When I think about the Jew-ish experiences that have stuck with me the most, they are not always the ones you’d expect.
They are the casual gatherings.
Long summer days outside. Meals that somehow turned into memories. Conversations that started casually and became friendships. That easy, hard-to-describe feeling of being part of something, whether it was at camp, on an Israel trip, or at some one-off program I almost didn’t go to but was so glad I did.
For me, so much of Jewish connection has always been about that feeling. The people. The culture. The shared food. The kind of gathering where you can show up as you are and feel connected, even if your version of Jewish life looks a little different from the family standing next to you.
That is really the heart behind Cincy Jewfolk and PJ Library’s Bagels in the Park.
This is an event I first experienced while living in Chicago. I attended it as a parent and later helped staff it, and I loved how simple and low-pressure it felt. The idea was not complicated: pick a park, bring bagels and coffee, invite families, and let the morning unfold.
Kids ran around. Parents chatted. People came from different neighborhoods; however, they loved it when it was hosted in their area. Some families stayed the whole time. Some popped by between naps, plans, moods, or whatever else summer had in store that day.
It felt easy, which is exactly what made it work.
And honestly, it reminded me a little bit of camp. Not in the sleepaway, color war, everyone-knows-the-songs kind of way, although I do love that too. More in the sense that camp creates this instant feeling of community because everyone is outside, more relaxed, and open to connection.
Bagels in the Park feels like a tiny version of that for families on a summer morning.
And here in Cincinnati, that feels especially needed. Families are spread across so many neighborhoods and suburbs (and even States), and summer can be a lot. Camp schedules, travel, work, heat, sunscreen, snacks, naps, big feelings, and the general chaos of getting everyone out the door.
So instead of making community feel like one more thing to fit in, this is meant to feel like something you can actually say yes to.
You can come for the bagels and coffee. You can come because your kids need to run around. You can come because you are hoping to meet another family or because you just want to be somewhere outside where no one expects your morning to look perfect.
That is part of what I love about gathering in a park. There is room for real families to show up in real life.
Our first Bagels in the Park will be Sunday, July 12, at Gorman Park.
There will be bagels, coffee, kid snacks, kosher options (of course!), a playground, a splash pad, and a photographer there to capture family fun.
My hope is that families leave feeling like they had a really lovely summer morning! That somewhere between the bagels and the splash pad, you talked to someone new, saw a familiar face, or made a connection you want to keep building.
That is the whole point!
And if July does not work for your family, save the date for our next Bagels in the Park gathering on Sunday, August 16, at Oakley Playground.