JCC Guttenberg Center for Special Services

01/14/2026

🧼💙 Health Check, Team! 💙🧼
We’re seeing a lot of flu symptoms going around, so let’s protect ourselves and our friends by practicing good hygiene every day!

✨ Remember:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water 🫧
• No sink nearby? Use hand sanitizer 🙌
• Cover coughs and sneezes 🤧
• Feeling sick? Stay home and rest 🛌 — it helps your body heal and keeps your friends healthy too!

Taking care of ourselves means taking care of each other 💙 Let’s do our part to stop the spread and keep our day program strong and safe!

04/06/2025

Come check out Project NOTE, Project COOKIE, and Project PLANT—three amazing business initiatives from the Guttenberg Center for Special Services at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades!

Our participants create beautiful handcrafted cards, cookie kits, and terrariums, building creativity, independence, and real-world vocational skills.

Every purchase directly supports our participants and helps expand their opportunities.

We’re open for business today from 10 AM to 4 PM—stop by and support something meaningful!

03/12/2025

Grief is hard to navigate for anyone, but imagine feeling deep sadness and not having the words to express it. Many of our participants experience life transitions and losses—changes in routine, the absence of a friend, the passing of a loved one—while struggling to communicate their pain.

Yesterday, we sat together and talked about grief. We explored what it feels like, how it can show up in our bodies and minds, and what we can do when sadness feels overwhelming. Most importantly, we reminded each other that all feelings are valid and that asking for help is not only okay—it’s necessary.

Our staff is here to provide support, to listen, and to help our participants find ways to express and process their emotions. Because caring for the whole person means recognizing not just their needs, but their feelings too. And healing begins with compassion, acceptance, and the simple act of being seen.

03/04/2025

🎭✨ Join Us for a Joyous & Inclusive Purim Celebration! ✨🎭

Purim is just around the corner, and we’re excited to invite families with children with special needs to a fun-filled and inclusive Purim Carnival at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades!

📅 Date: Sunday, March 9
📍 Location: Kaplen JCC on the Palisades
⏰ *Sensory-Friendly Hour: 12:00 – 1:00 PM (A calmer, more accessible experience for those who prefer a quieter setting!)*
⏰ Main Event: 1:00 – 4:00 PM (Open to all, with games, activities, and lots of Purim fun!)

🎭 What to Expect:
✨ Exciting carnival games & prizes
🎨 Arts & crafts
🍭 Delicious holiday treats
🌀 A festive, welcoming atmosphere for all!

Whether you join us for the sensory-friendly hour or the main event, we can’t wait to celebrate Purim together!

🔗 For more details and to register, visit: https://www.jccotp.org/event/purim/

Come in costume, bring your smiles, and get ready for a day of joy, laughter, and community! We can’t wait to see you there! 🎉🎭✨

03/03/2025

Nearly 100 people showed up earlier tonight to dance with us at the Guttenberg Center for Special Services. They came from all over the county, individuals with disabilities from across our community, ready to move, to laugh, to be together. And that’s exactly what happened.

Life with a disability can be lonely sometimes. People keep their distance, or look away. They don’t mean to be cruel; they simply don’t know how to deal with differences.
Last night, our community was amongst friends— no one looked away. Everyone turned toward—toward the music, toward each other, toward the simple human experience of joy.

Because at the core, we are all the same. We all want to be seen. We all want to belong. We all need spaces where we are welcome exactly as we are.

I am so grateful for our community and for the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades —for creating an includive space for all, making sure no one is left standing on the sidelines.

To those who came, who danced, who filled the room with energy—you are why we do this. And we’ll see you again next month.

02/06/2025

The Art for All exhibit is officially on display at the ‘s Waltuch Gallery, and we couldn’t be more proud of the incredible artists who have shared their work with us. Featuring stunning pieces from our Day Program, Afternoon Connections, and Sunday Funday participants, as well as contributions from local schools and programs, this exhibit is a powerful testament to the talent, passion, and unique voices within our community.

🌟 We invite you to take a stroll through the gallery, celebrate the artists, and experience the power of art to bring people together! 🌟

📍 Visit the Waltuch Gallery at the JCC and let us know which piece speaks to you the most!

12/11/2024

12/07/2024

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Sigal Peretz Yahalomi, CEO of Akim Israel אקים ישראל, Larry Rein, CEO, and Michal Zara Schwartz,
Development Coordinator of Friends of Akim USA to the Guttenberg Center for Special Services at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades .

They visited to learn about our work and share their mission of empowering individuals with disabilities in Israel, especially in light of the challenges faced since 10/7.

Our conversations were rich with ideas, shared values, and a mutual commitment to fostering inclusion and resilience. We’re excited about the possibilities of working together with such an impactful organization!