By Tamar Davis, CEO
Well, it’s officially summer! If you’re anything like me, that means you’re ready to relax on the beach with a good book while ignoring—I mean, enjoying—the kids playing in the sand, preferably sipping an icy drink. However, though summer is my absolute favorite season, this year, my enjoyment is also tempered by sadness for the ongoing war in our homeland. With that in mind, I wanted to be extra intentional about working some meaningful, reflective reads into my list for this summer. Here are a few Gateways staff-recommended books I’ll be picking up:
Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes by Jessica Fein
This stunning memoir is written by one of our own: Jessica Fein, mother of Gateways B’nei Mitzvah alum Dalia Flaggert, z”l. I alternated between laughing and crying while reading this book, as Jessica shares her family’s journey of heartbreak, loss, and joy. This book will be the Gateways staff’s summer read this year, and we look forward to hosting Jessica for a talk in the fall (stay tuned for details!).
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haid
Recommended by Sharon Goldstein, Director of Day School Programs, and Ali Shwartz, Mental Health Specialist
When my aunt told me she bought copies of this compelling, research-based book for her grown children who have young children of their own, I knew I had to add it to my list. Sharon and Ali highly recommended this book, assuring me that it’s never too late to read a book like this even if you don’t have young children, because it contains life-long lessons for a healthier digital life.
Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit
Recommended by Tali Cohen Carrus, Senior Director of Programs
Baseball has always been my favorite sport. So when Tali told me about this middle grade book, I couldn’t wait to read it with my own almost-8-year-old son, who is himself a huge baseball fan. As Tali describes it, this book by an autistic Jewish author, is a great story about about an autistic girl who loves baseball and is navigating becoming a bat mitzvah.
Becoming Brave Together: Heroic, Extraordinary Caregiving Stories from Mothers Hidden in Plain Sight by Jessica Patay
And for one last read, this newly released collection of heroic, extraordinary caregiving stories features a piece by Cindy Kaplan, a member of the Gateways Board and parent to a Teen Volunteer Program alum, a B’nei Mitzvah alum, and a current Gateways teen volunteer. Additionally, if you haven’t yet picked up Cindy Kaplan’s own memoir, Freefall: One Mother’s Journey Raising a Child with Special Needs, you should!
