Bender JCC Becomes First Fitness Center in the U.S. to Offer RightHear Accessible Wayfinding Technology
Rockville, MD, August 31, 2026 – At the Bender JCC of Greater Washington, inclusion isn’t simply one of our programs. It’s one of our core values. Every decision we make is guided by a simple belief: everyone should feel welcome, empowered, and able to fully participate in all that our community has to offer. Today, we’re proud to take another meaningful step toward that vision. The Bender JCC is excited to announce the implementation of the RightHear accessible wayfinding system, becoming the first fitness center in the United States to deploy this innovative technology throughout its facility.
RightHear is more than a navigation tool. It is an accessibility platform that transforms visual information into real-time spoken guidance, making public spaces easier to understand and navigate. Using the free RightHear smartphone app and a network of camera-readable RightHear Markers installed throughout our building, visitors can receive spoken information about their surroundings, identify nearby destinations, and confidently navigate our campus.
For individuals who are blind or have low vision, RightHear provides greater independence by making information that is typically communicated through signs, directories, and visual landmarks accessible through audio. Rather than relying on printed signage or assistance from others, visitors can explore the Bender JCC with greater confidence and autonomy.
The system also supports 35 languages, including Hebrew, making it easier for guests to experience the Bender JCC in the language they are most comfortable using. Whether someone is visiting for the first time, prefers information in their native language, or simply appreciates additional navigation support, RightHear helps make every visit more intuitive and accessible.
Accessibility Through Innovation
Accessibility means more than meeting building standards or installing ramps and automatic doors. It means creating an environment where every individual can confidently engage with our community from the moment they arrive.
While traditional accessibility improvements help people enter a building, they don’t always make the information inside that building accessible. Room numbers, directional signs, maps, and visual landmarks continue to communicate primarily through sight. RightHear helps bridge that gap by delivering spoken orientation and location information directly through a visitor’s smartphone.
Members and guests can independently identify entrances, reception areas, fitness spaces, locker rooms, studios, pools, meeting rooms, and other destinations throughout the Bender JCC, making it easier to navigate the building with confidence.
This investment reflects our ongoing commitment to removing barriers wherever they exist, whether those barriers relate to vision, language, or navigating an unfamiliar environment.
A Natural Extension of Our Mission
For decades, the Bender JCC has been recognized as a leader in inclusion, creating opportunities for people of all abilities to learn, connect, stay active, and build meaningful relationships. Implementing RightHear is another example of that commitment in action.
By combining innovative technology with thoughtful design, we’re creating a campus where more people can experience the independence, confidence, and sense of belonging that every visitor deserves.
As Josh Bender, Chief Executive Officer of the Bender JCC, shared: “Our commitment to inclusion doesn’t stop with the programs we offer. It extends to every part of the experience someone has when they visit the Bender JCC. By making our building easier to navigate independently, we’re helping ensure that more people can participate with confidence and feel a genuine sense of belonging.”
Experience RightHear at the Bender JCC
Getting started is simple: Download the free RightHear app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
- Open the app when you arrive at the Bender JCC.
- Point your smartphone toward nearby RightHear Markers.
- Receive spoken information about your location, surrounding spaces, and nearby destinations in your preferred language.
As the first fitness center in the United States to implement RightHear throughout its facility, we’re proud to continue setting a standard for accessibility and inclusion.
Because at the Bender JCC, accessibility isn’t just about helping people find their way. It’s about ensuring every person can experience our community with greater independence, confidence, and a true sense of belonging from the moment they walk through our doors.
About the Bender JCC:
The Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington is a vibrant community hub in Rockville, Maryland, offering a full-scale health and fitness center, preschool, summer day camp, arts and cultural programming, and lifelong learning opportunities. Rooted in Jewish values, the Bender JCC creates an inclusive environment that welcomes individuals and families of all backgrounds and inspires meaningful connection, engagement, and well-being.
About RightHear:
RightHear is an Israel-founded accessibility technology company that expanded to the United States five years ago. Its audio-based orientation solutions help people who are blind, have low vision, or experience other orientation challenges navigate spaces with greater independence and confidence. Guided by the values of independence, passion, and equality, RightHear works to create a more accessible and inclusive world for everyone.
