Archive for 'Letters from Alumni'

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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A Love Letter to the Nozrim

December 16, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni, Letters from Staff, What I Learned from Camp.

By: Kimmy Lear

The annual ozo announcement never fails to bring me an amount of anxiety.  Eight years after my own experience, I can still remember the sting of pain I felt when I did not find myself on the 2004 ozo list.  I remember thinking that I would never go back to Herzl, that all my sacred camp relationships would quickly disappear and I would absolutely have the worst summer of my life (I was a very dramatic 16 year old).  I am writing to tell the wonderful Nozos of 2012 that I have felt how you feel right now and I know that it is painful and disappointing.  I also happen to know that seven years later, you will feel different.

It is now a common joke in my family that when anything goes wrong, I always respond with “I survived ozo rejection so this should be a piece of cake.”  The ability to handle disappointment, pick yourself up, and figure out another way to go on is an important lesson.  I consider myself lucky that at 16, I was forced to face rejection and find a viable plan b.  I had planned on being an ozo since I was ten years old.  I would run around in my older sister’s “team ozo” shirt and fantasize about the inside jokes on the back of my shirt and the song that my friends and I would write together.  My 2004 summer was not what I had always planned, but there was something exhilarating about having an entire summer ahead of me that I could independently plan.

I spent the summer working at Camp Olami where I met an entirely different group of friends and had a completely different camping experience.  To my surprise, I loved working at Olami (what can I say, I just love camp). I also learned that, although I love camp, I especially love Herzl and I needed to go back because, even after the disappointment, Herzl was still my place.

After two years away from camp, I was nervous about rejoining my friends who were ozrim together.  My first day of staff week, I immediately remembered one reason why Herzl is so magical; your camp friendships can survive anything.  One summer away did not erase the years we had spent writing flag songs, crying on Shabbat, dancing to breakfast music, and staying up all night just to see the sun rise over the lake.  Needless to say, I loved being on staff so I went back again, and again, and again, (and then one more time).

My last summer on staff as the Noar/Kadimah program director was actually “the best summer ever.” My best camp friends and I decided to take one more summer together at the place we love the most.  I shared a bunk bed with the same girl I shared a bunk bed with in Ha’atid.  She was an ozo, I was not. I have 95% forgiven her.

To the 2012 Ozrim:  Congratulations! You will have a wonderful summer, but first, call your dear friends who are upset and tell them how much you love them and how excited you are to be on staff with them in 2013.

To the 2012 Nozrim:  Congratulations!  I know it doesn’t seem like it today, but you have an amazing opportunity to take this summer and do something different and something great.  You, too, will have a wonderful summer. And please trust me when I say, Herzl is still your place.

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Are Herzl Camp Alumni Food for the Soul?

December 2, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts, Letters from Alumni, Letters from Staff.

By: Anna Simon

What does it really mean to be Herzl Camp alumni? I decided to start with the dictionary…

The American Heritage Dictionary defines an alumnus, as “a graduate of a school, college, or university.” Alumni are also former members, employees or contributors. According to Merriam-Webster online, the noun “alumnus” comes from the verb “alere”, which means “to nourish.”  Fascinating.

So, does that mean am I responsible for providing healthy and delicious food for the campers? Well, there are definitely a few precedents for that…

Alum Amy Cytron spent a day working hard in the kitchen this past summer. She actually did nourish the campers!

Some of you may remember when the Hanhallah used to cook dinner in the old Chadar for all of camp on Thursday nights. The kitchen staff had the night off so the Hanhallah would take over the kitchen and prepare the food. Admittedly, the only person who actually had any knowledge of cooking at the time was Shelley Kornblum, who always doctored up the baked beans.

So it’s been done before, but for most of us, cooking for the campers is just not a realistic option!   So I go back to the dictionary…The definition for nourish is “to support or encourage”. From there, I’m taking the leap that alumni take action to keep Camp thriving for the next generation.  Nourishing. Supporting. Encouraging.

At Herzl, alumni nourish, support, encourage in a lot of ways.

Did you know that the majority of our camper parents are actually Herzl alumni themselves?  If you are reading this blog, you probably do know that BUT what you may not know is that it’s unusual, even unheard of, at other camps.  Herzl is a “legacy” camp – a shared experience between parents, kids, grandparents, maybe even great-grandparents!

So, if you have kids, you are probably supporting Herzl by sending the next generation of campers (and BTW, there are still spots available for Summer 2012, click here to register!)

Or maybe you are supporting and encouraging Camp by coming back to camp yourself – for Winter Alumni Camp…or Family Camp…or Kishishim…or the ’72 Ozo Reunion…or the ’60-64 Staff Reunion…(More info on our Alumni page)

And over 1,000 of you will live camp vicariously this December by making a gift to camp so you can be part of the next generation of campers.  There’s a simple joy in paying it forward – knowing that I’m sending a kid to camp or making some special programming possible.  Someone made camp possible for me and now I’m making it possible for someone else.  I think I may have even learned that Jewish value at camp…If you haven’t made a gift yet, do it online – click here to donate.

So at Herzl, we’re literally never too old to be campers and we can always be a part of the power and magic of Herzl.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Ozo Mo Dedication

July 1, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By: Blog Admin

On June 26, 2011, over 150 friends of the Schechter family and past Mama and Papa Ozos (pictured above) gathered at the Mercaz to dedicate the new Ozo Moadon.  It was a beautiful day, filled with ruach, memories, joyful reunions and all that’s good about camp.  For those who weren’t there, we printing the speeches given by Lauren Kaplan, Past President and Mama Ozo 1988 and Drea Lear, Assistant Director and Mama Ozo 2006.

LAUREN KAPLAN

Thank you – I’m honored and fortunate to have this opportunity to represent the Board of Directors.  Our current President Sue Roether has a Noar camper here this week and I think each of you will appreciate that she felt it was best for him that she stay home today so she asked me to fill in for her.

Herzl magic – we hear that phrase a lot.  What make’s Herzl so special?  Why do the campers beg to come back and count the minutes between summers? In fact it’s so common an explanation that Michelle Basman, mother of a past ozo, even painted a picture of the Old Ozo Mo and entitled it “Herzl Magic” It was on your invitation for today’s dedication.

So what do we mean by Herzl Magic – I think we say it because what we see at camp often defies explanation.  And if you can’t explain it, It must be magic.

In fact, when we first began to dream of rebuilding and expanding Herzl Camp, we had a lot of concerns.  Some quite practical – how would we raise the money?  Would the DNR let us expand the waterfront?   How many toilets per camper are required?  Would the bank give us credit in the midst of a financial crisis?

And other concerns were more esoteric – the first among them – what happens if we change camp and we lose the Herzl Magic?  What if the magic is in those dilapidated, tiny, rickety old cabins?  That magic comes from somewhere – what if it’s the buildings…It sounds funny now – as we look around and see beautiful, solid, safe, spacious cabins… all filled with the Herzl magic.

And nowhere was that concern more evident than in the Ozo Mo – No building is imbued with more ruach, more memories, more mystery than the Ozo Mo.  When my son came home one year – he said to me, “mom, I know there’s no basement in the Mo.”  How do you know that?  “I looked under it and I could see the other side”  it’s true – you can actually lean down and see under the old mo and yet, the basement is well known by all to contain a hot tub, a bowling alley, a tunnel that comes out on the other side of the lake, an elevator, what else?  What am I missing?

Yes, building a new mo was not taken lightly.  And though it’s just been two weeks, I think the 2011 ozrim will show us that the Herzl Magic is alive and well.

As we dedicate this new Ozo Moadon, we are remembering our friend, our family, our Mama – Heidi Schechter Moldo.  Heidi embodied the Herzl magic – she was vivacious and spirited – she was “can-do” if it needed doing, Heidi did it.  She aimed high – set big goals and brought everyone along with her in achieving those goals.  It’s fitting that the Mo be naming in honor of one of our own – one who left us too early – one who gave her all as an ozo and as a Mama – she created her own part of the Herzl magic and now the magic will go on being created in “Heidi’s Mo”

DREA LEAR

I’m Drea Lear and I am the Assistant Director of Herzl Camp.  I was Mama Ozo in 2006.

I don’t want to be controversial on a special day like today but I must declare that there is no magic at Herzl Camp.   Yes, it’s true – Herzl magic is not magic.  It’s not an illusion or a slight of hand.  I knew it.  Heidi knew it.  And for those of you who were Mama’s and Papa’s out here today, you knew it too.  Herzl’s magic is and always has been created by our dedicated staff and Ozrim.

Camp is a utopia of our own creation and as Herzl Camp staff, we have a unique opportunity to mold each summer into the summer of our dreams.  Our staff pour their heart and soul into each camp season determined to pay it forward – to give this year’s campers the same great experience they had.   Herzl’s magic may not be actual magic, but it is magical and quite unusual.  You see, nearly all our staff – 98% – were Herzl campers themselves.  And that is unusual.  You don’t often see that kind of loyalty and dedication over time. But here at Herzl – once a camper, always a camper.  Once an Ozo, always an Ozo.  Once a staff member, always a staff member. Once a Mama or Papa, always a Mama or Papa.  And then, forever after, you are an important part of the Herzl Family.

Herzl magic starts with our staff and our staff begin here – in the Ozo program.  Each year, 28 Ozrim begin the journey to become successful Herzl staff members – they learn the rules and the behind the scenes of camp.  All is revealed here in the ozo program and over the years, each group becomes legendary.   The Ozrim write their songs, make their shirts, teach their dance, and perform their play. Each group has it’s own chemistry, it’s own style, it’s own schtick.  Some groups work cohesively, some not so much…but each is unique.  For Heidi’s group – it was chickens.  If you can learn to take care of chickens, you can learn to take care of campers.  For other groups, it was nikayon schtick – teaching the importance of keeping our sacred place clean.  And for others – Ozo karoke, proving that schtick in the chadar can truly be reinvented year after year!

The ruach Ozrim bring to camp is nurtured by their Mama and Papa.  And that’s no small task.  I never had the opportunity to meet Heidi, but the second I was hired as Mama Ozo in 2006 I knew I had the support of Mama’s past.  And as I have learned about Heidi, her life, and her legacy, I continuously feel more and more connected and proud to a part of this Herzl Camp family.

So while Herzl magic may not necessarily be “magic” in the most literal sense, it without a doubt is a real thing.  And as the years go by, more and more staff leave their mark on camp and Herzl becomes magical in our memories.

Many of us were sad to see the old Mo outlive it’s useful life – but in these two weeks of the new mo, I have seen our Ruach fill the new building with life – and soon it’s walls will be as rich with history as the old.  I’d like to thank the Schechter Family for their generosity and ask that the 2011 Ozrim and Lois Butwin and Andy Halper, Mama & Papa Ozo 1973 come forward and say Birkat HaBayit with me to dedicate the Mo.

From this day forward, our Mo will be known at the Heidi Schechter Moldo Ozo Moadon.

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Letter from the 1984 Israeli Scout

April 7, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts, Letters from Alumni.

Dear Herzl Camp Family,

The words of the Herzl Camp song mean a lot — “Here’s to dear old Herzl, we’re so proud of you…”  I realized it today more than ever.  27 years have passed,  and today, as snow covers the ground, 15 degrees outside under blue skies, I came back to visit camp with my host family (my “American Parents”), Harry and Terry Cohen.

It really is unbelievable…27 years ago, in the summer of 1984, I was the Israeli scout of Herzl Camp.

It was the summer of my life!  The memories are still alive, the great chance and opportunity that I had as an Israeli youth to get acquainted with Jewish American kids of my own age, to share together happy and meaningful days…Those were, and still are a crucial brick building my personality as a mature person, as a Jew, and as a patriotic Israeli.

Today, I am a 43 year old married woman, mother of 3 girls, 2 of them active in the Zofim. I’m participating in Israel in their summer camp as kind of a “Mama Ozo”, working and serving my community and country as a juvenile judge, happy and proud to share with you a small but yet a huge part in the puzzle of my life — and that piece is the summer of 1984 at Herzl Camp.

I wish you all, my beloved Harry and Terry Cohen, who will participate this summer in the K’Shishim program, their grandson Ezra who is in his 3rd year, and granddaughter Libby who will be in her first summer, all the campers, Ozrim, Madrichim, and especially the Israeli Zofim a great 2011 summer!

Just continue as you are, with the Herzl Camp spirit.

I wish you all Shalom.

Love,

Michal Kaplan Rokman

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Native Americans and Jews

March 13, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Steven Goldberg

I can’t remember how old we were or what year it was but we were young enough to be anxious, excited and just a little bit scared about a visit from a group of guests for a special day at Herzl.  Maybe it was 1968 or maybe 1972 – it only matters that it was long enough ago that Indians were not called Native Americans.   Our visitors were a group of Chippewa youth from a nearby Reservation.  I don’t know who organized the day or how it was done but I sensed that it was done as a gesture of brotherhood and education brilliantly planed by Herzl’s executives and directors.  It was presented to us campers as a planned day of fun with an opportunity to learn about another people.  We talked about it the night before – I remember that much – it was going to be a similar fun and learning experience for them.   What did the Indians talk about the night before and who were they going to meet?  Jews?  Pale-faced kids from big cites?  I will never know because we never got close enough on that day to talk freely and openly with the Chippewa.

They came into camp on cargo trucks, I guess about thirty.  This was not a camp-wide activity but only for a handful of cabins, and I think it was an all-boy affair.  I don’t remember what we did that day but I remember it being awkward.    The Chippewa boys seemed bigger and harder than us Jewish boys and they didn’t strike me as being happy or seem like they were on a voluntary expedition.   It wasn’t a fun day at all but it proved to be a day to remember eternally because it was a monumental experience that provoked great reflection and mystery.  Rarely a month goes by without pondering that experience of so many decades ago.

At the end of the day when the cargo trucks pulled up we all gathered around to see them off and they climbed up into the trucks in a semi-sedate demeanor.  We hadn’t developed any serious relationships so there were no tears or hugs or final conversations.  As one Chippewa boy standing next to me was about to climb up onto the cargo bed he said to me and the others standing nearby in a voice meant to be heard, “Here we go back into a cage to be taken back to our cage.”  What kind of impression did that day at Herzl leave upon those young Indians?   May it have been too a day of great reflection and mystery.

Does anyone out in cyberland remember this day?  Was this an annual occurrence?  We’d love to learn more about Herzl in the 60s and 70s.

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How Being a Counselor at Herzl Has Helped Me As A Parent

March 6, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts, Letters from Alumni.

By Robyn Badiner Bedil

It’s been 11 years since I’ve been on staff at Herzl (when did I get so old!), but those experiences continue to impact on my life on a daily basis.  I like to think that I still possess many of the traits that made me the fun-loving, ruach intense counselor that I was back then, but life certainly has changed.  Instead of residing in a simple wood cabin with 10+ girls in Webster, Wisconsin, I now live in the suburbs of New York with my husband, my almost 3-year old daughter Emma and we will welcome baby boy into our family this coming May.  On the surface, the two situations seem quite different, but I have found that my days of being a counselor at Herzl have helped me tremendously as a parent.  It seems like I get a new Facebook message every day about somebody that I was an ozo or on staff with in the late 90s that has become a mom or dad and I wanted to share a few of the lessons that I learned as a Herzl staff member have shaped me as a parent.

Always be ready to go with energy and excitement (even when you may not feel like it)
I never got enough sleep as a Herzl staff member.  I remember the dreadful feeling of having your alarm go off at [7am] after only turning out the lights a few hours earlier.  It was a challenge to pry open your eyes, let alone think about the campers that were waiting on the other side of the paper thin wall for you to jump start their day.  But to those campers, they couldn’t wait to see what amazing thing you had in store for them.  It didn’t matter how you felt, you had to get out there and be fabulous.  Being a parent feels exactly the same way.  When I hear Emma’s footsteps next to my bed at 6am on a Saturday morning (and no – there are no cinnamon rolls waiting downstairs for me), my first thought of “just five more minutes” is quickly taken over by my desire to get up, put on a big smile, and get the day going with excitement and energy.

Instill a love and excitement for Judaism as part of everyday life
One of the most important long-term takeaways from Herzl camp is an appreciation for Judaism.  Because Judaism is key part of everyday life at camp, I clearly remember the Jewish songs, traditions, and prayers that I learned and lived at Herzl, but if you ask me to remember anything from my years at hebrew school, I’m at a loss.  I am hopeful that establishing traditions and proactively living a Jewish life will instill this same appreciation in my children.  Ever since Emma was born, my husband and I have made a concerted effort to have a Shabbat dinner every Friday night.  We’re both working parents so our Shabbat dinner deviates from the traditional Matzah ball soup, chicken and potatoes that we all grew to love at Herzl (instead it usually consists of pizza, candles, grape juice, and Challah), but its a special time for us to be together, to think about the week, and to say the blessings.  I love that Emma now leads us in the prayers over the candles and Challah.  In fact, she has been known to get a bit confused sometimes and start reciting the blessing over the Shabbat candles at birthday parties when a big cake with candles comes out.

Feel free to be silly and re-experience being a kid
Where in the world (besides Herzl) can a person act like a total nut (think Chartreuse Buzzards, Chugim Follies, or almost any ruach session) and be admired for it? The best counselors at Herzl were the ones who got involved in whatever it was that the campers were doing – not the ones that sat on the sidelines during chugim or Tzrif time.  The key to having fun as a staff member was to throw yourself into the activities and to act like a kid yourself.  One of the best aspects of being a parent is getting to re-experience some of the joys of childhood.  Becoming engaged and acting like a kid allows you to have a lot of fun yourself.  I’m not one of the mommies that sits on the park bench talking on her cell phone while the kids are playing.  Instead, you will find me playing with the kids … going down the slide, running up and down the fields, and singing all of the silly songs.  (Note – I understand that in a few years Emma will find this behavior very un-cool so I don’t plan to do this forever).

Sing the Shem’a Before Bedtime
As a camper, I had the pleasure of having Flip Frisch as my Maba counselor before her rise to ruach leader stardom.  That meant that every night was a lights out song session with the master and we all loved hearing her sing the Shem’a to us before peacefully falling asleep.  Although I don’t have Flip’s voice, I always sang the Shem’a to my campers before heading out for the night and I know that years later, many of them still remember those moments.  When I became a parent, I decided to incorporate this tradition into our family and from the day that Emma was born, she has heard the soothing words and beautiful melody of the Shem’a before going to sleep.  She now loves to sing the Shem’a with me and it is a beautiful bedtime ritual that I hope will stay with us for many many years.

As a counselor at Herzl, you needed to adapt your style as the summer progressed because the needs of the youngest campers in the 1st session were quite different from those of the teenagers that filled the camp during 3rd session.  In the same way, each year of parenting brings new challenges but I know that my Herzl experiences will continue to help me grow and evolve as a parent.  I look forward to a day not too far in the future when Emma will be a Herzl camper and begin to experience some of this magic for herself (thanks to her Auntie Alisa “Weesie” Badiner, Emma already now knows the Herzl song by heart).

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“Herzl is All Around”

February 5, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

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Another Day at Herzl? In Your Dreams!

January 30, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Amy Shapiro

I love waking up and realizing that I just spent all night at Herzl… in my dreams.

If you regularly dream about Herzl – clap once. Some of my most vivid dreams in life are about Herzl Camp and I’m sure other alumni can relate.

Aside from dreams, one thing that can instantly transport me back to Herzl Camp is music. With the untimely passing of Debbie Friedman, I wanted to acknowledge the role that Debbie and music in general has on Herzl Camp.  Debbie was a Herzl camper herself and she truly shaped the future of Jewish Camping.

Paging through the Herzl songbooks, so many songs are Debbie Friedman’s.  Classic Herzl hits like:  “Not by Might, Not By Power”, the Miriam Song, the popular version of the Shema, “May We Be Blessed,”  “The Youth Shall See Visions” and so many more.

I believe that Music and Ruach is the lifeblood of Herzl Camp.

Many of my favorite Herzl memories involve music:

• My first Herzl flag song–  we sang a cheesy song to “Wouldn’t it be Nice” by the Beach Boys.  To this day I can’t hear that song without singing the changed lyrics in my head.  “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could wake up and eat our cinnamon rolls in our beds? We could say the same for matza ball soup, except of course we’d spill it on our heads.” Ridiculous, right?  But that’s the beauty of flag songs.
• Singing “The Circle Game” on a Friday night, sitting by my counselor who was saying how old she felt because she was older than the last verse of the song.  “So the years went by and now the boy is 20…” Twenty did seem so old back then.
• Relaxing in the staff mo on a Friday night listening to Flip Frisch play and sing for us.  I always loved hearing the oral surgeon song, bunkbed nights, fire and rain and so many more.  Listening to Flip play guitar and sing as a staff member helped us all feel like campers again and I never wanted those song sessions to end.
• Watching my Ozo jump and dance around to music at breakfast.  Wondering how she had so much energy and ruach that early in the morning and feeling excited about the prospect of one day being just like her.
• Becoming that staff member dancing around at breakfast.  Not caring that I only got five hours of sleep and focused on having fun with my campers.
• Herzl Camp musicals.  I was in three and directed six.  Watching the Ulam stage lit up with singing campers is a sight to see.  How any campers memorize lines and pull together a production in a few short weeks with really only a couple of hours a day to work on it is a miracle!
• The first 20 minutes of being at camp each session.  As a camper, running through the tunnel into the Ulam and feeling so excited by all the excited singing counselors.  As a staff member, watching the buses pull up, starting to sing and not stopping until everyone is ready to hear about their cabins.

I could list so many more favorite Herzl music memories, but I will stop here.  You can go back to camp any time you want.  Through music or in your dreams.

What’s your favorite Herzl music memory?

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“If They Only Knew”

January 13, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Alex Locke

Each generation of Herzl campers and staff gets to look back and say “If they only knew what camp was like when I was a camper.”  So now… just some interesting tid-bits that today’s campers would not even know is how it “used to be”:

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Horseback Riding Chug? Flip’s Going to That One!

December 30, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Flip Frisch

When I was 12, I loved two things most of all: horses and Herzl Camp.  And then a great miracle happened – for two glorious summers during the mid-1980’s, Herzl offered a horseback riding chug.  When I learned this would happen I nearly, uh, plotzed in my pants.  That two of my favorite things in the world were colliding was almost too much to bear.  Had I been allowed to bring my cat to camp with me, I might have never left.

What’s that?  You never knew Herzl briefly had horses?  Well, their corral was located in the spot where the new tennis courts are.  New tennis courts?  Oh, right.  The old tennis courts are where the new chadar is now.  New chadar?  Yeah.  The old chadar is…well you get the picture.

The corral was surrounded by an electrified fence.  Thanks to my childish curiosity, I learned that summer what it feels like when you touch an electrified fence.  (Answer: Not good.)

The horses drank water in a trough made from an old rowboat, which Dave Burland had likely hauled there on his back.  I once saw him transport a picnic table that way and it nearly blew my wimpy little mind; I still had trouble managing cups of silverware on a toran tray.

Anyway, I have virtually no memories of those summers except my time with the horses.  In fact, I even took more pictures of the horses than of my own friends.  After they were developed, I carefully wrote their names on the back of each horse’s photo and hung them on my wall.  (See above.)

It was on horseback that I learned my way around the trails in the woods – how the Marp was mysteriously connected to the sports field by a sandy trail between the pines.  One day we rode into a wide sunny field covered in purple flowers that became my secret favorite spot in camp. I used to visit there as often as I could over the years, and even imagined myself back there at stressful times during the school year.  Sadly, now it’s a golf course, though that field lives on in my memory.  But those horseback expeditions into the woods helped shape my love for the outdoors and led me, ultimately, to Teva Trek.

I understand now why it couldn’t last though, that marvelous combination of horses and Herzl. There was, first of all, the insurance problem.  And I realize now there was also an elitism problem: the unfairness of having a special chug you could only join if your parents paid extra. Though I’ll forever be grateful that mine were willing to.

But one lingering memory of that summer is the night I woke up to the unmistakable sound of hooves rumbling past our cabin.  First I though it was a dream.  Actually, first I thought it was the imaginary unicorn I’d invented to keep me company when I was lonely during my first summer at Herzl, which is something I have never before admitted out loud to anyone. But then I realized that the horses had somehow gotten out and were running through camp in the middle of the night.  Maybe they were playing “Escape to Israel!”  Maybe they were raiding another corral of horses somewhere, bearing a crate of chocolate milk!

The next morning we heard that they had broken through the electrified fence, but that some staff members had “rounded them up.”  As an adult, I now suppose that the horses got scared and tired and probably wandered back to where they knew they could find food, shelter and the company of other horses.  Not to mention the finest drinking rowboat in Webster.  But at the time, and for a number of years, I always imagined that a few enterprising counselors had jumped on the remaining horses (and maybe even on Dave Burland’s legendary seat-less bike) and galloped through camp, gathering up the stragglers with whirling lassos.

That I’d assumed skinny, nearsighted counselors from Golden Valley knew how to handle runaway horses is testament to my belief that there was nothing the Herzl staff couldn’t do. But what really happened that night is a mystery that was not solved for me, even after I became a staff member myself.  If any of you reading this were out there that night, maybe you can tell me what happened.

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A Love Letter to the Nozrim

December 21, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Kimmy Lear

The annual ozo announcement never fails to bring me an amount of anxiety.  Seven years after my own experience, I can still remember the sting of pain I felt when I did not find myself on the 2004 ozo list.  I remember thinking that I would never go back to Herzl, that all my sacred camp relationships would quickly disappear and I would absolutely have the worst summer of my life (I was a very dramatic 16 year old).  I am writing to tell the wonderful Nozos of 2011 that I have felt how you feel right now and I know that it is painful and disappointing.  I also happen to know that seven years later, you will feel different.

It is now a common joke in my family that when anything goes wrong, I always respond with “I survived ozo rejection so this should be a piece of cake.”  The ability to handle disappointment, pick yourself up, and figure out another way to go on is an important lesson.  I consider myself lucky that at 16, I was forced to face rejection and find a viable plan b.  I had planned on being an ozo since I was ten years old.  I would run around in my older sister’s “team ozo” shirt and fantasize about the inside jokes on the back of my shirt and the song that my friends and I would write together.  My 2004 summer was not what I had always planned, but there was something exhilarating about having an entire summer ahead of me that I could independently plan.

I spent the summer working at Camp Olami where I met an entirely different group of friends and had a completely different camping experience.  To my surprise, I loved working at Olami (what can I say, I just love camp). I also learned that, although I love camp, I especially love Herzl and I needed to go back because, even after the disappointment, Herzl was still my place.

After two years away from camp, I was nervous about rejoining my friends who were ozrim together.  My first day of staff week, I immediately remembered one reason why Herzl is so magical; your camp friendships can survive anything.  One summer away did not erase the years we had spent writing flag songs, crying on Shabbat, dancing to breakfast music, and staying up all night just to see the sun rise over the lake.  Needless to say, I loved being on staff so I went back again, and again, and again, (and then one more time).

My last summer on staff as the Noar/Kadimah program director was actually “the best summer ever.” My best camp friends and I decided to take one more summer together at the place we love the most.  I shared a bunk bed with the same girl I shared a bunk bed with in Ha’atid.  She was an ozo, I was not. I have 95% forgiven her.

To the 2011 Ozrim:  Congratulations! You will have a wonderful summer, but first, call your dear friends who are upset and tell them how much you love them and how excited you are to be on staff with them in 2012.

To the 2011 Nozrim:  Congratulations!  I know it doesn’t seem like it today, but you have an amazing opportunity to take this summer and do something different and something great.  You, too, will have a wonderful summer. And please trust me when I say, Herzl is still your place.

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My Favorite Story as a Camper (Part II)

December 16, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Danny Soshnik

…continued from part 1.

We all made it back in, but we needed to be quiet so as not to tip off to Brick that we were anything but asleep.  This proved to be very difficult – we all had stories to share of close calls with other schmears.  But we stayed disciplined.

A couple minutes passed, and we thought we were golden.  And then, the light turned on in the screened in porch.  We could hear the footsteps, and none of us dared move.

In walks Brick.  My heart drops as he says, in a mock singing fashion, “Oh Danny Boy.”  I fake sleep as he walks over to my bunk.  “Why don’t you come with me.”  I fake stumble as a recently woken boy out to the Schmear site where Brick, obviously angry and visibly wet (success – we did it!), sits down next to me.

“I was just schmearing, minding my own business.  When suddenly I was hit by a water balloon.”

I’m not much of an actor (my partner in crime Bryan, now that’s a different story).  And I wasn’t the type of kid who was often in and liked being in trouble.  However, on this night, where everything was executed so pefectly, I wasn’t ready to throw in the towel.

I said to Brick, with the straightest emotionless face possible, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

I don’t think he bought it.  Busted…or so I thought.

As Brick was about to lay into me, taking me for every minute of Chofesh left in the session, the cry of an angel saved me.  Actually it was less of a cry and more of a moan.  And it wasn’t an angel – it was Ricky Ofstein.  Back spasms.  Bad ones.  His pain, my gain.

Apparently earlier in the day Brick had given Ricky a bear hug, and threw out Ricky’s back.  Funny, because if I were to lift Ricky, I’m sure it would throw out my back.

Anyway, he couldn’t have picked a better time to get spasms.  He was in real pain.  For anyone who knows Ricky, nothing he does is without dramatic effect.  He was, from my perspective, a rockstar that night.  And Brick, had to act upon it.

Long story short (too late), Ricky got in the van and went to the hospital.  But not before, to add insult to injury, while sitting up in his bed, a super soaker fell from the rafters onto his head.

Just like that, the focus on my personal punishment was long over.

The next day I spoke to my friends across Kadimahland in Trzif Vav, and wondered how Brick knew it was us (me, specifically).  Apparently, the water baloon that hit Brick came from the direction of Tzrif Vav.  Brick, in his infinite wisdom, went in looking for the most likely culprit.  Running into Vav, he screamed, “(Dan) Shapiro, G-D D#^!%IT!”.  Dan, being the sellout he is, pleaded “It wasn’t me, it was Soshnik!”  Thanks Dan.

As it turns out, we weren’t quite as cleared as we thought we were.  We were told at breakfast that right before Nikayon, we had to go to Mary Lou’s office – all of us.   I had never been to the director’s office, but safety in numbers, right?

She was none to thrilled.  Told us about respect.  Being dugmahot for the younger campers.  All that stuff.  Then, at a quiet, tense moment, Billy Rosenberg farted.  Everyone heard it.  Everyone, that is, except Mary Lou.  Shefren couldn’t contain his laughter.  Mary Lou was none too thrilled.  She famously quoted, “You’ll never be Deavers!”

Of course, the Deaver program was based on lottery, not on merrit (thank goodness).

In the end,  I think we lost chofesh for a night or two.  But gained a memory for a lifetime.   Oh, and of the 12 of us in tzrif Zayin, 6 went on to be Deavers.  And of those 6, all were Ozrim two years later.

What’s the morale of the story?  1) If you’re going to break a rule, it’s best to do so with a moviestar.  2) Your best friends often end up being the ones who live across the way and will sell you out at a moment’s notice.  3) Stay close with those around you and they will bail you out with well-timed pain or flatulence in a desperate time of need.

Shabbat Shalom!

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My Favorite Story as a Camper (Part I)

November 18, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Danny Soshnik

Part I

In the wake of my Herzl Magic Bracket, I’ve had a tough time knowing what to write about.  The past nine months have really been easy for me, but now that it is over, I need to actually think of something compelling to write.  So I figured that I’d share with you my favorite story from when I was a camper.

The year was 1992.  Kuwait had long since been liberated, the St. Louis Cardinals were in their early 90s funk, and I was a Kadimahnik.

My counselors were Steve “Brick” Goldstein, and Todd “Baseball Bat” Zeff.  We were in Tzrif Zion (Gadol) and actually were the first ever campers in that cabin, which was pretty cool.

During one evening program in the Marp basement, Bryan Greenberg and I learned that Brick was going to be shmearing Kadimah from the fire pit right outside our door.  We managed to both head to the North Haks at the same time, and that’s when the brilliant planning began.  Brick, who was new to camp that year, was going to get a “Welcome to Shmearing” present unlike any other.  See, before Bryan was a moviestar/rockstar, he was a hooligan.

The plan was simple actually.  After he went through the 5 cabins in Kadimahland, he would settle into his shmear site, and then it was go time.  During Chofesh, we spent the entire time explaining the plan to our bunkmates.

Fast forward a couple hours.  The time, probably 10:45.  Lights were out.  The preparations had long since been made.  It was go time.

Everyone had a role.  Rory Zamansky was clearly nervous, so he was going to “stay back and be on lookout”.  The rest of us climbed one by one out our back window.  I’m quite confident none of us could fit out of that window now, especially Aaron Shefren.

We were dressed in black, as if it were Escape to Israel or Capture the Flag.  But this Lights Out activity, led by campers, was “Smear the Shmear”.  The goal was simple:  Hit unsuspecting Brick with water balloons and escape back into the cabin before he knew where it came from.

We had everything covered – synchronized watches, people on the lookout with a known code if we needed to abandon the mission, and specifics as to where each of us would be stationed.  When the clock hit the magical moment, Bryan and I launched our balloons from near Trzif Vav.   What a rush!  We had no idea if we hit intended target, but it didn’t matter.  We quickly retraced our steps and climbed back into the cabin.

To Be Continued…

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Next year…

November 11, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Debra Fiterman

Herzl Camp is really all about anticipation.  Halfway through the week your Taster summer you are saying, “Next year, when we are here for two weeks, it’ll be so awesome!”  That is followed by an entire school year of countdowns, bunkmate strategizing and Target runs in anticipation of the next summer.

This “next year” mentality follows you through every summer.  Maba will be better than Taste.  Machaneh will be better than Maba.  Kadimah is going to be the best!  No, no…B’Yachad is going to be the best.  Ozo summer?!  Forget about it.

But the irony in all this, is that I would bet that if any of us alumni could choose, we’d probably go back as Tasters.  One week.  Absolutely everything is taken care of for you.  Zero responsibility.  No awkward cliques.  No puberty.  Pure fun.

So…I would like to ask all of you, if you could go back as a Taster for summer 2011, what would your dream week look like?  What chugim would you be “counting down” for?  What bunkmate would you strategically make sure you got with?  What would be your new favorite Target must-have for your one week away?  Who would be your dream counselor?

I’ll go first….

• Chugim? Amanut and the play (I’m a huge nerd).
• Bunkmate? Someone cool from Kansas.  It was always more fun to say you bunked with an out-of-towner.  And you had excuses to stay up late on AIM.
• Target Must-Have? Baby bottle (I’m probably dating myself but these were VERY cool)
• Dream Counselor? Flip.

Ok, now its your turn.  Shabbat Shalom!

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Who is Your Herzl Legend?

November 8, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Zoe Stern

Last Friday night I went to see a local junior high play and then out for pizza with a few families. At 28 I’ve finally reached the age where I’m allowed to sit at the “adults” end of the table. So there I was sitting with the adults when one of the 12 year old boys made his way down towards me. I didn’t really know him and he had barley spoken 5 words to me all night. Somehow though he had just heard that I was Herzl die-hard. This excited him enough to get him out of his sports-watching-seated-safely-among-other-12-year-old-boys-spot.

He didn’t seem to care so much that I went to camp or when or how I felt about it. The first thing out of his mouth was, “Do you know Louie Sloven???” Followed by, “Did you know that he has gone to Herzl for 20 years??” And then “Did you know he invented _________?” (fill in the blank…because at this point he was so excited and talking so fast I had no idea what he was saying.) The answer to the first question was “Of course I know Louie Sloven! He was in my Kadimah in 2002!” And then, “But I’m not sure he’s been at Herzl for 20 years and I have no idea what he has invented!” It was a fun and funny conversation and it got me thinking about Louie as this kids Herzl legend. There are many of them, and everyone has one. They are both timely and timeless in their impact of campers lives, and most probably don’t even know the moment they become one.

A Herzl legend might have created some crazy game, starred in 12 Gates, told the scariest version of Rosemary, brought Ultimate Frisbee to Ozo Park, became your Papa Ozo, had a crazy nickname or a signature song, talked you through a homeless moment, cued you in on Herzl lingo…The list goes on. So, who is your Herzl legend?

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Herzl Camp Remembers … Bob Dylan??

November 7, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Andrea Zeitzew Myers

I don’t have many complete memories of my time at Camp Herzl, mostly just bits and pieces. It was 1976 and I had just turned 10 that summer, and I may have been the youngest camper there that year. I remember the first day when the girls in my cabin were asking ages, and it was kind of a big deal when we all discovered at the same time that I was a full year younger than the other girls. (My mother may have asked special permission to get me in early??) The age difference caused quite a stir among my cabin mates, and I don’t think I really connected with the girls that year because of my age. I don’t remember any of them! How sad! I do remember we practiced for, and put on a show for the other campers that summer, and it was “Tommy: The Pinball Wizard”, but I don’t remember much about the show or what my role was in it.

I have some very good memories of my only summer at Herzl.

One of my memories is the circle gathering in a big open area. I remember a large circle of kids around a flagpole, and a celebration for the Bi-Centennial year (1976). That Bi-Centennial celebration is the only reason I know what year I was there.

Another great memory that summer was my first crush on a boy! I stole his hat and managed to keep it near my bunk in my cabin for most of my stay at camp. I won’t mention the name of the boy, I don’t want to embarrass him further, but I remember him clearly.

I also remember I became sick that summer, and a kind counselor gave me a piggy back ride to the infirmary where I spent about a week. There was a nice female nurse (doctor?) there who cared for me. Towards the end of camp I was still in the infirmary but well enough that the nurse let me go to some sort of show (maybe a talent show?) that was at an open-air type of theatre with benches and a stage.

My favorite memory of Herzl: BOB DYLAN!!! It didn’t occur to me until I was older, that Bob Dylan had actually come to Herzl and performed a private show for us that summer. At the time, being only 10 years old, I had no idea who Bob Dylan was. I believe his son Jacob was a camper there that year (1976) but I may be mistaken. We gathered in the dining room building, and my group was seated on the floor in front of Bob Dylan, who sat on a stool and played his guitar and sang for us. I was bored. Very bored. I remember wanting it to be over, because I wanted to go play (Sorry! Again, I was only 10!) I do remember the counselors and staff were totally enjoying the show, and all were standing along the walls dancing and grooving to the music.

I would love to hear from others who also remember Bob Dylan at Herzl in 1976, my sister and I can’t be the only ones who remember this??!! [Editor's Note:  Hey Alumni, don't leave Andrea hanging here, who else was there in the summer of '76 that can validate her story?  Do you remember Bob Dylan?  Was this the original Ruachfest of lore?  Share your comments!]

THANKS, CAMP HERZL, FOR THE GREAT MEMORIES!!!

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The Usems are Camp People!

October 31, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Mark Usem

Herzl Camp… It’s been a family “thing” since my sister Cookie was the first Usem to attend Herzl in 1966, then Linda, and finally me in 1972.  Of course, there were other Usems that have attended Herzl back then, my cousins Michael, Jeffrey, and David… and all of us from Red Wing, MN, a small town 50 miles southeast of St. Paul with no Jews other than those in our immediate family.  Our summers at Herzl Camp were some of the first truly positive Jewish experiences we all had with other kids, and it came to define a lot of who and what we were to become as adults. From Herzl camper, to Ozo, to Madrich, it was all good stuff!

If it wasn’t for Herzl, I wouldn’t have met my wife. OK, I didn’t meet my wife at Herzl, though Lynn could just as easily have been a Herzl person. I met her while working at OSRUI (Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute …yea… another Jewish Camp in Wisconsin).  I still loved Herzl Camp, but it was time to try something new …and the reason I started working at OSRUI was because another ex-Herzl staff member, Anita Saltzman, who knew me from my days staffing Herzl Camp, came up to me at a Jewish Camp Fair at the University of Michigan in 1980, and convinced me to work there. And after some new experiences, one girlfriend (now my wife), and 4 kids later, all-in-all, it was a great move.

Round-about, I’ve come to understand that “camp people” are “camp people”, and they’re a different type of person than other “non-camp people” who don’t quite understand how you can send your children away for a good part of the summer. I believe most don’t understand simply because they have never had the opportunity to experience the profound life-changing experiences that a camp like Herzl can provide.  I believe there’s truly a philosophy about Jewish summer camping that extends much beyond camp.

When our children (Sam, Dan, Jessica, and Sidney) were old enough to attend camp, they went to camp… it really was never in question.  We never quite understood other people who asked their kids if they wanted to attend camp… we never asked… our children just did… we expected it… we planned on it… to us it was what you did as a Jewish kid in the summer… it was how you explored and defined who you were as a Jewish kid in our society today. Our children have now become Herzl campers, Herzl Ozos, and Herzl Staff members. Of course, they have made friendships that will last a lifetime, but even more important they have learned what it means to explore their Judaism and live a Jewish life in a way that includes a variety of experiences much different and more profound than we could provide at home, and they could do so in an inclusive community with a degree of freedom and an intensity that is unmatched in other environments.

We’re proud of our children, and proud of the decisions they’ve made in life. We’re proud of the people they’ve become. And though today you’ll find a variety of ways they express their Judaism and the degree to which they practice traditional Jewish rituals and customs, I feel they have all made conscious decisions on how to live their lives not on ignorance of Judaic practice and thought, but on deep understanding of Judaism and thoughtful reflection, due in great part to the influence of Herzl Camp in their lives.

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Herzl Camp Continues to Win for Winston

October 11, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Zoe Stern

A few months ago, fellow Herzl alum Bryan Grone wrote about former camper and staff member Michael Winston and his courageous fight against ALS.

Last night over 350 people gathered from all over the country to help Michael continue his fight. The second annual Winning for Winston raised an astounding $200,000 and heightened the communities awareness of this horrible disease and what it is doing to Michael. To say the community “showed up” would be an understatement. The outpouring of support could not be missed, and was overwhelming. A large part of that community has a connection to Herzl Camp.

As is evident over and over again this group came together and rallied in support of someone who needs it. Included in the evening was a great presentation MC’d by Don Shelby and including a video made by Ben Cohen featuring Michael. Please take a moment to watch it and really understand what Michael goes through on an everyday basis.

To see the video, click here.

The evening wrapped up with a typical campfire song session (sans campfire…I can’t imagine Oakridge would have appreciated that) put on by Bryan Grone and Doug Baldinger. As expected, the singing went longer than scheduled and turned into a 12 Gates episode. I’m pretty sure us Herzl kids would have sat there all night if we could. ALS and what it has done to Michael is heartbreaking, his community will continue to support him in every way possible. Neither Herzl Camp or ALS research is possible without your support.

If you are able, please consider making a donation to Herzl Camp or ALS-TDI. Thank you for all of your past, current and future support.

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The “Herzl Effect”

October 3, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Neer Lect

I imagine many of you heard about quantum theory’s “butterfly effect”  which, in the baseline, means that a butterfly swish of wings over Beijing can cause a hurricane over Nebraska (or some other place). Well, after that “Chaos Theory 101″ lesson you might wonder “what the hell is going on in this guy’s head?”. Well, whether I can feel it or not, the” Herzl effect” is active on me. As it turns out, the experience I had during those 2.5 months, in the summer of 1999 effects things I do and say till this day, so I can only be envious at some of my fellow staff members who are more embedded in the experience.

Truth is, I find myself remembering (and mentioning) camp in my archaeological digs (mainly during meals), in the university (when an American walks by), and most of all when I see a “cloud” of nets, or playing Frisbee. Just now, working with a friend and talking about beer, I found myself bringing up the pour house…

So I started to wonder, how does the “Herzl Effect” effect others who are embedded in the experience more then I? how the experience effects the day-to-day life? Naturally, it wouldn’t be the same because the effect of a long standing, constant relationship with camp, is fundamentally different from the one-time experience I had. In parallel love terms it would be like the difference between a camp “hook-up” and being exclusive during several camp summers, wouldn’t it?

And that’s only camp life. You need to remember that as far as house life (as opposed to camp life) goes, I know only 3 houses – the weekend before camp (and g-d forgive me, I forgot the family Gal and I spent time with) and the week after camp, that Flip and the Frisch family and the Wallstiens hosted me. I want to thank those three families by the way, I am a horrible house guest.

Camp, and the faces of some of the staff members and campers, are still fresh in my mind, as it was yesterday. I am quite sure I will be able to recognize many of them, although 11 years had passed since. I can’t speak in the name of the other Israeli guys and girls who were there that year (Eitan, Gal, Michal, Yoav), but on me at least it had a very profound impact.

Regards,
Neer (far, wherever you are) Lect
1999 Tripper.

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