Baltimore, MD – The board of directors of the Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore has approved a request to begin opening a community center in Owings Mills on the Jewish Sabbath.
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The proposal by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore had revealed a divide in the local Jewish community. JCC officials had said that Saturday hours will meet the needs of the largely nonobservant community in the northwestern suburb.
But Orthodox Jews, who refrain from driving, operating electrical equipment and other activities on the day known as Shabbat, had said it would violate Jewish law. Thousands rallied in Park Heights last week in support of the Jewish Sabbath.
In a statement, Associated President Marc B. Terrill called the differing positions “noble in their intent.”
“The ultimate goal of everyone involved in this communal conversation is to connect individuals and families to the beauty of the gift of Shabbat. I only hope and pray that the decision today serves as an opportunity to broaden its observance. A day of reflection and inward thinking makes a great deal of spiritual and pragmatic sense.”
The JCC now will open its Owings Mills center on Saturday afternoons beginning June 6. The later hours are intended to avoid conflict with morning synagogue services. Jewish employees would not be compelled to work and there would be no cash transactions or food service on the premises.
“We feel this decision will enable us to connect with even more Jewish families and individuals,” JCC President Louis “Buddy” Sapolsky said. “We have many exciting plans to make Saturdays a very special and distinct Shabbat-focused day at the Rosenbloom Owings Mills JCC. Discussions are taking place to see how we can better connect and work with the Orthodox community moving forward.”
JCC officials say there are no plans to open their Park Heights center on Saturday, given that community’s large Orthodox presence, or to open either facility on any of the major Jewish holidays.
So they will be mechalel shabbos to promote shabbos awareness ?
We have proclaimed our care and concern about the non observant residents of Owings Mills – but have we really done enough? Who is willing to join me and move out to Owings Mills and invite people from the area for a Shabbos meal? Lets have some real Jewish unity and bridge building. The residents of Owings Mills have never really met Shomrei Shabbos people – they have never experienced the beauty and meaning of a Traditional Shabbos. Who is willing to actually do something about it?
this shouldnt be a shock to anyone! most JCC’s across the country are just JINOs. When i spent a stint living in Utah the Jewish community had a joke. The JCC was called the MCC ” Mormon Community Center” and this was because there were more Mormon then Jewish members. And furthermore 90% of the staff werent Jewish and the curriculum was egalitarian. Yep 100% apikorses!
What a chilul hashem they don’t relize what they are doing
i think they should close the center down
but saying we need to solve the problems
has baltimore looked into the history
they need to protect children before the shabbos
These people don’t know better , I will at least try to talk to the members there next time I go swimming there and use the gym
Realy there is no service from the reform and conservative synagogues for the young boys and girls, men and women, to keep them busy on the Sabbath afternoons. Thats realy who should be doing something, not the JCC who services the wider community and should be more sensitive.
I respect the JCC’s decision not to cave into the demands for them to stay closed on shabbos and deny access to their facilities and programs to those yidden who are not frumme and would simply engage in other activities. The orthodox who wanted to keep it closed should work to develop programs that attract people to the shuls on shabbos afternoons rather than simply try to deny others access to what they want.
Understand, that the building is so far away, hardly anyone from the city ever goes there.
The issue was not if they are open or not open – but that there was a change in the public policy.
When the tzibur does things differently then before, the feeling was that we needed to make a statement, which we did.
No one really thought it would make a difference but at least we were not silent.
Another perspective on this:
I am not a member so why should I care what goes on in a club to which I do not belong. The J in JCC does not identify me with its activites anymore then the J in the name of a reform temple would. So who cares.
#10 – Brilliant…simply brilliant…Rav Frand implied this in his talk…how many people have EVER belonged to Aish HaTorah and made a sincere effort to be Mekarev Yidden – if your answer is no…I don’t want to be in YOUR shoes on your Yom HaDin!
Rather than be responsible for the Chilul Hashem committed in their name, I expect all those who protested in Baltimore to cancel their JCC memberships ASAP
Dont close it down but at least change the name.
How sad
It just happens to be that Chabad in Owings Mills (where I attend) is the only organization who is active in the Owings Mills JCC in a Jewish way. They run all their Jewish programming and holiday events. Rabbi Katsenelenbogen works tirelessly in bringing yiddishkeit into the secular JCC, and he is being very succesful.
They asked him already to do more programming, and more classes, more events…
He is dedicated to every Jew in Owings Mills and beyond.
If anyone would like to help in these programs and to reach out to the non-religious, let him contact Chabad in Owings Mills. They are the only religious/orthodox organization in the Owings Mills JCC area.
That is why the JCC loves Chabad and is always ready to work with them.
i think most people do not realize that the jcc is located very far from the city and that no one is religious in those areas and they have a kosher resturaunt there
Keeping reform Jews busy on Shabbat? One reform synagogue in NY decided to have a soup kitchen for the poor on shabbat. Not only is the food not kosher, but the food is cooked on shabbat!
I live in Baltimore for 59 years and you attitude has helped in the past but the new attitude “call him sheigiz” or worse and it does not work
Time to leave the JCC. Put your money where your mouth is and build a frum sports complex. It would also keep the money in the frum community.