Alumni

Join us for our next alumni learning event taught by Joe Modica, titled "Is McCarthyism Alive and Well in 2021?" RSVP to alumni@leffellschool.org and we'll send you the link!

Open to families and alumni. Purim isn't complete without hamantaschen! Recipe will be sent in advance and costumes are encouraged. Learn more and register here.

JCC Manhattan will join Hadar for a transformative day of learning on Ta’anit Esther with Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, Rabbi Ethan Tucker, Rabbi Aviva Richman, and Joey Weisenberg. On the day before Purim, marking a year since the COVID-19 pandemic turned our world upside down, the Fast of Esther offers an opportunity to reflect, pray, and commemorate this moment. We will mark the lives lost, ask for healing of the sick, and hope that in the coming year, the world will once again take a sharp turn, this time towards good. Learn more and register here.

We’re marking Purim in true 2021 style: athleisure wear, fancy Vashtinis, and good friends. Come as a spectator or ready to strut the Zoom runway. Participants will compete in three categories: X-Treme Athleisure wear, Wearable Puns, or Pet Twinning. Prizes will be awarded for creativity and panache on the Zoom runway! Between rounds, our mixologist will teach you how to make Purim cocktails with flair. In small groups, you'll meet new friends (or reunite with old ones) while voting on best costumes and toasting with l'chaim. Learn more and register here.

The JCC's Social Justice Activist in Residence Ruth Messinger spent years in the room where it happens. Join us as she shares her thoughts on social justice issues ripped from the headlines, including voting rights, immigration reform, and housing the homeless. We’ll conclude with Q+A and small group conversations with Rabbi Brian Fink, director of Engage, and Sheryl Parker, director of The Joseph Stern Center for Social Responsibility. Learn more and register here.

Ben Lesser’s story of Holocaust survival has inspired some of today’s most successful musicians. Artists and songwriters who had previously collaborated with Beyoncé and John Legend joined forces with Ben for this uniquely meaningful project.

Join UJA Federation to hear about the creative journey behind the album, Choose Love, that draws from Ben’s incredible story surviving two death marches and concentration camps, including Auschwitz. Learn more and register here.

NYC voters will be electing a new mayor in 2021. Join JCC Manhattan for a conversation with leading candidates that will help you make an informed choice in the June 22 primary election. The discussion will be moderated by Jodi Rudoren, editor-in-chief of The Forward, the nation's oldest independent Jewish news organization. Hosted in partnership with The Forward. Learn more and register here.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a massive toll on NYC’s communities and businesses, with long lines at food pantries, lights dark on Broadway and in Midtown, and miles of shuttered storefronts. What does the future hold? What paths should we take for recovery? Join JCC Social Justice Activist Ruth Messinger and president and CEO of Queens Public Library Dennis Walcott for a virtual conversation on NYC’s future. Learn more and register here.