From the Desk of CEO Judy Halper: June 2025

Going to summer camp was something I looked forward to year after year. No home sickness for me. The worn cabins and facilities didn’t bother me. It didn’t matter what the food was like. I loved every minute of it, and that joy was later passed down to my children, and the next generation, my grandchildren, as they begin their summer camp experiences. Every time I hear a rendition of Joni Mitchell’s song, “The Circle Game” – the traditional end-of-camp song – I am reminded of the tears streaming down my face each summer as I said goodbye to friends, to camp, and symbolically, to summer.

Now that we approach the end of June, with Independence Day fast approaching, we know as adults how quickly time flies – especially summer! The song takes on more meaning as I age and understand in an adult way how challenging it is to make sense of the passage of time.

At Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis, we are proud to be a resource to families whose children want to attend summer camp, and who are likely to grow and benefit from the experience if given the opportunity. Our camp scholarship program and our counseling and mental health services support children and their families to access summer camp and manage the challenges of experiencing separation and independence. We provide support and resources for the LGBTQ community through our J-Pride program’s Shabbat morning service at Loring Park during Twin Cities Pride, as well as its presence with a booth and participation at the event’s parade. Click here for more on J-Pride’s programming during Pride Month.

JFCS supports people at all ages and stages of life. We recognize that summertime can be challenging for older people who live alone, individuals with mental health or physical barriers who want to take advantage of activities and offerings, and young families looking to make connections. Reducing those barriers and making it easier for people to find connection is one of our specialties. Research bears out that isolation and inaccessibility exacerbate known physical and mental health problems.

As summer progresses, we are seeing more older adults accessing our Garber Transportation program and getting out to appointments and activities. In fact, we have more ridership now than we have seen since before the pandemic. We have increased the number of therapists and specialties in our counseling program to address the rise in depression and anxiety expressed by so many people in these difficult times. Therapy, along with medication and other treatments, can be the boost people need to get out into community and enjoy and benefit from the summer sun, fun and engaging opportunities.

Like it or not, we’ve reached the peak of daylight. Summer will be over before we know it, or before we are prepared to transition to a new season. If you, or someone you know, might benefit from JFCS programs and services to get more out of summer, we invite you to reach out. JFCS is Here for all. Always.