Who We Are
The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades is a welcoming home away from home for all who pass through its front doors.
The Kaplen JCC is a welcoming home away from home for all who pass through its doors in Tenafly, NJ and for the wider community. Our vision is to be the center point of Jewish life in our community and to engage all generations in our mission and values. We are a leading nonprofit, charitable organization deeply rooted in tradition and values seen through a Jewish lens, and are a vibrant and welcoming home for the Jewish People. We are a place that welcomes all, cultivating the social, intellectual, physical, and spiritual well-being of the entire community. We serve 3,000+ membership units and over 750,000 people each year in our 200,000 square foot building and acres of outdoor grounds and facilities. Our facilities feature fitness centers, indoor and outdoor aquatics center, group exercise, cycling and Pilates studios, gymnasiums, tennis and pickleball courts, indoor track, racquetball courts, a luxurious spa, multiple playgrounds and fields and so much more. The Kaplen JCC is home to the renowned Leonard and Syril Rubin Early Childhood Center, Neil Klatskin Summer Camps, Thurnauer School of Music, Guttenberg Center for Special Services, as well providing extensive, high-quality dance, drama, sports, swim, and fitness programs and services to youth and adults of all ages, with specific departments serving people with disabilities, as well as a wide variety of programs that create a welcoming home to our Israeli-American population.
VISION
Our vision is to be the center point of Jewish life in our community and to engage all generations in our mission and values.
MISSION
Deeply rooted in Jewish values and tradition, the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades is a vibrant home for the Jewish People that welcomes all and cultivates the social, intellectual, physical and spiritual well-being of the entire community.
VALUES
We are committed to demonstrating the following values and ask for respect for these values from those with whom we interact:
- Community
- Connection to Judaism and Israel
- Integrity
- Quality
- Respect
- Responsibility
- Safety
- Tikkun Olam (repairing the world)
Inclusion & Diversity
The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades is committed to being an inclusive community, encouraging all who come through our doors to participate in all JCC programs and classes, creating a safe space where “All Are Welcome.”
Our goal is to provide an environment where we honor the dignity of all members within our diverse community and provide opportunities to reach his/her/their own potential. We are also committed to fostering a sense of well-being and a true spirit of belonging for all.
We are committed to the belief that all community members have access to appropriate social, recreational, cultural and educational experiences in a natural community setting. Our programs, classes and summer camps are designed to provide appropriate individual supports within the natural environment, and to work toward meeting the specific needs of each person.
The Kaplen JCC is committed to accessibility and is an ADA compliant handicapped-accessible facility. For more information of if you have any accessibility needs, please contact Simara Bruhim at 201.408.1489 or sbruhim@jccotp.org.
Inclusion is belonging.
Meet Our Amazing Staff
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Employment Opportunities at the J
Board
Officers
Michael Kollender, Chair*
Craig Barnett, Vice Chair*
Dan Cohn, Vice Chair*
Phyllis Perskie-Kesslen, Vice Chair*
Brandi Rubin, Vice Chair*
Josh Weingast, Treasurer*
Andrew Kent, Secretary*
Arthur Sinensky, Immediate Past Chair*
* Executive Committee
Board of Trustees
Katie Alster
Rona Anhalt
Howard Breindel
Becky Canarick
Orly Chen
Meghan Cutler
Alissa Epstein
Gayle Gerstein
Dr. Sandra Gold
Edward A. Grossmann*
Tina Guberman
Jenna Gutmann
Casey Halper
Mark Hirschberg
Vivian Holzer
Guy Ironi
Ariel Jacobs
Jeff Kurtz
Mitchell Lieberman
Bri Mankovsky
Robin Miller
Susan Penn
Eileen Pleva
Robin Rogers
Mark Rottenberg*
JoJo Rubach*
Daniel Rubin*
Jodi Scherl*
Pearl Seiden
Caryn Sherry
Mark Shirvan
Jillian Somberg
Benay Taub
Iris Wormser
Eyal Yechezkell
Daniel Zausner
* Executive Committee
Board of Trustees Emeritas
Martin Bernstein
Nancy G. Brown
Nancy Epstein
Merle Fish
Margaret Kaplen
Richard Kurtz
Dr. Martin S. Levitt
Past Presidents and Chairs
George Feinberg z”l, 1947-48
Max Grobow z”l, 1948-49
Benjamin Casser z”l, 1949-58
Eugene Jacobson z”l, 1958-59
Ned Feldman z”l, 1959-62
Arthur Fisher z”l, 1962-66
Leonard Rubin z”l, 1966-70
Al Feltman z”l, 1970-74
James H. Grossmann z”l, 1974
Ira Fish z”l, 1974-76
Eleanor Epstein z”l, 1976-80
Henry Taub z”l, 1980-84
Charles Klatskin z”l, 1984-88
Dr. Sandra Gold, 1988-92
Dr. Martin S. Levitt, 1992-96
Edward A. Grossmann, 1996-00
Nancy I. Brown, 2000-04
Daniel Rubin, 2004-07
Robin Miller, 2007-10
Pearl Seiden, 2010-13
Tina Guberman, 2013-2015
JoJo Rubach, 2015-2018
Jodi Scherl, 2018-2021
Steve Rogers z”l, 2021-2022
Jodi Scherl, 2018-2021, 2022
Arthur Sinensky, 2022-2024
Board of Advisors
Dr. Bernard Hammer
Dianne Nashel
Patricia Rosen
Barry Zeller