Blog
Home is Where the J Is
What does a “J” story look like if you grow up in an area without a JCC? It looks a lot like Hoffman Estates, IL, my hometown—a place not really known as a beacon of Jewish community life. Sure, there was one temple and the token 15 Jewish kids in a high school of 2400. […] Learn More ›
Staff Training’s All-Star Line Up
As JCC Chicago Apachi, Chi and Chavayah camp directors, we sometimes joke that to be successful in our jobs, we need to know a little about everything. We are equal parts social workers, nurses, drum majors, lawyers, plumbers, teachers, referees, guides, artists, gardeners, lifeguards, chefs, parents, carpenters and coaches. In fact, this is true for […] Learn More ›
365+ Days in the USA
A little known fact about Camp Chi: In addition to being an award winning overnight camp, Camp Chi is a bastion of international cultural exchange. This summer staff and campers will come from over 15 different countries, giving our little corner of Wisconsin a diverse, global feel. Having various languages, accents, cultures and ethnicities is […] Learn More ›
Empowerment through Entrepreneurship
My name is Spencer Rule and I was recently a member of the pilot cohort of Project Teen-Seed613, a new, teen social entrepreneurship program of JCC Chicago, grant funded by The Hadassah Foundation. I was born and raised in Chicago, currently a senior at Lane Tech High School in Chicago. This fall, I will be […] Learn More ›
Traveling for Work? 9 Tips to Make it Easier for Everyone
I recently went away to a professional conference for a whole 4 nights and 5 days. Imagine that! Almost one week away from my 3 little ones (ages 8, 5, and 2), whom I’ve barely ever had the courage to leave before. I had a million excuses as to why they couldn’t exist without me: […] Learn More ›
Sticking With That One Good Idea
Written by Julie Hirschfeld and Cristy Steinberg How many times have you had an idea for a business or product, only to give up on it a week or two later? It’s happened to us dozens of times, but this time something was different. We are two working moms and co-founders of the North Shore’s newest […] Learn More ›