We might need a bigger hallway...

When we opened our front door this Sunday morning, the first thing we noticed wasn’t the smell of bagels or the sound of our neighbors—it was the line of strollers spilling down our hallway.

A sure sign that Shalom Harlem, our monthly family gathering, was about to be in full swing.

Inside, the rug was quickly covered with little ones at storytime, a guitar strummed familiar melodies, parents lingered over coffee, and conversations stretched long after brunch plates were cleared. We joked that soon we’ll need a bigger space—not just for the strollers, but for all the joy and growth and people that keep showing up with them.

So much of our work in Harlem is about building spaces for adults. Indeed, when our daughters, Maayan and Dalia, talk about their “friends,” they usually mean the adults of our community—the ones who sing with them, bless them, and play peekaboo at Kiddush.

Shalom Harlem, though, gives them something different: a space that’s truly theirs, surrounded by peers who are growing up alongside them. This is the fullness of community—songs for the kids, schmoozing for the parents, and learning for us all.