Archive for 'Herzl, Beyond Webster'
Herzl Campers Unite…in Morocco!
January 27, 2012 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts, Herzl, Beyond Webster, Letters from Staff, Where Are They Now.
Yonatan Dotan, Sam Kaplan and Jonathan Edelman in Rabat, Morocco
By: Jonathan Edelman
Herzl Camp staff members Jonathan Edelman and Yonatan Dotan are living in Israel for the year while participating in the KIVUNIM program. KIVUNIM, a program in international Jewish education, provides an intensive academic and experiential encounter with Middle Eastern, North African, Asian and European cultures.
This morning we had a unique and historic privilege. Because of KIVUNIM’s very special relationship with Morocco, we were invited to conduct a private Jewish memorial service at the tombs of King Mohammed V and his son, King Hassan II. As few know, Mohammed V through his courageous confrontation with the Vichy French was responsible for saving the lives of the 250-300,000 Jews of Morocco. I was asked to be the photographer of this event where the president of the community of Rabat and the President of the Jewish community. Outside the tomb, I asked a local guard how often people get to enter the tomb. He told me that some Moroccans spend their entire lives living in the country and never set foot near the tomb. It was truly an honor.
Afterwards, we made our way to the home of the American Ambassador to Morocco, the Honorable Samuel Kaplan and his wife Sylvia (Yes, Jewish Americans serving in an Arab country!). I did some research about Mr. Kaplan ahead of time and found out he is a Jew from Minneapolis. I figured I’d whip out my Jewish geography knowledge and see what we had in common. Turns out the US Ambassador was a ‘50-53 Herzl Camper! It was very fun comparing our experiences at the camp.
We then had a quick picnic lunch and headed up in the mountains to the city of Ifrane for a visit to the campus of the Al Akhawayn University and the home of the original Mimouna Club in Morocco. Here we were guests of Elmehdi Boudra, this unique college student who spearheaded the creation of the club and worked together with KIVUNIM to create and design the first conference on the Holocaust in the Arab World this past September. I was truly amazed at the beauty of this campus. We had a tour of the campus, a series of discussions with these very special Arab students, a vegetarian dinner and then an evening program before heading back to our hotel. The future of relations between Jews and Arabs was clearly being formed right here in Ifrane…there is a lot going on here.
We were also lucky enough to watch the Morocco vs. Tunisia Fütbol match with the students.
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How Far Are You Willing to Push Yourself for Tzedakah?
January 18, 2012 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts, Herzl, Beyond Webster, Letters from Alumni.
Alumni Joey Finkelstein, Daniel Usem and Adam Grossfield have been selected to participate in the Walk of Shameless Competition presented by Showtime Entertainment. Inspired by the strength and courage of their own Herzl Camp counselor, they have chosen dedicate 5 days to a charity that is near and dear to the hearts of many Herzl Camp alumni….Winning for Winston.
By: Joey Finkelstein, Daniel Usem and Adam Grossfield
To all Herzl Alumni, Staff, Board Members, Campers, Parents and Future Campers,
We have been selected to compete for big-time tzedakah in what is sure to be a physically demanding and emotionally draining competition over the next 5 days. No, we are not talking about Bikkurim. We are talking about the Walk of Shameless Competition. What is this, you ask? The Walk of Shameless Competition is a live, physical competition where six teams of three individuals will compete to raise money for charities and win money by being the last team standing. Participants take turns walking on a treadmill from 8 am – 8 pm, EST (that’s Eastern Time Zone, not camp time) for 5 days straight. Yes, that’s right people. 5 days straight…on a treadmill. Wednesday, January 18 – Sunday, January 22.
For every minute we are on the treadmill, Showtime Entertainment will donate $1 to a charity of our choice (more on that below). The last team standing will not only win a cash prize for themselves, but will receive a $10,000 donation to their chosen charity! We have been given the team name “Team Carl” based on one of the characters of the show “Shameless.”
We have chosen to raise money for the ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) Therapy Development Institute in connection with Winning for Winston. Michael Winston, a former counselor at Herzl (Dan & Joey’s, actually), was diagnosed with ALS at the young age of 24. Michael’s strength and courage inspired his friends and family to create Winning for Winston, a fundraising group dedicated to raising funds for ALS.
So, we need Herzl friends and family around the world to help us WIN this competition for Winston and for ALSTDI!
How can you help? From Wednesday, January 18 at 8:00 am EST through Sunday, January 22 at 8:00 pm EST, we need YOUR votes! Voting is extremely simple. Simply send a text message with the text “Carl” to 74688 or click here and then click the Support #teamcarl Tweet button. There is no limit to the number of times you can vote, so vote early and vote often! In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined based on how many tweets and text message votes each remaining team receives.
We can personally guarantee to each and every one of you that we will NOT get off the treadmill, no matter what obstacles are thrown our way. Your votes will help keep us motivated…especially when we see our vote totals at the TOP OF THE LIST!
Please help us raise $10,000 for ALSTDI and Winning for Winston by voting as many times as possible.
Shamelessly Yours,
Joey, Daniel, & Adam
Follow us @TheTeamCarl on Twitter
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Ayze Yofi, Ayze Yofi! Ya la la la la la la!
November 18, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Herzl, Beyond Webster, Letters from Staff, Where Are They Now.
By: Anna Simon
Hey Holly Guncheon - We're so proud of you! (Photos: Shana Sureck)
This week, I attended the 2011 Grinspoon Institute Annual Conference in Springfield, MA with our board president Sue Roether, president-elect Amy Friedman and Development Director Holly Guncheon. It was an incredible conference where we had the opportunity to network with many other camp staff and volunteers from around the country. Our sessions covered everything from alumni outreach and annual campaigns to social media and marketing. Throughout the conference, we discovered how the deep connection to Herzl Camp stretches far beyond what we would expect.
Larry Moses, Senior Philanthropic Advisor for the Wexner Foundation, cited Herzl Camp in his keynote address to over 400 camp professionals and lay leaders, as having fostered a love of Judaism and life long learning for Rabbi Elka Abrahamson, one of his mentors.
One of the sessions I attended was on the topic of Strategic Blogging and led by, Debra Askanase – who runs the award-winning blog www.communityorganizer20.com. Her presentation featured our own Herzl Camp blog as an example of successful use of guest writers. So, kudos to everyone who has joined us in our blogging efforts! And, thank you all for partnering with us!
When I travel, I end up playing “Jewish Geography” to see whom I may know in common with someone I meet. However, I think I may end up changing that game to “Herzl Geography” as it seems I run into a few Herzl Alumni everywhere I go. (Side note: When we were at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure with our family a few weeks ago, we were waiting in line for the Harry Potter ride and turned around to see someone wearing a Herzl sweatshirt…It was my son’s cabinmate from this past summer). Herzl Alumni Sarah (Raful) Whinston, Todd Zeff and Noah Allen were all in attendance at the conference. It was great to reconnect and reminisce with all of them! Just when I thought we found all of our Herzl connections…I walked out of my last session and a woman pulled me aside and told me her husband went to Herzl in the 1970s. Then, a woman who works for Ramah told Amy Friedman that her mother (who now lives in Israel) went to Herzl as well.
And, while all these folks have current connections to other Jewish camps, it’s very clear that they have a deep and meaningful connection to the magic of Herzl. Someone else pulled me aside to say that there was something about Herzl alumni that they couldn’t put their finger on. Something very powerful and very special that seemed to be unique in the camping world. Of course, upon hearing that, I could not have been more proud to be a part of Herzl Camp and all that we do. Incidentally, we also discovered later on that the blogging facilitator, Debra Askanase, too, has ties to Herzl Camp.
The last, but most exciting, thing I want to share is about the Grinspoon Awards. This year, Holly Guncheon was presented with the Outstanding Development Professional of the year award. This award is presented to a development professional who has made a significant impact on a Jewish overnight summer camp’s long-term vitality and sustainability through increased cultivation, solicitation and/or stewardship efforts. We are so proud of Holly and are thrilled that the Grinspoon Institute honored her with this award. It is well deserved!
Shabbat Shalom!
About the Grinspoon Institute:
The Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy is a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Its vision is to significantly enhance the long-term effectiveness of nonprofit overnight camps and other organizations that engage young people in meaningful Jewish cultural and educational experiences. The goal of the Grinspoon Institute is to guide these camps to become strategic and self-sustaining by providing coaching and consulting services along with technology assistance and a series of matching grant challenges. The Institute enhances its offerings with additional services such as conferences, professional training, webinars, the Create a Jewish Legacy Program, Technology Program and more.
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Making a Difference
March 10, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts, Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Alex Locke
As many of us know, being a staff member at Herzl Camp is one of the greatest things you can ever do. Not only are you giving back to the place that you likely spent several summers as a camper, but you are also making a difference in the life of a Jewish child. Whether we admit it or not, most people would love to know if they’ve made an impact on one of their campers. Well, here is your chance. I would like it if every single person who is reading this blog were to make a comment on your favorite staff member ever. It could be your counselor, ozo, Mama/Papa, song leader, program director, tripper, rosh sport, etc. If anyone made a difference in your life, or an impact on you as a camper, this is your chance now to tell them.
I will start. While I had great bunk staff, program directors, and others, my favorite would have to be my Mama Ozo, Ann (Fiterman) Miller. For those who know her, Ann is one-of-a-kind. She is easily one of the funniest people I have ever met, she is a “dugmah” in every sense of the word, she is positive, and overall made me want to be a good staff member. Ann was always someone that could put a smile on the face of an upset camper and you could not help feel her ruach when you were near her. And if you ever said “Announcement” (I typed it, I did not say it out loud), Ann would treat you to a VERY long and full rendition of the song. Most people don’t even know how long that full version really is.
Editor’s Note: I have no idea how the song really goes. I know that it is much longer than this version.
Ann, if you’re out there, perhaps would you be willing to record a similar video on how to sing the song the right way, and we’ll post it to the blog?
In my professional career, when asked about leadership, I often think back to Ann and the example she set, and frequently think of her abilities and her ways of motivation. So, Ann… thank you for being an incredible staff member for me, and for many others!
Okay, here is your chance. I highly encourage every person reading this to participate. Leave a comment and tell us who your favorite staff member is. If you care to, give us some details. If not, at least just write the person’s name. Give them the recognition you have always wanted to, by saying, “You were my favorite Herzl Camp staff member,” because even in the “real world,” that still means a lot!
Editor’s note: This is reminiscent of that night during every staff week — a great tradition. Don’t be shy, people love hearing that they’re loved!
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FJC Surveys … the results are in!
February 27, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Herzl, Beyond Webster, Letters from Staff.
By Drea Lear
Ever wondered why you love your camp friends so much? Ever wondered why you are paying for camp tuition when the kids could stay home and hang out with you all summer? Ever asked yourself – What makes these people different than all other people?
Well here’s the answer.
The Foundation for Jewish Camp analyzed and tabulated the results from Jewish population studies from 26 communities. The surveys measured Jewish identification and participation in Jewish life as an adult. They examined the difference in responses between those who attended Jewish camp as children and those who did not.
Campers were more engaged and connected in every single category!
As adults, campers are:
- 55% more likely to feel very emotionally connected to Israel
- 21% more likely to feel that being Jewish is very important
- 37% more likely to light candles regularly for Shabbat
- 45% more likely to go to schul at least once a month
- 25% more likely to donate to a Jewish charity
- 30% more likely to donate to a Jewish federation
- 26% more likely to be a synagogue member
Last summer, 70,000 young people went to Jewish overnight camp in North America – 700 of them in Webster, Wisconsin.
Herzl Camp – making mensches since 1946…
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Remembering Debbie Friedman, a repost from the FJC
January 11, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Mike Neiman
In memory of Debbie Friedman, I’d like to share a recent post from “The Campfire”, a weekly blog hosted by the Foundation for Jewish Camp. The music and magic of Debbie Friedman can be seen every day of every summer at Herzl Camp. Her passing is a loss to Herzl Camp and the entire Jewish Camping community. As Rabbi Rudin state’s below, “Debbie and her music were created at Jewish summer camp, and she, in turn, created Jewish summer camp”.
You can find this post and other great stories at www.jewishcamp.org/blog.
If you want to feel the pulse of a camp community you have only to stand in the chadar ochel – the dining room – when a whole camp sings together. When the community is strong and spirited, the ruach – spirit – of a song session is transcendent and contagious. When a community is in need of repair, a skilled song leader can use the power of music and singing to mend what is broken.
My generation of Jewish campers grew up singing in countless song sessions and worship services in NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth) and at camp in the 70’s and 80’s, which means I don’t remember a Reform Jewish Movement that didn’t punctuate every moment with the power of song. Debbie Friedman created a new genre of Jewish music that democratized prayer by including both Hebrew and English, and that was meant for the community to sing unto God together “not by might and not by power, but by spirit alone.” Influenced by those like Pete Seeger and Peter Yarrow, Debbie infused meaning into singing together and gave us moments that echo to this day. Rabbi Daniel Freelander, Vice President of the Union for Reform Judaismand an influential Jewish composer and musician, notes that Debbie “wrote melodies that spoke to us, spoke to our intellect, and spoke to our emotions.” Sue Fishkoff, writing in 2007 on Debbie Friedman’s appointment to the faculty of the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, explained, “When the diminutive Friedman takes up her guitar in front of 1,000 people, tilts her face skyward and lets that rich, yearning voice pour out, the tears often flow.”
During my time as the Director of the URJ Kutz Camp and NFTY, I got to know Debbie personally; she spent time at camp regularly, she joined with and performed for NFTYites at many NFTY Conventions, and I was honored to help craft the URJ Biennial Tribute to her in 2007 in San Diego. Despite her health challenges, she was always and simply luminous. And voraciously funny. And a perfectionist. She liked things the way she liked them. She drank Perrier and only Perrier. For those of us involved on the production end of things, she, frankly, drove us a little crazy – and we savored every moment of it.
Debbie and her music were created at Jewish summer camp, and she, in turn, created Jewish summer camp. The magic achieved at camp through Debbie’s music and songleading soon poured out of camps around the country and into virtually every liberal synagogue today. More than any other person, Debbie brought the notion of communal prayer and singing unto to God to life in a modern age. Through the years, the music of Debbie’s soul has been with me through times of joy, through times of despair, and through times of prayer . I now revel in my own daughter, Emma – now a camper at the URJ Eisner Camp – who sings “Not By Might and Not By Power” with the same joy that I did and still do. Watching Emma sing brings me comfort to know that Debbie’s music and ruach will live on and reach generations to come.
- Rabbi Eve Rudin is the Director of Camp Excellence and Advancement for the Foundation for Jewish Camp. She previously served as the Director of the URJ Kutz Camp and NFTY for the Reform Jewish Movement.
Now, because I don’t want to end this post on a sad note (and because Andrew Zidel and I have been waiting weeks to have an excuse to show this), please enjoy the video below!
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Camp Music in the Real World
December 19, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Lois Amdurski Butwin
From Day 1, Herzl Camp welcomes music to the daily life of our campers.
Over the years, whatever your age, aren’t there certain songs that automatically bring you back to some event, some person, some activity at camp? When I was a camper back in the “60’s ( I know, how I could I be that old??!!), Peter, Paul and Mary’s “If I had a Hammer” was popular. Camp announcements and wake up were done on a speaker system called the “ramkol(sp?).” Music was often played as a wake up call and sometimes the words were changed to camp words. For instance, the Beatle’s “Yellow Submarine” was sung as “We all live in an orange machaneh, an orange machaneh, an orange machaneh….” To this day, I still think of the camp words whenever I hear that song.
Whenever I am at our synagogue or any other one for that matter, I love when the congregation sings a Hebrew song which I know from my Herzl Days. It can be “Oseh Shalom” or “Ani Maamin” and I always feel proud that I know the song and more importantly that I learned it at Herzl.
Another Peter, Paul and Mary song that has only recently stopped bringing a lump to my throat is “Jet Plane.” My friend, Barb Gutkin” played it for me one year before camp was almost over and I have always loved hearing it. (Todah Rabah to my son, Andy, for giving me the 4 disc set of “The Best of P,P & M, so that I can listen whenever I choose!)
As a counselor, I was once one of the planners of Bikkurim which way back then was a 3 day program with a theme. That year, the names of the teams were from a “Fiddler on the Roof” tune and I still do not know the real words to that song- only the ones we made up for our theme song.
The music industry has undoubtedly benefited over the years, from all of us purchasing the music we loved from our camp days as soon as we returned home to the real world. I know I did that and so did my kids, especially when they were campers. If the music didn’t come from a special camp program then it was the music the counselor played to help wake them up, go to sleep, during minucha, or whenever.
So……………..over the next week, think about the songs that bring back special Herzl memories for you and let the rest of us know what they are. Your memories may help someone else think of that certain friend or experience that was special to them. Shavua Tov!
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Herzl Camp receives Grinspoon’s Impact on Technology Award!
December 6, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts, Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Anne Hope
Hello Herzl Camp Alumni, Campers, Parents, Staff and Friends,
I want to share with you some exciting news that Herzl Camp recently received from the Harold Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. At a national Grinspoon Conference last weekend, Herzl Camp was presented with an incredible accomplishment: The Award for Excellence in Technology.
This is the first time the Grinspoon Institute has given an award for excellence in technology and we are really proud to be the first recipient. Herzl Camp was chosen for our combined use of technology including our online registration, our use of donor software, and frequent and relevant use of Facebook and Twitter. In particular, this Alumni Blog was cited as an excellent example of story telling, alumni involvement, and effective outreach. I want to acknowledge my personal thanks to Mike Neiman for managing and coordinating this Blog, and to all the alumni writers who contribute their stories each week. Additionally, I want to acknowledge both Holly and Drea for their attention to our social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter. To all of you, thank you for your continual support and dedication to Herzl Camp.
-Anne Hope
To understand this award better, below is the official announcement from Grinspoon:
The Impact in Technology (or “IT”) Award is given to a Jewish overnight camp that has integrated the use of technology for internal effectiveness (donor database), improved communications and community-building (Social Media, eNewsletters), and/or fundraising (fundraising widgets, online giving campaigns, etc.). The use of technology must have been based on the strategic determination of specific goals and how the technology can help the camp reach them. Finally, organizations must realize that these tools offer almost unlimited potential for engaging constituents and doing their work more effectively. Camps must try new technologies, measure the results of their efforts, and refine based on the goals they set.
The camp we’ve selected as our first Grinspoon Technology Award meets all of these criteria. Herzl Camp has used their technology strategically – and they think outside of the box. For example, in reaching out to their alumni, they not only used their Facebook Page, but they also created a blog written by and for various alumni themselves. They then used their twitter account to drive traffic to this new blog. The camp realized that personal stories of their alumni are what binds the community together and they found the tools that would be the best at sharing these stories and connecting their alumni with one another. In addition, they use technology tools to methodically track their new connections in their donor database and set up an online registration form connected to their database to track reunion registration. In addition, they improved their accounting program and other internal processes that make them more effective.
We are delighted to present this year’s Grinspoon Technology Award to Herzl Camp.
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Herzl Camp and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI)
December 4, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Beth Kieffer Leonard
Just how far and wide is the impact of Herzl Camp? I found out recently while attending the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) Board of Governors meeting in October.
I was seated in my usual spot with the representatives from the United States at this global meeting. Listening, as Paula Edelstein was being honored for her long and admirable service to the State of Israel and the Jewish people as the Co-Chair of the Aliyah and Klita department. During her tenure in this position she has seen the aliyah of the Ethiopian Jews, the Jews of the former Soviet Union, the Yemeni Jews. Her department has overseen some of the most historic events of the past 60 years.
Paula spoke for a few minutes of this honor and then ended her farewell speech to this august body with “But most of all, I have to thank my parents because I wouldn’t be here today if they had not sent me to Herzl Camp as a teenager.”
You see, she grew up in Duluth Minnesota and she said, “Herzl Camp taught me to love Israel and made me a Zionist.”
The man in the row in front of me leaned over to his friend and said “That’s the camp that Bob Dylan went to.” And I leaned forward and said “And me! I went to Herzl Camp, too!”
I was dumbstruck that this heroic woman would stand up before this body to be honored for the good work she’s done for Israel and the Jewish people and give the credit to the camp she attended 50 years before! Herzl Camp was the first step on her journey. Herzl Camp had set her feet on this path.
As I thought about it, that’s true for many of us. Herzl Camp was the first step in our Jewish journeys too – For some, it was the first time they met an Israeli. For some, the first step in a lifelong relationship with friends or spouse. For some, it was the first time they saw tallit or t’fillin – the first step in a lifetime of observance. For Paula and for many others, Herzl Camp was the first step in a lifetime of leadership and service to the Jewish people.
It’s hard to know where that first step will take you – as the daughter of a camper, as a camper, a camper parent, and a staff parent, I know that it’s a good step – not a misstep. Often it’s when you reach the end of a path – life’s transition points – that you can look back and clearly see where you started and where you’ve been.
Is Herzl Camp unique in this or is all Jewish camping a first step on path to leadership? From my extensive work in the Jewish community, I know that Jewish camping is one of the most impactful and relevant Jewish experiences – all Jewish camping produces the same longstanding result: engaged Jewish leaders. However, I also know that there is something magical about that camp on Devils Lake, where it never rains, just heavy dews. And that 40 years later they are still singing Circle Game on Friday night and serving rolls on Shabbat morning. I think perhaps it’s that “can-do” spirit of Herzl’s founders that infects us all – perhaps that’s what created so many notable leaders from that tiny patch of woods in Webster Wisconsin. Whatever it is – I’m proud to be counted among them.
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The Greatest College Prep Course You Will Ever Take
September 23, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts, Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Aiden Pink
It’s currently 3:17 AM, about a month into my freshman year at American University in Washington DC. I’ve had quite a busy night: I’ve spent the past two and a half hours writing a paper advocating for the abolition of the Electoral College, and two hours before that writing another paper examining the use of foreshadowing in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, and an hour and a half before that studying for a quiz on the realist perspective of international relations. My roommate is fast asleep and has been for quite some time. My next-door neighbor, who often jams out on his guitar until sunrise, isn’t making a sound. It feels like I’m the only person in the District who’s still awake (or at least, the only person who isn’t wiretapping phone calls or analyzing satellite photos of North Korean missile silos or something). And I’m 100% wide-awake and totally alert. I have been hard at work for six hours straight, and I feel like I can go on for six hours more. My roommate often asks me how I do it. How am I able to stay focused for so long and stay up so late? How am I so prepared for an experience that many of my new friends are struggling with? What’s my secret?
I was a counselor at Herzl Camp.
More than any other experience in my life, Machaneh Herzl has prepared me for the challenges that come with being a college student. Without Herzl Camp, I wouldn’t have acquired the skills that every college student needs. In fact, I can still name many of the madrichim, Ozrim, and campers who helped me acquire these skills.
As a younger camper, I learned skills that now seem second-nature, but have proven to be incredibly helpful living on my own for the first time. In Haatid Aleph, I learned how to make my bed (thanks, Danny Pesis!) and how to have good table manners – it really helps to know not to put your elbows on the table when you’re eating lunch with your professor. I also learned that it was okay, and even fun, to try new experiences. As a camper, I was encouraged by my counselors to take risks when choosing my chugim, and I was rewarded with some great memories, from Amanut to World League to Comedy Sports to “Skol Vikings”. Now I have just as disparate tastes when joining clubs – I’m a member of Hillel, the AU Film Society, the local Quidditch Team [Editor's Note: Did the Harry Potter Chug not help you for that one too?], and the South Asian Student Association (it’s a long story [Editor's Note: Tell us on your next post!]). All of these clubs have proven to be a great way to meet new people and expand my horizons.
Being an older camper also has given me important college-student skills. I became comfortable at public speaking thanks to “good and welfare” in Kadimah, and I realized the importance of perseverance when I chugged spoiled milk during a particularly ill-fated Bikkurim marathon [Editor's Note: Yikes ... that's ruach!].
Of course, the most helpful lessons were the ones I learned as an Ozo and Madrich. During the last few weeks of Ozo summer, I was busy with so many different tasks – planning an evening program, learning a Torah reading for Ozo Shabbat and a new chord progression for Friday Night Song Session, writing and rehearsing the Ozo Play, finding the perfect candle-sharing gift, attempting not to burn down the flag circle during Havdalah, and oh yeah, dealing with having fun with campers. It was in this trial by fire that I learned time management skills, as well as how to stay up until ungodly hours of the morning, both of which have proven to be very helpful at college. And this past summer, as a first-year staff with more responsibilities, I needed to be able to prioritize. When it comes down to a choice between taking a nap during your free time the night after shmiring Teva Trek or planning an amazing Tochnit Erev, you have to find a compromise between the thing you are supposed to do and the thing your body is begging you to do.
I can safely say that I would not be as comfortable or as on top of things as I am now in my new surroundings without my experiences at Machaneh Herzl. Even beyond the increased independence and self-reliance that comes with being a camper and counselor, my summers in Webster have given me practical skills that have and will come in handy during my time at American University. And of course, thanks to Herzl Camp I now know the most important thing you need to know in college – how to throw a Frisbee [Editor's Note: When you play pickup Ultimate in front of the Lincoln Memorial, how do you explain the value of being able to throw it "over the Mo"?]. Shabbat Shalom!
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Staying up until 4am, not always due to Ozo Play practices
May 9, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Zack Zaban
I’ve come to the realization that I think about Herzl at random times… very random times.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been working day and night to complete an intense group project for a journalism course here at UW-Madison. This isn’t the type of project where a student can work on his or her time and then throw pages together with other group members. Instead, students need to meet at least once a week (towards the end of the semester, it was every day for at least 4 hours) to collaborate and create an integrated marketing campaign (in real people talk, this means an advertising/ PR campaign) for a real business.
Now you’re probably asking yourself- what does this college journalism project have to do with good old Herzl Camp? The answer is this: in both experiences, a successful outcome outweighed the stressful components that went into the project.
Much like my group project, being a staff member at Herzl Camp takes time and dedication. This drive towards success, however, often equates to staying up late into the night to plan programs that impact the lives of campers. If I or another co-staff that I worked with gained a dollar for every time that we were exhausted and burnt out from the immense responsibilities and dedication it takes to be a bunk staff, we would all be millionaires (and would obviously donate all the money to the capital campaign, which you can do at http://www.herzlcamp.org/donate_dear.html – sorry for the pitch, I couldn’t resist ). [Editor's Note: No apologies necessary, great plug! But would we have to rename the waterfront Zaban Lake?]
All of the nights spent strategizing and planning programs, gallons of coffee consumed to stay energized and ruach filled, and cuts from flip-flops do not compare to the outcome of a great program that influences a camper’s experience at Herzl Camp. As a staff member for the last four summers, I pushed myself to the limits to see my campers grow and evolve into strong leaders through the programs that I planned for them. Now, as I follow them on Facebook and hear about their preparation for Israel trips, I am proud of my work and know that I made an impact on their Jewish identities.
Needless to say, my campaign pitch was a success. Similar to my Herzl staff experience, I pushed myself beyond my limits because I wanted to feel, taste and experience triumph. While my roommates went to bed, I stayed up until 4 a.m. [Editor's Note: Remenscent of Ozo Play practices?] to perfect my Media Planning section and added additional components to my group project, such as an auxiliary Web site to the campaign book, to make my group members and me stand out from the other 27 students in the course.
After the campaign pitch, my professor came up to my group members and me to explain that our book (in addition other teams’ books) was one of the most professional books he has seen in over 10 years of teaching the course. The experience was amazing and working with this team literally changed the way that I view advertising agency.
The same feeling occurred, on a more extreme level, each and everytime I produced a great program for campers. Whether they were Tasters or Yachers, a smile or laugh showed me that my work paid off.
Now, for all past staff members who have transitioned into the “real world”, I have one question for you: How has your work related to being a staff member at Herzl Camp? [Editor's Note: Great question, do tell!]
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Herzl Memories Trigger … well, Memories!
May 2, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Amy Shapiro
To say that I am jealous of a 10 year old would be a little ridiculous. But every year around this time, when I talk to a young person who is about to go to Herzl Camp for the first time, I can’t help but feel a little jealous. And if you’re being honest with yourself, I bet you feel it too. How exciting to look ahead to a summer at camp. My friends and I used to have weekly and then daily countdowns we would keep at school, excitedly checking off the days until it was time for camp.
Although I haven’t spent a summer at camp in six years, there are many things in my daily life that trigger me to think about Herzl. Music is a big trigger for Herzl memories: Bon Jovi songs, [Editor's Note: Hell Yes!], Madonna music, and anything that was once used for a flag, Bikkurim or Ozo song will forever be in my mind along with the altered lyrics.
Certain foods can be a trigger as well. Grilled cheese always makes me think of Herzl. Spaghetti makes me think of the first night of camp, Chewy granola bars- cooks parade, and Eskimo pies make me think of peanut butter and Saturday nights. Even mundane things like the Holiday gas station trigger memories of my Herzl Camp days. It is not uncommon for a Herzl Alumni to forget what you did last week, but remember in vivid details your Herzl Camp days.
If you could put your adult life on pause and go back to Herzl for a few weeks, would you? Could you pick the summer and the cabin that you would go back to? I can answer yes to both those questions, and I bet I’m not alone.
[Editor's Note: There are great opportunities to relive your camp memories, call the Herzl Office and find out what options you have. Alumni Camp? Hmm...]
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A Herzl Reunion at Sde Boker, Israel
April 25, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Tali Minsberg
This is a story for our grandchildren.
After joining the Israeli army and making it into Oketz, one of the most prestigious units in the army, especially for female soldiers, it was time for a Tekes Hashbah (Israeli Army “Swearing In Ceremony”) for my friend Katja Edelman.
The night before Katja’s Tekes, I got an e-mail from Katja’s parents saying that they missed their flight to Israel due to a flight delay out of Kansas. Despite the fact that their flight would land just 90 minutes before the ceremony, I had a feeling that somehow they would make it on time.
You could say I’m optimistic.
After meeting with two of Katja’s friends, taking 3 buses, and hitchhiking the final 6 kilometers, we arrived at Ben Gurion’s grave at Sde Boker to see Katja’s family. Thanks some extreme team work, determination, and a helicopter too, Katja had a whole cheering section as she swore into the Israeli army. What is pretty unbelievable is that I’ve known Katja since I was 10 … when we were
pink-soffee-wearing Ha’atid campers at Herzl Camp in Webster, Wisconsin.
Ten years later, I was standing over Ben Gurion’s grave, looking at the picturesque view of the Negev, watching a fellow ’06 Ozo swear into the Israeli army.
Not only that, but as I stood in awe of the view over the dessert, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turn around only to find that it was an Israeli saliach that worked at Herzl in 2007. (I couldn’t have made that part up, believe me.)
So there we were, (get it?!) three Herzl kids standing in the Negev, thousands of miles away from Webster, Wisconsin but
all bonded by Shabbatot in white and chugim in the sports field.
Back in Jerusalem, Anna Allen, Georgia Flaum, and Emma Peck-Block, three fellow Herzl campers and staff, were eager to hear all about Katja’s tekes. You’ve heard it a million times: friendships you make at Herzl camp are ones that will last a lifetime.
I am not surprised that those friendships all make their way to Israel.