By Jessica Davis, JTNews Correspondent
Jewish kids in grades one through six will have the opportunity this summer to participate in Camp Maccabiah, at the Sand Point Athletic Fields in Seattle’s Magnuson Park.
“The hope is that Camp Maccabiah will bring together Jewish children from all parts of the Jewish community,” said Sam Perlin, the camp’s director and founder. Sports will include soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, softball and flag football. Campers will be organized by age and ability.
The sessions will start with instruction in the morning with topics such as Jewish athletes, passages from the Talmud and how Judaism and sports relate. Campers will play on teams in the afternoon. The co-ed camp will have two one-week sessions, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Aug. 2–6 and Aug. 9–13. Campers can sign up for one or both sessions.
Jason Kintzer of JRJ Development and Brad Prezant of Prezant are co-sponsors of the camp. Sarah Medwell, physical education teacher at Seattle Jewish Community School, will serve as assistant director of the camp. She is currently working with Perlin on the camp’s program.
“Kids love her,” said Perlin.
Perlin brings his current experience as Seattle Academy’s athletic director
for 13 years, as well as a coach and physical education teacher for 16 years. He also worked for 11 years
in Jewish educa-tion, coached Maccabiah Games basketball teams and has lived in Israel. In addition, he brings his first-hand knowledge of camps from being an avid camper, starting at age 10, in Maryland. He held his Bar Mitzvah at a Jewish camp in West Virginia where guests played different team sports.
“I gained a love of sports and movement,” said Perlin.
An active member of Congregation Beth Shalom and father of daughter Liat, 9, and son Amit, 7, who attend Seattle Jewish Community School, Perlin says he has seen a definite need for a camp such as his in Seattle’s Northend.
“It’s a growing Jewish community there,” he said, adding that students from SJCS, Temple Beth Am, Congregation Beth Shalom and Chabad enroll in Camp Maccabiah.
Several years ago, Perlin started a Jewish little league baseball team with his daughter, in North Seattle, called the Maccabees. His daughter played on the team for four years and his son is now playing on one of the teams. This camp is an expansion of that idea, with more sports and more teams.
“I always wanted to have a Jewish sports camp,” said Perlin.
The idea of the camp is to foster relationships through kids coming from all branches of Judaism, and sports. The camp takes the benefits of physical activity and shows how it can positively rate to Judaism.
“The bottom line is I’m trying to do this for the kids,” said Perlin. “I’m passionate about it.”
With the camp’s emphasis on team sports, Perlin hopes to enroll at least 60 kids per session. If the camp is successful, he would like to eventually make it a sleepover camp.