JCC Association of North America leads and connects the JCC Movement, advancing and enriching North American Jewish life. With more than 35,000 full- and part-time and 20,000 seasonal staff, the JCC Movement is the largest employer of Jewish communal professionals across North America. 

September, 2025:  With support from a SRE Network grant, JCC Association of North America launched the JCulture Intensive – a bold initiative designed to help JCCs build inclusive, respectful, and psychologically safe workplace cultures. Understanding that healthy organizational culture is key to staff engagement and retention, the program provides JCCs with tools, training, and expert guidance to foster lasting, systemic cultural change.

In early 2025, eight JCCs were selected for Cohort A, each assembling a Task Force of senior leaders to participate in four intensive workshops focused on harassment prevention, feedback processes, psychological safety, and power dynamics. These sessions, led by Dr. Andrea Jacobs and Debbie Nehmad, informed internal assessments and the creation of tailored action plans at each JCC. 

Early successes include:

• Mayerson JCC of Cincinnati introduced monthly “Lunch and Chats” which led to positive operational changes.
• Kaplen JCC on the Palisades formed a Collaboration Committee to strengthen staff engagement. They also held their first “Bring Your Children to Work Day” and encouraged all staff to join in on the fun in order to break down silos and connect people on a personal level.
• Another JCC launched a mobile coffee cart to recognize and appreciate employees.

Going forward, Cohort A will continue to implement its action plans, hold small-group gatherings, and offer peer coaching and shared learning. Applications for Cohort B are expected to open later this year, expanding the program’s impact across the field.

The JCulture Intensive reflects how a growing culture of authentic listening and responsive leadership can foster trust and belonging. SRE is grateful to have also supported JCC Association's culture work in 2019 and 2020, which laid the groundwork for this program and the broader culture shift across the JCC Movement.

A JCC Association team member said, “Our early efforts represent a meaningful and focused step forward. Together, we are laying the foundation for enduring cultural change across the JCC Movement.”