10 | SEPTEMBER 7 • 2023 

E

llen Nussbaum Bouchard of West Bloomfield was thrilled when 
JLearn classes went online. 
A medical speech language pathologist who owns a rehab 
company, she was rarely able to attend classes in person because she 
was out working all day. The pandemic brought with it teletherapy, 
and her world opened up, she says. “I could take classes I could never 
do before,
” she says. “Now they were on Zoom.
”
Today, she’s signed up for “a million classes,
” she says, and she has 
access to amazing teachers and peers with shared interests.“There’s 
so much opportunity to grow and learn,
” she says. “It amazes me how 
much the teachers know and how much I have never learned.
” 
In JLearn and beyond, the Jewish Community Center 
of Metropolitan Detroit is expanding its reach and 
rebranding to connect with more area Jews wherever 
they may be. Rather than focusing on a building 
footprint, “The J,
” as it’s now called, is offering 
opportunities for anyone interest-
ed in social and educational pro-
grams, cultural programs, pre-
natal programs, camp programs, 
early childhood programs, adult 
Jewish seminars, book fairs and 
film festivals to plug in. 
“The JCC is a platform for 
Jewish life that invites all sectors of the commu-
nity to participate,
” says Brian D. Siegel, chief exec-
utive officer. “We’re involved in a complete paradigm 

The Jewish Community Center — now known 
as ‘The J’ — acts as a platform for Jewish life 
no matter where people are.

Brian D. 
Siegel

KAREN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER

 A New
‘Jewish Center’

CLOCKWISE: Adam Kessler, president of the Board of The J, with 
his daughters at a JFamily event. A woman and child enjoy a challah 
bake with JFamily. A Kids All Together camper during Messy Day at 
summer camp.

COURTESY OF THE J

RIGHT: Visitors peruse 
the art at the Janice 
Charach Gallery. 

