WaJew Wellness

The mental and physical wellbeing of our students has always been a priority, but now more than ever, students are sharing with us that finding space to address their wellness is especially important. We're excited to expand our wellness programming with the help of our Wellness Interns- Maggie and Ally! If you have ideas for how we can make wellness a stronger value in our community, let us know!

Join us for a month of small, informal, weekly social circles where students and staff connect through shared interests. Each month, the Hoogim will change, leaving so many opportunities for meaningful connection and exploring your passions. 

April Hoogim: 

Venti Ventures (cville walking & coffee tour) with Ally & Maggie
Workout Roulette with Annie
Bake the World a Batter Place with Paige 

Hoog with Us!

February Hoogim:

Don't Make a Rookie Mistake with Miyah
Israel Watch & Talk with Doris 
"True Crime" Watch Party (Hoo dun it?) with Alexa
You're One Hot Cocoa with Annie 
Bake the World a Batter Place with Paige 
The Soundtrack of Your Life with Rabbi Jake 
Disney+Pixar's Soul & Exploring the Zone w/Danielle
Talking with Your Hands with  Livia & Sade
Let's get Candid about COVID with Gina 

Have something you want to get off your chest? Want your community to know something about your life from the past year? Want to pose a question, share a story, or publicly express gratitude? Want to get real about what it was like living during COVID? Want to complain about drooling into a test tube? 

Anything goes.
​Send us your letters, art, Snapchat masterpieces, or anything else and we'll share them on this page and on our social media.

​How to submit:

• Send us some snail mail! 
  Mail submissions by April 16 (to make sure we get them in time) to the Brody Jewish Center. Our mailing address is 1824 University Circle, Charlottesville, Va 22903. We'll have postcards, writing materials, art supplies, and stamps available during Bagels on April 14 & 21 for you to pick up.
• Submit online!
  Click here to upload a photo of your masterpiece or letter to our anonymous submission portal.
• Submit by Instagram!
  DM us on Instagram at @brody_jewish_center. It's less anonymous than other methods, but we'll keep your identity between us. 

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Past Events

Lo-Fi Journaling with Matt: Sundays 
Every Sunday morning JLAB Chair Matt Gillam will host a journaling sesh with lo fi hip hop playing in the background. Who knows, with the limit of gatherings being at 10 people now I might even schedule some in-person sessions 
You're invited to join the group 'Lo Fi Hip Hop and Sunday Morning Jew-rnaling' on GroupMe for me information.

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Picnic With Paige: Mondays from 12-2pm (TOG on Grounds)
Need to leave your apartment, take a walk, and give yourself a quick break? 
Join Paige every Monday afternoon (weather pending) from 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm to picnic on the TOG (triangle of grass), the grassy area across from the corner. You can sign-up for a 30 minute time-slot to just come and hang out over a cup of of coffee, talk about school and life, and enjoy being outside! Bring a friend or come by yourself! Max. 6 people so that we can all hear each other in a wide-circle :) 

Dates:
October 26th
November 2nd
November 9th
November 16th

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Nature Walks with Annie: Tuesdays from 9:30-10:30am (Ohill Trails)
Start your morning off right by spending some time relaxing in nature and getting away from your screens. 
Join Annie every Tuesday morning from 9:30am-10:30am to explore the O'hill Trails and learn about some simple mindfulness activities that can set you up for a peaceful and focused day. We'll meet outside O'hill dining hall and walk together to a new trail each week. If you're driving, you can pay to park outside O'hill or at the AFC. 

Dates:
October 27th
November 3rd
November 10th
November 17th 

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Gratitude Practice with Paige: Wednesday 11/11 @5pm (Zoom)
With the Thanksgiving season approaching, it's a good time to start thinking about gratitude and how to incorporate it into our lives more. Learn with Paige about the Jewish values that teach gratitude and set gratitude intentions for yourself.

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Hiit Workout with Annie 11/12 @11am (BJC Lawn)
Focus on your physical health with a quick and energy-building high intensity interval training class led by Annie. We'll do a 30 minute workout designed to burn calories and get your blood pumping in a short period of time! 

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Yoga Flow with Special Guest Instructor 11/9 (BJC Lawn)
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Join yogi-in-training Rachel Markhoff for a yoga flow outside the BJC on 11/9 at 3pm. ONLY 8 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Bring a towel or mat to participate! Sign up closes 11/8. 
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Writing Workshop with Danielle 11/13 @4:30pm before Shabbat
Did you know that our very own Director of Development, Danielle has a Masters degree in creative writing? Spend some time learning about how writing can help you address wellbeing in tough times. Below is a description of the type of writing Danielle will teach!

Say the Hardest Thing, The Thing You Think You Cannot Say (Ann Hood)
We all have thoughts about the world around us we've never given voice to because of our judgments - maybe we think the thought is too mean, too embarrassing, too vulnerable. In this journaling-style writing class, we'll write about an aspect of our lives for outside consumption, then push farther to explore what it's like to write the things we think we cannot say. Hopefully through writing these things and sharing anonymously, we'll realize that our hardest-to-say thoughts are normal and human, and can even build bridges that connect us to others through shared experiences or insights.

Wellness Weekly Cohort

Wellness Weekly is a 6-session cohort that will meet every Thursday evening, starting on October 15th, from 6:30-7:30 pm. Each meeting is designed to explore a different realm of wellness and allow you to learn, engage in fun activities, build a tight-knit community, and invest in your wellness journey!
The realms of wellness include Physical, Social/Relational, Professional/Financial, Psychological, Emotional, and Spiritual Wellness.
This cohort will be run by Wellness Engagement Interns Ally & Maggie along with BJC staff members Annie & Paige.

Exodus- The Jewish Walking Club:

Are you sick of screens? Craving human interaction? Wanting to see fall foliage? JEWISH??? Join Exodus: the Jewish Walking Club. The idea is simple but profound. Anyone can lead a walk, and others can sign up to walk with them. All walks will be masked, distanced & FUN.
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