your car and come into the building. Idling is not allowed per Massachusetts state law.
5. Our PTO Meeting will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. Thank you for your patience as we have shifted this meeting and date a few times. See registration link below:

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.

When: Dec 6, 2022 05:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEuf-mpqT8oHdFh4t6K8EfR2VL-40xSXaXg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

KS (KidSpace):

We will continue to be at Tate Behavioral Learning Center, just across the parking lot from the JCC. We will plan to be there through at least Friday, December 23, 2022 as well. The post-fire clean up impacted our KS rooms and materials more so than the ELC, so the extension of our time at Tate is certainly needed. Their staff (also now friends!) has been equally as amazing as our friends at Educare. We have a meeting with the administration of Tate tomorrow, Tuesday, and will send up updated information regarding pertinent emergency information.

We also know that many of our families/caretakers have reached out to ask about ways in which they can help during this continued time of transition.  Our ELC PTO is mobilizing ideas to support our ELC children and staff and we are working with parent volunteer Nicole Cantorini for some KidSpace support. Again, we are so fortunate to have such devotion from you all, as well as our community partners and JCC Board of Directors. More information will be forthcoming.

Please reach out to Katie Burke for questions related to ELC operations and Maureen Marchacos for KS/CAP operations.  My deep and most sincere gratitude to these two colleagues, for their tireless work on behalf of our agency, children and staff.

Sincerely,

Amy Stec, Sr. Director, Youth and Family Programs

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Good afternoon, ELC families/caretakers,

I have three updates for your timely review. Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this email.

1. We need to reschedule tonight’s Zoom PTO meeting, as we need to huddle as an ELC staff to do some necessary logistical processing, brainstorming and planning as we approach the end of this work week, an upcoming Thanksgiving break and then the week ahead. Tonight presents the best night for our staff to gather together. Therefore, we are going to move our PTO meeting to next Tuesday, November 29, 2022 at 5:30 PM via Zoom. A new registration link will be provided soon.

2.  The ELC will remain at Educare next week, Monday, November 28 – Friday, December 2, 2022. Our ELC at the J was not damaged as much as other parts of the building for sure, but we need to do some additional cleaning in order to be back up and running safely for all of our staff and our children. The repair work as well as ongoing assessments are underway and we want to afford the vendors uninterrupted time next week to do a completely thorough job prior to our return. And if we need to remain at Educare beyond next week, we have been warmly invited to do so by Nikki and her staff if at all necessary.

3. We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and many who want to offer their help. We have been treated by some with coffee, donuts and a pizza and salad lunch today for our staff as well as the Educare staff! I know giving is on the minds of many and I assure you we are thrilled to talk about this at next week’s PTO meeting, as it was an agenda item for tonight!  And in the interim, keep reaching out to the teachers and send them supportive messages and love!

Please stay in touch regarding any questions as they arise. We will continue to update you with any information and decisions as they become available.

Sincerely,

Amy Stec, Sr. Director, Youth and Family Programs

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Good morning, ELC and KS families,

I am writing to inform you of an update of our plans for caring for our children during this extraordinary time. The ELC and KidSpace spaces here at the JCC will not be operational Monday, November 21, 2022 and possibly Tuesday, November 22, 2022. In preparation for this, we have worked with our community partners to secure alternate care locations for both our ELC and KS children. It is remarkable that we have arrived at this wonderful plan to support our children, families/caretakers and staff in such a short amount of time! My deepest gratitude to our JCC leadership team; our partners at Square One and Head Start in Springfield; Katie Burke and Maureen Marchacos, program directors; and the team at Educare and Tate Behavioral for welcoming us into their learning homes.

Those children who are in our ELC will be cared for by our JCC ELC teachers and staff at Educare Springfield. This is an incredible early learning center with six open classrooms, ready and waiting for us! The Youth and Family Programs team along with the ELC teachers and staff will be at Educare Springfield to help welcome families and children on Monday morning. Additional information for you to know:

• Educare will be open for us during our regular hours, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Teachers will be ready to go at 8:00 a.m. sharp.
• The location of this site is 100 Hickory Street, Springfield, MA 01109.
• Educare’s phone number is 413-750-9386. You are able and encouraged to call this number during the typical school day should you need to, just like you would the ELC.
• Families must bring ALL the daily essentials that their children need for a day: diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, changes of clothes, snacks, lunch, etc.
• The staff will continue to communicate with families/caretakers via Remini, per usual.
• Katie Burke and Mackenzie Sullivan will be at Educare to support this transition as well.
• Masks are mandatory for caretakers and staff.

For our KidSpace children, we have been graciously invited to Tate Behavioral Learning Center, our neighbors right across the street from the JCC. We share the parking lot with this Center! We will have the same routine for pick up: the bus will get the children from the three elementary schools in Longmeadow; children from other schools will be dropped off by their parents/caretakers. All children will enter through the front door and be met by Maureen and me, as well as other JCC staff in addition to our regularly scheduled KidSpace staff members. We have two classrooms as well as access to their play structure and the outdoor field to use for after school fun. Some additional points to know:

• KidSpace will still run until 6:00 p.m. on Monday, per usual.
• The location of Tate is across from the JCC: 594 Converse Street, Longmeadow, MA 01106
• Their phone number, should you need to reach us there: (413) 384-2916
• Please send your child with a nut-free snack and drink for Monday.
• Please continue to email Maureen Marchacos with any questions/concerns.
• Maureen Marchacos will be at Tate with the children and staff to support this transition as well.

We realize that this is a big change for all of our staff and children. As grown ups, we can weather change better than the little ones. If you choose not to send your child to the ELC or KS on Monday, kindly let Katie Burke or Maureen Marchacos know ahead of time.

I also would love for you to talk with your children, if applicable, about the need for us to go to a different location while we clean up our JCC. We will all be together, learning and being loved by the staff, just in a different spot for a few days (maybe two). Remind your child what they can look forward to (classmates/friends, familiar teachers, songs, hugs, and more hugs, home-packed snacks!) as well as what will be different. “I wonder what the classroom will look like? I wonder if there is a playscape? I wonder if ….” Let the wondering prompt be an opportunity for us to talk with our children about being flexible, especially during trying times.

We will continue to plan with the teams at Educare and Tate today to finalize logistics. We have also been in touch with our licensor (EEC): We are approved for these alternate locations during this extraordinary situation and have been assured help with anything needed. The local health department is coming Monday morning to inspect our clean up and repair efforts at the JCC as well, specifically in the ELC and KidSpace areas. It’s this agency and our code enforcement (building inspector) who make the final determination regarding opening the building back up to our members. We will send all updates as soon as we get them, as we are committed to providing you the most up to date information as we receive and review it.

Please reach out with any questions and we look forward to seeing you at the Educare and/or Tate on Monday!

Sincerely,

Amy Stec, Sr. Director, Youth and Family Programs

Hello Springfield JCC Members and Friends:

Each day, fire remediation work continues at our JCC on Dickinson Street – completing demolition, opening walls, and cleaning extensively. With that said, I would like to share a few updates on our progress and next steps.

Fire Remediation

• Our insurance provider has confirmed the women’s locker room can be remediated. Demolition work began on February 20 and much progress has already been made.
• The insurance adjusters are in the process of determining the scope of work to be done.
• Once the women’s locker room is fully remediated, the JCC will be addressing the pool – removing the scaffolding and replacing ceiling tiles. Here’s a video that explains more about the process. 
• While the damage caused by flames from the fire is localized to the women’s locker room, smoke damage continues to be an issue we are addressing throughout the facility. The pictures below show our JCC lobby and the hallway leading into the lobby the night of the fire. As you’ll note, smoke from the fire filled these areas and others, including those on the opposite end of the facility. Each area of the building requires careful remediation efforts.

     

Return to the JCC

• February 22: With great excitement and so much pride in our staff’s hard work, we welcomed our Early Learning Center families back to the JCC today. Some pictures of our new space and contents can be seen below.
• February 27: Our KidSpace afterschool program will return to the JCC facility.
• March 6: We will welcome back our administrative and management staff. Those staff whose offices are on the left side of the building will be temporarily relocated.
• March 27 is our tentative reopening date for the JCC lobby, meaning we will be able to welcome back our Adult and Cultural programs, special events, and some group fitness classes. Operating in only half of our building means space will be limited. We will ask for members’ and guests’ continued patience as we use various spaces for multiple activities and services.
• A construction wall will be installed to the left of the lobby and the hallway going down to the Health and Wellness spaces will remain closed to the public.
• As spaces of the J are remediated and renovated – and the Department of Public Health and City of Springfield Building Code Enforcement have signed off on the spaces – we will reopen them. For example, if the fitness center can open before the locker rooms, we will reopen the fitness center without access to the locker rooms.

     

Membership Engagement

• Staying in touch with our membership remains a top priority. COO Deb Krivoy is heading a Member Engagement staff committee to support our continued efforts to provide community outside of our JCC facility’s walls. Upcoming events include the Passover Wine Tasting and Sale on March 7 and an outing to Shaker Bowl on March 8.

We have been amazed by the response to the recent member survey. If you have not already taken the survey, please do so before February 25. You’ll find a link to the survey below.

At the JCC, we believe that while the fire was a devastating moment for our JCC community physically and emotionally, it presents us with an incredible opportunity to look seriously at our JCC – assessing if we are meeting the needs of our community and how we create a sustainable JCC for many generations to come.

Your continued support of our JCC remains vital to our agency and our broader community. Thank you.

With ever-deepening appreciation,

\Sam Dubrinsky, CEO

Dear Springfield JCC Members and Friends:

We are writing to you today to share some updates about the JCC’s fire remediation and reopening efforts.

As I have mentioned in previous communications, the JCC’s insurance company is conducting an investigation, which is typical in large losses such as what the JCC is experiencing. We have recently received news that soon we will be able to move forward with repairing and renovating spaces to the left of our lobby (fitness center, locker rooms, racquetball courts, pool, etc.).

Today, we shared with our Early Learning Center and KidSpace families/caregivers that they will be able to return to the JCC on February 22 and February 27, respectively. It feels important to share this update with our general membership as well. We are very excited about this milestone and grateful for the hard work of our Youth & Family team and our Facilities staff.

I also want to share some information about the pool. Some of our members have expressed concern about the pool never reopening. To be clear, the JCC has every intention to reopen our pool as quickly and as safely as possible. However, given the complexity of pool operations and maintenance, there may be issues we do not know about until we begin the remediation process in the pool area. Because of the pool’s proximity to the women’s locker room, the remediation process has not yet begun, though we anticipate being able to move forward soon.

With millions of dollars of facility repairs needed and an understanding of supply chain issues, we have established an estimated reopening timeline of areas within the facility. As a reminder, almost all of our programs and services, including many opportunities for fitness, swimming, and group exercise experiences, are continuing at alternate locations. The most up-to-date information can be found on our website.

Below is a reopening timeline we have previously shared for your reference.

Classrooms (outside of ELC), Auditorium, and Administrative/Business Office 

• These areas need some repair work and will not be ready until the end of February or beginning of March 2023.

Fitness Center and Racquetball Courts

• More significant renovations must take place in the fitness center before we can reopen this space, including new carpet, paint, and replacement of some equipment. We anticipate the fitness center will open in late spring.
• The racquetball court ceilings must be replaced because of smoke damage. Other renovations are needed as well. We anticipate this taking at least 3 months to complete.

Locker Rooms

• The women’s locker room will need a full renovation and will likely not be ready for use for an additional year.
• The family locker room will need a partial renovation and we hope to be able to use it within the next 6-9 months.
• The men’s locker room needs significant repair work done in the sauna, steam room, and shower area. Some of this work is not fire related, but discovered during the fire damage assessment process. Additionally, new flooring and furniture/contents are needed. We anticipate these efforts taking at least 6 months to complete.
• The boys’ and girls’ locker rooms will need new flooring. Our hope is to reopen these in time for summer camp.

Step by step, the JCC is preparing to welcome our members back with open arms (and some renovated spaces!) once all repairs have been completed and the facility is safe. We miss having members inside the facility more than we can put into words.

From the bottom of our hearts, I want to thank you for your tremendous support and dedication to our JCC. We are grateful for each of you.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO

Rich Goldstein, Board of Directors President

Dear Springfield JCC Members and Friends: We are writing to you today to share more about the JCC’s fire remediation and reopening efforts. Over the past few weeks, the building damage has been assessed and a path towards recovery and renovation has been drafted. We want to share with you a timeline, which is very much subject to change. First, it feels important to share that the JCC’s insurance company is conducting an investigation, which is typical in large losses such as what the JCC is experiencing. Until the insurance company allows us to move forward with cleaning and demolishing the women’s locker room, we are unable to address the damage at the scene of the fire. No repairs or renovations can take place until the scene of the fire is cleaned and demolished as the smoke and soot from demolition would infiltrate any replacements (such as new carpet and ceiling tiles). With millions of dollars of repairs needed and an understanding of supply chain issues, we have established an estimated reopening timeline of areas within the facility. As a reminder, almost all of our programs and services are continuing at alternate locations. The most up-to-date information can be found on our website. Early Learning Center With a fire door keeping much of the smoke out of the ELC, this area had the least damage. The ELC anticipates reopening in February 2023. Classrooms (outside of ELC), Auditorium, and Administrative/Business Office These areas need some repair work and will not be ready until the beginning of March 2023. Fitness Center and Racquetball Courts More significant renovations must take place in the fitness center before we can reopen this space, including new carpet, paint, and replacement of some equipment. The earliest the fitness center will open is late spring. The racquetball court ceilings must be repaired. Other renovations are needed as well. We anticipate this taking at least 3 months to complete. Locker Rooms The women’s locker room will need a full renovation and will likely not be ready for use for an additional year. The family locker room will need a partial renovation and we hope to be able to use it within the next 6-9 months. The men’s locker room needs significant repair work done in the sauna, steam room, shower area. Some of this work is not fire related, but discovered during the process. Additionally, new flooring and furniture/contents are needed. We anticipate these efforts taking at least 6 months to complete. The boys’ and girls’ locker rooms will need new flooring. Our hope is to reopen these in time for summer camp. Pool The pool is one of our biggest questions/concerns – and we, unfortunately, do not have a good sense of the timeline for reopening. We are still awaiting evaluations of mechanical systems that were impacted by the fire. We will communicate more information once we have it. We understand this is tough news to process and we are working tirelessly to find ways our JCC staff and communities can all be together in one place, even if we are not at the JCC. This may mean relocation of some health and wellness programs. While hearing the news that we may be apart for longer than we originally anticipated is difficult, the JCC will be ready to welcome our members back with open arms (and some renovated spaces!) once all repairs have been completed and the facility is safe. Each of you plays a critical role in uplifting our JCC community. Your support continues to fuel our work, on both the good days and the harder ones. What has been clear to us from right after the fire – even through the haze of the days immediately following –  is that the JCC will emerge from this stronger than before. Thank you for your continued support.

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO

Rich Goldstein, Board of Directors President

Dear Springfield Jewish Community Center Members and Friends:

As we near the end of 2022, I wanted to share a few updates with you as it relates to our fire remediation efforts and our current programs and services.

The JCC continues to work with our team – insurance, public adjuster, and vendors/contractors – to ensure a return to the facility as quickly and as safely as possible. We are still in the emergency response phase of the fire restoration process. Once the emergency response is completed, we can begin to rebuild areas of the facility, which have been damaged.

 

 

Facility Updates

• Duct cleaning is ongoing.
• Ceiling tile removal has been completed in the south end of the building (Early Learning Center and auditorium) and is continuing on the north end of the building (locker rooms, pool, etc.).
• Cleaning efforts continue across the facility. However, some efforts are stalled on the north end because of the ongoing investigation, which is being conducted by the insurance company. The JCC is cooperating with the investigation and has no influence over the pace at which the investigation continues.
• Building and property damage is still being assessed. The JCC is working with our team to ensure any contents that need to be replaced are ordered as quickly as possible so  that any supply chain issues that we may experience are kept to a minimum.

Below is an update on our programming and services locations and offerings. Please always check our website for the most up-to-date information.

Wellness and Recreation

• The Springfield JCC’s website continues to provide information about which facilities are offering reciprocal services for our members. New additions include limited use of Springfield College’s facilities (including the pool) in January, the Longmeadow Adult Center for fitness use, and Greenwood for personal training.
• Group fitness classes are being offered on Zoom and outside in the JCC’s staff parking lot.
• On Tuesday, Dec. 27 and Thursday, Dec. 29 from 4-6 pm, members can pick up their locker contents. Staff will meet members under the green awning.

Early Learning Center and KidSpace

• The Early Learning Center will remain at Educare Springfield through January.
• KidSpace will remain at Tate Behavioral through January.

Kehillah

• SensiPlay continues at Bay Path University and Educare.
• The Annual New Year’s Eve Eve dance is back for the first time since the pandemic began and will take place at Pleasant View Senior Center, East Longmeadow, on Dec. 29 from 6-8 pm. Pre-registration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome to pay at the door! Click here to register.

Cultural Arts and Adult Education

• Cultural and adult programs/classes will remain at Sinai Temple through January.
• Travel programs are continuing as usual.

While our staff has worked tirelessly to continue providing our programs, services, and opportunities for membership use at other facilities, we know so many of you miss our JCC and using other facilities just isn’t the same. We miss you and our community being in one place! Thank you so much for your support as we navigate our response and remediation efforts.

Lastly, we want to share an article that was published in both the Times of Israel and MassLive.Com that expresses our gratitude for the selflessness and caring nature of our community. Nothing is more important to us than our community.

With gratitude and wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season,

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO

Dear Springfield JCC Members and Friends:

As we near the end of week three post-fire at the Springfield JCC, we want to again express our profound appreciation for your continued care and support of our JCC community. Our staff, board, and volunteers are working around the clock in efforts to bring us all together again.

While members can continue to access our services and programs in alternate locations, we are ALL eager to return to our building. Toward that end, we are committed to providing you with updates on a regular basis. Read on to learn more!

Building Status

While the list below is not an exhaustive inventory of the fire damage, we hope it provides you with a baseline status of the facility. Please know that our team is working overtime with insurance, vendors, and others to address these issues in the most expeditious and safe manner possible.

• The Wellness/Fitness wing sustained significant fire and smoke damage.
• The majority of the building was impacted by smoke and/or soot.
• All ceiling tiles throughout the facility need to be replaced.
• All contents inside the building – from toys in the Early Learning Center to machines in the Fitness Center – are being evaluated to determine if they can be cleaned and salvaged or are a total loss.
• There is likely some structural damage to the women’s locker room.
• Flooring throughout the facility is being assessed to determine if it needs to be cleaned or replaced.
• Given the extensive smoke damage, HVAC ducts must be cleaned and evaluated for repair.
• A burst pipe has impacted plumbing.

Reopening Status

At this point, we believe the building COULD reopen mid-winter. We are planning to host a Town Hall Zoom meeting for all members within the next month to answer more of your questions. We will have even more information by that date in terms of plausible reopening options.

Contents/Personal Belongings

We know there are members who have personal belongings in lockers. Our staff is working to bag up all locker contents so members can pick up their belongings during scheduled times. More information will be communicated as it is available. We appreciate your patience.

Membership Options

This is an unprecedented moment for us at the J, and we are grateful beyond measure for all of your patience and support. You have told us, through your collective voices and actions, that being a member of the JCC is more than access to a building. And we agree! Our hope is that you will remain on this journey – and not cancel or suspend your membership – for the duration of the fire remediation efforts.

During this time there are two options for JCC Membership:

• Continuing Your Membership: We believe that membership is about our connection to one another, a shared vision for the future, and an investment in the values we share. Members can continue to support the critical work, inclusive mission, and professional staff of the JCC through your ongoing membership at your current membership rate.

• Freezing Your Membership: Members not wishing to use our reciprocal services at other facilities may freeze their membership. Once the JCC is reopened and partially operational, your membership will automatically become reinstated. For security purposes, all membership cards must be turned in before the freeze can be initiated and finalized. Please reach out to Membership Director Cari Kaeding who will walk you through the freezing process.

Membership Dues Update

At this time, we will not be implementing the previously-planned membership increase which was scheduled to begin this month. ​​This will be reassessed once the facility is more operational to members.

REMINDER: Alternative Sites for Programs/Services

Please visit our website at SpringfieldJCC.org for the most up-to-date information and specifics about visiting facilities.

Wellness/Fitness

• Ludlow Boys and Girls Club
• Mandell JCC, West Hartford (Spa Memberships honored at this location)
• Springfield YMCA (Fitness center ONLY)
• Scantic Valley YMCA, Wilbraham (Fitness center ONLY)
• Longmeadow Adult Center (Pickleball ONLY. The JCC is absorbing the cost of the fee Longmeadow Adult Center is charging for member use.)
• HealthTrax (Enfield, West Springfield, East Longmeadow. The JCC is absorbing the cost of the fee Healthtrax is charging for member use.)
• Enfield Tennis Club (Pickleball)

Youth and Family

• The Early Learning Center is at Educare.
• KidSpace is at Tate Behavioral.
• Kehillah is also at Tate Behavioral.
• The following youth recreation classes are taking place at Educare or Tate Behavioral: Karate, Tiny Tumblers, Dance, and Magic Explorers. Other classes have been canceled due to lack of appropriate facilities and refunds are being provided.

Adult Programs

• Adult programs are taking place at Sinai Temple.

Administration

• JCC administrative offices are currently located at Temple Beth El.

In closing, the JCC is truly at the heart of our greater Springfield community. Over these past three weeks, we have received a tremendous outpouring of love from our members, community agencies, synagogues, non-profits, school districts, town officials, JCCs from across the state and in Connecticut, the JCC Association (our national organization), as well as so many others.

As Rabbi Nachman of Breslav once said, “If you believe breaking is possible, believe fixing is possible.” If there has ever been a time to believe in our JCC community – our collective efforts to be part of something bigger than ourselves and fixing our JCC – it is now. More information on restoring our community’s facility is forthcoming.

With gratitude,

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO

Rich Goldstein, Board President

Dear Springfield JCC Members & Friends,

As we continue to navigate the aftermath of the fire at the JCC, the steps we must take to reopen our facility have become more clear. While we still do not have an exact timeline for reopening, we do know that fire remediation efforts are complex and require cooperation of many parties — vendors, insurance, facility experts — while also addressing the JCC’s needs.

With all that being said, we anticipate the entire JCC building will be closed at least through the end of the 2022 calendar year. We know this is tough news to read and even tougher to process.

Image: Fire remediation efforts as seen in the JCC’s hallway leading from the fitness center to the lobby. 

Our JCC staff remains committed to ensuring you receive the quality, value, and variety of services you are accustomed to receiving as a JCC member or participant. Below is an update on the status of our programs and services.

Health & Wellness

JCC members may use the below facilities, unless otherwise communicated. Please reference the Springfield JCC’s website for specific hours and the most up-to-date information.

• Ludlow Boys and Girls Club
• Mandell JCC, West Hartford
• Springfield YMCA (Fitness center ONLY)
• Scantic Valley YMCA, Wilbraham (Fitness center ONLY)
• Longmeadow Adult Center (Pickleball ONLY)
• HealthTrax (Enfield, West Springfield, East Longmeadow)
• Some of our group fitness classes (such as cycling) will resume outdoors once equipment has been cleaned, inspected, and is deemed safe for use.

Early Learning Center, KidSpace, & CAP

• The Early Learning Center will remain at Educare Springfield through the end of the year.
• KidSpace will remain at Tate Behavioral through the end of the year.
• CAP will continue at its usual site and has been uninterrupted thus far.

Youth Recreation Programs & Swim Lessons

• Our goal is to ensure continued youth recreation classes and group swim lessons. We will have an update for you by the end of the week on the status of hosting these programs at alternate sites.

Adult & Cultural Programs

• Our adult & cultural programs are continuing at Sinai Temple.

Kehillah

• Music with Rusty & social groups will take place at Tate Behavioral.
• SensiPlay Friday session will take place at Educare for Early Learning Center students.
• SensiPlay Wednesday & Thursday sessions will take place at Bay Path University at 1 Denslow Road, Longmeadow 01106. Please reach out to Kehillah Director Dorothy Linder with any questions.

The JCC will continue to look for ways to create our J beyond our facility’s walls. If you have experienced the J at one of our other locations, please share pictures with us by emailing us here! We will share picture submissions on our social media for all to enjoy.

We are humbled by the outpouring of love and support we have received during this challenging time. We have read every email and every social media comment. We have celebrated every outreach and feel stronger because of you.

We value our members tremendously. We recognize that for some of you, our multiple locations may be an inconvenience. We also acknowledge that we may not be able to deliver every service we offered prior to the fire. We hope that you will stand with us and remain loyal to the JCC during this temporary situation.

Out of the ashes comes strength, renewal, growth, and – in our case at the JCC – rebuilding! If there is a silver lining in this tragedy (aside from no one being hurt, for which we are very grateful), it is that we will be renovating impacted areas of the facility. Again, while we do not have a clear timeline, we will continue to keep you – our valued community – apprised of developments.

Thank you for your continued support, patience, and understanding. Please reach out if you have any questions.

With gratitude,

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO

Rich Goldstein, Board President

Dear Springfield JCC Members:

I am writing to provide you with an update on the situation at our JCC.

Health & Wellness

• We have established reciprocity with the Mandell JCC (West Hartford, CT); Springfield YMCA (Springfield, MA); Scantic Valley YMCA (Wilbraham, MA); and are continuing to look for more options for members to use while we are closed. The YMCA locations are only available for fitness use.
• We are grateful for our community partners who have willingly and enthusiastically opened their doors for our members.

Early Learning Center, KidSpace, & Children At Play

• Our Early Learning Center will be located at Educare for the remainder of this week.
• KidSpace will be occupying a few classrooms at Tate Behavioral, located across the parking lot from the JCC.
• Most recent update: Tate Behavioral is unable to accommodate our children beyond 2:30 pm on Wednesday, Nov. 23. Children must be picked up by 2:30 pm. Our apologies — we just received this information.
• Children At Play (CAP) continues to operate regularly without issue as it is located off-site at East Longmeadow elementary schools.

Youth Recreation Programs/Swim Lessons/Adult & Cultural Programs

• At this point, we will not be conducting youth recreation programs or swim lessons for the remainder of the week.
• We will not be conducting adult education programs this week, and will continue to provide participants with updates about rescheduled classes and events.
• No programs/services will be lost and the JCC will ensure you are able to receive the programs/services you have paid for OR receive a refund if the program is unable to continue. Please give us a little more time to determine our next steps.

Kehillah

• Virtual options are being organized for some of our Kehillah groups/
• SensiPlay is seeking an alternate location.
• Any changes or additional updates will be forthcoming. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kehillah Director Dorothy Linder at dlinder@springfieldjcc.org.

Membership

• We are working hard to find resources for our members so you can continue to enjoy the benefits of a JCC membership, even while our facility is closed.
• Please hang in there with us for a little bit longer as we learn more about our timeline for reopening.

Thank you for your support. We will provide continued updates as we have more information to share with our membership. Please know that we are committed to keeping our entire agency and community apprised of any and all updates.

Many of you have asked how you can help. While we are still working to understand our needs and next steps, we know you want to be part of a solution. The Chai Society is an unrestricted fund and we are grateful for contributions. We will communicate other ways to support once we know more about the situation.

Thank you again for your amazing support!

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO

Rich Goldstein, Board President

November 19, 2022

Dear Springfield JCC Members,

We are reaching out to update you on the current situation. A fire occurred last night in the ceiling above the women’s locker room and pool. Our team responded swiftly and the City of Springfield first responders worked quickly to minimize damage. They are investigating the cause of the fire, and have no reason to believe this was an act of arson motivated by antisemitism.

We are working with our insurance company to facilitate next steps relative to repairing the damage. A media report has prematurely attributed the fire to an electrical issue, but we do not know what the cause was. We are extremely grateful no one was hurt and that the damage is fairly localized to the wellness spaces.

As we continue to work on safely reopening our J, here are some operational updates for the immediate future, as decisions are rightfully fluid in this extraordinary situation.  Should you have any questions, please reach out to Deb Krivoy, Amy Stec or me.

• The building is currently closed through the weekend. Please do not come to the JCC for any reason today, Saturday, 11/19 or Sunday, 11/20.
• Security is on-site 24/7 until further notice.
• We are working diligently to provide childcare at an alternate location for our Early Learning Center and KidSpace children on Monday, should this section of the JCC building not be operational. More information will be coming as soon as possible.
• Group fitness classes, youth recreation programs, and adult classes are canceled through Monday, Nov. 21.
• Currently, our Facilities team is working on remediation efforts with insurance and various vendors.
• Our staff is working with other community centers/fitness centers to provide services for our members.
• Our leadership team is actively planning for operational adjustments and various communications efforts. Continue to check your email and the JCC’s Facebook page for timely updates.

We are so grateful for the outpouring of kind gestures and outreach from our community. We are truly blessed to be part of this community. At this time, the leadership team will be deferring offers to help until we have more information from our insurance and facilities vendors.

A huge thank you to Tom Hanifan and Mickey Aldrich from our Facilities Department, who have been at the JCC since the onset of this situation.

Thank you all for your continued support and understanding.

With gratitude,

Sam Dubrinsky, CEO

The Springfield Jewish Community Center has confirmed that a fire broke out at its Dickinson Street facility on Friday night, November 18, 2022. No injuries were sustained. 

While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, fire crews have indicated that arson is not suspected. At this time, the JCC has no reason to believe that the fire was an act of antisemitism.

Shortly after 7:00 PM, police and fire crews from the City of Springfield responded to reports of smoke in the building. The fire, which impacted the women’s locker room and surrounding wellness and recreation areas, was contained and extinguished. Crews remained at the scene for several hours. 

“On behalf of the JCC’s board and staff, I want to express my sincere gratitude and commend all of the first responders who worked so bravely at the scene,” said CEO Samantha Dubrinsky. “We are very thankful that the building was closed to the public at the time of the fire.”  

The JCC is temporarily closed until further notice. JCC members are urged to check email, the organization’s website, and social media accounts for facility updates and program schedules.

For additional information, please contact COO Deb Krivoy at dkrivoy@springfieldjcc.org.