Reimagining the Weinberg Park Heights JCC

Chef Dan’s Café, Upgraded Pool and More!

The Weinberg Park Heights J has come a long way since it opened in 1960. Many of you have seen significant changes in the past 15 years, but according to JCC CEO Barak Hermann, we are about to embark on a multi-year improvement plan transforming much of the building and some of the services we offer.

“Over the next two years you will see a major growth of LifeBridge Health wellness programing tailored to the needs of the frum community.” announced Barak. “Rooms and offices will be moved around and redesigned to accommodate LifeBridge and numerous new fitness opportunities. People who haven’t visited in a while won’t believe their eyes!”           

Adds Barak, “The Weinberg Park Heights J is a truly unique JCC, as it is the only JCC in the country that primarily serves an observant community, focusing on separate male/female only programming. With the continuously growing observant population in Baltimore of over 30,000, we believe we are positioned to serve the wellness, recreational and engagement needs of the community.”

The exciting new vision of The Weinberg Park Heights JCC will become apparent over the next two months and celebrated at Chef Dan’s Café’s Grand Opening on Sunday, October 27, when we will debut a new café vendor.

David Mitnick, JCC Senior Building and Operations Director remarks, “People see our café as an extension of the JCC. When the option became available to find a new vendor, we wanted to find one that would match the vision for what the JCC would become. It was therefore very important for us to have a café with kosher certification where all our members will feel comfortable. “Chef Dan’s Café at the J”, will be Cholov Yisroel dairy, certified by the internationally respected hashgacha, STAR-K Kosher Certification.”

The menu includes everything from pizza to lemon dill salmon, to make your own omelets and a baked potato bar, to healthy fruit smoothies, paninis and much more. They’ve thought about everything by including a special menu for kids (Unicorn Pancakes) and gluten-free options, too.

Also coming soon to The Weinberg Park Heights JCC, will be a totally upgraded indoor pool. The pool will be closed September 27-October 30, for construction, with a projected opening October 31.

“The investment of dollars in the pool will make an enormous improvement – no matter which direction you look, you will see a change,” says David.  “When you look down while swimming you will see the relined and resurfaced pool interior. When you look left or right you will see new colors painted on the walls and when you look up you will see a repainted ceiling and new lighting. It’s going to feel like a totally new pool environment. We are also working with our aquatics team to reinvigorate the classes and build a more dynamic staffing model.”

“There is no JCC in the country that offers the amount of separate swim and fitness that we have in Park Heights,” continues David “The JCC and the Associated have made a concerted effort to meet the needs of the community. The fact that the community has responded so well, shows mutual respect.”

Harry Kozlovsky, Chair of the Park Heights JCC Task Force, and Vice Chair of the JCC Board of Directors, and a JCC member since the early 70s, shares, “I have seen, firsthand, over the past several years – and increasingly so each year – the amazing sensitivity displayed by Barak Herman and his team, the JCC  Leadership, and the Associated, in meeting the needs of the Orthodox community in relation to the Park Heights JCC. We have only just begun and the Orthodox community will be seeing more and more opportunities within the building. We have been additionally energized by an infusion of young and passionate leaders of the Orthodox community onto our Board who share the same vision for the JCC.”  

The Café’s Grand Opening event on Sunday October 27, 10:00am – 2:00pm, will feature free pizza for kids; a moon bounce; face painting; balloon sculptures; and, activities for all ages. Sign up for JCC membership with no Joining Fee that day and get a $50 JCC gift card! Get a tour of the upgraded pool before it reopens and join the Les Mills Group Fitness Launch [full schedule available at www.jcc.org/groupfitness]. “Chef Dan’s Café at the J” will be open 10:00am-6:00pm on the day of the event.

As Randi Buergenthal, JCC Board Chair concludes, “All of these enhancements are happening because of the JCC’s ongoing commitment to the community — we want to stay relevant and desirable to all the needs of the growing frum community!”