In March 2022, Shuli Karkowsky became CEO of Moving Traditions in Elkins Park, a Jewish nonprofit that empowers teens through self-discovery and social connection. It was her first CEO role. And at the time, her children were still young: ages seven, seven and two.
Today, Karkowsky, 41, is an experienced chief executive with kids – Lila, 9, Caleb, 9, and Noah, 5 — who are growing up rapidly. The CEO/mom took a few moments to reflect with Metro Kids.
More than two years in, how is your first CEO role going?
First, taking over a nonprofit from its founder can be a balagan (chaos), and I am so grateful to my predecessor Deborah (Meyer) and to the staff who created an amazingly strong foundation from which to grow. That difficulty could also have been compounded by the difficulty of the world teens are living in: rising incidence of mental health issues, ascendant antisemitism, Oct. 7.
Though the part that Moving Traditions can play is small, there is something incredibly fulfilling about waking up every morning knowing that we are giving educators and teens the tools they need to make this moment a little less difficult.
Is motherhood flying by or do you feel like you’re taking time to enjoy it?
The common refrain about motherhood is the days are long, but the years are short. I do feel that to some extent, especially when I see old friends who haven’t seen my kids in a while, and they cannot believe how much they’ve grown.
But I am also pretty good about carving out space to just be with my kids. We do a lengthy bedtime where we talk about our days, read together, and sometimes just sit quietly, all of us reading to ourselves. I’ve learned that presence is my love language – something I deploy both with my children and at work. And when I am intentionally present in each of those settings, the time doesn’t seem to just slip by – it really gets savored.
What would your advice be to other millennial women, or perhaps Gen Z women, on balancing those priorities?
A wonderful mentor once told me: You can do two things really well. Don’t expect more than that.
In any years that I had really young kids – kids under three – I gave myself the grace of saying: I want to lean into work, and being a committed mom, but nothing else. And I really did divest myself of expectations around other things – working out, seeing my friends as much as I wanted to, hosting Shabbat meals, etc.
I am now coming out of that baby/young kid stage, and I can already feel myself being able to take on more. I’m back to regularly exercising, joined a nonprofit board and am a bit better at grabbing drinks or dinner with friends.
You’re 41 now. How does that feel?
My husband (Avi) and I both went BIG for our 40th birthdays, hosting a party in our house with over 120 guests for each.
Neither me nor my husband has had a conventional midlife crisis. If anything, I’m suffering from the opposite. I’m not looking around saying, “Is this all there is?” I’m looking around and saying, “How did I get so lucky?”
Family Favorites
Way to spend a good weekend: Go on some adventurous outing – a museum, a hike, clambering over big rocks, a beautiful beach driving distance away – then come back
to a barbecue with friends (preferably where they are cooking).
Vacation spot: Banff in summer is probably our current front runner – the crystalline lakes framed by ice-capped mountains are unbeatable.
Local spot: Reading Terminal Market and Franklin Institute make a perfect day together.
Game: Kids charades!
