Thomas Wissinger
By Tom Wissinger
Executive Director, Trager Family JCC
Well, it’s over… and it sure went by quick. Even after living in Louisville for more than a decade, the end of summer and the return to school seems to come sooner every year. Harkening back to my own childhood in Western Pennsylvania, the end of summer and the return to school arrived at Labor Day, not the calendar turning to August. Maybe one day I won’t be surprised when it’s already time for my kids to go back to school.
When I was a kid, fall’s arrival always brought on a mix of emotions for me. On the positive side of things, football season was starting. There is nothing quite like throwing on a set of pads and football uniform to make you feel like fall is around the corner. On the other hand, Labor Day weekend was always the swan song of carefree days, long nights, and the ability to live life without a calendar or clock. That’s quite a difference. But what fall seemed to signify most was returning to a schedule.
These days I still get excited for football season, but I also get excited for the schedule and uniformity that the school year brings my family. There is something comforting about being in a similar setting surrounded by familiar faces, yet also having new challenges to conquer. Each year is an opportunity to set oneself up for success in a new venture, to tackle a new challenge, or look for that new opportunity. This combination of the familiar, but something new, the routine and the extraordinary, is the opportunity that is presented to us every fall.
So, I recommend embracing the dichotomy that the fall brings – a period of change and return to normality – and make the Trager Family JCC a part of yours and your family’s routine. Whether you are coming by yourself or bringing along your family and friends, the Trager Family JCC has something for everyone.
Our Health and Wellness program is second to none in Louisville. Whether you like to run on a treadmill, lift weights, ride a Peloton, or join a group exercise class, the JCC has enough options to fit into any schedule. For parents with young children, our JPLAY drop-off childcare program allows parents to concentrate on their own physical, mental and emotional wellbeing knowing that their child is in a safe and fun environment. If you want to elevate your fitness goals, come speak with one of our personal trainers.
Maybe you are more of a swimmer. During the transition of seasons, you can swim both outside in our heated lap pool or inside at the Yarmuth Family Aquatic Center. If you want to enjoy the day with your family, our outdoor pools stay open through Labor Day, and year-round, we are proud to offer the recreational pool inside the Trager Family JCC with spray features, a vortex pool and a slide for the whole family to enjoy. My 8-year-old highly recommends the vortex pool.
If fitness is not for you, we have many other ways to add the Trager Family JCC to your schedule. CenterStage has just closed its 2024-25 season-opening production of The Music Man, selling out nearly every performance. What a show! The talent that graces our stage is truly exceptional, and if you haven’t seen a show in the Shapria Foundation Auditorium, there is no better time than during this season.
Some of our families have already made the Trager Family JCC part of their routine by enrolling in the Club J Before and After school program. Offered in the Camp J building on our Jewish Heritage Fund campus, Club J provides a helping hand to parents whose schedules don’t allow them to get their children to and/or from their school at the designated times. Oh, the kids also have a ton of fun as they get to experience their favorite activities and programs of Camp J, year-round, in a truncated form. This fall, we will also offer additional enrichment programs for kids of all ages, so stay tuned for more information.
The falling temperatures outside bring new and exciting activities to our senior department. Whether it’s going to see a performance, visiting local attractions, taking part in a Spanish or memoir-writing course, or becoming a part of our daily lunch program, come see what the JCC Senior and Active Adult Department has for you. You can also participate in many of the senior-focused group fitness and aquatics exercise classes alongside those of similar abilities.
The fall has always been a unique juxtaposition of the old and the new, uniqueness and uniformity. As I see my kids off to their school bus each morning, I reminisce about who they were but also proudly look upon who they are becoming. This time of year affords us another opportunity to create the schedules and successful habits that carry us through until next summer. So, why not make the Trager Family JCC a part of yours and your family’s routine? If you don’t know how the JCC can fit into your schedule, give us a call and we will gladly assist you in helping make the Trager Family JCC part of your life.
Thomas Wissinger is Vice President of the Jewish Community of Louisville and Executive Director of the Trager Family JCC.