From the Desk of Jennifer Lorch Selco | Sr. Director of Jewish Living + Engagement

Shabbat Shalom
Shabbat Shalom

From the Desk of Jennifer Lorch Selco | Sr. Director of Jewish Living + Engagement

In this week’s Torah portion Vayeilech (And He Went), Moses concludes his speech to the Israelites, blesses Joshua, and instructs the community to gather every seven years to read publicly from the Torah. God appears to Moses and Joshua, warning them that the Israelites may eventually stray from the covenant. 

 

Until this point, God had given the people 612 mitzvot, commandments or sacred obligations. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks reflects that there is one final commandment to give: 

 

Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be My witness against the people of Israel. – Deuteronomy 31:19

 

Ancient rabbis came to understand this mitzvah to mean that each person should take part in the literal act of writing a part of a sefer Torah. If we look at this commandment more broadly, especially knowing that today, we have the opportunity gather more frequently to joyfully do Jewish, each time we speak words of Torah, perform a mitzvah, or intentionally gather in Jewish community, we strengthen our connection to Jewish life and the foundational messages of Torah.

 

On this Shabbat Tshuvah, the Shabbat in between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, let us reflect on the Jewish lives we wish to lead this new year. How do we animate the messages gleaned from the Torah? What do we want to learn more about and what are the core Jewish practices for each of us this year? In what ways can the messages of the Torah help us become the best version of ourselves?

 

Shabbat Shalom and G’mar Hatimah Tovah (may we be sealed for good this year)!

Just as the commandments in the Torah have guided the Jewish people through millennia, here at the J, our Jewish values guide our work, which is realized through our mission, vision, and service pledge. Together, these things are our covenant to our community and it is an honor to carry out that promise each and every day. 

 

In celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it was a short, but meaningful week on campus. While kids in ECE and JCare have been preparing for the holiday for a couple of weeks, it felt official last Thursday as the Baker Ballroom was set for the 12th annual Chabad of Tucson Mega Challah Bake! It was our pleasure to once again host the event, which drew several hundred women and girls together to braid round challah to take home and bake, taste a delicious variety of challah, and connect over the spirit of a new year. Mazel Tov to Chabad Tucson for all of the planning, beautifully designed tables and materials, and another truly memorable Challah Bake! 

Teens in BBYO welcomed Rosh Hashanah with their first Better Together program of the year. Better Together is a grant-funded program designed to foster intergenerational connections and engage with the value of hiddur p’nai zaken (honoring the elders); one Sunday of the month through the school year, BBYO teens visit Handmaker Services for the Aging to do an activity together. This month, they shared holiday stories and new year reflections, ate round challah, and took turns blowing the shofar! 

 

In the Fitness + Wellness Center, our community started the new year with joyful movement! From specialty fitness offerings and classes like TRX and Barre, to Healthy Aging programs designed to support both the mind and body, and PeeWee sports that provide a solid foundation for cultivating a fun and healthy lifestyle, there are so many ways to move and thrive at the J! 

 

We hope this week brought a moment, or many, to rest and reflect. As we move into Shabbat and through the rest of the High Holiday season and the year, we are grateful for the continued participation, support, and kindness of our community. Shabbat Shalom. 

Reminders, Resources + Learning

Each week we share resources for more learning:

This week’s resources:

Last week’s resources: 

Is there a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email Jenn Selco with requests. 

September Staff Spotlight Round-Up

Whether through a swimming lesson, an art class, or simply a smile, each day the Tucson J staff brightens the lives of our members and guests. We are proud of the variety of skills and stories that our staff bring to their work, and celebrate this each week through our Facebook and Instagram “Staff Spotlight” series.  

 

Continue reading on for a preview of our June spotlights, and check out the full posts at all @tucsonjcc accounts!

Micaela Hidalgo | Fitness Floor Associates and Semi-Private Basketball Coaches

Q: Tell us about your background and role at the Tucson J!

A: I’m excited to be part of the J and already love its strong sense of community. As a Fitness Floor Associate, I enjoy building connections with members and helping them discover programs that align with their goals. I competed for four years in intercollegiate basketball at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and I’m passionate about giving back to young athletes. Coaching semi-private lessons that help them develop character and a strong work ethic has been very fulfilling.

Q: What would your perfect weekend look like?
A: My perfect weekend starts on Friday night, erev Shabbat, when my family comes together for Kiddish and then eats lots of food. I love being active, so over the weekend you might find us on an early morning hike, playing pickup basketball, competing in a pickleball tournament, playing a flag football game, and/or rock climbing. You’ll also find me jamming out to Morgan Wallen in the kitchen — probably baking a sweet treat.

 

Q: If you could switch roles with anyone at the J for one day, who would you choose and why?

A: I would like to spend the day with our partners at the Weintraub Israel Center to simply engage with Israel’s authentic culture.

Gabe Parada | Personal Trainer

Gabe Parada

Q: Tell us about your role at the Tucson J?

A: I have been working at the J as a personal trainer for 7 years now, starting in August of 2018. I also have a role in our Healthy Aging Program’s Movement/Arts Immersion Group Classes. Every Tuesday and Thursday, we have fun playing pickleball, corn hole, and basketball, or simply coloring and making puzzles!

Q: What inspired you to become a personal trainer?

A: I’ve always enjoyed exercise. As a kid and even more so in high school, when I was playing football, I enjoyed hitting the weight room before practice and watching my body change and grow through lifting weights. As an adult, I wanted to give that same feeling by helping people get strong and fit so that they can feel better about themselves and enjoy life in a healthier and happier way.

 

Q: What’s the biggest myth in fitness that you wish more people understood?

A: If women lift weights, they will get big and bulky like a male. FALSE! Weights are for everyone and crucial to building strong bones as we age, regardless of gender. Lift heavy!

 

Daphne Safo | Youth Sports Coaches

“Hi! My name is Daphne Safo. I am 16 years old and I’m from Steven’s Point, Wisconsin, and I am a Junior at University High School. I am part of a few different clubs at my school, such as Black Student Union and Dreamcatchers. I have played basketball since I was 10 years old and have played soccer and flag football for some time as well. I love teaching PeeWee Sports and Basketball to kids at the J because they always have energy and excitement!”