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

Schechter Promo Video 2011

Check it out....

Imagine all the people...

“Imagine all the people living for today.”  Once upon a time a young, Jewish girl was driving to school listening to Imagine, by John Lennon. “Am I living for today,” she thought. Living in Israel used to seem like a fantasy for this girl. Kabbalat Shabbat at the western wall, seeing my savta every Shabbat, and eating falafel at least once a day, life could not have been better in the dream world of Liat Perlin. Finding deeper religious roots, spending time with family that I very rarely get to see, and learning about Israeli culture have been dreams of mine ever since I was a little girl, and what better way to pursue these dreams than to study in Israel. I am going to live for today. 

Although I attend shul every Shabbat morning, studying in Israel will more deeply enhance my religious roots.  As I tutor bar and bat mitzvah students every Sunday I think about the importance of a B’nei mitzvah. The first question that I ask my students is, “why are you going through all this hard work?” Most of the answers are “because my parents are making me” or “so that I can have a party,” but one of my students told me, “Because I want to believe in G-d.” This answer brought even more questions to my head, “why doesn’t she believe in G-d,” “Am I helping her find her Jewish roots,” “Have I learned enough about my Jewish roots.” At this exact moment I decided I would go to Israel and learn about Judaism in order to strengthen my connection to the Jewish people and the land of Israel.

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” Israel is a whole country full of milk, honey, and Zionists. One of my goals while in Israel is to learn about Israeli culture and how a Jewish state came to be.  I want to learn about all the dreamers who put their ambitions into action, creating the Jewish homeland. Zionists such as Theodor Hertzl, Chaim Wiezmann, and David Ben-Gurion are few of the many people that I look up to and wish to learn about while living in Jerusalem. In addition to learning about the history of Israel, I also plan to live as an Israeli, learning about the culture. I can’t wait to eat falafel, drink shoko, and munch on some pesegsman. Israel is my homeland. 

“I hope someday you will join us.” I am one of 8 Jewish kids in my grade. Although, I make only good out of the situation, sometimes I feel isolated. Having to explain why I missed the party because of Shabbat is getting a little old. I can’t wait till I get to go to Israel and meet other Jewish teens who also celebrate Shabbat, and live through the same Jewish hardships that I go through every single day.  I know that while in Israel I will make best friends’ friends that I will remember and cherish for my whole life. I am going to be open and non-judgmental to meeting and getting to know everyone on the program. 

I am not completely sure what I will learn about myself and my people while in Israel but I do know that I am going to learn about how many different types of people can live together in harmony. I know that in Jerusalem Arabs, Christians, and Jews live together. Jerusalem is the center for the three monotheistic religions. Bursting with religious tension, Jerusalem must be the golden example displaying how very different people are able to live in peace. I have many goals that I wish to accomplish while in Israel, but my top aspiration is to learn about peace. So I conclude with this quote from John Lennon’s song Imagine, “And the world will live as one.”

-Liat Perlin, Oded 2011

Liat Perlin reading Torah at camp this summer

Why Give to Camp?

I can vividly recall walking with two Aleph campers last summer by the Huppin Yurt Village and hearing one of them commenting on Frank Savage and the Facility Staff planting a small Douglas fir tree. Then we found ourselves over at the new Challenge Course which is situated among towering Douglas firs.  The camper then said that someday my grandchildren will come to camp Solomon Schechter and then  tree that Frank planted will be as tall and beautiful as these!

Frank's work at the camp and these young campers give me pause.  A deed of any size can make a huge difference. Many CSS supporters understand this; they get how camp has made so many kids happy and has gotten them interested in things like sports, nature, art, music and Judaism.

You never know how one persons support, actions or words will reverberate. Each donor to CSS helps campers and staff make a lasting impression on the world.  Please give to camp this year, it will be a great investment in the Jewish people!

Sam

Why is Schechter so special?

First of all, we are very excited about our new CSS blog! It should give us a pathway to let even more people know about how important CSS is. CSS does so much for young people and so much for our Jewish community.

A main goal of Camp Solomon Schechter, and arguably the most important, is to instill within people a Jewish Identity. To bring Jews together, some of whom don’t even know how to read Hebrew, or how to daven (pray), or really anything about what it means to be a Jew. For so many CSS is an introduction to Judaism.

CSS tries to instill into people this fact – you are a Jew, and Jews are special. For this reason, we say Brachot (blessings) on food before we eat, we prepare for the Sabbath, and we even teach our young Jews about the holiday of Tisha B’av.

Camp, in its own special way, can ignite in a Jew the feeling of “I’m not like everyone else, I’m a Jew, and I like it!" Camp Solomon Schechter is the place where Judaism and joy are one! This phrase is in fact at the core of what Schechter such a special camp.

It’s with that introduction to Judaism that campers are able to explore more into the uniqueness of Judaism by going to Israel or learning about Judaism in their own communities back home.

There are a ton of exciting things happening at camp that are helping us continue to reach our goals of instilling a love for being Jewish into the lives of our communities young people. We are hiring great staff, renovating facilities and getting new toys! I will soon start posting updates on all the new stuff!

I welcome any alumni to write an entry for the CSS blog, others would love to hear from you!

Welcome to the Schechter Shmooze!

Hello all in the Schechter blogosphere!

I want to welcome you to the Schechter Shmooze, Camp Solomon Schechter's new blog.  The blog will be updated during the year with posts by Schechter staff, campers and alumni.  If you would like to be a guest blogger, please email Furman at dfurman@campschechter.org. 

During the summer, we plan on having this blog updated constantly by campers and staff, so you can find out what's going on every day at camp!

To find out more information about camp, you can go to www.campschechter.org, www.facebook.com/campschechter or email Carolyn.

Israeli Scout Alon Roitman rides the Swing on the new Camp Solomon Schechter Challenge Course