The JCC, J, Jewish Community Center, and The Mandel Jewish Community Center are all names for the same place in Beachwood where I go to workout. All are welcome at the J. You don’t have to be Jewish to be a member. But, since it’s a Jewish facility, certain things are different.
- They have woman’s only workout room and several gender specific swim sessions to help accommodate the Orthodox Jewish members.
- The only Kosher Subway restaurant resides in the J.
- They sell Challah bread on Friday.
- They do not conduct any financial transactions on Saturday (and the Subway and Kid Kare is closed that day).
- They celebrate the Jewish holidays, but don’t close for as many as they used to (probably due to the competition).
- They are open on Christmas.
But, the thing that I notice the most is the crowd on Sunday (due to the religious schedule for the Jewish faith). It’s like a typical Saturday at other facilities. Sunday is my least favorite day to go to the J (especially in the morning). It’s the only time that I go to the J that I feel like I am waiting for equipment or that the different areas are crowded.
Sunday is also the one day that I can take the kids while I work out and my husband is at home. He enjoys the couple of hours at home without us around and that makes it worth the trip (most of the time :-)).
Today’s workout:
- 30 minutes of high intensity elliptical
- 5 min in the sauna
- short bike ride around the neighborhood later in the day (@2 miles).
Next up: SPIN with Beth in the morning.