The other morning I was getting ready for work and I heard the words, “The Jew in the Box” on the Today Show. My husband, Shawn, and I froze. What could this possibly mean? Matt Lauer came on to explain the art exhibit in Berlin.
Shawn was outraged. I was not sure how I felt. . .
On a Saturday morning in July, the Henry S. Jacobs Camp (HSJ) community began their usual stroll to the Jacobs Performing Arts Center—not in the usual pajamas (a Shabbat morning tradition), but rather in their “finest” attire for Alanna and Noah Chensasky’s B’nai Mitzvah celebration.
“Having our B’nai Mitzvah here at Jacobs Camp was awesome,” said Noah. “I had all my camp friends watching and supporting me, and it felt amazing. What better place than here!”
I looked at his paper and all he had written was the word “camp.” I smiled at the boy and responded in my usual teacher way: “Camp is a great place to start! You probably made a lot of friends. Did you have a lot of fun? Was it the first time you were away from home for such a long time?” The boy responded as follows: “well my camp is in Mississippi.” I didn’t see my own face, but I think, if I remember correctly, I began to smile from ear to ear. I said to the boy, “Jacobs Camp?” I can’t imagine what the boy was thinking, probably trying to work out how this random teacher at his school, with an English accent, knew about his camp! A little shell-shocked, the boy said, almost questioning, “Yeah? HSJ?” It then clicked.
It is a tenet of the Jewish faith to help those in need. Seven years ago, we at Jacobs Camp – and so many individuals from across North America – came together to respond to Katrina. When it comes to a disaster like Sandy, just remember that the needs will be there long after the news stories fade away.
At the conclusion of each summer, we reach out to our camp families to find out what they thought and how we did. For the last several years, we have been using a “Customer Satisfaction Index” developed by the Foundation for Jewish Camp that allows us to have our results analyzed by a team of professional researchers, and to have our results benchmarked against 72 other Jewish camps from across North America.
“… being awarded the Jewish Teen Funders Network grant gave a group of 42 teenagers a chance to make a big difference in the world… This program taught me responsibility, appreciation, and how charity functions.”
My mouth dropped. I was instantly transported to Utica, Mississippi, dripping with sweat, climbing a hill that was in reality a slight incline, but in Mississippi humidity may as well have been Masada. Acoustic guitar played “Lo Yisa Goy“. I knew exactly how uncomfortable/amazing/sweaty/magical/unforgettable the feeling was.
