Do you think about your bunkmate from Tevya and wonder where he (or she) is? What about your favorite counselor from Yavneh? Would you interview a Tevya alum ahead of other qualified applicants? If so, we have the app for you!

We recently launched a Cohen Camps Alumni App from EverTrue to make it easier for our alumni to reconnect with friends and discover professional networking opportunities. Barbara Stevens, our Development Directors is already hearing stories of counselors and campers finding each other after years of wondering about each other — and their happy reunions.

Find alumni nearby

An intuitive interface

We brought the app to Cohen Camps alumni because being able to leverage our camps’ long histories is an incredible benefit for our alumni who can tap into a network of people who share the same values and experience, regardless of their generation. The professional networking opportunities inherent in the app’s features make it very appealing to alumni. The fact that it is tied with LinkedIn is invaluable as well. Younger generation alumni can target job interests to specific alumni, and established alumni can connect as well. People like to do business with people they know and trust or people that do business with them.

The Cohen Camps Alumni App Features:

A secure alumni directory within an iPhone and Android mobile app

A connection tool: use the “alumni nearby” map feature to see who lives near you in your town, or a location you are visiting.

A reconnection tool: filterable contact directory of alumni by camp, start year and/or end year, and proximity.

A job search tool: search through the camp’s database to find fellow alumni in a specific field and connect with them using the app’s LinkedIn contact integration feature.

There’s no cost to you; it is a benefit provided by the Cohen Camps for the Tevya alumni community. The simplicity of the Alumni App is what makes it powerful – install and sign in – and you have an online directory for anyone to easily use.

The Cohen Camps Alumni App creates introductions with one tap of the finger. Over the years, alumni have told me that they will gladly speak with someone who went to their camp, regardless of the experience on the resume. Your next job could be one app download away.

The new Cohen Camps Alumni App from EverTrue is

your new way to make the most of your lifetime camp community. Download it today and let us know how you are connecting and reconnecting with your fellow Tevya alumni.

Please watch your mailbox for the Cohen Camps 2014 Impact Report, which details all that we have accomplished in the past year at the Cohen Camps. We are enormously grateful to our families, alumni, and friends who have helped us achieve so much in the past year.

This report is something new for the Cohen Camps. We designed it to provide the ‘big picture’ of what camp means to all of us, while providing specifics for our stakeholders. Over the past few years we have challenged ourselves to strategically articulate our mission and the steps we will take to fulfill my grandparents’ vision of helping young people develop their Jewish identity. The process has left us, as you’ll read, “brimming with fresh energy, warmth and commitment to excellence.”

Often organizations call their review of the previous year an “Annual Report.” We’ve chosen to call ours an “Impact Report” to reflect our commitment to, and belief in, having a positive impact on this generation of American Jewish youth and the greater Jewish community. With it we invite more involvement of the people who share the same Jewish values we hold—to have their own impact. The great things we can achieve are only attainable through a partnership with like-minded people.

This report isn’t the only new thing at Cohen Camps. Some of this year’s noteworthy accomplishments include milestone reunions at Camp Pembroke (80^th year) and Camp Tevya (75^th year), new facilities to enhance programs, the Dor L’Dor: College Style internship program, our first Adult Dor L’Dor trip to Israel, our Certification in Jewish Teen Leadership in partnership with Hebrew College, and the Alumni App to connect alumni across generations.

We enter this new era for the Cohen Camps with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to the Jewish people. My grandfather Eli founded each camp to address a need he saw at the time in the Jewish community; like him we are now envisioning how the Cohen Camps can address needs of the greater Jewish community, by building on our legacy and the lifelong bonds created at camp.

I want to thank everyone who supported us financially this past year; we achieved much because of you. And, I look forward to having more families, alumni and friends become partners in our mission so we can achieve even greater things for our campers and our community.

I also want to thank those alumni, alumnae and parents who volunteered their time to help with camper recruitment and retention programs throughout the year and, especially those volunteers who organized and ran our Camp Pembroke and Camp Tevya reunions. We value your love of Jewish camp, your energy and your hard work. Thank you.

I remember when I  sent my oldest child to overnight camp for the first time.   I remember asking myself who will say, “good night, sleep tight” to him every night?  Who will make sure he puts on sunscreen?  Who will let me know if he is homesick?  I realized I was trusting an organization to help me teach my child important skills and values, yet I had never met the actual people who would be my partners in raising a Jewish child. Now, 13 years later, I am on the other side as I ask parents to do the same thing.

At Tevya, our bunk staff are carefully selected to be amazing role models for children, and they quickly become loved as big brothers and big sisters at camp.  Each age group is supervised by a Head Counselor, an adult who mentors our bunk counselors and is the main contact for parents of campers.  I am happy to introduce our 6 Head Counselors, your partners this summer.

Beth Mintz: Olot (3rd-6th Grade Girls)

Hi, my name is Beth.  I am so excited to be returning for my 3rd year at Camp Tevya as the Olot Head Counselor.  I love working with children and with our amazing Tevya team!  I have a teaching degree from Lesley University and a certificate in Jewish Early Childhood Education from Hebrew College.  For the past four years I have been a Preschool teacher at Temple Beth Sholom in Framingham.  My husband, David, and I live in Holliston, MA.  We have 2 children, Ashley who is 14 and Amanda who is 10.  Both girls go to Tevya and cannot wait to be back (I’m not sure who is more excited out of the three of us!).  As a head counselor your child’s happiness at camp is my number one priority.  I look forward to seeing our returning campers and welcoming all of our new ones!

Ellen (Martin) Ades: Olim (3rd-6th Grade Boys)

Hi, I’m Ellen (Martin) Ades.  This will be my 7th summer as the Olim Head Counselor and my 15th summer overall.  I grew up at Tevya as a camper, CIT, counselor, and Mom of four campers who later became counselors (and my oldest daughter even met her husband here too!).  As you can imagine, Camp Tevya is my family’s second home.  I love being the ”mom” in the Boys Area.  The boys keep me on my toes and make me smile every day!  During the off-season, I am also Camp Tevya’s Alumni Coordinator.  I love sharing my passion for Tevya to help people connect with camp and that’s exactly what I get to do as both Head Counselor and Alumni Coordinator.  In my downtime, I enjoy being with my family and staying active by walking, running (or attempting to), and taking pure barre classes.  This summer can’t get here fast enough!

Lauren Fishman: Tsofot (7th-8th Grade Girls)

What could be better than being a kid at overnight camp?  Being an adult at overnight camp, of course!  My name is Lauren Fishman and I feel so fortunate that I am getting to experience camp life as an adult.  As a child I went to a Jewish day camp and then to Camp Pembroke for a few summers, followed by working at a local Jewish camp.  Going to camp both as a camper and a counselor truly helped shape the adult I am today.  I am looking forward to sharing the camp experience with my three children, Molly (8), Sam (5), and Ethan (3), who are eagerly counting down the days ’til camp.  My husband, Dave, grew up coming to Tevya and is excited to return.  Though I am now a full-time stay at home mom, I was in the field of education since graduating college, with my most recent job as a 5th grade teacher in Newton.  I am excited to work in a professional leadership capacity again, where I am able to act as a mentor to the counselors, and a role model and teacher to the campers.  I am looking forward to all of the fun we will have together and the amazing memories we will create!

Ben Portnoy: Tsofim (7th-8th Grade Boys)

Hi, I’m Ben and this will be my 13th summer at Tevya.  I was a camper from ‘97-‘03, a CIT in ‘04, and a counselor in ‘05.  I returned in 2012 as the Assistant Program Director and have been at camp since.  I now work year-round in the Cohen Camps office as Tevya’s Assistant Director.  Last summer, I had the awesome opportunity to be the Tsofim Head Counselor and am beyond excited to assume this role again.  Being a Head Counselor brought me closer to our campers and staff and greatly increased my understanding of the overall camp operation.  Tevya is a very special place to me and it’s a major part of who I am – my mom went here, my brother and sister went here, and I’ve made my best friends here.  I fully recognize the impact that a positive Tevya experience can have on the lives of our campers and staff, and I love that I get to work every day to make that experience possible.  When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, and biking with my dad to help him train for the PMC.  I am also pursuing a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management at Northeastern University.  I can’t wait for this summer to start!

Jess (Barlas) Henderson: Bogrot (9th-10th Grade Girls)

Hi!  My name is Jess.  I started at Camp Tevya back in 1986, in Dalia, and was a member of Birya ’92.  I returned to Camp Tevya last summer as the Bogrot Head Counselor and received my ten year mug!  I was lucky enough to bring my three children, Zach (7th grade), Mikayla (5th grade) and Kira (2nd grade) to camp for their first experience of the Tevya Community and the “Tevya Spirit”.  They had an amazing summer making new friendships and new memories, as did I.  My favorite part of camp is watching the campers and counselors build new families within their bunks and activities, the building of friendships, and taking part in the traditional activities, especially Havdalah!  During the school year, I work as a Speech and Language Pathologist in the Framingham School System at one of the middle schools and have been doing so for the past 14 years.  I currently live in Natick, MA with my husband, Pete, and my three children.  Throughout the school year, my children enjoy and take part on many different teams of soccer, swimming, gymnastics, and basketball, but we all definitely enjoy the break from the busy schedule when we return home to Camp Tevya.

Ben Aronson: Bogrim (9th-10th Grade Boys)

Hi, I’m Ben and this will be my 17th summer on the shores of Lake Potanipo! I’m excited to return in my fourth year as the Bogrim Head Counselor. In my years at camp I’ve been a camper, CIT, JC, Head of Waterskiing, Assistant Waterfront Director, and Program Coordinator. During the school year I am the Assistant Program Manager at a residential treatment center for boys with aggressive behaviors with significant trauma histories. I am also currently pursing my master’s degree in Expressive Arts Therapy focusing on trauma and resiliency at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Helping adolescents achieve their maximum potential is a passion of mine, and I believe there is no better place to do that than at Camp Tevya. My hobbies include water-skiing, spending time outdoors, hockey, and everything camp! I am counting down the days until I return to our summer home!

The Tevya staff team is extensive, each member of our team bringing different skills and ideas to camp, together making Tevya the best camp it can be.  Be on the lookout for future posts introducing other members of our team.

When we see our camp friends outside of camp, something magical happens. The laughter and memories come flooding back and we’re instantaneously transported back to the Tevya bubble. The time and distance spent apart melts away and it’s as if nothing has changed. To create the magic of the Tevya bubble, it doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing, as long as you’re with camp friends. 

One of our goals in the 10 months away from camp is to make those opportunities to connect with camp friends possible. One upcoming opportunity is our Arts and Crafts at the Paint Bar event sponsored by the Tevya Alumni Group. Below, Tevya alum Ilana Fishman shares her thoughts on why she is going to this fun evening activity and how camp friends last a lifetime.

Who would have thought that a decision I made at eight years old would turn out to be one of the best decisions of my life. I definitely don’t think I realized that it was the start of friendships that would last a lifetime. Now all these years later, I cant imagine my life without those 12 amazing summers on Potanipo. Although our friendships have changed and we no longer get to spend seven weeks together at camp, some things remain the same. We still immediately want to update each other when we have exciting news to share, now it’s just through a group text rather than yelling bunk to bunk. We still opt for the blue and white summer dresses, just don’t get to share them come Shabbat. We still do dinner together, it’s just in Boston and not the dining hall. And we still have evening activities, they just take place at a bar and not Elbess. But most importantly, they are still my best friends. It is with them that I can’t wait to paint Potanipo at the Paint Bar Night.
If we can’t be upstairs at A&C with a view of the lake, this is the next best thing!

The entire Tevya community is invited to join us for Arts and Crafts at the Paint Bar on Thursday, May 7th from 6:30-9:30pm at the Paint Bar in Newton, MA. To register, visit www.camptevya.org/alumni/news-events/. If you have any questions, please contact Alumni Coordinator Ellen Martin Ades.

I was up at camp last week, and I have to admit, as I walked around the turn by the Girl’s Porch, I was wishing I could just stay. Just being in 03033 as the snow was melting got me so excited that when I got home I packed up my camp shirts, prepared to move to my favorite zip code. But I quickly realized, being on the shores of Lake Potanipo just wouldn’t be the same if I was not surrounded by happy campers and amazing staff.

Last month, I introduced you to some of those amazing staff members, as we showcased our Head Counselors. This month I introduce you to our Program Department Heads (those who don’t live in a bunk). Next month, you will meet our Support Staff Department Heads. It is truly an honor to work with these dedicated and talented individuals.  These are  the people who work together as a team to plan the structure and the content of our activities, with a concentration on skill building and fun.

Dan Wulf: Assistant Director

Hi, I’m Dan Wulf, Assistant Director of camp for the eight weeks we are together in New Hampshire. This is my 22nd summer. I spent six years as a camper, one year as a counselor in training, and four years as a bunk counselor. During my time as a counselor in the 80’s, I was Head of Photography, on Drama staff, Boating and Canoeing, and Culture at different points. Since my return in 2005, I have been Head of Shira, a Boys Head Counselor, and now the Assistant Director. My children have grown up at camp, and my wife has come up on weekends for the last 10 years and helps wherever she is needed. My mother was a camper at Tevya in the 50’s, so my kids are 3rd Generation. During the school year, I am the Math Department Coordinator and chorus teacher at Watertown High School in Massachusetts. I look forward to working with all of our staff on  teaching and curriculum development and helping them grow as educators.

Margo Seresky: Program Director

Hi! My name is Margo Seresky and this is going to be my 10th summer at Tevya. Last summer I returned to camp as Assistant Program Director after taking a four-year hiatus after being a camper from ’02-’09. I am really looking forward to this summer as Program Director! I love getting to know each camper and planning the fun daily and evening activities they partake in at camp.  From the friends I have made and the memories we shared, Tevya has helped shape the confident and outgoing person I am today. My passion for working with children has led me to pursue a degree in Early Childhood and Special Education from Syracuse University, where I will be graduating in May. After graduating, I am looking forward to moving back to Needham, MA and beginning my teaching career at The Fessenden School in the fall. When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy being with my family and friends, and being active. Tevya is my second home and summer 2015 cannot come any sooner!

Elisa Reeves: Director of Staff Development

Hello! My name is Elisa Reeves and this will be my 13th summer at Camp Tevya. I was a camper for four summers (yay Birya ’83!), and I returned in 2007 so that my three children, Matthew (now a second year counselor), Ashley (Birya ‘15), and Daniel (Tel Chai ‘15), could enjoy their summers at camp as much as I did. While I spent seven summers as one of the Girls Head Counselors and last summer as the Program Director, this summer I will be in charge of the Staff Training. I am very excited to work with each one of our camp counselors! Prior to returning to Camp Tevya, I spent eight summers running social skill groups at a day camp for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. I also worked as a Counselor, CIT Director, Unit Head, and Head Counselor at Camp Kingswood in Maine for 13 summers.  I have my Master’s Degree in Speech and Language Pathology and have worked in two public school systems over the last 23 years.

Andy Ades: Multimedia and Communications Coordinator

Hey mates! I’m Andy and this will be my 6th summer on staff and 14th summer at camp. Over the past few years, I’ve had multiple roles including Head of Waterskiing, Assistant Head of the Waterfront, and various other roles. This summer I’ll be the Multimedia and Communications Coordinator, as well as assisting in Programming. During the year I attend Syracuse University where I am studying information management and technology. I’m currently studying abroad in Australia, taking in all that this beautiful country has to offer. You can find me hanging from trees in a hammock and a GoPro (or two…or three) strapped to my side. I look forward to seeing everyone back at camp and capturing those special moments for all those who can’t spend the summer with us.

Heidi Lovitz: Head of Jewish Life and Learning

Summer 2015 marks my 15th summer as the Head of Jewish Life and Learning at Camp Tevya. I am excited to once again be on staff with my son, Samuel, who has also been at camp for 15 years! While not at camp, I am the Director of Education and Programming at Temple Beth Abraham in Nashua, NH, a Conservative congregation with 325 families. I live in Westford, MA with my husband, Peter, who visits camp on Shabbat.  My two children, Melissa and Samuel, are college students. I am passionate about Israel and Israel education. I am currently enrolled in a two year course titled Tzion, on the History of Zionism, and I am always looking forward to my next trip or next connection in Eretz Yisrael!

Amy Jo Blotner: Head of Photography and Kolainu

Hello! I’m Amy Jo and this will be my 13th year at Tevya. My youngest son, 3rd year counselor Adam Goffstein, and I followed my two older children, Matthew and Sara Zimmer, to camp and have been here ever since! I am Head of Photography and took over the creativity of building the Kolainu last summer. I love walking around camp and taking pictures of all the action so we can share the excitement of camp with our parents. I am a photographer by trade, preschool teacher during the day, and work in a running store part time for fun. I love running and for the past 5 years have mentored high school students training with Dreamfar for the Rhode Island Marathon. My newest passion is trying to learn how to salsa dance.

Emanuella (Manu) Bilderman: Head of Tennis

Yes, it’s me: Emanuela (you know me as Manu) Bilderman. I will be back again as the Head of Tennis for my 9th summer! I was born in Tel Aviv and have been living in Israel since then. I have worked as a physical education teacher for the past 30 years at a high school in Holon. I live in Rishon Le Zion with my Husband, Offer, and we have three children. My whole family knows how to play tennis. When I was 16-years-old, I was the third-ranked tennis player for my age in Israel. I have been the Head of Tennis at Tevya since 2007. I am proud to have the chance to teach camp Tevya’s campers tennis, watch them improve their skills with training and fun, and see them return as tennis counselors.

Arielle Steinberg: Head of the Waterfront

Hi, I’m Arielle Steinberg and I can’t wait to spend my first summer at Tevya as the Head of Waterfront. I’m originally from a ski-town in Colorado, and will be graduating from Syracuse University in May. At Syracuse, I am a Field Supervisor for the SU Ambulance Service, and very involved with Global Medical Brigades, organizing and leading medical/dental/public health tips to Central America. After this summer, I am planning on attending the University of Colorado for an accelerated nursing program to receive my second bachelor’s degree. I enjoy staying active, especially with outdoor activities. After growing up at a small camp in the Rocky Mountains, I can’t wait to make new memories with everyone this summer on Lake Potanipo!

Miri Sharon: Head of Arts and Crafts

Hi my name is Miri Sharon and this will be my third summer at camp Tevya. I am the Head of Arts and Crafts and loving every single thing about it! When I am not at camp, I teach at the Beth Tikvah religious school and have been there for the past 7 years. I teach Hebrew and Jewish art for kids and adults. I was born and raised in Israel where I have earned my BA in Industrial Design from Haddassa College in Jerusalem.  When my family and I moved to the states 12 years ago, I got my Early Childhood Teaching Certification and started working with the Jewish early childhood community. I have three girls who are coming with me to camp. Daya will be in Birya, Ella will be an older Tsof and Lia will be in Dalia.

Glenn Brannon: Head of Land Sports

I’m Glenn Brannon and am happy to say this is my ninth year at Tevya. As the Head of Land Sports at Tevya.  I’m involved in the day to day instruction and in setting up game day competitions and tournaments.  We have a great staff with many of our counselors returning from last summer, and I look forward to welcoming new additions this summer. I am a high school English teacher and coach in Wellington, Florida. Over the years, I have coached both boys and girls varsity sports and am currently coaching the girls tennis team. I have coached all levels of basketball, fast-pitch softball, volleyball, and tennis. I also worked in the Adirondacks as Athletic Director at a summer camp for years. Can’t wait for summer!

Just seeing the pictures of our department heads confirms that it is our amazing staff that make 03033 so special.  I guess moving up to camp this week without them would not give me the Tevya Spirit that I am longing for. So, like everyone else, I will just have to continue the countdown until we can all be at camp together.

They entered the building last week for a full day of Cohen Camps First Year Counselor training. Each was a little nervous, a little excited, and a little different than how I remembered them. All of them, like Sam, want to be a counselor because they want to give back to a place that has given them so much, and because they want to teach campers to “appreciate everything that camp has to offer.” All of them, like Zoe, talk about becoming like the counselors they had who encouraged them to expand the boundaries of their comfort zones and “shaped them into the leaders that they are today.”

As they sit down ready to start, I can’t help but remember them as the nine and ten-year-old campers they once were. I see the nine-year-old boy who stole the ball and ran away when he got out in four square and the ten-year-old girl who refused to do her job on the job wheel because someone stepped in her area. The training begins and I watch these nine and ten-year-olds grow up right before my eyes.

The day opens with a presentation by camping expert Steve Maguire. Steve teaches our first year staff about the incredible impact that they will have on campers and, as First Year Counselor, Ben, said, “the importance of a positive attitude.” He gives them tips on how to encourage bonding and how to keep campers engaged. Emily shared that this session helped her to internalize the incredible “responsibility of watching someone’s child for the summer.”

The afternoon carousal of training includes Routines and Rituals, First Day, and Your Jewish Story, each one facilitated by a Cohen Camps Director. Caleb learned about the importance of including everyone and shared tips for how to do that at the dining hall table. Rebecca appreciated that she will never be alone at camp, and will always have support from Head Counselors, Department Heads and other members of the leadership team.

During individual camp time, the Tevya staff was able to ask questions and discuss how the training helped prepare them for their job this summer. Throughout the day, I listened as they shared stories about how their counselors taught them to be independent, caring, and to challenge themselves. They shared that they feel camp is a safe place to express themselves and that as a community it is important to embrace everyone’s unique contribution.  I listened with the realization that it was the counselors of the past who taught them these values. Now it is their turn to share their acquired wisdom with today’s campers, so that they too will develop into the talented leaders that I spent the day with.

As the day came to a close, I no longer saw them as the campers they once were, but I truly saw them as the amazing young adults who have been hired to be mentors and role models for our campers. They are no longer my campers, but are now my staff.  Still a little nervous, still a little excited, and still a little different than how I remembered them. Just as I watched them grow as campers over their years at camp, I saw them grow before my eyes as counselors during the training.

Sending your child to overnight camp for the first time comes with many questions. Did I pack enough socks and underwear? Will they eat the camp food? If they loose a tooth will the Tooth Fairy visit? Underneath all those questions, however, lies our real concerns: Will my child be okay? Will they have fun? Will they make friends?

For 75 years parents sending their children to Camp Tevya for the first time have had these same concerns.  And for 75 years kids have been okay. Kids have had fun. Kids have made friends. And yes, the tooth fairy did make many visits to camp. Today, in order to alleviate their concerns, parents take advantage of the opportunities offered to help set their children up for success at camp. They  take tours, talk to parents of returning campers, get to  know the staff, and attend the Cohen Camps New Camper Orientation on Sunday, May 17th. But it doesn’t stop them from worrying.

To provide perspective on what this new parent experience feels like, we are happy to share a two part article from Tevya parent and alum Julie Grasfield Weil. The article, which was published in the Sharon Advocate in July and August of 2014, was inspired by Julie’s experience last summer sending her two sons to Tevya for the first time. Below is Part I: Diving Into the Deep End At Overnight Camp. Stay tuned for Part II in next week’s Tevya Spirit blog.

Just the other day my older son, Michael, asked me about jumping into a pool or a lake.

“It’s instinct,” I explained.  “You walk to the edge of the diving board, you look down at the water, you draw in a breath, and you jump in.  There’s no turning back.”

“No,” interjected his brother Daniel.  “You can turn back and climb down.”

“Yes,” I responded, “but once you leap, you’re all in.”

“How does your body know to come back up?” he asked.  “It just does.  You jump.  You’re propelled downward.  You have a good amount of oxygen to hold you for a minute or two, and then your instincts kick in and you start paddling up toward the surface, where you exhale and draw in fresh air.”  It’s really a metaphor for life.

Lake Potanipo Sunset at the 75th Reunion

This past Wednesday, my husband and I drove our boys, now 10 ½ and 8 ½, up to overnight camp for the very first time.  It happens to be the same camp I attended from 1974-79, 35-40 years ago.  Quite conveniently, last weekend my alma mater, Camp Tevya, celebrated its 75th anniversary, so we were able to walk around, play soccer and tennis, swim, eat lunch and dinner, see friends, and sing songs by the bonfire at the lake, all in one fun-filled day.  The years melted away when I saw old friends.

The rich smell of the wood of the bunks, the sight of the azure sky across Lake Potanipo, the tickle of the grass beneath my feet, the peals of laughter over jokes shared, and the taste of a burger hot off the grill…they all transported me back to my childhood.  Memories came flooding back of old friends, secrets shared, fun activities, camp traditions, and special songs.

Oh, the fun they’ll have.  But, as my younger son pointed out, it will be the longest we’ve ever been apart.  They may shed a few tears at drop-off.  I will have to hold mine at bay until I’m safely in the car on the way home.  Watch out, Steven, for the floodgates will open.

My 10-year-old tells me, “You don’t understand.”  But I do.  I was him 40 years ago.  The umbilical cord was cut but there’s still an invisible thread that links their hearts to mine.

My first summer at camp, I was terribly homesick.  I was a small, shy almost 10-year-old, still attached to my mother’s apron strings.  I remember missing my parents so horribly.  What I didn’t realize was that it was only at night before bed or any other small window of downtime.  When I was busy, engaged in all of the wonderful activities of camp, I was just fine.  So, I went through a lot of Kleenex, I dried tears on my beloved teddy bear, but I survived.

I actually wrote a letter home that said, “I am sick and you are the only cure.”  Talk about pulling on heartstrings.  My mom’s best friend admonished her, “You go get that child and bring her home.”  “I will not,” replied my mom.  “If I did, she would never believe that she could do anything.”  She was right.  I settled in.  I made friends.  I pushed myself to try new things.

It sure helped that my big brother Jimmy and nurturing counselors were there.  It certainly helped that my parents had laid a foundation of confidence, so that I heard a little voice in my head repeating, “You can do it!  We believe in you!”

It sounds like The Little Engine That Could, but it really was as if I were telling myself in my head, “I think I can.  I think I can.  I think I can.”  And, I did.

When my folks came to bring me home at the end of the month, I was nowhere to be found.  Teddy, whom I’ve had since I was three, was sitting in my laundry bag with his head sticking out above the drawstring (so he could breathe, I told my folks).  Meanwhile I was flitting about hugging and crying—happy tears this time—saying goodbye to all of my new-found best friends.  I returned for five more summers.

My sons will take the leap of faith that they’ll have fun and that camp will be wonderful.  The first letter home may read, “I’m not happy.  Come get me.”  The second may say, “It’s not as horrible as I thought it would be.”  The next might say, “I’m having a blast.  Can I stay for the whole summer?!”

I will return in a month to retrieve them and they’ll speak a foreign language full of private jokes, make plans for next summer, and recount all their adventures…and my heart will sing with joy.  We will dive back into family life, and I will breathe deeply that while away they got along swimmingly.

Last week, we posted the first part of a two part article published by Tevya parent and alum Julie Grasfield Weil. The article, which was published in the Sharon Advocate in July and August of 2014, details Julie’s experience sending her two sons to Tevya for the first time. Below is Part II: Two Happy Campers Equals Two Happy Parents.

I’d like to say that my two boys, ages 8½ and 10½, acclimated immediately to life at overnight camp, but I’d be lying if I did so. Truth is, it was their first time away from home, spending three and a half weeks at the same overnight camp I attended in the 1970s, Camp Tevya in Brookline, NH.  My husband says, “One took to it like a duck to water; the other, like a fish to land.”

Steven has a theory that if you offered summer camp to any adult he’d jump at the chance.  “Let’s say someone said to you,” he would start, “I’ll give you a three-week vacation on a lake in the mountains of New Hampshire.  You can rest, swim, do crafts, and play tennis, basketball, and softball…. All meals will be prepared for you by a kitchen staff from Johnson and Wales.  You can nap after lunch.  At night, we’ll provide some cultural entertainment.  You can retire to a rustic cabin.  Sounds pretty appealing to a grown-up.  But, offer it to a kid who’s never been away from home before and he’ll answer, ‘What, are you crazy?  I’d rather cut off my right leg.’”

BBQ picnic and soccer at Tevya’s 75th Reunion.

I thought that we had laid all of the groundwork.  I brought the boys to a Family Day at camp last summer, where they made tie-dye t-shirts and played games with CITs while we grown-ups were taken on a tour.  In January, we attended an open house in our friends’ home, where we watched a camp video and met the director and head counselors.  In May, we went to a new-camper orientation at Keefe Tech, where psychologist Chris Thurber spoke to us about homesickness and preparing kids for camp while the kids played.  I contacted my friend’s son, a nice counselor, and asked him to come over a week before camp to answer the boys’ questions.  The Saturday just before camp started, Camp Tevya had a reunion to celebrate its 75th anniversary.  We walked around, showed the camp to Steven (who was riding in the PMC last summer when we visited), played tennis, and had two barbeque meals made by the kitchen staff—a professor and his students from Johnson and Wales.  The boys joined in pick-up soccer games.

I recall Allan Sherman’s 1963 song “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A letter from camp)”: “Hello, Muddah!  Hello, Fadduh!  Here I am at Camp Granada.  Camp is very entertaining, and they say we’ll have some fun if it stops raining.  I went hiking with Joe Spivey.  He developed poison ivy.  You remember Leonard Skinner?  He got ptomaine [food] poisoning last night after dinner… Wait a minute!  It stopped hailing.  Guys are swimming.  Guys are sailing.  Playing baseball.  Gee, that’s better.  Muddah, Fadduh, kindly disregard this letter!”

Michael goofing around in the bunk.

That’s really the anthem for my boys’ month at camp, if you replace rain with tears.  As I predicted, they were sad only when they had down time—which unfortunately coincided with rest hour, when they wrote letters home.  The first few rivaled those that I had sent 40 years ago to my folks.  “I don’t like camp.  I cry constantly.  Come get me!”

Letter content soon became more informative.  “Archery is fun! I got a bull’s-eye.  In animal care, the bunnies are so cute.” and “We launched today in rocketry.  Yesterday, we took a field trip to Water Country.  I chose not to go on the 100-foot water slide called ‘Geronimo’.  I went on the ‘Lazy River’ and some other slower rides.  I ate pizza.”

Daniel showing his basketball skills.

Finally, I received a letter with, “Here’s a joke I heard.” and one that said, “Mommy, remember those socks I showed you in Sports Authority?  Can you send me a pair?”  I knew that they were alright. Their latest letters came today, dated three days before the end of the first month.  They both said basically, “I can’t wait to see you when you pick us up.  I’ll tell you all of my stories then.”

At pick-up, I leaped out of the car to envelop two grinning boys in warm hugs.  Amazing counselors had helped them transform.  They now speak a foreign language, peppered with private jokes and slang.  They have a repertoire of card games and songs, some of which I recall from four decades ago.

Daniel and Michael posing for their Kolainu sibling picture.

On the car ride home, they spoke exuberantly about shared experiences and campers’ and counselors’ antics.  One of my sons expressed his sorrow about leaving camp as, “I feel like I just picked a whole bunch of blueberries, and when I started to wash them they all fell to the ground.”

To spoof the MasterCard “Priceless” campaign: One pint of blueberries: $2.99, one tank of gas for the minivan: $65, one bottle of laundry detergent: $7.79, two happy campers returning from their first month away from home: Priceless.

Daniel and Michael are both returning to Tevya this summer for their second summer.

How has Jewish summer camp made you the person you are today? At the Cohen Camps, we think about that question every day. Recently I shared with our Dor L’Dor Counselors the article 15 Truths about Jewish Summer Camp That Made You the Person You Are Today and asked them to contribute their own truth.

The Cohen Camps’ Dor L’Dor Israel and Leadership program is the capstone experience of our camps: during their final camper summer, the oldest teens (ages 15-16) from Camps Pembroke, Tel Noar, and Tevya gather for five weeks of exploring Israel, reflecting on their experiences weekly in letters to the younger campers at camp, and then returning for the end of the summer as junior counselors. We translate Dor L’Dor as “Generation to Generation,” because we see this transformative experience as a key pathway into adulthood and a lifetime of Jewish connection, values which are core to The Cohen Camps’ mission.

Thank you to all the DLD Counselors who shared their perspectives! Here’s what they say:

• DLD made me capable of facing adversity and becoming the leader I am today.
• DLD made me more confident taking on challenges and stepping out of my comfort zone.
• DLD helped me understand the importance of my Jewish identity in and out of Israel.
• DLD helped me to remember to take the little things in stride and always try and see the bigger picture.
• DLD gave me the confidence to act independently in situations of fun and difficulty.
• DLD showed me the importance of believing in myself and taught me that if I can do anything I set my mind to.
• DLD allowed me learn to take a step back in situations to achieve the bigger overall goals.
• DLD showed me the importance of building community and how to work as a team.
• DLD showed me that there are a multitude of ways to be a leader and how to successfully lead in a team.
• DLD showed me how to go out of my comfort zone and explore new experiences.
• DLD helped me understand my place in Jewish history.
• DLD helped me find my voice.
• DLD gave me confidence and helped put life challenges into perspective.

In just a few short weeks, DLD 2015 will take off for Israel – and each camp will welcome dozens of brand-new campers just embarking on their Cohen Camps experiences. We can’t wait for each of them to have their own great DLD summer, and a lifetime of becoming thoughtful, capable, confident Jewish adults.

Please come along on DLD 2015 virtually by following us on Facebook: facebook.com/DorLDorCohenCamps

Shabbat Shalom,

I love Shabbat at camp. It is the perfect time to think about the week that has passed and the exciting things planned for the coming week. It is a great opportunity to reflect on our own actions of the week, and set goals for the week to come. The theme “be your best self” was introduced during staff orientation week and our staff is truly “their best selves” as they guide and teach our campers. Everywhere I look around camp I see campers having fun, learning new things and being led by counselors who support and encourage them.

It was an amazing first full week in our Tevya bubble, a week filled with activities, tournaments, ruach (spirit), and even some royalty.

Our first Shabbat together was also the 4^th of July so last Saturday’s Shira included a medley of patriotic songs. Following Havdallah, our community changed from our Shabbat blue and white clothes to our red, white and blue clothes for a celebration of America’s birthday. We began the evening with our annual Red, White and Blue Social before heading to the beach for our front row seats to the town of Brookline’s fireworks display. It was a perfect ending to our first Shabbat of the 2015 season.

All week long, campers participated in daily activities including waterskiing, boot camp, ceramics and so much more. Our new mountain biking elective has been a huge success and it makes me wish I brought my bike to camp! I guess I will have to stick to running with my couch to 5K group. I am thrilled to have 10 campers running with me and our Program Director Margo as we plan to run a 5K together in the fall. I was also thrilled to see the draft of The Weekly Show’s first video during yesterday’s walk around camp. Don’t worry…it will be posted for all of you to see soon.

The fun continued into the evenings with activities by age groups, such as Minute to Win It, Capture the Flag, Square Dancing and Meshugena Races. Birya and Tel Chai planned our traditional Spirit Night where they led the camp in songs and cheers in preparation for our athletic games and tournaments that began this week. The spirit of the night was captured in a video that has posted on our facebook page.

Our kids had a great time at the Camp Tel Noar Water Carnival. The Water Carnival was a combination of swimming and boating events — our campers made us proud. We also participated in an Olim/Olot Jamboree at Camp Young Judea. This new event got our youngest campers involved in a fun day of gaga, kickball and dodge ball. Yesterday our Bogrim and Bogrot traveled to Camp Yavneh for a track meet and this morning was our first game day with Camp Young Judaea. We look forward to hosting Sunday’s Volleyball tournament.

I remember my first summer as Program Director at Camp Tevya. A group of Tel Chai campers came to me and asked for material to make a pillow for their queen. I had no idea what they were talking about and thought maybe their British counselor had confused them. Then they taught me about the tradition of Camp Tevya royalty. This tradition includes the crowning of a Tel Chai Queen, a Birya King, a Yavneh Princess and a Dalia Prince. These royal figures are chosen by our youngest and oldest age groups from among our staff. The staff chosen act as big brothers and big sisters to campers as they get to know them and spend time with them in special activities. Each group shares a special ceremony that ends with the surprise announcement of their royalty. This was the week that all of our royalty were crowned. Congratulations to the 2015 Royal Court: Birya King Drew Steinberg, Tel Chai Queen Lindsey Ades, Yavneh Princess Marissa Kirshenbaum and Dalia Prince Matt Nierman.

I was awoken this morning by our entire camp chanting “We’ve got spirit yes we do, we’ve got sprit how about you” on my front steps. And I will go to sleep tonight with the sounds of our entire camp singing at Shabbat Shira. Different sounds, but both beautiful sounds of our community’s ruach, both beautiful sounds of the Tevya spirit. As I reflect on the week, I realize that it is this community spirit that helps each of us be our best selves. And it has only been 9 days…

Shabbat Shalom.

Mindee

I know the power of Jewish camp. I was a camper, a counselor, and now I carry on my family’s legacy and vision as President of the Cohen Camps. As a camper, I enjoyed swimming and sailing, the comradery…really, everything. As a counselor, I watched campers gaining confidence by trying new activities, and finding their own leadership paths through the power of camp.

Now, it is my privilege to work with an incredible camp community, one that supports each other in times of need and in times of joy. I see it every day at Camp Tevya, Camp Tel Noar, and Camp Pembroke and through the Dor L’Dor Israel Programs during the summer. I hear about it throughout the year when staff share the phone calls they receive from former campers, telling them about a life event and how much camp meant to them. I read it online, when campers share that they live “10 for 2” on Instagram, and alumni share stories of their friendships, favorite camp places, and cherished experiences.

Not everyone has the means to afford summer camp tuition. We understand that choosing a Jewish camp for many is an important and not inexpensive choice, and we are grateful for each camp family that chooses a Cohen Camp. Since our beginning over 80 years ago, we have offered scholarship aid to families based on financial need.

Over the past three years alone, we have given over $750,000 in needs-based scholarships. In this past year, scholarship support grew significantly; 28% of campers receive some level of financial aid.

Because scholarship requests continue to rise year over year, donations to our scholarship fund become more critical than ever. Our camps, a summer home for so many, is a place where youth can develop their individual identities, learn self-confidence, and prepare themselves for their role in the larger Jewish community and the world. Tzedakah is something we not only talk about, but practice as an organization.

Your gifts matter. I thank you, along with the entire staff of the Cohen Camps. As do many of our camp families, who this year asked us in our parent survey to pass along these messages to you:

“Without this financial aid we would not be able to give our children this wonderful experience. They have grown so much from their time at Camp Tevya, as Jews and as people.”

“From the bottom of our hearts we are so thankful for the generosity of those who donate to Tel Noar scholarships. Thank you so very much for caring.”

“Words cannot express my appreciation for the donors at Camp Pembroke. My girls live and breathe for camp all year long and I am so grateful they can go. The friendships, community, independence, and love for Judaism they get from Camp Pembroke cannot be replaced!”

“Dor L’Dor is an awesome privilege and life changing opportunity. Your support makes a difference in the life of every person on the bus. Thank you!”

We have a large and generous Cohen Camp community. We hope this year many of you will partner with us to give camp. Tuesday, December 1st is GivingTuesday, a global celebration of generosity. We are asking you to help fund camp scholarships for all on December 1. Our goal has always been to assist every family that wants their child to experience and share the power of Jewish camp.

Here’s what we are asking our community to do on #GivingTuesday:

1. Please join us on GivingTuesday to share the gift of scholarship to others. Download a sample “I am giving because…” flyer from our GivingTuesday Facebook album (or pen your own – creativity encouraged), and take an UNselfie with it (that’s a GivingTuesday selfie). Share it to your camp Facebook Page, tweet it to the camp or @cohencamps, or post to Instagram. Tag it with #PowerOfJewishCamp so we may also enjoy your enthusiasm for camp!
2. Make a donation online. We need your partnership to continue to offer scholarships to all in need. Never donated to camp? No time like #GivingTuesday! Give $18 (or $180 or $18,000!) and give the #PowerOfJewishCamp to others on this day of generosity. Every donation received on #GivingTuesday will be earmarked for scholarship.

From all of us at the Cohen Camps — Camp Tevya, Camp Tel Noar, and Camp Pembroke – thank you.

Math was my least favorite subject in school. It just never totally clicked. Social Studies, English, History, Science, Gym – no problem. I loved learning in those subjects, especially Gym. The material was accessible for me. It was relatable and fascinating and malleable. Math was cold and rigid numbers and equations. Math and numbers may as well have been a foreign language to me, like Spanish… which was a lot like math because it actually was a foreign language to me.

Today, I have a much more positive relationship with math and numbers.  Camp Tevya, believe it or not, is the reason for this. One of the best lessons I have learned at Tevya is the importance of having a positive perspective. Math doesn’t need me, but I certainly need it, so I have learned to appreciate how much it helps with providing the best possible experience for our campers and staff. Without math, for example, how would we know how much s’mores supplies to get for a campfire? Or how many busses to order for a Water Country trip? Or how many bunk beds we need in each cabin? Or how to outline “Tevya” to scale on the Bog Field to take an aerial picture of the entire camp filling in the letters? Or, most importantly, how many days are left until camp?

The “days until camp” countdown is a crucial piece of every offseason. It starts the day camp ends and stops the day camp begins, only to start again once the summer is over. It takes intangible feelings of excitement, sadness, anxiety, and hope and turns them into something tangible and quantifiable. “Why I am so sad? Oh, because there’s 300 days until camp…” “Why I am so excited? Oh, because there’s 15 days until camp!” The camp countdown gives definition to the full range of emotions we experience about camp during the offseason. As one Tevya parent recently said about her son, “As happy as it makes me that he loves Tevya as much as he does, I am just as sad for him that he has a long while until it’s time to return!”

As we come into the final stretch of another important countdown, the countdown to 2016, it’s impossible not to become nostalgic and think about all the wonderful events and memories we shared at Camp Tevya in Summer 2015. Friendships and bonds were strengthened through laughter and tears, unforgettable memories were made, and personal growth took place on so many levels. How could we ever hope to define or categorize the magic that takes place there?

In an attempt to sum up Summer 2015, I want to share this poem written by Tevya counselor, Lili Kadets. Lili read this poem to our 2015 Staff on the final day of camp after all the campers had left. It brings structure and meaning to two months of magic and memories simply by counting to ten.

1 wouch.
2 three and a half week sessions.
3 different age groups on both the boys and girls side.
4 colorful, competitive Color War teams.
5 kinds of milk from the freezer in the corner of the dining hall.
6 enthusiastic, loving, patient, wacky, onesie-wearing, radio-carrying, night-dismissing head counselors.
7 and a half weeks of hugs, Birkat Hamazons, CSC, Chortles, sunshine, announcements, line ups, clean ups, ODs, staff shirts, sandy bunks and sunsets.
8 sophisticated methods for attempting to quiet the dining hall after breakfast, lunch and dinner.
9 million reasons to love Tevya.
10 months until we are back in our Tevya bubble.

As we head into the new year with all the hope, anxiety, and excitement of heading into a new Tevya summer, here’s some math-inspired Tevya facts to put the moment into perspective:

22 weeks until Bunk Assignments are mailed.
182 sunrises until we can share our first Potanipo sunset.
6 months until the first grilled cheese Monday.
209 days until Color War will break…or is it 223??
4,536 hours until the first jump on the Water Trampoline.
184 evenings until our first Shabbat together.
435 campers and 120 staff excitedly counting down every moment until we can be 1 Tevya Community!

Happy New Year and we’ll see you in 2016!

Tonight, like many of you, I will be sitting around a table with my family and friends telling the story of the Jewish people’s journey from Egypt. Our celebrations will be filled with laughter and warmth as we realize that the passing down of the informal family traditions such as Grandma Dolores’s fluffy matzah balls, Uncle Seth’s singing of Dayenu, and Cousin Sam’s finding the afikoman, are as important as the formal holiday traditions. I look forward to tonight knowing that with these yearly traditions comes a feeling of comfort and a sense of home.

This year, as I prepared for Passover, I was preparing for my own journey, a move to a new home in a new town. I am excited about the opportunity for a new adventure, but nostalgic about the familiar place that I have called home for the last 17 years. As I pack away my personal items, the transition is made a little easier, as the place where I live feels more and more like a house and less and less like a home.

This week, I organized the plastic boxes in my basement, the ones filled with holiday decorations, supplies, and my children’s art projects. I packed away the bins labeled “Chanukah” and “Thanksgiving,” and then sat on the basement floor and opened the “Passover” box. There were Children’s Haggadot, plastic frogs, and plague masks, all used when my children were young to make our Seders more engaging. Then I see the Elijah’s cup that Ryan made in second grade. Oh no, the tears start to form in my eyes. Then there is the matzah cover that Adam made in preschool, now wet with my tears. Then there is the Seder plate made out of recycled items that Abby made in Kindergarten. No need to put salt water in the cupcake holder. Each of these art projects more beautiful and more priceless than anything I could buy in a store.

Forget packing, I took out these works of art and decorated my house. Now, with the familiar scribbles of my children on the walls, it feels like home again.

With my holiday cooking almost done, I spent yesterday at Tevya. I was so happy to be back in 03033. It was a beautiful sunshiny day, and yet something was missing. Just like my house did not feel like home without signs of my children, camp did not feel like camp without signs of our campers.  In April, the day before Passover, camp just felt like buildings on a lake. But in two months, the buildings will fill with children and their belongings. Unpacking, putting pictures on the wall, making friendships and memories, and ready to celebrate camp traditions.

Just like Passover, it is those formal and informal traditions that make us look forward to each summer at camp. It is returning to the familiar that makes Tevya feel like home. Campers and staff know there is going to be grilled cheese on Monday, David Melech at Friday night Shira, the hand motions during the Birkat, and four square every day. They know that Color War is going to break (but not how or when). They know that they are going to have counselors sharing stories with them, Steve Siagel singing “Tevya Spirit” with them, and Amy Jo taking pictures of them. There are so many exciting new adventures to look forward to, but we know that it is the yearly traditions that make Tevya feel like home. I feel so lucky to take this journey with our campers and staff each year, so lucky to be a part of our summer home on Lake Potanipo.

So I came back to my house, got ready for bed, took another look around, and smiled. While my house may be growing empty, it is now decorated with paper frogs, dancing matzah men, and pictures of the parting of the red sea: the beautiful artwork compliments of my children. Yes, it now feels like home again.

Wishing you all a wonderful Passover, surrounded by family and love…and lots and lots of your children’s artwork.

I am often asked, “What makes Tevya such a warm and inclusive community?” And I am always quick to answer: it is our amazing team. Our staff is made up of students, educators, and parents from the United States, Israel and England, all sharing a common vision of helping every camper grow into their best selves. Our Leadership team includes our Head Counselors and our Department Heads. Over the next two months before camp begins, I will be introducing these team members to you. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to work with our six Head Counselors, our first staff to be introduced. These individuals help create community in the bunks by providing support and resources to our counselors, connecting with and assisting our campers, and partnering and communicating with our parents. Tevya is so lucky to have these passionate and caring individuals on our team.

Stacey Smalley: Olot (3rd-6th Grade Girls)

Good morning and happy Spring, Camp Tevya!!  My name is Stacey Smalley, and I am so excited to be the Olot Head Counselor. There is nothing like the fabulous chatter, energy and excitement that comes from the youngest of the girls areas at camp. I can’t wait to tie-dye t-shirts, play jacks, take nature walks, watch you take care of the animals, and observe the friendships that form and grow every summer. This morning, I was taking a walk…. I heard birds, smelled the crisp fresh air, saw a beautiful sun rising in the sky. All I could think of was the beautiful sunrises and sunsets over Lake Potanipo at camp! The warmth of the summer sun is soon upon us! I have been a Camp Tevya camper, counselor, and been on the Leadership Team for a combination of 14 years. Many years ago, when I was in college and a bunk counselor at Tevya, I was mostly found on the tennis courts and in the Olot area. During my last summer as a bunk counselor, I was the Head of Tennis and the oldest girls, Birya, counselor. A couple of summers ago, I was the Tsofot Head Counselor. All in all, I have really had a chance to delve deeply into the 3 girls’ groups (Olot, Tsofot, and Bogrot) during all my time at Tevya. During the off season, I teach Latin and am the Language Department Chair and Wellness Coordinator at The Fessenden School in Newton. Get ready for lots of fun and friendship in the Olot area!!

Ellen (Martin) Ades: Olim (3rd-6th Grade Boys)

Hi, I’m Ellen (Martin) Ades. This will be my 8th summer as the Olim Head Counselor and my 15th summer overall. I grew up at Tevya as a camper, CIT, counselor, and Mom of four campers who later became counselors (and my oldest daughter even met her husband here too!). As you can imagine, Camp Tevya is my family’s second home. I love being the “mom” in the Boys Area. The boys keep me on my toes and make me smile every day! During the off-season, I am also Camp Tevya’s Alumni Coordinator and work in the camp winter office helping out wherever needed. I love sharing my passion for Tevya to help people connect with camp. In my downtime, I enjoy being with my family and staying active by walking, running, and taking pure barre classes. I am so excited for another fun summer and meeting all of our new campers!

Lauren Fishman: Tsofot (7th-8th Grade Girls)

I am so excited to return to Camp Tevya for my second summer as Tsofot Head Counselor! As a child I went to a Jewish day camp and then to Camp Pembroke for a few summers, followed by working at a local Jewish camp. Going to camp both as a camper and a counselor truly helped shape the adult I am today. My husband, Dave, grew up coming to Tevya and is excited to spend another summer here too! I have my master’s in Education and was a Fifth Grade teacher in Newton before becoming a full-time stay at home mom to our three children, Molly (9), Sam (7), and Ethan (4.5). While the kids are at school, I currently work from home with a health and wellness company, helping people to become their healthiest selves, which I love! Helping people and developing them to be their best selves is also something that I love about camp. There is such an amazing opportunity for everyone to grow and learn in the camp environment. It’s very special for me to be a part of that, and the memories that are created at Tevya. I look forward to seeing all of your smiling faces soon!

Ben Silberman: Tsofim (7th-8th Grade Boys)

Hi everybody! My name is Ben Silberman and this will be my 10th summer at Camp Tevya, and first as the Tsofim Head Counselor. I was a camper from 2003 to 2008, a CIT in 2009 and a Counselor in 2010. While taking a 5-year hiatus from camp, I graduated Union College with a degree in Environmental Engineering, and began considering how I could get the most out of life. Sure enough, my decisions brought me back to camp last summer as the Head of Athletics and a bunk counselor. I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to return to Tevya, working alongside a group of engaging and passionate counselors. Now, I’m finding ways to continue coming back to camp. I spent my past winter working as a line cook at the Goldminer’s Daughter Lodge at the base of Alta Ski Resort in exchange for ski turns. Once the snow melts, I am returning east to work as a teacher for Nature’s Classroom on Lake George, teaching 5th and 6th graders Environmental Science while getting them outdoors and appreciating the environment around them. Camp has made a major impact on my life before it even started – both my parents attended Tevya in the 70’s and it is where they met. I hope to continue making Tevya a place that stays between generations of families and brings campers together from all around the world.

Jess (Barlas) Henderson: Bogrot (9th-10th Grade Girls)

Hi! My name is Jess Henderson and I am the Bogrot Head Counselor. This is my 3rd year in the Head Counselor role and my 12th Tevya summer in total. I was in Dalia in 1986 and a Counselor in 1994. I received my 10-year mug 20 years later when I started as a Head Counselor in 2014. During the 10 months not at camp, I wear a lot of different hats, including working as a speech and language pathologist in the Framingham Public Schools. My other hats are supportive mom, chauffeur mom, making lunches mom, cooking dinner mom, basketball mom, gym mom, soccer mom, reading mom, but most importantly, a loving and lucky mom of three great kids. Zach is going into 9th grade next year, Mikayla is going into 7th, and Kira is going into 4th. All three love camp and including myself and my husband, Pete, we can’t wait to get back there! I love returning to camp to see how much the campers have grown, learn about the new experiences and adventures the counselors partook on during their year, and seeing all the smiles on both the campers and counselors faces as they return back to the Tevya bubble.

Ben Aronson: Bogrim (9th-10th Grade Boys)

Hi, I’m Ben and this will be my 19th summer at Tevya! I started as a camper in 1998 and haven’t left yet! For the past 5 summers, I have enjoyed serving as the Bogrim Head Counselor. I’ve had many other roles at camp during my time, but my favorite was teaching campers to wakeboard and waterski. Tevya is a special place for me as some of my closest friendships were made on the shores of Lake Potanipo. Memories of campfires, color war, and late night bunk talks bring a smile to my face. As the Bogrim Head Counselor I am excited to work with our team of counselors to provide our campers with the same opportunities to make memories, build friendships, and develop as community leaders. My master’s degree is in clinical mental health counseling with a concentration in expressive arts therapy. Currently, I am an advanced standing doctoral student at William James College studying child and adolescent psychology. My clinical experience includes working at a residential treatment center for boys with significant behavioral challenges. I currently am working in the Needham Public Schools as a clinical intern at Needham Youth Services. When I’m not working I enjoy waterskiing, playing hockey, spending time outdoors, and everything camp. I am counting down the days until we return to our summer home!

Meet some of our Head Counselors and other members of the Leadership Team before the summer at New Camper Orientation, and Free Play at Camp Tevya.

I can’t believe that it was just two days ago that I greeted all of our campers as they entered camp with their families. It was so much fun to watch our returning campers jump out of their cars hugging the friends that they have been waiting 10 months to see.  Our new campers arrived excited about the adventures that await them this summer.

With 3 drop off times (instead of 2), drop off went very smoothly. I have heard many parents say that this was the smoothest drop off they have experienced.  The rest of the day seemed to flow the same way, just easy. Campers quickly settled into their bunks and everyone seemed relaxed and happy, and very ready to start the camp summer.

Lunch was, of course, the traditional first meal of grilled cheese and French fries.  For some reason, an opening day grilled cheese sandwich tastes better than any other grilled cheese sandwich. After lunch the dining hall was rocking as we sang and danced to a variety of songs. The energy in the room set the stage for the fun that lay ahead.  Although no one could rest, rest hour followed lunch.  This time allowed campers to finish unpacking and bond as a bunk.

The bonding continued through the afternoon as campers toured camp, enjoyed free swim and played bunk games.  Our oldest campers were introduced to BLT, our Bog Leadership Training program.  This program includes weekly activities and facilitated discussions that encourage leadership skills focusing on the topics of community, connection and communication. We know this program will greatly enhance the leadership opportunities in which our oldest campers already participate. They also met with our kitchen staff in preparation for being waiters at camp.

After dinner was department skits.  These skits provide a way for all of our campers to learn about all of the activities that are offered at camp, while at the same time they get introduced to every staff member at camp.  One of the best parts of the program is that staff get up on stage and act silly in front of all of the campers.  It is so important that we model the value of expanding our comfort zone for our campers, and there is no better way to do this than to be totally goofy on stage.

Yesterday was amazing.  Walking around camp, I could not believe it was the first day of activities. After a week of orientation, our staff was ready, and it showed.  I watched our Olot (3^rd through 6^th grade girls) have their swim tests, I learned a new Israeli dance with Birya (our 10^th grade girls), I saw the amazing artwork produced in a drawing class and I cheered on a group of Tsofs (7^th and 8^th grade boys and girls) playing softball.  I spent time in the Seth Feldman Fitness Center during boot camp class and cross training classes. I probably should have stuck to cheering in those classes because today I am feeling the results of the 250 second wall sit!

Last night’s evening activities included a campfire for our Bogs (9^th and 10^th grade boys and girls), meshugana games for our Tsofs, and a picture scavenger hunt for our Oles (3^rd through 6^th grade boys and girls).  The feel of camp is truly amazing – calm yet energized.  It was a perfect first full day of camp.

We woke up this morning to picnic tables surrounding our flagpole compliments of TNPC.  Thursday Night Prank Club is back again this year ready to make the camp smile every Friday morning with their antics of the night before.

Today is another full day of activities. This morning I saw our Israeli delegation leading an activity teaching our kids about games played in Israel.  I loved watching them laugh and yell out the Hebrew words that were part of the game.  The best part was hearing two girls wish each other good luck as they prepared to compete in the final round of the game.  We have such great kids here! I look forward to singing in the Bobroff Family Beit Shira and cheering for our campers as they play ultimate Frisbee and soccer this afternoon.  But mostly, I am looking forward to this evening.  I am looking forward to spending our first Shabbat together as the 2016 Tevya community.  I love Shabbat and all that it represents.  I love that we come together, all dressed in blue and white, and reflect both personally and as a community on the week that passed.  I love that as we reflect on the past week we anticipate the coming week and set goals.  This week we will talk about the importance of trying new things and we will encourage members of our community to expand their areas of comfort, the very value that our staff modeled just 2 days ago.

It is hard to believe that it was just 2 days ago that I greeted individual cars coming into camp.  All those individuals, are now together as one Tevya family.  Shabbat Shalom to our entire extended family.

Our summer days at camp are spent on the tennis court, soccer field and waterfront, and in the arts and crafts studio, photography, and Beit Shira. Each of these locations come alive at the start of the summer because of the preparation and expertise of the staff who run the departments that meet in these locations, and our programming team that weaves together our summer programming schedule. Our Leadership Team includes our Programming Team and Department Heads and we are so lucky to have an amazing combination of staff who have been with Tevya for years, and those coming for the first time. I know they can’t wait to teach your children and I can’t wait for you to meet them here.

Ben Portnoy: Assistant Director (Operations)

Hey! My name is Ben and I am Tevya’s Assistant Director. This summer will be 14th Tevya summer, and I will be overseeing the Operations side of camp. I was a camper, CIT, and counselor from 1997-2005, Assistant Program Director and Program Coordinator from 2012-2013, and Tsofim Head Counselor (7th-8th grade boys) from 2014-2015. I have been working full-time for Tevya and the Cohen Camps since the fall of 2012 and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Camp is a special place where the opportunity to learn and grow never stops, which is something I have been able to take full advantage of by experiencing camp in as many ways as possible. Programming gave me a great sense of gratitude for our Department Heads, Support Staff, and all the behind the scenes work that goes into making the daily schedule happen. Being a Head Counselor enhanced my understanding of the camper and counselor experience, as well as my appreciation for the the support and guidance that our amazing Head Counselors provide. I can’t wait to see what this summer brings as I take on another new role. Looking forward to seeing our camp community soon!

Dan Wulf: Assistant Director (Programming)

This will be my 23rd summer at camp. I have been… a little bit of everything: camper (seven years, including CIT), counselor (four years), Head of Shira (two years), Boys Head Counselor (six years), and my current role overseeing teaching and curriculum as Assistant Director (four years). My “outside of camp” roles mirror my summer work. I am the Math Curriculum Coordinator for grades 6-12 in Watertown, MA and have taught the Watertown High School chorus and select choir for 20 years. Beyond (and sometimes for) work, I like to sing and play music, code small projects in Python, run (when it isn’t raining or snowing), play Ultimate… too many more to list here, but you get the picture. Tevya is a special place for me. My mother was a camper, and now my children have grown up at camp. This year my daughter will be an oldest camper and my son will be on staff and get his 10 Year Mug. It’s going to be a great summer!

Margo Seresky: Program Director

Hi! My name is Margo Seresky and I am the Program Director at camp this summer. This will be my 2nd summer as Program Director, but my 11th in total. Before being Program Director, I was a camper for eight summers and then returned to camp five years later to be Assistant Program Director. I spend the 10 months that I am not at camp as a teacher. This past school year, I was a second grade intern at the Fessenden School and in the upcoming school year (2016-2017), I will be working at the Rashi School as a first grade assistant teacher. I graduated from Syracuse University in 2015 with a major in Early Childhood and Special Education. Along with working with children, I love to be active, play tennis and spend time with family and friends. Each summer, Tevya allows me to be my best self and have more energy and fun then I ever thought possible! My Tevya friends are still some of my closest friends and we still cherish the memories we shared at camp. I love fostering that same love for Tevya for our present campers. I’m excited for our new electives, special activities, and evening programs that we planned for this summer! Summer 2016 can’t come soon enough!

Elisa Reeves: Director of Staff Engagement

Hello! My name is Elisa Reeves, and this will be my 14th summer at Camp Tevya. I was a camper for four summers (yay Birya ’83!), and I returned in 2007 so that my three children, Matthew (a third year counselor and Head of Nature and Camp Craft), Ashley (CIT), and Daniel (CIT), could enjoy their summers at camp as much as I did. Prior to returning to Camp Tevya, I spent eight summers running social skill groups at a day camp for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. I also worked as a Counselor, CIT Director, Unit Head, and Head Counselor at Camp Kingswood in Maine for 13 summers. For the last 10 summers, I have been a part of the Leadership Team at Camp Tevya in the roles of Girls Head Counselor, Program Director, and Director of Staff Development. Additionally, I have my Master’s Degree in Speech and Language Pathology and have worked in three public school systems over the last 24 years. I am looking forward to the Summer of 2016!

Robert Brown: Head Chef

My name is Rob Brown, and I am the Head Chef here at Camp Tevya.  This will be my 11th summer with the Cohen Camps; my 5th at Tevya. I was the chef at our sister camp, Camp Pembroke, from 1991-1996. During the school year, I teach culinary nutrition management at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. While I love all things Tevya, it’s Friday night dinner which I enjoy most. Watching everyone pour into the Dining Hall, dressed up, excited, and hungry for our Shabbat meal is a sight to see! Can’t wait for another delicious summer at Camp Tevya! 

Margaret Rocchio: Head Nurse

My name is Margaret Rocchio. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner and the Head Nurse at Camp Tevya. This is my 9th summer at Camp Tevya. This summer, my oldest daughter, Antonia, will be a 2nd year counselor and my youngest daughter, Giovanna, will be in Israel with the Dor L’Dor program. Camp Tevya has become part of my family. When I am not at Camp, I live in Dorchester, MA with my husband and three children. I work as a school nurse in a Boston Public School during the school year. I love to ride my bike and I look forward to early morning bike rides on the path that runs through the camp and into Milford, NH. I look forward to meeting new campers and reconnecting with the campers I have known through the years. One of the best parts of camp nursing is to witness the growth and maturity of the campers every year. I also love to reconnect with the parents that I have come to know over these past nine years.

Jen Goodman: Office Manager

Hi, I’m Jen and this will be my 5th summer as Tevya’s Office Manager, and my 16th overall. Many years ago, I spent my summers on Lake Potanipo as camper, CIT, bunk counselor, and Assistant Head of Waterfront, and I am thrilled to be back working in the office. In addition to these roles, I have also been a camp parent for the last 10 summers. My children, Sara, Amy, Jack and Adam have been enjoying their summers at camp for many years, this summer being their 10th, 9th, 7th, and 5th summers respectively. In the off-season, I live in Westborough, MA with my husband, Sam, where I stay busy volunteering in my children’s schools and at our Synagogue all the whilst trying to keep up with our children and all of their activities. We are all looking forward to another summer of making memories on the shores of Lake Potanipo!

Amy Jo Blotner: Head of Photography

Hello! I’m Amy Jo and this will be my 14th year at Tevya. My youngest son, Adam Goffstein, and I followed my two older children, Matthew and Sara Zimmer, to camp and I have been here ever since! I am Head of Photography and help oversee the creation of the Kolainu (our yearbook). I love walking around camp and taking pictures of all the action so we can share the excitement of camp with our parents. I am a photographer by trade, preschool teacher during the day, and work in a running store part-time for fun. I love running and for the past six years have mentored high school students training with Dreamfar for the Rhode Island Marathon. My newest passion is trying to learn how to salsa dance. Looking forward to seeing all the smiling faces of our campers and staff!

Emanuela (Manu) Bilderman: Head of Tennis

Yes, it’s me: Emanuela (you know me as Manu) Bilderman. I will be back again as the Head of Tennis for my 10th summer! I was born in Tel Aviv and have been living in Israel since then. I have been working as a physical education teacher for the past 33 years at a high school in the city of Holon. I live in Rishon Le Zion with my family: Offer, my husband, and with our three children Shimrit, Shachar and Shai. All my family knows how to play tennis. When I was 16-years-old, I was the 3rd-ranked tennis player, for my age in Israel. I have been the Head of Tennis at Tevya since 2007. I am proud to have the chance to teach camp Tevya’s campers tennis, watch them improve their skills with training and fun, and see them return as tennis counselors working with me.

Glenn Brannon: Head of Land Sports

I’m Glenn Brannon and I’ll be spending my 8th summer as Head of Land Sports. I schedule and plan each activity period for Land Sports and oversee the Athletics, Fitness, Ropes, and Archery programs. Our camp participates in a number of competitions and tournaments throughout the summer, and it is my job to choose our coaches, set up tryouts for campers, and schedule the events. I’ve taught English in Palm Beach County for many years and have coached various sports including basketball, baseball, fast pitch softball, and others. Before coming to Tevya, I was Athletic Director at camps in the Adirondacks for 15 years. Camp Tevya is a great place to be each summer, and I’m anxious to get back.

Miri Sharon: Head of Arts and Crafts

Hi my name is Miri Sharon and this will be my 4th summer at camp Tevya. I am the Head of Arts and Crafts and love every single thing about it! When I am not at camp, I teach at the Beth Tikvah religious school and have been there for the past eight years. I teach Hebrew and Jewish art for kids and adults. I was born and raised in Israel where I have earned my BA in Industrial Design from Haddassa College in Jerusalem. When my family and I moved to the states 13 years ago, I got my Early Childhood Teaching Certification and started working with the Jewish early childhood community. I have three girls who are coming with me to camp: Ella will be in Kinneret, Lia will be in a Middle Ole, and Daya will be in Israel as part of Dor L’Dor leadership program and will come back to camp as a CIT for the last two weeks of camp. I cant wait to spend the summer on lake Potanipo creating art with your children!

Ariel Holman: Head of Performing Arts

Hello! I’m Ariel Holman, and I am happy to be returning to Tevya after a few years away (Birya ’09!) as the Head of Performing Arts. During my hiatus from Tevya, I worked on the waterfront of the JCC Camp Grossman. I’ve just graduated from Muhlenberg College as a Theatre major while getting my Elementary Education certification, so I’m extremely excited to be meshing the two together this summer! While at Muhlenberg, I directed over six productions, was the vice president of the Muhlenberg Women’s Ensemble, and just completed a student teaching semester teaching 2nd and 4th graders! While not doing theatre or teaching, I enjoy reading, writing, and hanging out with friends. I can’t wait to spend this summer at Tevya doing what I love!

Sarah Metzger: Head of Jewish Life and Learning and Shira

Hi Camp Tevya, my name is Sarah Metzger and I’m so excited to be joining the Tevya family as Head of Jewish Life and Learning and Shira. This will be my 1st summer at Camp Tevya, but my 15th summer at camp in general. For the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of working at camps all over the country, but I’m excited to be back in my home state of NH this summer. For my real “adult” job, I work at a synagogue in New York as the director of youth engagement where I run all of the informal youth programs for grades k-12. When I’m not working, I like to write and perform music, fight inanimate objects through the majesty of kickboxing, and binge-watch Parks and Recreation on Netflix. Once again, I’m thrilled to be joining the amazing team at Camp Tevya and I can’t wait to meet all the campers and bring new music to camp!

Noah Dines: Head of Outdoor Living

My name is Noah Dines and I will be the Head of Outdoor Living. Though I never attended Tevya as a camper, this will be my 4th summer on the shores of Lake Potanipo. I graduated from UCONN this past May with a degree in political science and love to travel and learn new languages. My favorite animals we have at camp are the chickens.

Anat Michaeli: Head of Israeli Delegation

Hello Camp Tevya Campers, Parents and Staff!! This is my 1st year at camp and I am very excited to meet and work with you all. I was born and raised in Jerusalem. I have three lovely children and two amazing grandchildren. I have always loved working with people and especially children. I was a sports guide for combat and special units during my army service. I operated a pre-school for several years, with an emphasis on encouraging sport, Israeli education, and dance. I also have always been very active in sport and athletic education. Today, I work in an afternoon enrichment program with children ages 8-11 years-old, with an emphasis on fitness, movement, and health education. Can’t wait to celebrate Israeli traditions and Independence Day with you!! A big hug from Israel and see you soon! Shalom!

Shabbat Shalom,

They say that a day at camp is like a week in the real world.  When I think about how much has happened in the past week, I can confirm that this is true. Looking at all of the accomplishments of our campers, it is hard to believe that we have been here for 10 days, and not 10 weeks. As we get ready to celebrate our second Shabbat together, I am happy to share some of those accomplishments with you.

Our first Shabbat together was led by Kinneret and Tel Yehuda, our 9^th grade campers.  Wearing blue and white, the community celebrated on Friday night with services, dinner and shira.  Unfortunately, it was raining so we were not able to enjoy our outdoor Rikud (Israeli dancing) under the stars, but continued to enjoy a relaxing Shabbat through Saturday.  Starting with a breakfast of coffee cake, and ending with Havdallah on the beach, it was a beautiful first Shabbat.

Saturday night was MTV night.  Each age group performed a song and dance for the rest of camp.  I love seeing all of our kids working together on stage. As I mentioned last week, getting up on a stage with your friends helps most of our kids expand their area of comfort and they have fun doing it!

Sunday was a great day at camp. Campers were engaged in activities all day and looked forward to the evening activity. Dressed in red, white and blue, they enjoyed our traditional pre-fireworks social before getting their glow stick necklace and heading to the beach for the town of Brookline’s fireworks.  As we informed our parents, the fireworks did not go quite as planned, and our staff did an amazing job engaging our campers while the town of Brookline fixed the problem.  We were all so happy when the fireworks resumed for a beautiful light show.

Monday was 4^th of July, and for the most part, was a regular camp day at Tevya.  We did enjoy the continuation of red, white and blue clothes and the patriotic music during meals. That evening our Olim and Olot enjoyed field games, our Tsofim and Tsofot had a red, white and blue dutch auction and the Bogrim and Bogrot enjoyed icebreaker games before heading to the beach to enjoy the incredible Lake Potanipo sunset.

Tuesday was another full day of activities at camp.  I especially enjoyed watching a paddle board class.  The kids were having so much fun and I added paddle boarding to my summer bucket list.  I just hope my balance is as good as the Olim and Olot that I saw!  Tuesday night Birya and Tel Chai went bowling and Kinneret and Tel Yehuda went to a Fisher Cats baseball game. The rest of our campers enjoyed movie night at camp. All of our campers experience one day trip and one evening trip each session, so maybe there will be some other trips coming up soon.

Wednesday was the introduction of BLT, our new bog leadership program.  We are so excited about this program in which our 9^th and 10^th grade campers will participate in activities and discussions that focus on three elements of leadership:  communication, collaboration and community.  This week they discussed different types of leaders and leadership skills and looked at the skills that they each brought to the table. Wednesday night our Olim and Olot participated in brown bag skits, our Tsofim and Tsofot ran around camp during a counselor hunt, Kinneret and Tel Yehuda came up with great ideas to benefit camp in Tevya’s version of Shark Tank, and Birya and Tel Chai prepared for an event that they were planning.

Yesterday was another great day at camp.  Although we started the day with a late wake up (we thought everyone would enjoy an extra ½ hour of sleep), we were back on schedule by first period.  Walking around camp, I can’t help but smile as I watched all of our kids totally engaged in so many activities.  Robert, our Chef Manager, was also smiling as he led a Jewish cooking class first period. Robert is a Professor at Johnson and Wales, and he loves to get out of the kitchen to work with our campers.  The results tasted great – raspberry filled hamantachen! In Arts and Crafts, campers learned about Israeli events and historical figures and started making puzzles representing what they learned. As I was walking to the Seth Feldman Fitness Center to take a Barre class with our oldest campers, I was stopped by a cross country group who was preparing to run to our campsite and back, a 3 mile run.  The campers were a little nervous about the run, but their counselor was very encouraging and so they were happy to try it.  I saw them at the end of the period and they were all so proud of their successful run! Just when I thought I couldn’t be prouder of our campers’ accomplishments, a camper came running up to me with the biggest smile on her face.  She told me that she was never able to get up on waterskies last year and during 5^th period she got up twice!

Last night was our traditional spirit night planned by Birya and Tel Chai.  In preparation for today’s Game Day, our oldest campers taught all of our campers cheers and chants.  They also introduced the teams that participated in today’s games. It is so nice to see our campers plan and lead an event for the entire camp.

This morning I was woken up by the entire camp as part of our morning pep rally.  Each year on the morning of our first Game Day, Birya and Tel Chai wake up the entire camp with songs and noise makers. As they move from bunk to bunk, the campers and staff join them so by the time they get to my house, the whole camp is there chanting, “We got spirit, yes, we do, we got spirit, how ‘bout you?” To which I reply that I have spirit too. After a few rounds of this chant, I realize that no matter how loud I yell, the expected, “I got the most,” I could never come close to matching the spirit of our campers. The excitement of the day continued as we walked into the decorated dining hall for breakfast. The blue and white streamers and balloons created a great backdrop for Yavneh to announce their princess.  Our youngest boys looked so cute as they paraded around the dining hall chanting clues leaving everyone guessing which counselor would be chosen as this year’s Yavneh princess.  Congratulations Bella Hayes! The week of royalty concluded at lunch with our youngest girls in Dalia naming Aaron Lubell as their prince. In between the announcements of this year’s prince and princess, we had a Game Day with Camp Young Judea.  Our Bog softball team, Tsof softball team and Ole newcomb team traveled to CYJ to play and we welcomed CYJ’s Bog volleyball team, Tsof volleyball team and Ole softball teams to Tevya for games.

We end the day early each Friday to take time to prepare for Shabbat. When I think about how much has happened since I last wished the community, “Shabbat Shalom,” I can’t help but think about that saying that a day at camp is like a week in the real world. So much has happened in the last 7 days. The strength of our community shined when faced with an unexpected challenge; close friendships developed between people who didn’t know each other last week; confidence has been built by campers who are so proud of their accomplishments; and leaders have blossomed as our campers experienced training and opportunities. All this in just 7 days. And, the best part is that we still have 39 more days of camp to go!

Shabbat Shalom.

Each year, I have my favorite “pictures”. Not the ones that we post on CampMinder, but the snapshots that I keep in my mind of those camp moments that I never want to forget; camp moments that will forever remind me why Camp Tevya is such a special place. As I did my early morning run around camp on Saturday, I collected one of those snapshots. The Yavneh boys were outside Bunks 1, 2 and 3 playing four square. That happens every day, but what made this picture noteworthy was that it was before wake up and they were all dressed in their blue and white clothes, ready for Shabbat. They were so little and so cute!  It was a picture to remember.

Saturday morning Shabbat services rocked! Our older Tsofs led the entire service and were accompanied by our camp guitar players and song leaders. New tunes were interspersed with old tunes, creating a spiritual and energized feeling for all. It was so beautiful! One of my many favorite times each week is standing at the door after Adon Olam wishing everyone a “Shabbat Shalom” as they head out to pick up their cheese and crackers at the weekly Oneg. Seeing everyone dressed in their blue and white, leaving services and ready for a peaceful camp day creates another snapshot in my mind. This Shabbat was made even more special by our Dalia and Yavneh campers who had just learned the identity of their Big Brothers and Big Sisters. They were so happy to have an older camper to play with them and help them around camp. It was another picture to remember.

The rain on Saturday afternoon was a welcome relief after the warm weather of last week. After lunch, Saturday Shira and rest hour, bunks spent quality activity time together. We also held tryouts for Saturday evening’s talent show and had a record 40 acts try out! There was so much talent and we wanted to include everyone, so we split the talent show over two Saturday nights. This week’s performances were amazing. So many pictures to remember.

I spent most of Sunday walking around camp with prospective family tours. During our walks, the families heard a group of campers learning a song for Jewish Arts Festival and they heard a Lids trashcan drumming performance. They saw the dark room where the photography class explained how to develop pictures and they saw a class using our ballet barre to exercise. They held ducks and petted goats in our petting zoo and they felt the spirit of Tevya. Almost all of the families commented, “the kids are so happy here.” These happy kids singing, taking pictures and playing with animals each created more pictures to remember.

Sunday night our Tsofs went to Cedarland where they swam in the pool, went in the batting cages and played miniature golf.  While they were gone, it was game show night at camp for our other campers. Our Bogs played a competitive game of Bunk Feud and our Oles played Minute to Win It.

On Monday, Tevya hosted our annual Senior Volleyball Tournament, with participation from four camps. I love seeing the team spirit and the great sportsmanship from all of the Jewish camps in our area. Tevya played Camp Pembroke in the finals and the whole camp was so proud of our first place champions! We are going to need a new trophy case as our tennis team also brought home multiple trophies from the doubles tennis tournament at Camp Young Judea. Tevya won first and second place in the senior girls division, and first place in the senior mixed division. The doubles played so well that Tevya took home the first place team award.  It was definitely a successful sports day for Tevya! The look of pride on the faces of all team members created another picture to remember.

Monday night was another fun night with activities happening all over camp. Our Bogs were on the waterfront for a beach themed social.  Our Tsofs enjoyed Battle of the Bunks on the soccer field, and our Oles had fun decorating cupcakes in Tevya’s version of Cupcake Wars. I collected a few more pictures for my memory box.
Tuesday morning wakeup was very early, as Birya and Tel Chai boarded buses at 5:00 am for their greatly anticipated 2-day white water rafting trip in Maine. A few hours later, Kinneret and Tel Yehuda boarded their buses for the AMC Highland Center where they went hiking in the White Mountains followed by a day on the alpine slides at Attitash. Our campers look forward to these annual trips when they bond together as an age group outside of camp, and everyone reported that the trips were everything that they hoped they would be. Keeping with tradition, Kinneret and Tel Yehuda arrived back to camp earlier than Birya and Tel Chai and pranked the oldest campers. These approved pranks included turning the Birya bunks into barns and Tel Chai bunks into dining halls.

While the Bogs were gone, the rest of camp was treated to a Siagel game night.  Elbess was rocking with the life-size board games, a virtual sports arena, and glowing arcade games. Besides the pictures in my mind, I now have a collection of real pictures from the mirror selfie booth! Thank you so much to Siagel Productions for such a fun night!

On Wednesday, the Oles and Tsofs went to Water Country. It was a perfect day to spend in the water.  They returned to camp for dinner and bunk activities.

We returned to regular programming on Thursday. Evening activities included square dancing for the Bogs, Ghost Trials for the Tsofs and Dutch Auction for the Oles. This morning was a Game Day with Camp Tel Noar.

And here it is, Shabbat again. I close my eyes and think about my collection of pictures from the week. Those special moments will stay in my mind for years to come as I can’t stop thinking about all of the wonderful things that happen week after week at camp. The only problem is that those weeks are going by too fast. Good thing I have pictures in my mind to help me remember.

Shabbat Shalom

Each year we have a theme for our staff orientation week. This year our theme was “The magic of camp.” We spent the week before campers arrived sharing how our staff can create a magical summer for our campers. As our First Session comes to a close, and I think about all that has been accomplished in 3 ½ weeks, magic seems like the only explanation.

Last Shabbat’s services were led by our younger Tsofs. Our 7^th grade campers did a beautiful job leading our community in prayer on both Friday night and Saturday morning. The level of energy and excitement exhibited throughout Friday night complimented the peacefulness and tranquility of Saturday morning.  We spent Saturday afternoon with our bunks enjoying free swim and bunk activities. Shabbat came to a close with Havdallah on the basketball courts followed by part two of our camper talent show. Saturday night included an additional surprise for our campers – the break of Maccabi games. Our Israeli delegation announced Sunday’s competition with a video and read the teams for the next day.

Campers came to breakfast on Sunday in their team shirts, ready for the Maccabi games. The four teams included red (Hapoel), white (Hacoach), blue (Maccabi) and yellow (Beitar). Our campers competed in team games including newcomb, basketball and soccer. After the games everyone headed down to the beach where campers cheered on teammates competing in a variety of swimming races. Then we took the racing to the land as the entire camp lined up on both sides of the road to watch the track events. The team spirit was amazing and everyone had so much fun. After lunch and rest hour, we held our first (and hopefully annual) Rikud dancefest. This new camp event was unbelievable and I am so thankful that I was able to see it up close as a dancefest judge. Each team was given one of the four main Israeli dances that we learned this session in Rikud. Each team had to perform their dance for the judges and were scored on both enthusiasm and knowledge of the dance. I had the biggest smile on my face watching our campers, and then I looked over at our Rikud specialists (and fellow judges) Sara and Bella. I could see their pride in their smiles, as they realized that they created this magical passion for Israeli dance within our community. Seeing their smiles made me smile more. The winners were announced during the closing ceremony. Congratulations to Hapoel!

The perfect ending to a day of Maccabi games was a performance by popular Israeli performer Shimon Smith. He had the entire camp up and dancing – it was so much fun!

Monday was a day of basketball games with all 3 of our age groups competing in tournaments. Both our Ole team and our Tsof team took first place in their tournaments. While some of our campers were playing basketball, our other campers were enjoying activities around camp. On Monday night our Tsofs enjoyed an amazing campfire complete with stories, songs and s’mores. Kinneret and Tel Yehuda entertained each other with camp commercials, and Birya and Tel Chai worked on banquet. Our 10^th graders plan our First Session Banquet, which is held the last night of the session. It was trip night for our Oles, who saw “Secret Life of Pets” at Chunky’s Cinema.

Tuesday was a regular camp day. Our campers learned conflict resolution through playing games in Israel Education. Bunks in a nature class returned to camp from a hike through our trails all excited because they saw owls. A barre class left the fitness center and hit the road, exercising as they walked through camp. And our Introduction to Videography class learned about the green screen. Every time I take a walk around camp, I see magic in so many places.

That evening our Oles had so much fun building sand castles on the beach. The castles were so creative. I especially liked the teamwork of the bunk that made one of the campers into a mermaid. Our Tsofs enjoyed making (and eating) cupcakes in cupcake wars and our Bogs participated in Meshugana Games.

Wednesday we had visitors from the American Camp Association (ACA) at camp as part of our accreditation process. It was so nice to share Camp Tevya with these camping professionals. We are confident that they were impressed with what they saw around camp and that we will receive positive news about our accreditation in the fall. That night we celebrated with a Siagel Social, a favorite Tevya activity. I never get tired of hearing Steve Siagel sing, “Tevya spirit lives on and on and on…”

Thursday was a beautiful day at camp. The morning started with Tevya hosting Camp Young Judea for a Tsof soccer game and ended with our Night of Tevya Arts. And of course, there was so much happening in between. Our rocketry class had another successful launch today, the entire camp enjoyed our weekly BBQ dinner and we held our first International vs. America staff soccer game. And you think the World Cup is competitive! Congratulations to our international staff who won 2-0!

This morning as most of camp was eating breakfast in the Dining Hall, some of our Olot were enjoying a canoe ride to skunk hollow where they ate their breakfast. Each Olot age group had the opportunity to enjoy this special experience and they all loved the opportunity. After breakfast, we hosted the Tevya archery tournament. Another trophy for our trophy case as Tevya won first place. After lunch we held our First Session Awards Ceremony. Each department distributed awards to a few of the campers who excelled in activities. We also presented 5-Year Mugs and waiter gifts to First Session campers. While we were in the awards ceremony, our maintenance staff delivered campers’ bags to their bunks.  It was such a sad sight!

As I left the awards ceremony to prepare for the final Shabbat of First Session, I think about our campers who will be leaving this magical place in 2 days. I cannot believe that First Session is coming to a close already. It has been such a smooth and amazing few weeks. I know all of campers have made new friends, become more independent, learned many new skills and expanded their area of comfort. All of this in just 3 ½ weeks – it must be magic. I hope all of our First Session campers enjoyed the magic of camp and I can’t wait to welcome them back next year.

Shabbat Shalom.

Walking around camp this first week of Second Session and seeing the new friendships that have developed and the closeness of friends reunited, I can’t believe that less than a week ago First Session campers were packing their bags to prepare to go home. Was it really only 6 days ago that Birya and Tel Chai (BTC) turned the Dining Hall into a commemoration of Boston sports for this year’s First Session Banquet? Planning Banquet is one of many opportunities our campers have to own a project, gaining confidence as they take on leadership roles. They learn how to brainstorm, time manage, order supplies, collaborate on committees, and balance the needs of the entire camp. The best part of the night for me is watching our campers see the results of their hard work during the celebration. BTC campers were so proud of their accomplishments as they stood in front of the camp that final night of First Session.

Following dinner and entertainment, everyone headed down to Elbess for our First Session Slideshow and Shira (song) Session. Although I don’t usually enjoy seeing campers cry, I did smile as I saw the tears of campers saying goodbye to their friends. Those tears meant that they enjoyed camp, that they made connections, that they gained confidence and independence. The more they cried, the more I smiled. Well, until that final song, “Leaving on a jet plane,” and then I started crying too.

Sunday morning was bittersweet as we gave our final goodbye hugs to our First Session campers, and then quickly welcomed families of our Full Season campers into camp for Visiting Day. Families enjoyed time together in camp before heading out to Target and the mall to buy more toothpaste, new shoes and non-camp food. While they were gone, our staff worked hard preparing for Second Session. They moved bunk beds and dressers, made new posters and job wheels and learned about the new campers who would soon be joining our community. Full Season campers returned to camp and boarded buses for a trip night. Bogs went to Roller Kingdom for a fun night of skating and the rest of camp enjoyed a night of bowling.

Monday morning we opened the doors for Second Session and welcomed almost 100 campers into our community. These campers include a camper who took a tour First Session with plans to come to camp in 2017. However, he couldn’t wait, and we were so happy to welcome him a year earlier than his family planned. We spent the morning bonding as bunks before our traditional opening day lunch of grilled cheese and french fries. After lunch and Rest Hour, we wasted no time jumping into Second Session regular programming. Monday night was our Counselor No Talent Show. Although we do have a very talented staff, tonight counselors took the stage to have fun as they introduced themselves to our new campers.

By Tuesday, Second Session was already in full swing and campers were chanting for Color War. “1,2,3,4, we want Color War,” is followed by “1,2,3,4, you want Color War? 5,6,7,8, you will have to wait.” No Color War yet, but as I tell the kids, it will break Second Session. On the tail of First Session Banquet, Kinneret and Tel Yehuda immediately began work on Second Session Banquet. Once again, I get to see our campers take on all types of leadership roles as they brainstormed and voted on a theme and divided themselves into committees. I look forward to watching this group of 9th graders plan this event together and learn community building skills, but I am not looking forward to the event itself, because that means summer 2016 is over. But, we don’t have to think about that just yet.

Tuesday night, our Bogrot participated in a very important activity. Billy Spalding of the Newton Police Department taught our oldest girls tactics for self-defense. This year we were able to bring this important program to camp thanks to a grant from Combined Jewish Philanthropies’ Miriam Foundation. This same night our Oles had a campfire, our Tsofs had a block party and our Bogrim played football.

On Wednesday, Camp Tevya’s Jewish Arts Festival performers traveled to Newbridge on the Common in Dedham. There they met up with Camp Tel Noar and Camp Pembroke, and the 3 Cohen Camps performed for the Newbridge residents, including Annebelle and Arnold Cohen. I was so proud of our performers. The theme of this year’s Jewish Arts Festival is “We believe in the future.” Our performers were truly inspirational. The Jewish Arts Festival will be held this Sunday, July 31 at Camp Pembroke. I can’t wait to tell you all about it next week.

As soon as we got back to camp it was time for the Bogs to leave for their evening trip. Our oldest campers went to our favorite movie theater, Chunky’s, where we saw the movie Ghostbusters. I am sure I was the only one old enough to have seen the original movie in the theatres! While the movie got mixed reviews, everyone loves a night out at Chunky’s. Back at camp the Oles participated in a gaga tournament organized by one of our younger campers and the Tsofs had fun with Bar Mitzvah games.

I was lucky enough to spend yesterday afternoon walking around camp, checking in our new campers as they enjoyed another regular camp day. I watched Bunk 16 play basketball. Only at camp do you see kids cheering as much for their friends when they miss shots as they do when they make shots. Some of these girls did not even know each other a few days ago, and they are so comfortable chanting each other’s names as a show of support. Across from the basketball courts was Bunk 4 playing tennis. Manu, our Head of Tennis, is already training them to win the Tevya Tennis Invies in 2020! After basketball and tennis, I went down to the Point where I was able to relax with a Drawing and Painting class. Their instructor, an art student, was teaching them how to use water colors to paint the trees that surround them. Their pictures were beautiful!

Last night was our weekly Thursday night BBQ, with the wonderful addition of our newly formed Tevya band. The concert on the green definitely added to the warm atmosphere of the evening. After dinner, our Bogs were on the hot seat during Ghost Trials. In this evening activity, campers are accused of doing funny things and then given appropriate consequences to match their crimes. For example, one camper who likes to imitate his counselor’s accent has to use a British accent for the whole day. A very entertaining magician, Mike Bent’s Abrakidabra, performed for our Oles and Tsofs. After the magic show, our older Olim traveled to our campsite for a camping trip. This trip was planned by a camper in Bunk 6. It was another example of how our campers come up with ideas for a program and are given the support and resources to make it happen. The two bunks that make up our older Olim enjoyed making s’mores and telling stories around the campfire before retreating to their tents for the evening. They came back early this morning before the rain, after a very successful camping experience.

This week we received a delivery of two buddy benches, ordered following a request by two of our Olot campers. These eleven-year-old girls came to my office and requested a meeting with me. They shared with me that they thought a buddy bench would help kids make friends during free play. They explained that they never want anyone at camp to feel left out and having a place to seek out friends could help. How could we say no to this? Our older Oles are designing the benches which will represent our inclusive community and the importance of friendship. The benches will include Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.”

As I prepare for the first Shabbat of Second Session, I reflect on this week and realize how many opportunities our campers have to be leaders at camp. I realize that at Tevya everyone finds their own way to be a leader. For some, it is writing a song for Banquet, for others it is coming up with an idea for an event and for others it is by being inclusive of others. Our camp leaders come in all forms and ages. Tonight at services we will be presenting the Aaron and Blanche Gordon award to two of our staff members, Hannah Lacey and Paul Goldfinger. These are two counselors who grew up at camp, having had similar opportunities to be leaders, both in big and small ways, over the course of their time here. They are both amazing counselors and great role models for the next generation of Tevya leaders.

Shabbat Shalom.