The JCC Maccabi Games are an Olympic-style sporting competition held each summer in North America. Over 6,000 Jewish teenagers from across the United States and from different parts of the world come together for one week of games, performances, and social activities. Every year, a host community gathers in whichever city the games are being held in, and families in the local delegation offer to house teenagers from various states and countries. This year, the games were hosted at the Ft. Lauderdale Jewish Community Center, and athletes came from Australia, Mexico, England, Canada, and Poland (amongst other places).
My mom volunteered to host two table tennis players from London. She called these 15 year old boys our Harry Potters and wanted to adopt them. Of course, these boys have loving families at home in England, but for one week, they were part of my family. My mom and sister went to cheer them on in their ping pong tournaments, and they would proudly send pictures to our family group chat. Everyone loved the Potters. My mom planned so many activities for us to do with them, and my dad (who's used to only having girls around) was so happy to finally have some testosterone in the house. They taught my sister and I how to speak with a British accent and were so thankful for everything my family did for them.
We weren't originally supposed to host anyone, but after the Potters had a bad experience at their first home, they requested a change. They were amazed by how caring my mom is and called her "the mom with the options," since she always let them decide what they thought we should do that day or where they wanted to eat. It was such a fun experience, but it was an eye-opening one as well.
I realized how great my parents are and how I oftentimes take them for granted. They opened their home to total strangers because they wanted them to feel welcomed and loved, and they always make me feel the same. Every time I leave for school, they are sad, and I'm usually indifferent. But this time, I'm sad too. My mom waited until I drove away to start crying, because she didn't want me to see her like that, but this time, I cried too. My mom and dad are "the parents with the options," and although I sometimes don't know what I want, it's comforting that they always trust me to make the right decisions.
So, mom and dad, thank you for an incredible summer, for providing me with countless opportunities, and for supporting me in all my endeavors. I love you both more than I could ever put into words.
