Every donation that comes through our doors to support the Shaw JCC, moves us. Every donation is special because no matter its size, a donation is the ultimate form of support. It's like saying "Hey, I get what you're doing here and I think it's important."    

Last week, when we got a call from a senior woman who's on subsidy, we almost fell off our feet. She pledged a gift to the pool that was about the size of her annual membership dues at the J. When asked why she wanted to give, her answer was "I love this place. I get so much from being part of this community. It's the least I can do!"

This reminds me of something I once learned in a class about Judaism. According to Jewish tradition, giving (tzedakah) is viewed as a basic part of our humanity and as a way to maintain our dignity. If you will, it’s just like having clothes, shelter and food. For this reason, always give a little extra so that the recipient of tzedakah can pay it forward. In Judaism, it’s viewed as part of what keeps us humane.

You can still make a Splash! at the indoor pool