Guest Blogger: Melissa Bloom

WOW, I just did the math to see when the first time was that I got on the bus to go to Camp Solomon Schechter… it was 1989.  That is 22 years ago, dang I’m old!  My family just moved to Portland, Oregon from New York.  My mother asked “where do I send her to camp?” a few weeks later I was in the parking lot of Congregation Neveh Shalom and getting on the bus to go to camp.  I knew no one.  The everlasting joke between Brad Philan and I still to this day, was when he turned around in his fully turquoise outfit and pointed at me and said “you’re new” and then turned right back around.

I cried almost every night of camp that summer.  I hated it.  I didn’t know what to do with myself.  I had been to sleep away camp before, but always had an older sibling with me.  Everything was so new to me.  Moving across the country to a new state, now a new camp, and it was SOOO Jewish. 

I never knew how much 3 weeks would have changed the rest of my life.  Twenty two years ago I went to Camp Solomon Schechter, and now I joined the board of directors.  Who would have thought?   I loved every summer after that first one.  Looked forward to it each day and would have count down until the days I could go to camp.

When I decided that I wanted to become a Jewish Communal Professional, I knew it was because of the lessons I learned at camp.  I knew it was because of the memories and friends I have from camp still till this day.  Returning to the Pacific Northwest almost a year ago, gave me the opportunity to give back to camp.

As an Executive Director of a synagogue I know the statistics and studies of how important synagogue life and a Jewish camp experience is to the future of the Jewish community.  I hope that my volunteer time, donations,  etc. will assure that Camp Solomon Schechter will be a Jewish camp that can help the Jewish Community for the next 60 years.

I know there are many of you out there that have fond memories of camp. You can still be a part of the camp community.  Email me as my hope is to have a very active alumni association with camp.  It is something has been missing.  I hope with your help we can make that happen!

22 years ago camp entered my heart how long ago did it enter yours?

Melissa Bloom

Board Member, Alumni Relations

A group of CSS alumni at the wedding of Aaron Kleiner

Camp Solomon Schechter Participates in National Fellowship

Camp Solomon Schechter Participates in National Fellowship: Creating Strong Role Models and Future Leaders 

Camp Solomon Schechter in Olympia Washington is one of 41 nonprofit Jewish camps across North America chosen to participate in the Foundation for Jewish Camp Cornerstone Fellowship!  From May 24-27, 2010, approximately 250 third year returning bunk counselors from the selected camps will attend this intensive leadership training aimed at enhancing the Judaic strength of their programs, creating good role models for campers, and building leadership in emerging professionals.

Sponsored through a generous grant from the AVI CHAI Foundation, Cornerstone consists of seminars, discussions, and workshops which take place over the four days, culminating in meetings in which camps work intensively to create and action plan to bring back their new knowledge to camp.  Each participating camp selects a minimum of five Fellow  among their third year bunk counselors to attend the retreat.  Camp Solomon Schechter is sending 5 of our most enthusiastic counselors this spring – it is Schechter’s fourth year taking part in this program.

We are thrilled that Cornerstone Fellow alumna and the Director of the Oded Program for Summer 2011 Caitlin Dane (Portland, OR) has been accepted as Camp Solomon Schechter’s Cornerstone Liaison for this summer.  She will be joined at the Cornerstone Retreat by Camp Solomon Schechter’s Cornerstone Fellows this summer Joshua Okrent (Bellevue, WA), Ari Newman (Seattle, WA), Dylane Jacobs (Bellevue, WA), Larissa Peizer (Seattle, WA) and Carly Rosen (Reno, NV).  We are confident that these incredible staff members will learn quite a bit at the conference in Pennsylvania, and that they will bring that knowledge back to Olympia this summer to make a real impact on the Camp Solomon Schechter’s 550 campers.

 Cornerstone Retreat 2009

(left to right) Sam Perlin, David Furman, Caitlin Dane, Ari Goodblatt, Andy Paroff, Dena Eichen