I don’t know about you, but this summer was one of the fastest and most full summers I have ever experienced.
It was full of sunshine, community, family and so much more. This summer was a big summer of change and learning. Previously, I was a part-time worker, mostly stay-at-home parent. For the first summer in seven years of parenthood, I worked full-time. Here are the things I learned:
It’s okay to let go, to let your kids drive the schedule (to some extent). It’s okay to skip a bath and spend long afternoons at the pool. In comparison to the school year, summer can be so fulfilling by not doing anything and providing space to relax. In our house, I noticed that by stepping back and letting go, our kids found creative ways to play and create their own experiences. Yes, our house was left a mess most days, but they could pick up the next day where they left off and continue their imaginative play. Letting go and leaving room for mess was an integral part of our summer.
You don’t have to create core memories; you just have to be present. This summer I learned to put my phone down and to just be present with my kids. They created their own core memories by sliding down the “big slide” at The J and having spur-of-the-moment play dates with the neighbors. The things we look back at together are dance parties, pool time and eating hot dogs with extra ketchup. Oh, and ice cream… lots of ice cream.
This summer we had the honor of hosting a camp shlicha (emissary) from Israel. Shir lived with us for three weeks, teaching us about Israel from the inside out. This gave our family a connection to Israel that is deeper and more meaningful than we could possibly explain. While we were hesitant to have an extra person in the house, it turned out to be one of our best decisions all summer. This experience taught me to open my door literally and metaphorically to new people and new experiences.
Jewish joy and community is fundamental to who I am. I went to summer camp for 15 years and as an adult have rarely experienced that level of enthusiasm, joy and ability to go “full Jewish” in a long time. I had the pleasure of attending the 2025 Maccabi Games in Tucson, Arizona, where I witnessed Jewish teenagers from around the world engage in Olympic-style sporting events. I saw teens who are the only Jewish kids at their schools competing alongside teens from Israel. I listened as they talked about what is important to them as Jewish youth and learned about what they care about when thinking about tikkun olam. To be in an environment where teens felt comfortable, safe and embraced for their Jewish identity felt transformative to witness. I can only imagine how it felt to be on the inside and feel it as an athlete. I am more motivated than ever to host the Maccabi Games here next summer.
Going back to school is hard… even for me. I can’t believe this summer has flown by, it has been full in every way possible. We have experienced very high highs this summer and the lowest of lows. Back-to-school anxiety is real. We have been talking a lot about how you can be nervous and excited at the same time, and when I am giving a pep talk about second grade to my kiddo, I kind of feel like I am giving a pep talk to myself as well. The unknown of who your teacher is and if you will have friends in class is hard to grapple with. For grownups, we worry for our kids and how the new school year will treat and challenge them. We also worry about all the other things we are being dealt with in this world. I keep reminding myself that back to school is also a new beginning and try to ground myself in the excitement of new beginnings.
I’m not ready to say goodbye to summer, late nights, sleepy mornings, fireflies and ice cream. I’m sad that our house will be a little less messy and we will have to follow a routine, but such is life, and another summer will be here soon enough.
