Kaitlin & Adam Danze
40 Faces of the J
Kaitlin’s Story:
My parents moved to Charlotte in the 90s when I was 3 years old. They intentionally sought a place to live that had a strong Jewish community, and one of the first things they did was join the JCC. It feels like my entire upbringing happened in Shalom Park, and all of my best childhood experiences and memories happened there. I am both a CJP graduate and CJDS graduate. During summers, I attended Camp Katan and Camp Shalom (now Camp Mindy). I volunteered at Camp SOAR. The JCC is where I learned how to jump off a diving board. I participated in school and camp performances in both Gorelick and Luski Halls. I had my Bat Mitzvah at Temple Israel. I even learned how to play Mahjong with my Mom and her friends by the JCC pool when I was a little girl! During the school years, I attended Sunday School, Hebrew High, BBYO, and Jammin' at the J. My best friends to this very day are the people I shared these experiences with.
Fast forward over 30 years, and it is so special to see how everything is coming full circle for my family. My husband Adam and I sponsor the Kids J Tri every year through our business, Providence Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics. Additionally, our daughter attends the same preschool we both attended, and some of the faculty at the school remembered me from when I was young, which speaks volumes to the kind of people who continue to dedicate their time and careers to the JCC.
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The Levine JCC fills my cup spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I attend yoga regularly with my Mom, work out with a personal trainer, and have enjoyed special experiences such as the sound bath on several occasions. Having a place where Jewish people can freely and safely come together and share so many incredible community experiences is invaluable. For me, every time I enter the Levine JCC and Shalom Park's campus, I feel like I'm coming home, because in a way, that's exactly what I'm doing.
Adam’s Story:
My connection to the Levine JCC goes back almost as far as I can remember. My family moved to Charlotte in 1991 when I was two years old, and the J quickly became a big part of my childhood. Some of my earliest memories are here. CJP, Camp Shalom, which is now Camp Mindy, basketball, days at the swimming pool, and simply spending time with friends and family. As a kid, I probably never stopped to think about why the J felt like the right place. It just felt comfortable, familiar, and fun. Looking back now, I realize what I was feeling was a true sense of belonging and community.
The J has been one of those rare constants throughout my life. It was where I played and made friends as a kid, a gathering place during my teenage years, and somewhere I continued to come back to as an adult for fitness, friendships, and community. Some of my favorite memories are from playing JCC basketball for more than 10 years alongside some of my childhood best friends. Now that I have a family of my own, I get to experience the J from a completely different perspective. There is something incredibly special about bringing my daughter to a place that helped shape so much of my own childhood. In many ways, it feels like things have come full circle.
To me, community at the J means having a place where you genuinely feel like you belong. It is seeing familiar faces, running into people you have known for years, forming new friendships, and knowing that even as Charlotte continues to grow and change, there is a place that still feels like home. The J brings together people at so many different stages of life, and I think that is a huge part of what makes this community so unique.
The J has also supported my well-being in different ways throughout my life. Growing up, it gave me an outlet to be active, play sports, swim, spend time outside, and build friendships. As an adult, it continues to be a place where I can prioritize my physical health and fitness, but the social side is just as important. There is something good for you about walking into a place where you know people, feel connected, and know you are part of something. For me, the J has always provided that balance of physical activity, friendship, family, and community.
As we celebrate 40 years and look toward the next 40, I hope the J continues to grow while holding onto the sense of connection that has made it so special. Charlotte is a very different city than it was when my family arrived in 1991, and it will undoubtedly continue to change. I hope the J continues welcoming new families, creating opportunities for people to connect, and evolving its programs and facilities while preserving that feeling generations of families have come to know.
Most of all, I hope my daughter and her generation can grow up here and someday feel the same nostalgia, connection, and sense of belonging that I do. For me, the Levine JCC has always been more than a place to go. It is a second home.
