"Susan - for the first time in my life, I visited a JCC (Mandel JCC in Cleveland) today to attend a fitness class with my friend that I was visiting this week while in Cleveland for a business trip.  It was sobering to see the lengths the front desk was going through to grant me access - they checked my driver's license and I had to visibly wear a sticker badge the whole time I was in the facility.  Members had to wear their badge lanyards too and scan through a variety of gates.  My friend said these procedures were specifically put in place due to the recent incidents.  On the other hand, I truly enjoyed my experience there.  Everyone was so friendly (could've been because my friend's 2-year-old daughter was tagging along with us too J) and even from the back row in the fitness class, I could clearly monitor my form in the mirror (I felt like I towered over the other women there!).  Also, when we were leaving, a bus transporting a dozen or so senior citizens was dropping them off at the lobby.  They looked so happy to be out and about, even on such a cruel joke of an April morning (four inches of snow fell overnight).  It's truly despicable to target JCCs, especially when they are so critical to the fabric of local families and communities.  I'm so glad you had such a wonderful experience there growing up - I got a little glimpse of it this morning and would encourage others to do the same!"

Thanks Jen Nienaber! Glad you made it to one of the best JCC's in the country!