Dear Members,
As we enter a new decade, we at the J are continually striving to be the most welcoming and inclusive community leader in your lives. We know many of you will be setting fitness resolutions as the calendar flips to 2020. We at the J are setting some community goals, such as welcoming and caring for the stranger. This Jewish value is mentioned more than any other commandment in the Torah. We believe adopting this as a business and a personal practice can change your community and yourself, no matter what faith you might be.

You may have seen that we recently added a welcoming statement to each of our lobbies. We want it known that we are a gathering place for the entire community, where everyone deserves respect, and simply by looking around, you can see the diversity that makes up our amazing J community.

Let’s remember that we have all been strangers, whether entering a new school, starting a new job or even as a new member of the J. And, developing empathy for others and treating each other with kindness will continue to top of our member and staff code of conduct.

And as 2020 settles in, we hope to see you using our group exercise studios, maybe trying a new class; learning new healthy nutrition habits from our registered dietitian; getting motivated
(and fit) by our professional personal trainers; and if appropriate, showing a new member where the locker room is located or introducing them to others.

While the list of J programs is seemingly endless, you, our members, make participating in them meaningful. We know you will find something within our “walls” to be either intellectually stimulating, physically demanding, enduringly memorable, or maybe just relaxing. Whatever you do here, we hope you’ll make a new friend, create new bonds and share your experiences.

I hope you’ll take a look through this guide and find something you love. This is just the beginning of what we have to offer in 2020, so stay tuned throughout the year. Chat with our staff, with other members or family and join us in creating a wonderful experience for yourself and your family at the J.

Happy and Healthy New Year to all!
Lynn Wittels
President & CEO
lwittels@jccstl.org