Strengthening Our Camp Community
When I think about what inclusivity can do for a community, I think about the Keshet Avodah Corps at Camp Chi. This program allows older teens and young adults with disabilities to work independently at camp during the summer and learn key-life skills that can help them prepare for the next phase of their lives. […] Learn More ›
Guiding Children Towards Resiliency & Kindness
Social distancing, masks, quarantine, zoom, lockdown – unprecedented times. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, most of us never imagined a world in which these words would become a part of our everyday existence. Now they are common, bordering on cliché and meme-worthy. I often think about a conversation I had with my sister when schools first […] Learn More ›
Celebrating Our Female Leaders
Today is Women’s Equality Day, commemorating the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote nationally on August 18, 1920, and it was signed into law on August 26 of that year. Three years ago, I was appointed President & CEO of JCC Chicago and became the first female to hold the position in […] Learn More ›
Sharing The Spirit
Apachi Day Camp’s values are respect, kindness and community and we intentionally create programs that put our values into practice. We want campers to experience the feeling of belonging, making new connections and new friendships! Last week, our Apachi campers were able to model these values in our first-ever partnership with Camp No Limits. Our oldest campers […] Learn More ›
From Acceptance To Belonging
The profound impact of connection and feeling of belonging is something one never forgets. At the shy age of eighteen, I interviewed for a role as an Early Childhood teacher at Mayer Kaplan JCC. During my interview, a little boy smiled and played a short game of hide and seek just before he walked up, […] Learn More ›
Spotlight on Inclusion Across JCC Chicago
Throughout the month of February, we will be sharing blogs from families who participate in our Early Childhood and Apachi Day Camp programs and from Keshet families. They’ve all been touched by the inclusive programming we provide, our teams, friendships made and collaborative work of our Social Services team. This year our son, Leor, joined […] Learn More ›