The value of Jewish camp

I’ve been dreaming about launching a camp for more years than I can remember. After a not-so-brief digression into corporate law, a year-long grant application process, and some incredibly generous funding from four major foundations, it’s been amazing to see the dream become a reality. Along with my wife and a team of passionate and dedicated employees, I’m one of the founders of Camp Zeke, a new Jewish camp where seven to 17-year-olds celebrate healthy, active living.

I’m always intrigued to see a person’s reaction when they hear that I left law to start a camp. Those who attended Jewish camp tend to respond with some variation of: “Whoa, Most amazing thing ever!” In stark contrast, the questioning look on the faces of those who never attended camp belies their feigned enthusiasm. Their eyes seem to ask, “What’s the point?”

After attending a Jewish overnight camp as a camper and staff member for 14 summers, many of my closest friendships and most transformative experiences are a result of camp. Most former campers can relate, which explains their reaction to my new job.

Camp is where we learned how to sail, play baseball, and dive. It’s where we hiked up our first mountain, attended our first dance, and maybe even led a team to victory during Olympics. In the process, we learned how to live independently and form the types of lifelong bonds that make us think of our camp friends as brothers and sisters.

For those of us who attended non-Jewish schools, camp was also our strongest connection to the Jewish world. We might have occasionally attended synagogue with our parents, or spent a few years at Hebrew school to prepare for a bar or bat mitzvah, but many of us felt at-best neutral about those experiences. Camp was completely different – we counted the days until we could go back.

Many of us didn’t realize it at the time, but Judaism and Israel were (and remain) the thread that weaves Jewish camp together. Our camps brought in counselors and campers from Israel every summer. We learned about their life and culture and, to this day, have a place to stay when we visit. On Friday nights, our camps had special meals in a dining hall decorated with art that campers made during the prior week. With everyone dressed in white and blue, campers and counselors shared personal reflections and poems at a beautiful song-filled Shabbat service.

It’s no wonder research shows that kids who attend Jewish camp grow up with more ties to the Jewish world, a greater sense of their Jewish identity, and a stronger emotional attachment to Israel. When the New York Times recently reported on the Pew study, which found that Jewish identity is fading fast in the United States, the Foundation for Jewish Camp put it best: “We know 157 sleep away camps that are well on their way to solving that problem!” This is why organizations such as the Foundation for Jewish Camp, Jim Joseph Foundation, Avi Chai Foundation, and UJA-Federation of New York are dedicating millions of dollars to launching and strengthening Jewish camps, including Camp Zeke.

The summer of 2014 will be my first time back at camp in many years, and I couldn’t be more excited. In some respects, it will be completely different from my last camp experience – we didn’t have air-conditioned cabins, a heated pool, or indoor showers – but just like the camp where I grew up, Judaism will be the thread that weaves it all together, even if the campers don’t realize it until years later. Our goal at Camp Zeke is to create a fitter, healthier, and stronger Jewish community, so that when we’re surveyed in another ten years, the results look a little brighter.

ISAAC MAMAYSKY (isaac@campzeke.org ) grew up in R.I. and is the founder and executive director of Camp Zeke, the only Jewish camp where kids celebrate healthy, active living. Campers can put on an apron and cook with a real chef, and they can choose from electives like strength training, running, krav maga, dance, and sports.