“When How Might We?” Becomes “We Did!”
The last nine months have revealed significant truths about the power of flexible leadership during a period of unknown. Rewind. I was named President & CEO of JCC Chicago in September 2018. The first year was blissful—programs were full, the budget delivered a surplus and the future was nothing but bright. Everything we knew changed […] Learn More ›
A Treasured Member of our Family
When we picture our family, we see the four of us: Brad, Rachael, Blake and Shayna. But we have to acknowledge that there’s been a strong presence in our lives for a long time that has shaped our entire family in so many ways. It’s Camp Chi. Everyone in our family was a “J” kid […] Learn More ›
My Summer Home
For most people, going away to summer camp without your parents and your phone might seem weird. For me, that’s what I do every single summer. On Father’s Day, I take a bus from a local high school to Camp Chi, a Jewish sleepaway camp in Lake Delton, Wisconsin. I spend eight weeks on a […] Learn More ›
The Value of Practicing Gratitude (Even When We Don’t Feel Like It)
In the early days and weeks of the pandemic, amidst the overwhelming uncertainty and disorientation of it all, it was relatively easy to find the silver linings of a stay-at-home order. Leisurely morning coffee in jammies, the safety and privilege of working from home, mid-day family walks around the block, permission to stop making social […] Learn More ›
Growing with the J
Since I was a kid growing up in Wilmette, many of my life experiences were built by JCC Chicago. With every turn I took and every choice I faced; the J was there with a program that fit my needs as I moved along my own personal “Game of Life.” Looking back, I realized my […] Learn More ›
A Foot In Both “Camps”
I have worked in Early Childhood education for 25 years, the past 8 years at JCC Chicago, which has been a highly creative and fulfilling labor of love. So, naturally my team and I got creative when we needed to go virtual this past spring. Teachers made home visits to families, social distancing at the end of the […] Learn More ›