Meet Abigail Israel

Meet Abigail Israel: Park Heights Aquatics Supervisor, Sports & Wellness Department 

We’re excited to introduce Abigail Israel, the new Park Heights Aquatics Supervisor in our Sports & Wellness Department. Abigail brings a lifelong love of water, a deep appreciation for community, and a passion for helping others build confidence, connection, and wellness through aquatics. 

Read on to learn more about what inspires Abigail’s work — both in and out of the pool. 

What excites you most about your new role as Park Heights Aquatics Supervisor? 
To have the opportunity to enhance a community’s experience and increase access to resources that help maintain healthy lives is something I am passionate about and most excited to participate in. 

What’s your earliest memory of learning to swim or being around water? 
I grew up with a pool in my backyard, so there really has never been a time in my life when I wasn’t around water — I hardly even remember learning how to swim! One of my favorite childhood memories is spending Saturday afternoons by the pool, along with our neighbors, until well after sunset when our parents finally pulled us out. 

How do you hope to enhance the aquatics experience for members at the Park Heights JCC? 
Many of us feel an innate pull toward water, and I believe swimming — and being near water in general — can be one of the most healing activities for our bodies and minds. (For anyone interested in this topic and much more, I highly recommend the book Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui.) 

The Park Heights community can utilize our facilities to work toward whatever healing, fitness, pleasure, or spiritual goals they may have. The pool can be a space for fun, learning, and exercise, and my hope is that I, the lifeguards, and the PH community can work together to maintain the pool as a safe and respectful space. As we continue to grow programming, water aerobics, and learn-to-swim classes, I intend to do my best to meet swimmers’ needs and desires. I’m really looking forward to joining this community, gaining a better understanding of its diverse needs, and working with swimmers to meet them. 

What’s one skill you think everyone should learn in the water? 
From a safety perspective, I think everyone should know how to float. Floating can be fun, relaxing, and lifesaving — an important skill to ensure you can keep your head above water and rest if need be. 

What’s your favorite way to spend an afternoon when you’re not at the pool? 
When not at a pool, I love to spend an afternoon sitting by or swimming in a lake — my favorite type of water to swim in. Not swimming related, I love to cook and eat with family and friends or read a good book. 

If you could swim anywhere in the world (pool, lake, or ocean), where would it be and why? 
I have many places on my very long “want-to-swim” list, but Cyprus is definitely toward the top. Last summer I got to swim in the Azores Islands with my siblings, which was some of the most incredible swimming I’ve ever experienced. 

Abigail’s enthusiasm, care, and lifelong connection to the water are sure to make a splash at the Weinberg Park Heights JCC on the Goldsmith Campus. Be sure to say hello next time you’re by the pool — she’s eager to meet members and help everyone feel at home in the water.