JCCindy Arts

05/01/2025

In a unique twist on this year’s Spirit & Place theme of NATURE, we invite you hear from author, rabbi, and scholar at the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality, Jay Michaelson. In the last ten years, the so-called “Psychedelic Renaissance” has brought these once-taboo compounds into the mainstream, with numerous studies showing their effectiveness at treating depression, PTSD, anxiety, and other conditions. And for thousands of years, many of the same compounds were used in indigenous cultures for spiritual awakening and personal transformation. What does therapeutic, spiritual, and recreational psychedelic use look like today? What are the promises and perils of this rapid transformation? With over twenty years of experience as a meditation teacher, professor of religion, activist, and journalist, Dr. Michaelson makes this fascinating topic both accessible and thought-provoking.

Book sales & reception begin at 6PM with a book signing following the presentation. (Presentation begins at 6:30PM.)

Presented in partnership with and IU Presidential Arts & Humanities Program.

*This event is part of Spirit & Place’s Big Tent Talks which launched in 2024 and presents notable and inspirational speakers focused on faith and spirituality.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-tent-talks-spirituality-psychedelics-with-jay-michaelson-tickets-1293219858409?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawJ3LEFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVT3FkWUVmQkFkR2JvZWI5AR7gvvOZ43WabyAE4Z8QzIA6YT6wHgse8oMMuyzmao0zt50DemWux-nUd77omQ_aem_7LOitwGzSldWp74f7yXscA

04/30/2025

Return to the JCC for the State of Antisemitism 2025, showcasing the ADL’s audit on antisemitic incidents over the course of the last year. This program is for community members, allies, and those looking to learn more about how to fight hate and make an impact.

The program will feature a keynote presentation by the ADL and a panel of community leaders. Panelists to be announced.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/state-of-antisemitism-tickets-1317568786709?aff=oddtdtcreator

04/29/2025

Maybe you want to preserve the stories of your life for your family, maybe you just want to write them for yourself—to better understand what made you who you are or, perhaps, help heal a hurt that won’t go away. Maybe you feel you have a story to tell that the wider world needs to know.

Memory Workshop invites you to enter the satisfying process of getting those stories told, offering practical insights about how writing works and a series of writing exercises to help you identify the moments of your life worth telling and find the voice to bring them to life on the page.

No prior writing experience necessary!

$18 for members | $24 for non-members | Room A-25
https://operations.daxko.com/Online/5187/ProgramsV2/OfferingDetails.mvc?program_id=TMP57750&offering_id=SES1380855&location_id=B558&filter=H4sIAAAAAAAEAG1SQW7DIBD8y54dCUjSqNx66gd8iypEYO2iGogAN7Ki_L0Q13bcVPIB7-zODLNcQUbhG-BXsF4jcAjYmpiCTMY74ZXqQxQnTBdEBxXEJEPKXYyw_YbsNozVdMfZnhOSUXT6ETvUbMv3r_mDWwVKJmx9GITREfgR6rd3Sg6UwkcFnVej4B1zfddV4JsGg3GtSMMZy0TuW5krdeCsAuNU12sUxkmVzDeKXylTxhrZRfynZ5JcWrQcShZZFfVkIhmLIkjXTg50pl4VTiakT1HKz87NzHMOvg3SPlS-cLj4sFx3MthIhSlXU-jxUX8Gjtd5C2SVO6Vj0gtO2Qp_ecIPq71t7_jfmJcbzxZGx52xJrMwkp-FL3xH2ETlA2ZGJy1Oz-XOULYsm4Rhmlbeloii927egMUxITIee2fS-H_7ATyAcuGoAgAA0&fbclid=IwY2xjawJ9wHRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFEN2hnVXdhUlM4MkY5Rm9UAR5vDmUPJiTc805oUOyi-n4VkM-IsmX7SmV1Crgn3xvCT5XL5RntoQhEw1Yhng_aem_CHVEUI0hpWtdOI85ABsEZw

04/24/2025

Kelly Spiegel’s collection, entitled “Life is Short,” features the family connections foundational to her work and memories from her 29 years of living in Indianapolis. The bright colors and delicate details show the vivid power of images as a form of memorial.

Kelly began painting in 1991 after her daughter was born. She specializes in realistic landscape and figurative works. She studied painting for years at the Ox-bow School of Art/Art Institute of Chicago, and she has been an artist-in-residence in Israel. Her art has been represented in galleries and community exhibits. She is a mental health therapist in Broad Ripple.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/life-is-short-gallery-opening-reception-tickets-1328246774859?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawJ3SStleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFScVZ4TnFseVNieGhITmZWAR665yNvLJpBN6cMAy1qbxnyME-vIKKiV53yrhrBx8-dn4j3WhxKbhEZJMssyA_aem_LHVR7Lg8nFffjupmYE4rHA

04/10/2025

On Sunday, March 2, we had the honor of welcoming dancers Adi Gewurtz and Eirad Ben Gal from the Sderot Adama Movement Center for a performance. They live in southern Israel and survived October 7th, but had to put their art on hold in the aftermath. This video captures some of their performance here in Indianapolis, a representation of their work of reconnecting to the body through art as a way of processing trauma.

On Sunday, March 2nd, 2025, the Jewish Community Center Indianapolis Arts & Education Department welcomed dancers from Sderot Adama Movement Center for a per...

03/20/2025

Last night, we explored the connections between people, nature, and the traces we leave behind. Alex Moore’s mixed-media collection sparks conversations about our impact on the planet and the spaces we exist in—between life and death, human and object, past and future.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this unique and thought-provoking reception! If you missed it, be sure to stop by the gallery and experience the work for yourself.

03/13/2025

Meet the Artist: Alex Moore

Like chewed gum pressed into the sidewalk, Alex Moore’s mixed-media paintings are saturated with human presence. Layered with acrylic mycelia networks, animal bones, plant tendrils, and weathered landscapes, these works explore the spaces in between—life and death, human and object, here and not.

Experience this thought-provoking collection examining our Anthropocene legacy at the Gallery Reception on Wednesday, March 19, from 5:30-7 PM at the JCC. Free & open to all—registration appreciated but not required.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-masticated-morphology-of-extractive-extinction-gallery-reception-tickets-1279688204869?aff=oddtdtcreator

03/12/2025

Last night, community members gathered at the JCC Indianapolis for the Housing Injustice Summit, an evening of education and advocacy in partnership with the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana.

Attendees explored the Unwelcomed exhibition, which shed light on the history of redlining in Indianapolis, followed by a powerful presentation from FHCCI. The night concluded with an insightful panel discussion featuring local advocates working to address eviction rates, housing discrimination, and unlivable conditions in our city.

Thank you to our speakers, partners (Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance, Prosperity Indiana, Mirror Indy, and Jewish Family Services Indianapolis) and engaged audience for making this an impactful conversation.

03/06/2025

We’re honored to host Unwelcomed, a traveling exhibit from the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana that examines the history of housing discrimination in Indianapolis. This powerful display is open to the public during our regular operating hours.

Additionally, we invite you to the Housing Injustice Summit on Tuesday, March 11, from 6–7:30 PM—an evening of education and advocacy. Engage with housing justice experts in a panel discussion on the ongoing fight for fair housing.

This free event is open to all, and light refreshments will be provided. Click the link below to register.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/housing-injustice-summit-tickets-1194268562419?aff=oddtdtcreator