Blog
We Grow Good People
“We Grow Good People”…those aren’t just words we say at Apachi Day Camp, but words we try to live by. Each summer, children come to camp to spend time with friends, learn new things, create new memories, swim, participate in sports, sing songs, celebrate Shabbat, enjoy some popsicles, get someone out in a game of […] Learn More ›
“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 ›
Film Festival Spotlight: Here We Are
Here We Are is a heartwarming film of the love a father has for his son. Aharon has devoted his life to raising his son Uri. They live together in a gentle routine, away from the real world. But Uri is autistic, and now as a young adult it might be time for him to […] Learn More ›