By Donna Gordon Blankinship, Editor, JTNews
This summer marks the 100th anniversary of Jewish camping in North America. The Foundation for Jewish Camping even sent out a big press packet about this momentous occasion. Start a conversation with a kid at Camp Solomon Schechter, however, and centennials are the farthest thing from their minds.
They are much more interested in talking about pretty girls, camp food, water fights, singing, dancing and, yes, even tefillah.
Their parents are slightly more interested in anniversaries, but most of the grown-ups at a recent Camp Solomon Schechter open house wanted to talk about their own camp experiences (girls, food, water fights, singing, dancing and tefillah) and see their old pals. More than 1,000 people attended the open house — a new record at what is now called the Stampfer Center — according to executive director Hilary Buff. In a few years, the 160-acre camp will celebrate its 50th anniversary. “Over 10,000 children have been part of the Schechter community,” Buff said.
Anthony Giangreco of Olympia, who attended the camp about 20 years ago, came to the open house barbecue to renew acquaintances and to introduce his wife to the place he hopes to be sending their soon-to-arrive first child in about 8 or 9 years.
“As soon as the baby is born, we’ll put it on the waiting list,” Giangreco said, with a completely serious look on his face. He still keeps in touch with his fellow campers from 20 years ago, and when one of his “old” counselors, Rik Katz of Seattle, walked up, he remembered him immediately as “Ranger Rik.”
Giangreco grew up in Spokane, in what he characterized as a very small Jewish community. He said Camp Solomon Schechter gave him a chance to meet other Jewish kids and be in a totally Jewish environment for the first time.
The camp looks very different now, especially because of recent building projects, but Giangreco said his favorite cabin is still there and the dining hall hasn’t changed. “And the nettles are still in the woods,” he added.
Charlotte Mahoy of Wasilla, Alaska, who is going into 6th grade this fall, came to camp in Washington for the first time this year because “it sounded like fun.” She and her older sister, Merissa, are among a handful of kids who flew from Alaska to attend Camp Solomon Schechter.
Mahoy said she likes the lake and how much she is learning about being Jewish. “I like spending time in my cabin with my friends,” she added. Her family drives for about an hour to get to their synagogue in Anchorage.
Hadas Horenstein of Portland, Ore., another 6th-grader, is in her second year at camp. One of the best parts, according to Horenstein, is “the food.” Yes, she actually said she likes the camp food.
“The new cooks are great and really dedicated to their work,” Horenstein added. How’s that for a positive review? And her bunkmate even agreed.
She said she also enjoys the activities and loves her new friends, which she described as friendships that would last a long time. Her father and uncle, who also attended Camp Solomon Schechter, told her she would make those kinds of friends there.
The Mondlak family from Richmond, B.C., all drove down to visit their son Ari, one of 12 Canadian kids in the second session. Solomon Mondlak said they chose to send their son so far away because “This is one of the best camps. They are very safe and they really enjoy it.” Adds his wife, Kathe Mondlak, “It has enough of everything to make parents and kids happy.”
Josh Walker of Bellevue, who is in his fifth year at Camp Solomon Schechter, mostly agrees. He likes the talent and lip sync contests and learning new Jewish stories. His one dislike: the food. Sorry, new cooks, but that’s what he said. The soon-to-be-7th-grader, whose family belongs to Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, goes to Tyee Middle School, where he probably doesn’t like the food (but I forgot to ask him that question).
Adam Gillman of Bellevue is in his second year at camp. “It’s really fun and you get to meet new people and your friends here are different from the ones at school.” Gillman said the counselors find a way to teach kids how to be Jewish and make it fun. He likes the shorter, more casual Shabbat services. “The food is not that good sometimes,” he said. “The girls are pretty nice…. The girls are really nice,” he corrected himself, with a smile.
Walker and Gillman’s counselor, Matan Barnea, who is also camp drama specialist, is experiencing his 10th summer at camp. Barnea will be a senior at Roosevelt High School this fall. His family is unaffiliated. “All the Judaism I know is through camp,” he said.
Barnea, who is not sure what he wants to major in at college, is fairly certain he wants to spend at least one more summer at the camp outside of Olympia and be the drama specialist again. When asked what kids bring home from Camp Solomon Schechter, he answered, “Besides a big bag of laundry, probably a realization that it’s easy to incorporate Judaism into everyday life…. Hopefully more pride in their Judaism, and friends from different areas.”