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This week I talk to Alyssa Engleson, the program director for youth, teen and camping at the Minnesota JCC. We talk about the increased interest in BBYO, what motivates teens, and the always exciting start of camp season, on this week’s Who The Folk?! Podcast.Sponsored this week by Hennepin Arts, presenting Parade at the Orpheum Theatre Jan. 21-26. https://minnesotajcc.org/summer-camp/The Who The Folk?! Podcast is part of the Jewfolk Podcast Network, a product of Jewfolk, Inc. Episodes are produced by Jewfolk editor-in-chief Lonny Goldsmith. If you have questions, comments, or a guest to nominate, send an e-mail to editor@jewfolk.com. For more information, go to TCJewfolk.com/podcast
This is the Podcast home of TC Jewfolk's Who The Folk?! Podcast. Hear from interesting Members of the Tribe from all over the Minneapolis and St. Paul area.
This week's episode is sponsored by Hennepin Arts, presenting Parade at the Orphium Theater,
January 21st through 26th.
Parade is the winner of multiple awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival,
and now it's coming to the Orphium Theater in Minneapolis, January 21st through 26th.
Deadline called it a work of art as commanding as any musical to hit Broadway in years, and
The New York Times says it's timely, riveting, and gorgeously sung. See it before Parade passes
by Tickets available at HennepinArts.org.
Welcome to this week's Who the Folk Podcast, I'm Lonnie Goldsmith, the editor of TC Jew Folk.
This week I talked to Alyssa Angleson, the program director for youth, teen, and camping
at the Minnesota JCC. We talk about the increased interest in BBYO programming, what motivates
teens these days, and the always exciting start of camp season on this week's Who the Folk
Podcast.
Alyssa Angleson, welcome to The Who the Folk Podcast. Thank you for joining me.
Thank you so much for having me. I'm very excited to be here.
Very excited to talk to you. You are the program director for youth, teen, and camping
here at the Minnesota JCC, which is a big title. There's a lot going on.
There's a lot going on. There's a lot going on.
I'm sorry to under the young row of that title, and I don't get there in a sec, but curious,
I want to go back to the start of your tenure here. What was it that led you to this opportunity
and got you interested in this field to begin with?
Sure. So I have a unique background. I got a degree in sports medicine, which is,
you know, wildly different than what I'm doing now.
Don't know a bit different.
But in that experience, I had the opportunity to work with teens, and that's where I found
a passion for working with teens and having an impact on their life. And it just so happened
that I had a family friend who knew of this position and recommended me for it, and so
I took a chance. And here I am.
So that's a bit of a pivot. So were you heading towards down the road of physical therapists
or potentially a doctor, like a orthopedic or something?
Physical therapy was the initial goal, but there were some things along the way that I just
didn't feel like I meshed completely with.
But I did youth group growing up, USY, BBIO, went to camp and all of those things growing
up in high school. And so this spoke to me, and it was exciting.
Did you grow up in the trans cities community?
I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. So born and raised, and then moved on to University of Kansas
and made my way up here.
So you fit in with a large alumni base of J-Ox, certainly here in the twins' house?
I do, I do. Yes, there are quite a few of us.
And you mentioned camp, did you go to Herzl?
I went to Herzl.
I know Herzl draws from Omaha.
So you have plenty of ties to the twin cities before you even got here.
Right.
A big draw was some family, but I always knew I loved Minnesota, and it would be a great
place to live.
You enjoy it, so far?
Yes. My husband and I moved here four years ago, and he's actually from Dallas, so he was
the one I was concerned about, but given the weather, but he has taken quite well since
that's great.
He loves playing hockey, getting outside when it's negative 15 degrees, and all that.
No fear of that.
No fear anymore.
No, that's for sure.
That's great.
That's great.
He's the one trying to get us out on a frozen lake when, you know, in the dead of winter,
but I'm the one that's scared, so.
Like ice fishing?
Ice fishing, ice skating, driving a truck.
I don't know.
Okay, so I've walked on the frozen lakes.
I haven't played hockey on the lakes.
I certainly have no interest in ice fishing.
Yeah, I'm just sitting in a cold shack.
It sounds cool.
That's interesting.
I'm interested in fishing, but I'm too scared of the sitting on what could crack underneath
me.
I'm less scared about that.
The idea of driving a truck on ice, that seems crazy to me.
Yeah, I mean, he doesn't want to do that, but like, I like to tease him a little.
That's fair.
I mean, I do.
I live near medicine like, you know, I drive by it all.
I never once in a while see people out there fishing and I'm like, that just doesn't seem
to be.
It just makes me turn my heat up higher, you know, just as it looks so cold.
It doesn't seem like it'd be that much fun just to sit there and freeze and hope you get
to.
Oh, yeah.
Um, look, fishing in the summer is not really my thing either.
You're sitting in it's a perfectly fine temperature and you don't catch a fish like
I.
That's fair.
That's fair.
You know, everybody loves different things.
True.
No.
So one of the things here you mentioned youth group you are involved in, the North Star
Council, BBIO is based out of here at the, or it's a program of the JCC, is that?
Yes.
So we, the Minnesota JCC has a partnership with BBIO, where, you know, our, the BBIO program
is run out of the Minnesota JCC.
Okay.
So growing up in Michigan, Michigan is very much.
The Michigan region of the VIO was, was always huge when I was growing up there a long,
long time ago.
And you know, I was, I went to a lot of programs.
I was, I was not nearly as active as my wife was in her BBG chapter there, but it was a
really big deal.
Um, and I know it's a little bit newer here in the Twin Cities, um, as an organization,
which I know in the time where USY was started is, you know, maybe a little harder.
What's your breakthrough?
Are you seeing a lot of growth in the program right now?
I started in November of 2021.
Um, the, the previous person in my position, um, had built the program basically from five
or ten kids up to a little over a hundred and then that's where I took over.
Okay.
Um, and then since then, we've grown to 181 as of today.
Um, and continuing to grow.
So yes, there's definitely been a lot of growth and, you know, abs and flows throughout the
years.
But, um, yeah, BBIO is definitely seeing, um, a higher number year or a couple years.
What do you attribute to that too?
I would attribute that to, um, teen motivation, really.
You know, I'm, I'm here to support the teens and, um, you help motivate them, but really
this all comes, comes from what their dreams and goals and visions are.
And so when they, when they see something they want and they go for it and make it happen,
it's usually a huge result.
So I may or may not be asking this question as a parent of a 15 year old.
Totally.
What motivates teens?
Yeah.
Um, I know big question, feel free to ask me.
It's a same question by, yeah.
Um, it's funny.
I recently had a conversation with the teens asking this exact question.
Um, and their answer to me was food and, so which, you know, of course, why not?
Sure.
But, um, so I'll say food is one thing.
Yeah.
But another, you know, thing I've learned and discovered is the relationship building
between myself and the teens.
Um, there's a lot of times where there's remembering that they have, they have school, they
have other things going on and you just like have to know that, okay, they might not get
something done this day, but, you know, just having that understanding, um, while still
providing accountability when appropriate, um, is a huge thing in just building those relationships.
And, um, yeah, I would just, a mutual, um, understanding.
I mean, the food thing isn't all that silly.
Not silly at all.
Because, in part because we as Jews make food, the center of everything.
Everything.
Yeah.
But not sort of a, we do anyway because we have a whole big break the fast after you
on the keyboard.
Sure.
We make food the center of so much.
Yeah.
We do.
It's not, it's not surprising that teens, that motivates them.
Absolutely not.
Not surprising at all.
Um, it's, it's, it's just, it was just a silly conversation, but they, um, yeah, I,
I think, um, I think that's what I think it's really important.
Um, I think it's important to be a teacher.
Um, I think it's important to be a teacher.
Um, I think it's important to be a teacher.
Um, I think it's important to be a teacher.
Um, I think it's important to be a teacher.
Um, I think it's important to be a teacher.
Sure.
And I think having somebody who's not a teacher, who's not their parent, who's not a relative,
they're that they can talk to and be sort of, you know, a 30 figure certainly, but like,
a little bit friend, a little bit therapist, a little bit, whatever, like, you know, you
have to wear a lot of hats in this room.
Yes.
Um, to name a few, yeah.
I definitely won't say I take on a parent role, but similar to a parent, I have the credit
card.
And, um, you know, I, um, but yeah, I, essentially, I always strive for the teens to feel like I am
a safe person to come to for, you know, really whatever they need or want to talk about, um,
that they can rely on that I'll follow through for them and, um, help create their vision,
help them, um, make things happen.
That's great.
You know, one of the things you're talking about making things happen, one of the things
that was really impressed me was, I was talking with, um, the couple of the teens, one
B.D.
Y.
O.
R.
When you asked why, um, before the start of the community's October 7th,
I had a discussion this past October and I, I knew that there was like a teen program as
part of it before the main event.
Right.
If you will, starting.
I had no idea until talking with Jacob that it was a teen planned teen lead program
until that point.
I had no idea.
Yep.
Um, that teen lead is like what goes on the billboard.
For B.B.Y.O. and the teen programs, um, you know, B.B.
I.O. specifically, I think that's a huge drawing point and, um, attraction for teens is
that they get to create what they want to see.
It's not what I want or, um, you know, their parents want.
It's, they're in the driver's seat and, uh, we get to help them make those come, come
true, come alive.
Um, but yeah, the, the October 7th event, um, was also very much teen driven.
Um, and I had the opportunity to sit down, sit in on a couple of those planning meetings.
Um, and yeah, they essentially came up with the plan and, um, we guided them and who
did it, who could, they can reach out to, um, what resources could possibly be available.
Just amazing that that many teens are, you know, a, coming together, period, but coming
together for such an important event.
Yoni was another one of the teens.
Yeah.
She was part of it.
And I should have mentioned him at first Jacob.
I know it was roughing B.B.Y.O. Yoni was roughing U.S.
Y. And I know there were other people involved in the leadership.
Um, those are two of the teens that I've known for a very long time.
Yeah.
So, um, give them, and really all of the, the people who organized a ton of critics.
I went up there to the, the, the pits and watched, watched it taking place at a dot.
And it was really, it was really cool to see the level of engagement that not just the
leaders had, but I think all the teens participating had.
And I sense a lot of that comes from the fact that they're seeing their peers at the center
of the circle or rectangle as it were.
As opposed, no offense, you or any other red-hills doing it.
The outcome of every program that we run is based on the teens by end.
Yeah.
And nothing to do with, um, you know, I can't even give you an example, but it all has to
do with their buy-in and their motivation.
If they're pulling off, if they're trying to pull off your vision.
It doesn't work.
It doesn't work.
No.
They have to.
Which is why sometimes I will ask leading questions, you know, to make them sometimes maybe think
it was their idea.
But, you know, little Jedi mind trick.
Yeah, a little bit.
But, um, no, really, honestly, though, um, it doesn't work.
And it, it, again, that's the beauty of teen driven, teen blood.
Right.
Right.
I mean, it sort of goes back to the motivation, yeah, food, but also, they got to want it.
They have to want it, um, and they have to see the value in it.
Right.
If they don't, they're not there.
No, you could try to, I mean, I would say you could try to fake value, which you can't
fake, then.
You can't.
You, you really can't.
Um, they, they have to, they, they have to buy in.
Yeah.
From, you can eventually get them there, but obviously, the, the earlier the buy-in,
the easier it becomes.
Right.
Right.
For sure.
And you always hope for that early buy-in.
And, you know, we work hard for it when, when it's needed, but definitely, uh, the earlier
the better.
For sure.
I mean, how, how hard is it?
And again, you, you have the experience of working with them and hearing, sort of, what
goes on in their lives.
How hard is it for them to try to fit in coming to be with students with, uh, schoolwork and
practices and like all of the other things?
How do they prioritize?
That's a great question.
Um, it, I would say it's very challenging for them.
And, I mean, hats off to them. I, I'm working with eight or nine different teen schedules on
a regular basis of trying to coordinate a meeting time for all of us that we can actually
sit down and meet together and, and very rarely it can even be in person.
I mean, um, actually, just last night, I had a, a board call, um, with them and it had to
be at 8 p.m.
Because that's when they're all finally available and, and whatnot.
I was going to say that seems really to me that you were able to get everybody locked into
a call by age.
Yeah, they're, they're involved teens and especially the teens that are in leadership roles.
They are, they're the ones that are, we have the most extracurriculars, right?
Sports, clubs, all youth, any and all youth groups, um, et cetera.
So, um, I would say it's very challenging and, you know, it can definitely be impressive
seeing how they balance and juggle those things and, um, depending on what they make their
priority.
How much did your own youth group experience have, and bleeding you to this opportunity?
I mean, subconsciously, would you think it was maybe, maybe out there?
Um, it's funny.
When, when I was graduating high school, I remember thinking, a, these programs are, you know,
everything to do with who I am as a person.
Um, and b, I don't think I would have a career or a role in the Jewish community, like
when I get older.
Right.
Which, you know, laughing at myself now, right?
But, like I said, they had everything to do with who I am as a person, who I wanted to be,
the type of people I wanted to be around, um, and the people I wanted to, to impact.
It's funny, I sort of did the same thing.
I finished Hebrew day school and I'm like, yep, I'm done, I'm checked out.
I'm done, and then I sort of slowly got dragged into Hebrew and stayed with Jewish camp.
And at the time, I just sort of separated them, like camp in school, like, I didn't sort
of look at the ways of different entities and sort of, they are putting away, it's all
sort of ties back to the community, just different levels and layers of community.
Right.
Right.
And then professionally working in three different Jewish communities.
It's just, you know, can't quite escape it.
So I understand that, like, there's clearly something that is the draw.
Yeah, um, definitely.
It's, my job is, um, you know, one of the ways that I stay involved in the Jewish community,
which has been really nice.
And I, especially the Jewish Community Center, where, like everyone from all of the different
Jewish organizations are coming through.
Yeah. It's a really great opportunity to see that and see the members day and day out.
And, um, it's why I enjoy it.
So there is the, the teen part, BBYO, and one of the other teen activities that you oversee
or falls under your realm is the Twinsity's Macabee team.
Yes, I'm so glad you brought that up.
Um, registration is open.
Oh, awesome.
Um, so it is a great opportunity for Jewish teens to participate in.
And I, I have, I was never a participant because I was never good enough athlete to participate,
but I have a lot of friends who took part.
I actually coached, I covered in 1997, the Detroit team at Pittsburgh, and, and, and, and,
um, March, like they gave me a team jacket.
Like, we're not gonna just hear where this walking with us.
Great.
So I was like embedded with the team and thought of such a cool experience.
I would coach the next year when Detroit hosted as a 23 year old.
And that was, I was not ready for that.
Uh, coaching a soccer team.
Well, if you want to make a comeback, we're going to Pittsburgh again this, uh, upcoming
summer.
Listen, I love Pittsburgh.
Great setting.
I think I retire.
I deserve.
Retired as a coach.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I could see it.
I could see it.
But you had a good experience.
I had a great experience as, as, as like a, again, as a 23 year old, who was both coaching
and covering the games for my, you know, for the Detroit Jewish news is, you know, my
day job.
Um, it was a long five days, but it was, it was an incredible experience.
Again, is evidence by the fact that I'm still talking about it now.
So, um, it was great.
It was great.
It was a really good time and got to coach a bunch of the kids from that team in a club soccer
team with one of the, with my assistant coach, again, in the fall and with your day or
so it was really, it was an experience that was just so great to see just another massive
Jewish community and how kids come together.
Yes.
The coaches and he staff generally have like a really awesome time at the, at the games.
Um, and it's, it's crazy enough.
So many people keep coming back and look forward to, to staffing it and coaching and it's,
it's a really amazing opportunity for them, but also a highlight of, you know, their year.
But, and how is, how is that program we grow over the years?
Because I know that, um, the last, I sure was like, eight or ten kids who went and I
know one of the kids who went and played hockey, I think.
We had the Minnesota JCC had taken kind of a little hiatus and then also COVID happened.
So there were quite a few years that we hadn't participated in the Macabee games.
Um, and then our first summer back was 2023.
We took eight athletes in 2023 and then 11 last year and this year we're planning on taking
16.
That's awesome.
Yes.
And again, my experience of it was whole teams traveled.
In this case, it's, obviously you don't have a whole, maybe you have a whole basketball
team.
If it were co-ed and of different ages.
Right.
So you're sort of piecing teams together from other cities to, um, depending on what our
participants, the sport that they are active in.
Um, so we last, last summer we took five, five swimmers or so.
So it's kind of a mix of, of who's attending, but there are independent sport athletes
and there are team sport athletes.
So for the team sport athletes, yes, they will be mixed with, put on a, what we call a
mixed team, um, which are other athletes from different cities and delegations, um, who
will get to meet and play, play sports together.
Yeah.
Um, but for anybody that doesn't know, um, the Macabee games are a, an Olympic-style sporting
event for 13 to 17 year old Jewish athletes, um, from around North America and, um, a couple
of other countries.
And so it's, it's, um, a really unique opportunity for, for Jewish teams.
Totally should have led with that.
Yeah.
Sorry.
No, no, no.
If I were a better interviewer, I might have, you know, mentioned that in the intro.
No, not for me.
I'm not talking about, thanks for covering.
Yeah.
No, it's, and it is a, a, a, such a fun experience.
It is, it is, um, last year was my first, like, full experience as a delegation head for
the full week.
Um, and I had so much fun.
Where was that, where did you go last year?
I took the 11 athletes to Detroit.
Yes.
Um, yes, it was so much fun, such a great group of teams.
Um, and actually, four of them are going to be representing TNUSA for their respective
sports, but, um, at McCabbie, uh, Israel in 2025, 2025.
Yes.
Um, it is amazing.
It's really cool to have seen them grow in 2023 and 2024 and then moving on to, to Israel
for 2025.
And you represent the country.
It's, um, different level.
It's, yeah, it's very special.
Um, I'm really proud of them and it's been amazing to kind of be a part of that journey
with them.
For sure.
And we'll have to talk offline because I did, I did, I, uh, we had seven or eight athletes
that represented the, they're from the Twin Cities that represented US in McCabbie.
Oh, wow.
A couple of years ago.
And so we did a bunch of feature stories on all of them and then followed up and talked
to a few of them from Israel and, oh, very cool.
I think one person's are sitting on Tel Aviv Beach after they were done to be named and
they're sort of hanging out.
So, okay.
It was, uh, it was a cool experience, but to talk to them, I mean, I think it was cool for
them to take part.
It was really, it was amazing.
So we'll have to connect with the, for sure, with that group of kids.
Yeah, I'm sure they would love to.
Also, that's amazing.
The other big part of your title can't, can't have a conversation with you without
talking about his camping and registration is about to open or already has opened, depending
on when you listen to this.
But today, if you're listening to this, the day we drop, uh, the, the 12th of January,
the Sunday is the camp fair.
Yeah.
So we are hosting a camp registration kickoff event.
Um, we'll be having plenty of fun activities for, for the campers and, um, there'll be balanced
houses, arts and crafts music and, you know, just to name a few.
Um, so that will be, yes, on January 12th, um, from one to three at Sabas.
At the Sabas, J.C.
Sing and St. Louis Park.
And obviously that, it's a very unique situation with the J.C.C.
is that you have, there are two camps that are distinctly different.
Yet between the two J.C.C. is, you know, Olami here in, in St. Louis Park and camp, but
when, which is headquartered out of the cap center in St. Paul and is Egan Rosemount,
I don't have, it is technically Egan.
I know it's like right on the pool in, in Dakota County.
Um, very different experiences between the two.
Yeah, so there are some activity differences for sure, but overall, you know, the same
campy, fun, lively experience.
But yeah, so at Olami, we are, but when, you know, they have boating and rock wall and, um,
high ropes course and whatnot.
So yes, we don't necessarily have those at camp Olami, but, um, just as, just as much fun.
No, for sure.
I mean, I have, I had worked at Butler for each of my cousins when they were camp directors,
but also, um, sent my kids to Olami and they kind of blasted both.
I mean, they're different in the sense that one is based at the building, one is, and one
is a bus ride away.
Right.
It's just, they're just different in that one.
Right.
It's not just like differences in buildings, differences in, just overall five different.
Sure.
Um, still, still both great, still a fun, not trying to knock one over the, I can't promote
him one over the other.
They're both great experiences.
They are on each side of the measure.
They are.
They are.
Um, but yes, I am very much a part of that and I, I am the program director for camp Olami.
So I oversee and support our, um, specialty program areas.
Um, so our, our specialists, I help kind of similar to the BBYO helping them execute a
plan and, and making their vision come to life.
I, I help our specialists, um, make programming for, for the kids.
What are you hearing as we're on the cusp of, or as people are already signing up, again,
depending on when you listen to this, what are you hearing from people about their excitement
about camp?
If not this here, just sort of the general viewing people have of that.
Every year that I've been a part of, of camp and camp registration, um, you know, I hear
from parents like, oh, I hear it's crazy.
Um, you know, I need to be ready to register on, on that day, at that time, um, which is,
this, which is Monday, January 13th, registration all up.
Um, yeah, it's, it's exciting.
We, we sit there and, you know, the camp directors, uh, also in the room together, we're
watching registrations and applications roll in, um, and, and sessions filling and, and
all of those things.
But, um, it's just, it's exciting.
It's happy electrifying really is like a good word for it.
Um, not only for, for us, but I, I know among the community too.
And having been a parent who's, you know, had to piecemeal together a summer of this activity
and this activity in here and here and here.
We know.
Okay, I wasn't the parent.
It was really my wife.
But like, I won't tell anyone.
She knows it.
And everybody else who knows me knows who are we kidding?
Yeah, that's right.
But, like, you have to, like, people get on it right away because they, they, they've
got a schedule built and it has to go the way it has to go.
And that means signing up for things as soon as you can.
Yes, yes.
Um, that would always be my recommendation.
Yes.
It's just to be ready to go.
Yes.
Um, and, you know, you won't have that set in parent panic.
Um, as you get closer to the summer, which is real.
It is.
Um, and yeah, I mean, of course, we'll always do everything to help get your kids in.
But, um, yeah, registration day is, is a big deal.
It's a big deal around here.
It, it, it, it, it always used to go on the calendar of who is, who is signing up for what,
at what time and what day.
Big bold letters.
Yep.
Yep.
No question.
Um, we've actually in the office kind of like sometimes compared to like Taylor Swift
tickets.
Like, um, you know, sitting around in the queue waiting to, waiting to get in.
But.
For times where my, uh, my experience trying to buy seats online for concerts have definitely,
I mean, I didn't have any luck for Taylor Swift.
Plenty of times where it's like, yeah, I've got years of experience doing this.
I know how to do this.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Um, but, you know, for our new families, have no fear.
Yes.
Um, but, yeah, registration again, opening on January 13th.
And it'll be great.
It's, we're looking forward to a good summer.
It's exciting when you get to see that start rolling in.
Yes.
And the kids get excited.
The families get excited.
And as you hire staff, they get excited and it's just, it is a, I think the word user first
right, it's an energizing event for the whole building, not just your department, like
the whole, the whole building.
It's very exciting.
Right.
And, you know, I, I do still get to see, um, campers throughout the building.
So I'm going to highlight some, um, you know, going to be coming to allow me for their
first summer, you know, from the ECC.
And we talk to them, talk to the parents and, and even the kids on their own are just so
excited for, for camp and, you know, remember the staff can't wait to see certain staff members
and, and whatnot.
And it's, it's very fun, very, you know, we're doing something right.
And, uh, no question.
That's always how it feels when we get to see those kids.
And like ECC camp workout stuff, like those are the thing, I know the, I know that JCCs do
more than, or more than just those things, but like those are some of like the tent pole
things that people think of when you say the JCC to them.
So camp is such a huge part of that.
Yeah, it is.
It really, it does add a level of excitement and energy to the building.
Yes, it really does, um, especially during the summer, you know, like you mentioned, our,
our facilities are different between boat and alamean.
So alamean, you've got campers coming in and out of the JCC, um, which is, you know, another
unique and, and opportunity for our kids and our members to just kind of be seeing each
other in the hallways and everyone getting to see kind of all of the things that we, we
get to do here.
We at TCEG, you've used to office out of the building here.
And so there were a lot of times where we would, in the summers, we would see the kids walk
and buy or hear them.
CM or hear them.
Yeah, especially, especially on days, whereas way too hot or rainy and you've got to coordinate
with the building and make room.
I don't know how you're talking about it.
I know.
You wouldn't.
Yeah.
It's, uh, yeah, those are days where I didn't stay in the office.
I mean, I would just go home and work because it's a little bit quieter.
Yeah, you know, there's a little bit of noise, but it's, um, it's all joyous.
And it adds to the vibrancy.
I mean, look, Josephine, it really does add to the vibrancy of the building and the
community and the space and everything.
It is, it is, it's fun to be around.
You know, small doses for those of us who don't have to.
But like, it's still fun to be around.
I mean, like a perfect example is in our offices, um, at my desk, there is a door out to, um,
where the ECC kids play and whatnot.
And so every day, it seemed to happen only when I was on meetings, but, um, you know, the
kids would come up to the door and squish their face against the glass and I would just be
giggling.
I just, I couldn't stop laughing in people on my calls.
It'd be like, what is going on over there, Alyssa?
Um, and so that's something that, you know, no matter what was going on during the day,
that was always something that, hey, I could look forward to or be just take me out of that
moment and make me laugh.
And so it, that, along with kind of everything else that you would experience here at the
J.A.
And if you're having a tough day, like, how does that, like, who are you that's seeing
the site of a kid squishing their faces up to the window?
Doesn't make you feel a little bit better.
Right.
Absolutely.
And not only do I get to smile and laugh, but I'm not the one that has to tell them, hey,
stop licking the window, you know, like I just get to see it.
Kids are bros.
You know?
Yeah.
It's camp.
That's what it is.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Uh, well, it was a last couple of questions and we'll let you get back to it.
First, what is your favorite Jewish holiday?
Yes.
Um, Rochisana would be my favorite Jewish holiday.
How come?
I, I always love the beginning of a new year.
It's, you know, positive energizing, um, you know, everyone around the table is, is happy
because we get to eat food, you know, on that holiday.
Um, but yeah, the sweet new year, I think that's a, uh, it's friends and family.
Right.
And it's like, I'll have to see each other.
Right.
Absolutely.
Uh, and speaking of food, as we have repeatedly, this conversation, what is your favorite Jewish
food?
I would say, Matsubar Soup.
Anyone's in particular?
I'll always say my mom's.
Okay.
I think that's a smart thing to say.
Always a safe choice.
But equally really delicious.
Yes.
Is it like an old family recipe?
Something secret or is just, oh, I can't tell you.
And it's fair.
Yeah.
No, that's good fun.
Well, I said, thank you so much for joining me.
This is a blast to get to talk to you and we'll, uh, yeah, best of luck with camp registration.
Look forward to seeing the kids around and around here in, uh, short order.
Awesome.
Thank you very much.
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