Jewish summer camp a pathway to Jewish identity

by Gail Luxenberg, for the Atlanta Jewish Times

Every summer for much of my childhood, my family would pack up our old wood-paneled station wagon, take the Whitestone Bridge out of Queens, and head north to the Catskills where my parents owned a summer bungalow colony. In those days, people escaped the heat of the city for the cooler climes of upstate New York.

During the week, the fathers commuted to their jobs in the city while the mothers kibbitzed over coffee and games of Mah Jongg and prepared for the coming of Shabbat. My three sisters and I, like the rest of the colony children, attended camp – Jewish summer camp. The memories I have of these magical summers are some of my most indelible and enduring.

I was reminded of these summers a few Sundays ago at the MJCCA’s annual Camp Central Registration Day, the kick-off of our camp season. I knew to expect a crowd, but nothing prepared me for the hundreds of people who showed up, braving the bitter cold and the early morning hour for the opportunity to ensure that their children would be first in line for the camps of their choice.

As I moved down the queue, I spoke with many parents, all with similar stories. Many had attended our day or overnight camps and were now sending their own children there; some had met their spouses at one of our camps; and others, still, were standing in line with their best friends, whom they had also met at a MJCCA camp. From stories about Camp Barney Medintz to summer adventures at AJECOMCIE (now Camp Isidore Alterman), there was no doubt – these parents were here for one reason: to make certain that their own children would have the same unforgettable camp experiences that they once had.

Most camps have swimming, archery, boating on a lake, and marshmallows over a fire. What they don’t have is the Jewish experience. And the value of a Jewish camping experience is unlike any other. Jewish camping is a key pathway to shaping Jewish identities at an early age, when it really counts. No one who has attended a Jewish camp can deny its impact on his or her self-identity. For some, it’s the first time they sang the hamotzi, said “good morning” in Hebrew (boker tov!), or participated in Maccabi or Color War.

Community-based studies consistently show that Jewish campers have greater affiliation and engagement later in life than non-campers. And many Jewish professionals – including myself – say that they discovered or enhanced their Jewish identity at summer camp.

Jewish camp is a microcosm of all close-knit Jewish communities, similar to the one I remember so fondly as a child. Our counselors are our surrogate parents, the role models our children look to throughout the summer, while our campmates are our siblings and the friends we will treasure for a lifetime.

As you make your own family’s plans for this summer, I urge you to keep in mind the many ways a Jewish camp experience can positively impact the lives of your children, both now and in the future.

Editor’s note: Gail Luxenberg is CEO of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta.