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September 13, 2002/Tishri 7 5762, Vol. 55, No. 3
Teens report on local youth at camp
ILLYSA ADLER
AND MARC TROISI
Special to Jewish News
Summer throughout the Valley is full of heat, so where do kids go to escape the sun and have a great time with friends? Summer camps are a great way to meet new people, spend time with old friends, and stay active and cool during the long, hot months. It's hard to believe how just one summer can create so many different experiences for so many Jewish kids and teens around the Valley. Camp Ramah and Camp Hess Kramer in California, KUTZ Camp in New York, and the Tri-City Jewish Community Center and the Shemesh day camps are five of the popular choices among Valley residents.
Camp Ramah in Ojai, Calif., is a Conservative Jewish sleep-away camp that has been considered home for many 9- to 25-year-olds in the Valley. Set in beautiful, lush Ojai, this Ramah is definitely not your ordinary summer camp. Campers range from age 9 (Nitzanim) to 16 (Machon), and counselors from ages 17 (Mador) to 25 (Rosh Edot). During a typical four-week session, campers have the chance to participate in aquatics, arts and crafts, Jewish cooking, Israeli dancing, archery, hiking, musical productions and more. Both physical and mental activities are important to camp, according to the camp's Web site (www.ramah.org). Hebrew is the main language of the hadar ochel (dining room), and there are Hebrew classes given to younger campers. The musical at the end of the session is also in Hebrew, and kitot (classes) stress Jewish study.
According to Jon Levin, 15, a recent "graduate" of Camp Ramah, he has attended Ramah for the past six years, along with a group of about 40 other Arizona young people.
What did he learn this past summer?
"In sivuvim (two-hour study for Machon), we talked about the Israeli conflict a lot, and how the media can be biased toward the Palestinians," he explains.
Levin enjoys Camp Ramah because of the bonds he forms with the other campers.
"It's about one thing - the people. Being surrounded by 800 fellow Jewish people is something that I can only experience at Ramah," he says.
Camp Hilltop/Hess Kramer is another Jewish sleep-away camp for young people ranging in age from 8 to 16. Everyday activities at both of these camps include sports, praying, eating and singing songs after meals.
Scott Karpen, 15, says, "I know that many people, including myself, had a great summer at camp and that it was the best summer of my life, without a doubt. Because it was my last year as a camper, we have a special program called Mitzvah (good deeds/commandments), where we do really fun stuff like a hiking overnight or run an evening activity. Plus, everyone in our group really bonded in a way you have to experience for yourself."
Young people who really wanted to get out of the heat attended KUTZ Camp in Warwick, N.Y. The camp is a part of the youth group North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY), and attendees range from ninth-12th graders. According to the camp's Web site (www.kutzcamp.org), KUTZ stresses giving teenagers a purpose to remain active in synagogue life, and people attend from all over the world. Teens in the Valley attend KUTZ to learn great leadership skills, and play an active role in becoming the modern Jewish heroes and heroines for the next generation.
Daniel Miller, 16, from Scottsdale, went to KUTZ this past summer, and says that he is glad he got the opportunity. "KUTZ teaches the values of leadership, social action, community building and personal growth," he says, praising those ideals. He enjoyed the diversity among the campers, and his friends traveled from as far as England to get there. He is also prepared to use the things he learned at camp back home in NFTY and at school. What did he learn about himself? "Everything," he says.
At the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center's Shemesh Day Camp, kids range from grades kindergarten-eighth grade. Counselors-in-training (CITs) are ninth-10th graders, junior counselors are 11th graders-17-year-olds and senior counselors are 18 years and over. Throughout the summer, 470 kids attend Shemesh, along with 29 CITs. The summer staff numbered 50, plus 2 shlicim (Israeli representatives). Camp activities involved swimming, sports, art, Israeli culture, drama, Mad Science, field trips and more.
Kim Biggard, Shemesh director, says, "Overall, I definitely think that the majority of the people there, campers, CITs and staff included, had one of the best summers of their lives." She also adds that "The spirit of openings every morning is a thing that really sticks out in my mind. The way the whole camp was in one room dancing, singing, having fun and laughing first thing, every single morning, made me so thrilled. The amount of ruach (spirit) that the campers have, and the way they show it, cannot even be put into words. It's just another incredible part of camp that you can only experience while you're there. And once we get into the new building (at the new Scottsdale Jewish Community Center) ... the best is yet to come. It's an awesome Jewish experience for kids."
The Tri-City JCC Day Camp is another option for kids over the summer. The age range at the JCC is 3-year-olds-eighth grade. CITs (counselors-in-training) are ninth graders, junior counselors are 10th graders-17 year olds, and senior counselors are 18 years and over. This summer, the Tri-City JCC enrolled 160 kids and eight CITs. During that time, there were over 29 staff members and two shlicim. Lisa Edson, camp director, says, "I bet this was one of the best summers of everyone's lives that went Tri-City JCC day camp. The whole staff, even the older ones, have all become friends, and socialize together."
Neal LoNigro, co-director, adds that the Tri-City JCC camp has "two of the greatest directors of all time." Edson came back more modestly saying that the Tri-City JCC is an, "awesome camp, with awesome staff, campers and wonderful parents."
Ilyssa Adler and Marc Troisi are sophomores at the Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School.
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