They see fun and friendship. We see the Jewish future.
Foundation for Jewish Camp Annual Report 2012
Our Mission
Our Vision
The Foundation for Jewish Camp unifies and galvanizes the field of nonprofit Jewish overnight camp and significantly increases the number of children participating in transformative summers at Jewish camp, assuring a vibrant Jewish future.
Summers at nonprofit Jewish overnight camp turn Jewish youth into spirited and engaged Jewish adults, laying the groundwork for strong Jewish communities. The Foundation for Jewish Camp aspires to elevate the field of Jewish camp, conferring proper recognition and granting appropriate support to expand its impact across our community, so that camp can be a critical element of every Jewish young person’s education.
Jewish camp inspires an expression of Judaism that is joyful, powerful, and sustainable—putting children on a Jewish path which stays with them for life. Foundation for Jewish Camp was established to make this experience available to as many children as possible, and in summer 2012, Jewish camp was home to more than 73,000 campers, a 3% increase from 2011. The joyous Judaism that camp inspires helps break down the barriers and silos which separate us from one another, providing a powerful example for the entire Jewish community. Similarly, through the multiple approaches we have taken to making Jewish camp more accessible and appealing, FJC has brought together disparate camping entities to create a field that now stands at the apex of the Jewish communal agenda. While we are proud of our successes, we’re also keenly aware of the challenges facing our community, and are working to address three in particular: We continue to be tested by the affordability of participation in Jewish life. Many in our midst simply cannot afford to send their children to camp. We are exploring new ways to provide both increased financial aid and develop lower cost, more efficient offerings, targeting those in the challenged middle and lower income brackets.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Creating a Field 6 Camper Acquisition 12 Program Excellence 16 Leadership Development 20 Community Engagement 24 Financial Overview 27 Program and Project Funding 28 Annual Support
Our institutions need strengthening. We can accomplish this by utilizing our communal assets and resources more effectively. Nadiv is a program designed to enhance the quality of education at Jewish camps and schools in a sustainable way. It is creating a new model for year-round positions for trained and talented Jewish educators, and a new way to foster deeper collaboration between different kinds of institutions in the Jewish educational world. We are working towards creating camp environments that are more representative of the Jewish community at large. Initiatives to recruit ethnically diverse Jews, children from Russian-speaking families, Israeli families, and interfaith backgrounds are critical to our mission. FJC sees a moral imperative to foster more opportunities for children with special needs and disabilities. FJC is the first organization to survey the field and determine how we can be more inclusive to this important group of children in our community. As we strive to meet these needs, we remind ourselves of the context in which we do so: to give more children more opportunities to experience the magic of Jewish camp. We thank all who have joined us—our philanthropists, trustees, and board members, communities and agencies, lay leaders, and camp professionals—as we endeavor to build and secure a more vibrant Jewish future.
Lee D. Weiss Chair, Board of Directors
Jeremy J. Fingerman CEO
2012 Annual Report 1
Creating a Field
As the collective Jewish community struggles with waning Jewish commitment, the Foundation for Jewish Camp becomes more steadfast in its belief that nonprofit Jewish camp is an integral part of ensuring a vibrant Jewish future. It is evident from our gatherings in 2012 that the field as a whole is making an impact on the communal agenda.
FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH CAMP AND ONE HAPPY CAMPER: Changing the Jewish Communal Landscape Now seven years into the program, the Foundation is gratified by the stimulus that One Happy Camper (OHC) has provided to our community partners across North America. In addition to the financial resources that the program has provided, FJC consultation on the OHC program, marketing, and communal outreach has spurred a new enthusiasm around Jewish continuity and community development. “Five years ago you never saw Jewish camp on any federation brochures or in fundraising efforts. Today, you see and hear about Jewish camp all across our community,� explains Kim Hirsh, Director of Philanthropic Initiatives for the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ.
Thanks to our anonymous donor, FJC has been able to make an enormous financial investment in our children and to spur the Jewish community to invest in camp. In 2012 alone, One Happy Camper grants to communities totaled nearly $4 million. Since the inception of the program, FJC has granted over $26 million to community camper incentive programs through OHC, bringing recognition to the important role of Jewish camp in Jewish identity formation, and elevating Jewish camp to prominence on the communal agenda. (For more information about One Happy Camper, see page 8.)
2012 Annual Report 3
A celebration of the 110th anniversaries of Surprise Lake Camp and Tamarack Camps at Leaders Assembly 2012.
LEADERS ASSEMBLY: Reach Beyond the Bunk Leaders Assembly 2012 was the largest-ever “think tank” on Jewish camp hosted by the Foundation for Jewish Camp. The fourth biennial conference “REACH BEYOND THE BUNK” took place from March 11-13, bringing together 650 camp professionals, lay leaders, communal professionals, philanthropists, and educators to celebrate Jewish camp and its impact on the Jewish future. The convening took on its most innovative form yet—allowing participants to learn from both experts and peers in creative, facilitator-led sessions.
by plenary experiences from Nancy Lublin, CEO of Do Something Inc and founder of Dress for Success; Lenore Skenazy, founder of the book and blog “Free-Range Kids,” and a panel discussion— From High Ropes to Higher Ed—with President Richard M. Joel of Yeshiva University, Rabbi David Ellenson of Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion, and Chancellor Arnold M. Eisen of Jewish Theological Seminary, moderated by Dr. Charles “Chip” Edelsberg of the Jim Joseph Foundation. Companion programming was created for One Happy Camper partners.
The conference began with a day of skill building workshops. Expert consultants held high-level, interactive trainings giving camp professionals, educators, and lay leaders the tools they need to, among other things, improve customer service, advance their social media knowledge, hone their Jewish programming, and establish sustainable food programs at camp.
We also paid tribute to former FJC Board Chair Samuel “Skip” Vichness for his service to the Foundation and commemorated the 110th anniversaries of Surprise Lake Camp and Tamarack Camps, our two oldest camps.
A new innovative format—peer-to-peer programming—was custom created by FJC and Rae Ringel, a nationally known facilitator. This revamped, exciting new program gave participants plentiful networking opportunities and the chance to discuss what would help them REACH BEYOND THE BUNK in their camps and organizations. These topic-driven conversations were enhanced
“
New to LEADERS ASSEMBLY this year was the Shuk: The Jewish Camp Marketplace. This exhibit hall featured 20 vendors with a wide array of services and products focused on enhancing Jewish experiential educational programming.
Leaders Assembly shows that the field is stronger than any one camp director, that there is a real knowledge base to tap into in our organizations and that the connections made can be leveraged past the conference.
”
— Debbie Sussman, Director, Camp Yavneh Northwood, New Hampshire
4 Foundation for Jewish Camp
FUNDERS SUMMIT: The Future of Jewish Camp On December 5, 2012, 37 philanthropists and professionals representing 26 foundations gathered in New York for the first Funders Summit devoted to the future of Jewish camp. This elite gathering concentrated on funding needs and strategies for the field for the next decade. The Summit was convened by the Foundation for Jewish Camp; The AVI CHAI Foundation, Jim Joseph Foundation, and Marcus Foundation served as the host committee. The Samuel Bronfman Foundation hosted the opening reception. The Funders Summit goals were to bring together FJC’s current funders, who are already deeply engaged in the Jewish camp enterprise, and other philanthropists who also feel passionately about Jewish identity formation, for the purpose of exploring ways to advance the field. Working within the parameters of FJC’s Strategic Plan, the participants brainstormed, strategized, and explored ways to expand on the work FJC is doing. The Summit was designed to inspire, inform, invest, and involve participants. The day was orchestrated to provide a variety of learning opportunities: personal stories about the impact of Jewish camp; hard facts; and discussion and brainstorming in small groups about critical areas of the camp endeavor.
director at The Collaborative, shared the impact camp has had on multiple generations of Jewish leaders and community members. • “The Business of Jewish Camp” Jeremy J. Fingerman, CEO of FJC, spoke about the irrefutable and powerful return on investment of Jewish camp. • Breakout sessions led by skilled facilitators focused on each of the four areas critical to the growth and future of Jewish camp as articulated in FJC’s Strategic Plan: Camper Acquisition, Community Engagement, Professional Development, and Program Excellence. These sessions were the central focus of the Summit, leading to recommendations shared with the full group. A detailed description of the discussions and Funders Summit recommendations are available upon request. This thoughtful collaboration with leading philanthropists is helping to inform FJC’s agenda moving forward. We are profoundly grateful for their engagement in our planning process, and to be the recipient of their philanthropic support and wisdom. The Funders Summit is leading to new and exciting plans for the growth of Jewish camp and bodes well for the future of the North American Jewish community.
Some highlights of the Funders Summit include: • “Stories Around the Campfire: Transformation and Inspiration” John S. Ruskay, Ph.D. Executive Vice President and CEO of UJA-Federation of New York, Rabbi Isaac Saposnik, Director of Camp JRF and Molly Wernick, project
my 10,000 hours at camp
“
Standardized tests told me year after year that I was just average. But Camp, camp told me I could be a coach and an educator, a chef and a party planner, a blogger and a community organizer, a choreographer and a storyteller, a graphic designer, a supervillain and a superhero... or maybe become a counselor, a counselor-in-training director, a director of education, and even a camp director at age 23. My 10,000 hours at camp taught me that I COULD--because if I listened to the outside world telling me I was just above average, I would eventually start to believe it, and soon be it. Average wouldn’t have learned all of those dance steps and average wouldn’t have made hundreds of decorative signs for special programming days. Average wouldn’t have taken me to live in Israel for a year before I started college and average wouldn’t have gotten me hired to run four years of Hillel programming once I got there. So when I was finally on staff and I had campers of my own, I made sure that they believed that they were anything but average. Every kid who has the opportunity to go to camp adds a stone to the foundation of the Jewish future. It makes us feel like we were part of something before we could
vote, or donate or apply to anything—that we had a voice that mattered and an entire community to validate that voice. Without that confidence, or those skills or that validation I would have never believed that I could do anything to make a difference in the world around me. Because those hours taught me that I could. And guess what? I am.
Molly Wernick
”
originally presented at the Funders Summit, December 2012 Molly became involved in the Jewish community at Habonim Dror Camp Galil in Bucks County, PA where she spent a total of 14 years first as a camper, then a counselor, Director of Education, and finally Co-Director. Currently she is the project director at The Collaborative, a Jewish nonprofit organization in Philadelphia.
2012 Annual Report 5
camper Acquisition
FJC addresses enrollment growth by raising awareness, providing incentive grants for families to try Jewish camp, confronting affordability, and identifying and helping create new portals of entry.
AVAILABLE TO ALL: Addressing Special Needs Special Needs Research The field of Jewish camp has become increasingly aware of and responsive to the number of children with special needs and physical disabilities who require programs and services to respond to their needs. Unfortunately, current program offerings fall far short of being able to provide either the physical spaces or special services that would benefit thousands of Jewish children. As a first step towards initiating field-wide changes in this arena, FJC has begun a research project to map current services available to children with special needs and physical disabilities at nonprofit Jewish overnight camps across North America. This ground-breaking research will drive the ultimate goal of making the unparalleled experience of Jewish camp available to all children. Thanks to a generous grant, FJC is working with Laszlo Strategies, a firm specializing in helping nonprofit groups champion the causes of medical science and people with physical and developmental disabilities. Following several months of preparation, the survey was released to the field, parents, campers, and alumni in January 2013.
This research will provide a thorough understanding of the programs and services Jewish camps offer to children with special needs and physical disabilities and provide a baseline for expanding services. The survey will be followed by a convening of the field—both Jewish camp professionals and special needs experts—to allow FJC to locate the gaps, establish where and how the needs can be filled, and develop a set of guidelines for camps to use as a resource. This initial study will be the catalyst for exploring the range and types of activities camps could be utilizing to integrate these campers. The project will catalog the language and philosophies used by the field concerning special needs, examine legal issues, determine what steps need to be taken to improve the range of services and expertise of camp staff, and much more. The Special Needs Research Project is funded by Dr. Allan and Nan Lipton.
Special Needs Bus Tour FJC partnered with the Jewish Funders Network this summer to organize a Special Needs Bus Tour. From July 31–August 2, a group of board members, funders, and FJC staff members participated in a three-day trip visiting camps that serve children with special needs and physical disabilities. In total, eight camps were visited: Camp JRF, NJ Y Camp Nesher, NJ Y Round Lake Camp, Summit Camp, Camp HASC, Camp Kaylie, Ramapo for
Children, and Camp Ramah in New England. Each had different educational approaches and philosophies on special needs. This unique experience allowed us to learn with and from other funders who are interested in camping and/or programs for people with disabilities. Not only were the visits educational, they were inspirational and underscored the need for FJC to determine next steps in this arena.
ENGAGMENT OF RUSSIAN-SPEAKING JEWS The Foundation for Jewish Camp continues to focus on outreach to Russian-speaking Jews in order to increase their attendance at Jewish camp. With the support of FJC, Marks JCH of Bensonhurst Camp B’Yachad (designed specifically for Russian-speaking teenagers) has lengthened its duration and has now joined the other camps supported by FJC. B’Yachad will even be participating in the Goodman Modern Israel History program. In addition, FJC is pleased to see the increase in numbers of camps that have targeted outreach to Russian-speaking Jews. We are seeing many successes such as: • CYJ Midwest has doubled their number of Russianspeaking campers. • CYJ Sprout Lake has hired a unit head—a graduate of FJC’s Crown Fellowship in 2011—for their Counselor in Training
program which involves 10 Russian-speaking Counselors in Training. • Camp Henry Horner added outreach to Russian-speaking campers to their strategic plan. • In spring 2012 the Combined Jewish Philanthropies in Boston hired a Russian-speaking consultant to conduct qualitative research on Russian-speaking Jewish families in the greater Boston area. The consultant mapped the existing programs and organizations, and has developed a list of recommendations for CJP to implement. These efforts are supported in part by a generous grant from The Genesis Philanthropy Group.
2012 Annual Report 7
ONE HAPPY CAMPER COMMUNITY PARTNERS Arkansas Atlantic Canada Boston Calgary Chicago Cincinnati* Cleveland Colorado Columbus* Dallas Delaware Greater Metrowest (NJ) Greensboro* Indianapolis* Kansas City* Los Angeles Louisville Memphis Middlesex County (NJ)* Montreal New Hampshire* New York Northern New Jersey
CAMPER SATISFACTION INSIGHTS Camper Satisfaction Insights (CSI) is a rigorous market research tool that helps camps solicit and cull feedback from camp families, their “customers,” pinpointing a camp’s strengths and weaknesses. In 2012, 71 camps participated in the CSI survey to measure their performance. Camps use the online survey to gauge parent satisfaction in various categories such as facilities and programs, as well as staffing and Jewish content. This year an emphasis on communication was added. Results are compared from year-to-year to show progress as well as changing perceptions and customer needs. The data is analyzed and presented by Summation Research. The CSI data enables camps to make informed decisions and develop actionable strategies about what changes and enhancements to make, with an eye towards increasing enrollment and retention rates.
Omaha Palm Beach County (FL)* Palm Springs (CA) Philadelphia* Pittsburgh Rhode Island San Diego St. Louis Syracuse (NY) Toronto Washington DC PJ (Library) Goes to Camp *Self-funding OHC Community partner in 2012
8 Foundation for Jewish Camp
FJC created One Happy Camper to recruit more children to nonprofit Jewish overnight camp by offering need-blind incentive grants to first-time campers. This extraordinary outreach program is designed specifically to attract children who do not currently benefit from a daily immersive Jewish experience. Campers who attend Jewish camp return summer after summer, and campers who receive incentive grants are no different (82% return for a second summer; 90% return for a third summer). Introducing new families to Jewish camp not only spurs enrollment now, but also creates a legacy of camp participation for the next generation while moving Jewish camp to the top of the communal agenda. Summer 2012 continued the outstanding growth of this ground-breaking program. The Foundation has developed partnerships with nearly 40 Jewish federations, foundations, and organizations that provide local matching funding and execute community-wide marketing campaigns to raise awareness of Jewish camp and the One Happy Camper incentive. Additionally, FJC is partnering with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and their program, PJ Library (PJ Goes to Camp), to leverage synergies and ensure that Jewish camp
is a foregone conclusion as the PJ audience comes of age. We continue to join forces with over 25 camps and camping movements in the field, ensuring that nearly every Jewish child in North America has access to this first-time camper incentive grant in order to tip the scales towards overnight Jewish camp over other summertime activities. Through all of these collaborations, there is now a network across North America to further our mission. One Happy Camper and JWest, its sister program in the west funded by the Jim Joseph Foundation, brought a total of 9,000 campers to camp in 2012 alone and an amazing 43,000 since its inception. At of the end of 2012, nine communities had successfully integrated One Happy Camper and their investment in Jewish camp into their community’s agenda as they continue to offer One Happy Camper without additional funding from FJC.
JWEST Since 2008, the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s JWest Campership program, funded by The Jim Joseph Foundation, has provided financial incentives to campers from the western United States to participate in a first-time overnight Jewish summer camp experience of two to three weeks. The program also developed innovative, focused marketing and recruitment techniques with a long-term goal of increasing the number of campers and the retention rate. As the JWest Campership
program entered its fifth and final summer, a total of 3,342 first-time sixth through eighth grade campers had been introduced to Jewish overnight camp in the western region of North America with incentives. More than 2,000 second-time campers returned to camp with a JWest incentive over the past four years, with 596 returning in 2012 alone. An additional 129 third-time campers returned to camp in 2012 with a JWest incentive.
2012 Annual Report 9
One Happy Camper by the Numbers One Happy Camper works to introduce children to Jewish summer experiences by: creating Jewish summers
6
instilling a new legacy of Jewish camping for families
out of
OHC recipients would have stayed home or attended a non-Jewish summer experience
OHC recipients’ parents did NOT attend Jewish camp. We know that parents who attended Jewish camp are more likely to send their own kids.
And it’s working! One Happy Camper recipients enjoy their summers at camp as much as their peers.
N. American
N. American
N. American
N. American
N. American
N. American
N. American
N. American
all
OHC
all
OHC
all
OHC
all
OHC
Campers
Campers
Campers
Campers
Campers
Campers
Campers
Campers
94% v 95%
89% v 89%
93% v 94%
84% v 87%
Overall Satisfaction
Overall Value
Likelihood to Recommend
Likelihood to Return to Camp
And they are returning! 82% of OHC recipients return to camp for a second summer. AND THEIR EXPERIENCE IS INFUSED WITH JEWISH EDUCATION, IDENTITY AND CONNECTIONS.
Majority of OHC families (60%) are not members or donors of their sponsoring organization And as a result of OHC:
98%
of OHC recipients feel that camp creates an atmosphere where children are proud to be Jewish.
64%
of OHC parents feel more positive about their family’s connection to the Jewish community.
36%
of OHC recipients increased their participation in Jewish activities after their first summer at camp.
74%
of OHC parents feel that they are more likely to support their sponsoring organization, many with giving potential.
10 Foundation for Jewish Camp
SPECIALTY CAMPS INCUBATOR II Building on the success of the first Specialty Camps Incubator, FJC launched Specialty Camps Incubator II. This unique entrepreneurial opportunity will open four new Jewish specialty camps in the summer of 2014. The Specialty Camps Incubator II is made possible by a grant of $8.6 million jointly funded by The Jim Joseph Foundation and The AVI CHAI Foundation. Our research has proven the demand for Jewish specialty options in the summer camp marketplace. Incubator II is providing expertise and support to a new cohort of four individuals and organizations as they plan and implement their vision for new models of nonprofit Jewish overnight specialty camps. The camps address demographic groups and geographic regions currently underserved by existing traditional and specialty Jewish camps. The five camps that opened in summer 2010 as a result of the first Specialty Camps Incubator provide a new path to Jewish camp for many children each summer.
• 74% of camper’s parents reported that the experience positively impacted their Jewish identity. • 65% testified to positive changes in camper’s Jewish knowledge, further aligning the successes of this program with the missions of FJC and the program’s funders, the Jim Joseph Foundation and The AVI CHAI Foundation. Through a rigorous selection process, the Incubator advisory committee selected plans for nonprofit specialty camps possessing strong Jewish missions that aim to weave Jewish culture, values, and learning throughout the elements of the camp program to attract new segments of Jewish children entering grades six through twelve.
We welcome the camps selected for Specialty Camps Incubator II: CAMP INC., based in Boulder, CO, is a JCC camp that will
provide campers with a business and entrepreneurial summer camp experience rooted in Jewish values.
CAMP ZEKE, an East Coast-based camp, will help children become healthier, fitter, happier, and more spirituallyengaged Jews. JCC MACCABI SPORTS CAMP, based in the San Francisco
area, will be a transformative experience for young Jewish athletes who are passionate about sports and desire to advance their skill levels.
URJ 6 POINTS SCIENCE ACADEMY, located in the We learned from the first Incubator that the specialty model attracts new campers: • 40% of campers who attended indicated that they had never attended Jewish camp before.
Boston, MA area, will engage campers’ curiosity about the world through superior hands-on scientific and technological exploration, experimentation, and reflection while immersing them in a vibrant Jewish community.
• 66% said they were attracted to Jewish camp because of the specialties.
2012 Annual Report 11 2012 Annual Report 11
program excellence
Foundation for Jewish Camp gives the field access to innovative programming and promotes out-of-the-box thinking to solidify camp culture, increase Jewish values, and retain more campers.
LEKHU LAKHEM III FJC, in a joint project with JCC Association’s Mandel Center for Jewish Education, is partnering in a grant from The AVI CHAI Foundation to implement Lekhu Lakhem III, a premier Jewish educational leadership program for Jewish overnight camp directors. The goal of Lekhu Lakhem is to open participants’ eyes to their role as Jewish educators and enhance the Jewish culture at their camps.
and eight fellows from JCC Association-affiliated camps who will together embark on journeys of Jewish learning which they will take back to their camps. The program is an intensive educational experience consisting of six seminars, including one in Israel; individual/small group learning sessions with mentors; site visits during camp season; and a demonstration project.
An application process for the program took place in the fall of 2012 which selected 11 fellows from independent camps
THE GOODMAN CAMPING INITIATIVE FOR MODERN ISRAEL HISTORY Launched in 2012 with a grant from The Lillian and Larry Goodman Foundations and contributions from The Marcus Foundation and The AVI CHAI Foundation, this joint venture between the iCenter and Foundation for Jewish Camp engages independent Jewish camps in North America in the development of Israel education curricula. The goal of the Goodman Initiative is to enhance and expand the commitment of independent nonprofit Jewish overnight
camps in North America to the history of modern Israel and foster deeper connections with Israel outside of camp among campers. The 12 camps in the first cohort are midway through a two-year process that trains an in-house Israel educator and five returning staff members at each camp. A second cohort of 12 camps began its two-year cycle this past winter. The program will expand to include a total of 36 camps over a four–year period.
gift of life
“
The Foundation for Jewish Camp continues to work with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation on the “Find the Hero in You at Camp” program. In 2012, 30 camps held swabbing drives and 1,015 people were swabbed. Thus far, 19 matches have been made and 5 transplants have been completed. Campers aren’t the only ones that benefit from a summer camp experience. At Camp Young JudaeaTexas, we strive to build a camp community built on Jewish values and provide opportunities for our staff to grow as much as our campers do. Last summer we took time out of our busy staff week to focus on “pikuach nefesh”—saving a life. Gift of Life taught our staff about the need to increase the registry of potential bone marrow donors, particularly within the Jewish community, to literally save the lives of others
suffering from leukemia. We were privileged to meet beneficiaries and inspired to take action ourselves. Following the Gift of Life presentation, eligible staff eagerly signed up to be swabbed as potential donors. A sense of pride was felt by all when one of our staff members was identified by Gift of Life to be a potential match. This collaboration with Gift of Life brings Jewish values center-stage, and an opportunity to act on those Jewish values to changes lives—both by educating others and by offering them the opportunity to save lives. Experiences like this show the value of Jewish camping.
”
Frank Silberlicht
Director, Camp Young Judaea-Texas
2012 Annual Report 13
INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT Toronto: Through the expertise provided by the Foundation for Jewish Camp, and in partnership with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and its Silber Centre for Jewish Camping, the Toronto Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building Project launched in November 2012. This project addresses and supports the goals of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and the Ontario Jewish Camp Committee as well as the mission of the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Collectively these goals are to: • Dramatically increase the number of children who attend nonprofit Jewish summer camp. • Attract kids who might choose other, non-Jewish alternatives by developing our own specialty programs. • Remove financial considerations or barriers by offering financial incentives and scholarships. • Expand marketing/outreach efforts to engage other, often unengaged, segments of the Jewish population such as Russian-speaking and Israeli families. All ten member camps on the Ontario Jewish Camp Committee are involved in the project. • Camp Northland-B’nai Brith
• Camp Shalom
• Camp Gesher
• Camp Shomria
• Camp Kadimah
• Camp Solelim
• Camp Moshava Ennismore
• JAcademy
• Camp Ramah Canada
• URJ Camp George
This institutional strengthening program consists of 15 workshops on a range of topics including: marketing; recruitment; customer service; program design; customer
14 Foundation for Jewish Camp
satisfaction; Jewish mission; and fundraising and board governance. The program is being conducted over a three year period and is supported by individual coaching and consultations. Many camps have begun making operational changes to support more effective strategies in marketing, recruiting, and communications. Montreal: In 2012, the Foundation for Jewish Camp extended our work in Montreal where, in addition to a community-wide camp capacity-building program, we implemented the Institutional Strengthening program, focusing on board development. The Institutional Strengthening program includes three half-day board workshops conducted by experts in the field of board development. The curriculum was developed based on current open issues as well as basic operating procedures used by successful nonprofit boards. Each workshop includes pre- and post-work to be completed by the lay and professional team. In addition, the board is provided with sample documents, templates, and other resources. The board also receives ongoing interim feedback and advice by the workshop consultants. JWest: FJC was again able to offer the JWest Institutional Strengthening program to camps in the Western U.S. in 2012. This comprehensive series of workshops focuses on marketing; recruitment; communications; effective use of technology/ social media; program design; customer satisfaction; and leadership development and training. The program builds on the innovative marketing tactics previously learned during the JWest program and expands this learning beyond the original incentive. The participating camps are not only sustaining the gains already realized through JWest, but are moving even further along the path of growth and success. 17 camps are currently participating in this ongoing program. JWest is generously funded by the Jim Joseph Foundation.
NADIV With a $3.3 million grant from The Jim Joseph Foundation and The AVI CHAI Foundation, FJC launched the pilot initiative for Nadiv in 2012. This innovative program created and filled six experiential Jewish educator positions that are shared by nonprofit Jewish overnight camps and Jewish day or synagogue schools. Developed in partnership with the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ), three Nadiv educators are toggling their responsibilities between Reform camps and day or synagogue schools: Sara Beth Berman (URJ Camp Coleman and the Davis Academy) Sarah Lauing (URJ Crane Lake Camp and Temple Shaaray Tefila) Jordan Magidson (URJ Camp Kalsman and Temple De Hirsch Sinai) The other three educators are: Jessica Gindea (Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake and the Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County) Joseph Robinson (Herzl Camp and the Heilischer Minneapolis Jewish Day School) Jeremy Toren (Camp Mountain Chai and the San Diego Jewish Academy, California) Nadiv educators are quickly becoming fully integrated into their new communities, serving a variety of unique roles within their schools and camps. At camps, they are influencing campers in areas ranging from leading the planning and implementation of all Jewish educational activities to coordinating B’nai Mitzvah tutoring and leading tefillah. At schools, they are organizing holiday celebrations, working to deepen family education, and creating elective programming.
What makes summer camp jewish
“
What makes a summer camp Jewish? Is it the campers and staff? Is it Shabbat and havdallah? Is it the Judaic component that is so intentionally rooted within everything we do at camp? The answer is simple, it’s all of the above. Creating this magical Jewish environment doesn’t happen solely organically. A tremendous amount of thought and creativity goes into the development of any Judaic program at camp. Unfortunately much of this must wait until the month or so leading up to each summer due to the simple lack of manpower and time most camps have during the off-season. The Foundation for Jewish Camp set out to change this; thus Nadiv was formed. The Nadiv Educator program is the creation of the FJC to assist not only camps but a local partnering organization
as well. The concept of jointly employing a full-time Jewish professional specializing in creative and engaging experiential education has been a resounding win-win any way you look at it. Having a Nadiv educator as a part of our year-round camp staff has transformed our ability to further advance the quality of Jewish programming we are able to offer not only our campers but staff as well. With two years remaining, the Nadiv Educator program has proven to be a vital cog within our organization and has begun laying the groundwork and creating a model for the creation of similar partnerships between camps and local organizations such as temples and day schools across North America moving forward.
Steve Gerard
Director, Camp Mountain Chai
”
2012 Annual Report 15
leadership development
The Foundation for Jewish Camp focuses on both lay and professional development to take the field of Jewish camp to new heights.
YITRO LEADERSHIP PROGRAM II In 2012, after a rigorous application and selection process, 19 candidates were invited to participate in the second cohort of the Yitro Leadership Program. The selection process for this cohort placed a strong emphasis on the candidates’ commitment to the field of Jewish camp and their professional role in cultivating and managing the staff culture at their respective camps. Yitro focuses on the next generation of camp leadership: assistant and associate directors. Generously funded by The AVI CHAI Foundation, Yitro trains young leaders to build vibrant, intentional camp communities that are infused with Jewish values, ethics, culture, and spirit. The program supports our ongoing effort to bring top-level executive management practices to Jewish camp and develop camp experiences that shape and secure children’s Jewish identity for the future. Over the course of 19 months, participants convene for five intensive sessions led by experts and recognized leaders from various disciplines. A curriculum was built to address the unique Is rolethere of assistant/associate directors and their main a better YITRO photo? responsibilities including staff management; assessing and creating change in communities; group facilitation; delivering and receiving feedback; staff morale; facilitating meetings; strategies for behavior intervention; problem analysis and resolution; and mission-based decision making.
Staff Satisfaction Insights Pilot Following the success of the FJC Camper Satisfaction Insights survey for parents, Yitro represents an opportunity to create a similar process to survey and gain insight from camp staff on their experience. This will aid in increasing retention rates and determine opportunities to improve the Jewish cultural experience of staff at Jewish overnight camps. As part of Yitro II, FJC is having a pilot assessment tool developed by Summation Research. This new assessment tool was presented to the Yitro II cohort at the October 2012 session and the survey will be piloted in the 19 Yitro camps in the summers of 2013 and 2014.
2012 Annual Report 17
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE III (ELI) Fifteen camp directors graduated from the Executive Leadership Institute III (ELI) in 2012, joining 37 alumni of this extraordinary professional development program. “The Executive Leadership Institute allows some of our best professionals in the Jewish community to come together and look inward and outwardly at best practices from all fields. I hope the result is committed Jewish teens and improved leadership, ” commented Bernie Marcus, co-founder of Home
Depot, and principal of The Marcus Foundation, addressing the ELI graduates at their graduation in December of 2012. “ELI can facilitate new visions to increase enrollments and the impact of the summer experience.” The Marcus Foundation has funded all three cycles of the program, continuing their support for an innovative project with a proven track record of success. ELI is a pioneering fellowship for the 21st century camp director, characterized as an executive MBA program. It provides intensive training in business management, fundraising, and leadership skills. This one-of-a-kind program weaves together the best of private sector leadership and management training with Jewish values and ethics to create the premier training program for Jewish camp professional leaders.
ELI III Graduates Adam Benmoise Habonim Dror Camp Na’aleh, Anne Hope Herzl Camp, Ben Davis Camp Livingston, Josh Levine Camp Alonim, Ken Shifman Camp Avoda, Lewis Sohinki B’nai B’rith Perlman Camp, Melissa Frey URJ Camp Kutz, Molly Lourie Butter Camp Tel Noar, Noah Gallagher Camp Young Judaea Midwest, Ronni Saltzman Guttin Camp JORI, Sam Perlin Camp Solomon Schechter, Sarah Raful Winston Camp Poyntelle-Lewis Village, Steve Gerard Camp Mountain Chai, Terri Grossman Camp Sabra, Toby Ayash Pinemere Camp Bernie Marcus, front row 2nd from right, accompanied by the ELI III graduates and Jeremy J. Fingerman
ELI III: The Journey!
“
In September of 2011, a group of 15 camp directors prepared to meet with the talented faculty and staff that would complete our group. Tentative and careful with one another at first, we very quickly became a cohesive group of people who cared about learning from one another. One highlight of the program was the experience at the Center for Creative Leadership. It turned out to be the first of many gifts I received from this 16 month journey. Armed with information from my evaluation, I discovered that I knew myself pretty well, and had the confidence to approach my board president to discuss the results. This next session in New Jersey was the beginning of a different kind of working relationship with devoted JORI board members. Camp JORI has been blessed with board leadership that cares passionately about camp and has planned strategically. In this changing economy, JORI staff and lay leaders are working together even more effectively to ensure the successful future of our beloved camp. ELI gave us the opportunity to measure our work against the rest of the world—a valuable window into the world of private camping. Before my acceptance into the ELI program, I thought that executive coaching was something like
18 Foundation for Jewish Camp
psychoanalysis for the career challenged, or highspeed preparation for new executives, or something like Rosetta Stone for business vocabulary. I now think it is a combination of all 3 things, and something else indescribable. At the end of the summer of 2012, there was something very different from the last 16 summers. I did not have my customary desire to sleep for 5 days before re-entry. While the camping season presented the usual challenges, it was a time of growth for me professionally. I invited the chair of the camping committee to spend some time at camp. She did, and we now have some first hand data to work with as we plan for the summer of 2013. I used the summer as an opportunity to welcome some potential donors, invite a potential (now hired!) new assistant director, and determine what daily chores could be delegated successfully. My leadership will continue to be challenged, some decisions will need to be examined, but I feel more prepared as a result of the ELI program.
”
Ronni Saltzman Guttin is the Executive Director
of Camp JORI in Wakefield, Rhode Island. She graduated from ELI III in December 2012
CORNERSTONE FELLOWSHIP Thanks to the generous support of The AVI CHAI Foundation and The Crown Family Philanthropies, the Cornerstone Fellowship took place for its tenth consecutive year in 2012. Returning counselors, the “cornerstones” of their camps, are inspired and empowered to create Jewish cultural change at camp through this unique program. Over three days, participating fellows and liaisons develop and implement experiential programming for campers and staff that speaks to the diversity of Jewish life while embracing a variety of learning styles and modes of expression. Over 1900 fellows have participated in this transformative experience since its inception. In 2012, over 270 Jewish camp staff members from 51 camps came together for workshops, song sessions, and campfires to learn not only from FJC’s seasoned faculty, but also from each other. Fellows shared “magic” and ideas between camps, creating a new type of camp community. Cornerstone also offers an important professional development opportunity for senior camp staff (liaisons) who supervise counselors’ progress throughout the program. Both fellows and liaisons are supported by a faculty
advisor who provides coaching throughout the summer, ensuring that ideas and action plans are implemented successfully. Since the inception of the Cornerstone Fellowship, the program has evolved to better serve the field. 2012 saw the following enhancements: • In partnership with the American Jewish University, FJC implemented an optional three credit college level course for Cornerstone fellows. • We further customized programing for returning and new liaisons, developing a ladder of professional development experiences at Cornerstone for senior camp leadership. • We introduced Specialty Tracks in order to deepen the fellows’ experience in one specific area of their choice. • Faculty advising—the critically important, ongoing coaching/mentorship for camps—was expanded from a three month to a six month program.
2012 Annual Report 19
community engagement
Foundation for Jewish Camp is creating avenues for camps to connect with communities, schools, JCCs, synagogues, and PJ Library to share educational best practices and drive enrollment. These relationships will further increase momentum and excitement around Jewish camp.
One Happy Camper: Engaging Synagogues & Hebrew Schools In Camper Recruitment Emerging from One Happy Camper is the realization that a significant number of children attending synagogue currently do not attend Jewish camp. FJC is working to meet this challenge through various pilot initiatives aimed at engaging synagogues in raising awareness of Jewish camp while realizing the benefits camp can have on their congregations and Hebrew schools.
• Mobilizing parents and camp alumni throughout the congregation to promote the myriad of nonprofit Jewish camp options.
In partnership with over 150 synagogues across North America, FJC has developed several program models to create intentional linkages between camp and congregation education.
• Activating camp staff and alumni that are already working in congregational Hebrew schools to provide extra programming with a camp style and recruit campers to go to camp (Ramah Service Corps).
• Working with congregations to rethink the religious school model with camp as a central education provider (including buy-in and participation from lay leaders).
Such programs include: • Adding camp promotion to the portfolio of a synagogue professional’s responsibilities.
(continued)
2012 Annual Report 21
One Happy Camper: Engaging Synagogues & Hebrew Schools In Camper Recruitment (continued)
Community Spotlight: Cleveland
Beyond One Happy Camper Incentives: Scholarships While One Happy Camper is proving to be a successful strategy to generate trials of Jewish camp, for some families being able to afford to send their child to camp year after year is an ongoing challenge.
The Jewish Federation of Cleveland, in partnership with the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, FJC, and local supporters developed a comprehensive approach to driving more children to Jewish camp. In addition to One Happy Camper grants for Jewish day and non-day school children, the community has a scholarship fund to help the neediest in the community access Jewish camp. Additionally, building off the model developed by the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston, Cleveland has rolled out its own version of the Synagogue-Camp Ambassador Program.
As natural outgrowths of community One Happy Camper programs, a number of Jewish federations and community foundations have developed and/or grown scholarship funds to ensure that any child who cannot afford to return to camp has access to scholarship support.
The Synagogue-Camp Ambassador Program consists of a synagogue employee—either a rabbi, youth professional, or synagogue educator—who devotes some of his/her time to recruiting campers. In this role, the synagogue employee publicizes Jewish camp and the One Happy Camper grant opportunity through flyers, emails, and social media. They work with parent volunteers whose children have gone to camp to connect with other parents about the various programs available. They also arrange recruitment opportunities with camp directors and/or representatives for families to find out about the benefits of each of the Jewish camps that Cleveland area children attend. Finally, and most importantly, they individually target parents and prospective campers to discuss available camp options.
One Happy Camper has served as an impetus to further community involvement in Jewish camp. One Happy Camper has brought new supporters and philanthropic investors to Jewish federations and community foundations to support the “field of Jewish camp” as camp is receiving greater recognition as a successful educational and Jewish identity-building vehicle.
22 Foundation for Jewish Camp
Over 25 One Happy Camper community partners currently offer some type of Jewish camp scholarship assistance.
Community Partnership Models (continuing from 2011)
Communities are using One Happy Camper as a platform to create a camp portfolio or deepen an existing one. For many communities, it is the first time that significant resources of both talented professionals and funds are being directed to camp. What started as a singular investment (One Happy Camper) for Jewish camp in terms of incentives has grown to encourage local
funders, Jewish federations, and foundations to develop new programs that go beyond financial investments, lending their human resources and talented professionals to the mix. Some examples are: MetroWest, NJ (UJC and The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life) continues to fund a full time Jewish camp recruiter. They continue to implement sophisticated marketing and recruitment strategies stemming from a community-wide market research study. The benefits from their fundraising academy can be seen as regional Jewish camps continue to increase their own fundraising capacities. Montreal (Gen J, an initiative of Federation CJA), thanks to the generosity of the Schwartz and Segal families, now employs a community-sponsored Jewish camp recruiter. This community is also focusing on the economic and long-term institutional viability of individual area camps through strengthening their governance, professional leadership capabilities, revenue-generating enrollment, fundraising strategies, long-term planning processes, and Jewish educational programming.
significantly, the Silber family established a $1 million pool of funds for camping innovation and development. Philadelphia (The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia) values the long-term impact that Jewish overnight camps have on the development of Jewish identity. Demonstrating its significance in the community’s continuity agenda, the federation is partnering with the Foundation for Jewish Camp and the Neubauer Family Foundation to provide incentive grants through the One Happy Camper program, which has helped boost enrollment at camps in the area. The community also provides need-based scholarship support to low and middle-income families who struggle to provide their children with a Jewish camp experience. Finally, the community strives to partner with Philadelphia-based Jewish overnight camps to ensure strong programming and infuse the unique energy of camp into the whole community. In October 2012, Philadelphia conducted a community marketing study to understand how to expand participation at Jewish overnight camp in the area. The findings revealed the complex factors that influence a family’s summertime choice. The results will help guide future policy and marketing strategies for Jewish overnight camps in the Philadelphia area.
Toronto (Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto) in partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Camp has produced significant results since 2007. Top Bunk, the local One Happy Camper initiative, provided over 400 incentives in 2012 alone. J Academy, a new camping experience for Russian-speaking teens, completed its third summer and has had tremendous impact locally. The investment of $3 million in facility improvements at five area camps has begun to show an impact on enrollment and recently, the partnership has led to the establishment of multiple community foundation gifts. Most
2012 Annual Report 23
financial overview
Foundation for Jewish Camp is profoundly grateful to the generous foundations, community organizations, and individuals who supported our work in 2012 and prior years.
The Board of Directors and staff of Foundation for Jewish Camp are proud of and grateful for the regard our funders and supporters have for the programs and services we offer to the field. We strive to be a carefully scaled, high-impact nonprofit organization providing a significant and measurable return on the philanthropic investments of our donors. We hope this annual report makes a compelling case for the work we do, which is designed to drive more children to experience
transformative, Jewish identity-building summers at nonprofit Jewish overnight camp, while enjoying high-caliber programs staffed by dedicated and knowledgeable professionals. The successes FJC has experienced over the past fourteen years are attributable to the generosity of the foundations and individuals named on the following pages. We offer our deepest thanks to all.
2012 Annual Report 25
The Campaign for the Vichness Conference Center Having outgrown its old office space, FJC moved its headquarters in June 2012. The move signaled not only the need for larger, more efficient facilities, but also the Foundation’s ever-expanding role in the world of nonprofit Jewish overnight camp. Just as the campfire—the place where everyone gathers—is the heart of camp, the heart of the new office is the Vichness Conference Center which has been designed to serve FJC and the field with the capacity to host meetings, seminars, webinars, and trainings for up to 60 people at a time. We are proud that this new space bears the name of Samuel E. “Skip” Vichness, former FJC board chair and current chair of the Chairman’s Council. Skip is an extraordinary leader, devoting an abundance of time, energy, and effort to FJC and the field of Jewish camp, camp professionals, and campers. We thank the ROSHEI MACHANEH The Vichness Family Lee and Melissa Weiss ROSHEI EIDAH Alan and Kerry Appelbaum Elisa Spungen Bildner and Robert Bildner Susan and Julie Eisen Jeremy and Gail Fingerman Archie Gottesman and Gary Debode Arnold and Nina Harris Keith Klein Jane and Neil Kuttner Marcia Weiner Mankoff and Doug Mankoff Dan and Jane Och Julie Beren Platt and Marc Platt Jodi J. Schwartz and Steven Richman The Skier Family MADRICHIM Jeffry Ackerman and Andrea Goodman Joseph Appelbaum and Dr. Lindsey Douglas The Dime Bank Howard and Susan Gulker Jim Heeger and Daryl Messinger Mindy and Jay S. Jacobs Dan and Jane Kagan Mike and Michele Kulchin Lisa Messinger and Rabbi Aaron Panken
Campaign Co-Chairs Keith Klein (left) and Henry Skier (right) with Skip Vichness, at the Vichness Conference Center dedication.
50 generous donors representing the FJC Board of Directors and Trustees, former board members, and private camp industry colleagues who donated over $700,000 to the capital campaign for construction of the new offices and Vichness Conference Center which was dedicated in Skip’s honor in January 2013.
David and Allison Miller National Ramah Commission Dr. Michael Och Doug, Forrester, and Greg Pierce James and Sharon Schwarz Jerry and Erica Silverman Mark Transport Union for Reform Judaism Camps CHANICHIM Mark and Lauren Bernstein Mickey Black and Family Billy and Robin Breitner Scott Brody Ab and Phyllis Flatt Steven and Trudy Holt Gerry and Susan Maldoff Rabbi Michael Monson and Fani Magnus Monson Mark and Laura Newfield Andrea and Scott Ralls David and Debbie Solomon Tony and Emily Stein Robyn Tanne Peter and Joan Weidhorn Arnee R. And Walter A. Winshall CHAVERIM Joseph and Robyn Bier Dr. Harvey and Joan Bucholtz Allison and Michael Cohen Jerome and Brenda Deener
We are grateful to the donors of the following special contributions that enhance our new offices: Dr. Alan Davidson, creator of the Mezuzah for the Vichness Conference Center Jack Gold, Sterling Interiors, for goods and services Global Infrastructure Partners, for furnishings and conference center glass *As of December 18, 2012 For information about contributing to the Foundation for Jewish Camp Capital Campaign for its continental headquarters and the Vichness Conference Center, please contact: Fani Magnus Monson, Vice-President, Financial Resource Development at 646-278-4522 or fani@jewishcamp.org
26 Foundation for Jewish Camp
Leonard and Estelle Edelson Rabbis David Ellenson and Jacqueline Koch Ellenson Edward and Leah Frankel Philip and Carol Goldsmith Robert and Bambi Granovsky Donald and Annabel Horward Lois Kohn-Claar and Gary Claar Abby Knopp and Ephraim Slomovic Midge Kolojejchick and Peter Kizis Jay Leipzig and Cindy Chazan Joan and Richard Malizia Arnold and Marilyn Miller Murray and Marion Mohl Aaron and Claire Nierenberg Bruce and Maggie Pritikin Lou and Jill Myers Raizin Edwin S. and Bunny Rubin Andrew and Rachel Scheff Allen and Helen Schwartz Jordan and Fran Shiner Noel and Pauline Siegel Laurie Stone Rabbi Kenneth and Leah Tarlow Roshei Machaneh: $50,000 Roshei Eidah: $25,000 Madrichim: $10,000 Chanichim: $5,000 Chaverim: Gifts under $5,000
PROGRAM AND PROJECT FUNDING We express our deepest appreciation to the following foundations and organizations whose extraordinary support of our programs and initiatives totaled over $11,000,000 in 2012. CAMPER ACQUISITION Building Loan Program (Administered by FJC) The AVI CHAI Foundation Camper Incentive Programs One Happy Camper Anonymous PJ Goes to Camp A One Happy Camper Partner Harold Grinspoon Foundation
Nadiv–Senior Experiential Jewish Educators: Camp-School Partnerships The AVI CHAI Foundation Jim Joseph Foundation Donor-directed Grants to Camps United Jewish Communities of Metrowest New Jersey Gottesman Camp Waterfront Improvement Program
JWest Campership Program Jim Joseph Foundation
Lekhu Lakhem III in collaboration with JCC Association The AVI CHAI Foundation
New Bunk Initiative–Phase II The Marcus Foundation, Inc.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Specialty Camps Incubator (I & II) Jim Joseph Foundation (Incubator I & II) The AVI CHAI Foundation (Incubator II) PROJECT SABABA: Affordability Feasibility Study Anonymous Jim Joseph Foundation Scholarship Programs Anonymous Israel Henry Beren Charitable Trust The Heyman-Merrin Family Foundation Research on Jewish Camp and Special Needs Dr. Allan and Nan Lipton
PROGRAM EXCELLENCE The Cornerstone Fellowship The AVI CHAI Foundation Crown Family Philanthropies
Executive Leadership Institute, Cohort III The Marcus Foundation, Inc. Institutional Strengthening Federation CJA UJA Federation of Greater Toronto Jewish Camp Council of Toronto Turnaround Program The JPB Foundation Yitro Leadership Program, Cohort II The AVI CHAI Foundation
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Russian-Speaking Jewish Outreach Initiative Genesis Philanthropy Group
THE FUNDERS SUMMIT The AVI CHAI Foundation Jim Joseph Foundation The Marcus Foundation, Inc.
Goodman Camping Initiative for Modern Israel History in collaboration with the iCenter The Lillian and Larry Goodman Foundations The AVI CHAI Foundation The Marcus Foundation, Inc.
2012 Annual Report 27
ANNUAL SUPPORT Foundation for Jewish Camp gratefully acknowledges the following donors who made generous contributions for operating support in 2012. Trustee Gifts
Supporting Gifts
Robert M. Beren Foundation Inc. The Bildner Family Foundation The Samuel Bronfman Foundation The Harold Grinspoon Foundation Gottesman Family Foundation Neubauer Family Foundation Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation Stacy Schusterman and Steven Dow
Wilma and Arthur Aeder The Blum-Kovler Foundation Leslie Buckman Manny and Ruthy Cohen Foundation Dana Egert Andrew Eisen Howard and Sara-Ann Erichson Jeff and Mindy Gordon Aaron and Sheila Leibovic Leslie Family Foundation Michael A. and Andrea E. Leven Aaron Lieberman and Carol Spungen The New Kalman Sunshine Fund John and Kayla Niles Morris W. and Nancy Offit Joel and Nancy Roffman Richard D. Rosman and Fran Morris Rosman Barnett Rukin Evan Schlessinger and Dana Goodman Michael Shabsels Stuart and Shera Shalit The Allan A. Stein Family Foundation, Inc. Stuart and Jane Weitzman Jeffrey and Lesley Wolman Zachs Family Foundation Inc. Michael Zaransky Albert B. and Nitza O. Zisook
Visionary Gifts Marc and Julie Beren Platt Samuel (Skip) and Illana Vichness Leadership Gifts Julius and Susan Eisen Michael and Lynn Feinman Jeremy and Gail Fingerman Ab and Phyllis Flatt Archie Gottesman and Gary De Bode Arnold and Nina Harris Jim Heeger and Daryl Messinger Keith Klein Lois Kohn-Claar and Gary Claar Neil and Jane Kuttner Jay P. and Elena Lefkowitz Gerry and Susan Maldoff Marcia Weiner Mankoff and Doug Mankoff Rodger and Candy Popkin Marc E. and Susan M. Sacks Jaynie Schultz and Ron Romaner Jodi Schwartz and Steven Richman Martin and Sondra Schwartz Allan C. and Hinda Silber Mark and Linda Silberman Henry and Eve Skier David and Debbie Solomon Francine Lavin Weaver Peter and Joan Weidhorn Lee and Melissa Weiss Josh and Judy Weston Walter and Arnee Winshall Sustaining Gifts Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation Samuel and Helene Soref Foundation Kenneth and Norma Spungen Charles M. and Sharon Trauring
Community Builders Barry and Mimi Alperin The Becker Foundation Harvey and Jayne Beker Lee and Syd Blatt Robert A. and Louise S. Cohen Bertram J. and Barbara Cohn Irl and Barbara Extein Earl and Linda Ferguson Jonathan D. Fraade Stephen and Laurie Girsky Ken Heyman, Jr. and Mimi Marzell Heyman Aryeh and Sari Klahr Jennifer Krieger Faye and Bunny Meisel Michael Monson and Fani Magnus Monson Lou Raizin and Jill Myers Raizin Rabbi Suzanne and Andy Offit Edward and Florence Paley Foundation Michael Plasker
Ben and Sheila Plotkin Lisa Shimel Alfred and Gilda Slifka James Sokolove Howard Tepper Steven and Barbara Wolf Neal Yudkoff and Judy Post Friends Robert and Amy Arogeti Stuart Benson Rephael Bildner Jason Brzoska DNE Caplan Family Foundation Theodore and Alice Cohn Cara Eisen Stewart and Jennifer Flink Hank and Beverly Frank David and Lisa Genecov Ronald P. and Betsy A. Gold Dr. Stuart and Adrienne Green Family Foundation Phyllis Hammer Eric and Steffi Karp John and Henni Kessler James Klutznick Robert and Nancy Kossowsky Chick and Shelley Paradis Stuart and Debbie Rabner Alan and Suzette Rashkind Rattner Family Club Benjamin Ross Ronald and Marcia Rubin Marty and Denni Siegel David J. and Judy Skolnick Marty and Ellen Sperber Larry and Karla Steinberg Michael Zweig and Michelle Gerson Trustee Gifts: $100,000 and above Visionary Gifts: $25,000–$49,999 Leadership Gifts: $10,000–$24,999 Sustaining Gifts: $2,500–$9,999 Supporting Gifts: $1,000–$2,499 Community Builders: $500–$999 Friends: $250–$499
Thank you to the many donors of gifts below $250 whose names can be found on our website at www.jewishcamp.org. For information about supporting Foundation for Jewish Camp’s annual fund, please contact: Ziva Davidovich, Director, Annual Giving at 646-278-4584 or ziva@jewishcamp.org
28 Foundation for Jewish Camp
trustees and directors Co-Founders and Co-chairs, Board of Trustees Elisa Spungen Bildner Robert Bildner Board of Trustees Robert M. Beren The Bildner Family Samuel Bronfman Foundation The Gottesman Fund Harold Grinspoon Foundation The Neubauer Family Foundation Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation Stacy Schuscterman and Steven Dow Abigail and Leslie Wexner
Board of Directors Lee D. Weiss, Chair, Newton, MA Julius Eisen, Saddle River, NJ Michael Feinman, Newton Square, PA Ab Flatt*, Toronto, Canada Archie Gottesman, Summit, NJ Arnie Harris*, Highland Park, IL Jim Heeger, Palo Alto, CA Keith Klein, Tenafly, NJ Lois Kohn-Claar, Scarsdale, NY Neil Kuttner, Scarsdale, NY Jay P. Lefkowitz, New York, NY Gerry Maldoff, Toronto, Canada Marcia Weiner Mankoff, Los Angeles, CA Julie Beren Platt, Los Angeles, CA
Rodger Popkin, Ft. Lauderdale, FL Marc E. Sacks, Deerfield, IL Jaynie Schultz, Dallas, TX Jodi Schwartz, New York, NY Martin Schwartz, Montreal, Canada Allan C. Silber, Toronto, Canada Mark Silberman, Atlanta, GA Henry Skier, Hawley, PA David Solomon, Agoura Hills, CA Skip Vichness, New York, NY Peter J. Weidhorn, Manalapan, NJ Arnee Winshall*, Weston, MA *completed board term in December 2012
foundation for jewish camp staff Executive Office Jeremy J. Fingerman
Chief Executive Officer
646-278-4505
jeremy@jewishcamp.org
Star Thurston
Executive Assistant to CEO
646-278-4544
star@jewishcamp.org
Finance, Administration, and Events Laurie Stone Director, Finance and Administration
646-278-4514
laurie@jewishcamp.org
Carol Fuoco Samantha Lavine Rachel Meir Jillian Weinstein
646-278-4502 646-278-4511 646-278-4549 646-278-4580
carol@jewishcamp.org samantha@jewishcamp.org rachel@jewishcamp.org jillian@jewishcamp.org
FINANCIAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT Fani Magnus Monson Vice President, Financial Resource Development Ziva Davidovich Director, Annual Giving
646-278-4522 646-278-4584
fani@jewishcamp.org ziva@jewishcamp.org
Marketing and Communications Allison Cohen Director, Marketing and Communications
646-278-4504
allison@jewishcamp.org
Aimee Brookhart
Marketing Manager
646-278-4518
aimee@jewishcamp.org
Alicia Zimbalist
Senior Manager, External Communications
646-278-4546
alicia@jewishcamp.org
Program Abby Knopp
Vice President, Program and Strategy
646-278-4517
abby@jewishcamp.org
Alyia Bettman
Assistant Program Manager
646-278-4521
alyia@jewishcamp.org
Office Manager Events Coordinator Senior Accountant Senior Events Coordinator
Alina Bitel
Program Director, Engagement Initiatives
646-278-4533
alina@jewishcamp.org
Rebecca Leibowitz
Senior Program Manager
646-278-4519
rebeccal@jewishcamp.org
Matthew Sackett
Administrative Assistant
646-278-4570
matthew@jewishcamp.org
Jewish Education Rabbi Avi Orlow
Director, Jewish Education
646-278-4535
avi@jewishcamp.org
New Camp Initiatives Michele Friedman Melissa Levine Scott McGrath
Director, New Camp Initiatives Assistant Program Manager Associate Director, New Camp Initiatives
646-278-4531 646-278-4506 646-278-4503
michele@jewishcamp.org melissa@jewishcamp.org scottm@jewishcamp.org
One Happy Camper/JWest Seth Cohen Rebecca Kahn Valentina Klyachko
Director, One Happy Camper Senior Program Manager Program Assistant
646-278-4552 646-278-4545 646-278-4520
seth@jewishcamp.org rebeccak@jewishcamp.org valentina@jewishcamp.org
Adamah Adventures • Bais Chana Jewish Un-Camp • BBYO International Kallah • Berkshire Hills Emanuel Camps • BIMA at Brandeis University • B’nai B’rith Beber Camp • B’nai B’rith Camp (Oregon) • B’nai Brith Camp (Winnipeg) • B’nai B’rith Perlman Camp • Camp Agudah Midwest • Camp Agudah NY • Camp Agudah Toronto • Camp Airy • Camp Alonim • Camp Avoda • Camp Barney Medintz • Camp Bauercrest • Camp BB-Riback • Camp Be’chol Lashon • Camp Ben Frankel • Camp B’nai Brith of Montreal • Camp B’nai Brith of Ottawa • Camp Bnos Maarava • Camp B’Yachad • Camp Cabri • Camp Chayolei Hamelech Inc. • Camp Chomeish of New England • Camp Daisy and Harry Stein (formerly known as Camp Charles Pearlstein) • Camp Darom • Camp Dina • Camp Dora Golding • Camp Emunah • Camp Gan Israel Bat Mitzvah Experience • Camp Gan Israel Florida • Camp Gan Israel Michigan • Camp Gan Israel Montreal • Camp Gan Israel New York • Camp Gan Israel South Padre Island • Camp Gan Israel Toronto • Camp HASC (Hebrew Academy for Special Children) • Camp Hatikvah • Camp Henry Horner • Camp Hess Kramer • Camp Interlaken JCC • Camp JCA Shalom • Camp JORI • Camp JRF • Camp Judaea • Camp Kadimah • Camp Kaylie • Camp Kinder Ring • Camp Kinderland • Camp Kinneret-Biluim • Camp Laurelwood • Camp Livingston • Camp L’man Achai • Camp Louemma • Camp Louise • Camp Massad (Manitoba) • Camp Massad (Montreal) • Camp Morasha • Camp Moshava (Ennismore) • Camp Moshava (Indian Orchard) • Camp Moshava (Wild Rose) • Camp Mountain Chai • Camp Nageela • Camp Nageela Midwest • Camp Nageela West • Camp Nah-Jee-Wah (New Jersey Y Camps) • Camp NCSY Sports for Boys • Camp Nesher (New Jersey Y Camps) • Camp Northland-B’nai B’rith • Camp Pardas Chanah • Camp Pembroke • Camp Poyntelle-Lewis Village • Camp Ramah Darom • Camp Ramah in California • Camp Ramah in Canada • Camp Ramah in New England • Camp Ramah in the Berkshires • Camp Ramah in the Poconos • Camp Ramah in Wisconsin • Camp Sabra • Camp Seneca Lake • Camp Shalom • Camp Shomria Canada • Camp Shomria US • Camp Shoshanim (New Jersey Y Camps) • Camp Simcha • Camp Solelim • Camp Solomon Schechter • Camp Stone • Camp Tawonga • Camp Tel Noar • Camp Tel Yehudah • Camp Tevya • Camp Wise • Camp Yaldei • Camp Yavneh • Camp Yofi • Camp Young Judaea • Camp Young Judaea Midwest • Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake • Camp Young Judaea Texas • Capital Camps • Cedar Lake Camp (New Jersey Y Camps) • Eden Village Camp • Emma Kaufmann Camp • Gan Israel Ranch Camp • Genesis at Brandeis University • Gindling Hilltop Camp • Golden Slipper Camp • Habonim Dror Camp Galil • Habonim Dror Camp Gesher • Habonim Dror Camp Gilboa • Habonim Dror Camp Miriam • Habonim Dror Camp Moshava • Habonim Dror Camp Na’aleh • Habonim Dror Camp Tavor • Harry Bronfman Y Country Camp • Havurah • Herzl Camp • J Academy • JCC Camp Chi • JCC Maccabi Camp Kingswood • JCC Machaneh Chavayah at Perlstein • JCC Ranch Camp • Jewish Girls Retreat • Maurice B. Shwayder Camp • Moshava Malibu • Passport NYC – 92nd Street Y • Pinemere Camp • Ramah Outdoor Adventure • Round Lake Camp (New Jersey Y Camps) • Sephardic Adventure Camp • Surprise Lake Camp • Tamarack Camps • Teen Age Camp (New Jersey Y Camps) • Temple Akiba Resident Camp • The Zone • URJ 6 Points Sports Academy • URJ Camp Coleman • URJ Camp George • URJ Camp Harlam • URJ Camp Kalsman • URJ Camp Newman • URJ Crane Lake Camp • URJ Joseph Eisner Camp • URJ Greene Family Camp • URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp • URJ Kutz Camp • URJ Myron S. Goldman Union Camp-Institute (GUCI) • URJ Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) • Yachad Camp Programs • Yesh Shabbat • Yeshivas Hakayitz (Chicago) • Yeshivas Kayitz (Pittsburgh)