(Courtesy of Camp Mesorah) “How many days ’til camp starts? I can’t wait to see all my Mesorah friends over Sukkot!” Similar conversations are being heard all over Bergen County this fall.
What makes Mesorah so special? Could it be the amazing sports leagues happening every day on Boys and Girls Campuses with professional athletes as coaches and mentors? The phenomenal night activities campers get to experience every single night? The fantastic specialty activities—culinary, aerobics, art, ropes course, fencing, outback, ceramics, waterfront and boating—that campers participate in every day? The ability campers have to “create their own summers” with workshops? The totally renovated campus—bunks, sports facilities, dining room? The inspiring learning from the Chinuch staff and shiurim from Rav Meir Goldwicht? It’s all this and more!
Mesorah knows that every camper comes to camp looking for something else: for the sports, for the creative arts program, for swim, for off-campus trips, to spend time with camp friends who live all over the country, to make new friends. And Mesorah offers all of this to all their campers! Every day there is an amazing “highlighted” activity—bubble soccer during the day, a concert, BMX bike show or canoe wars for night activity. There are at least three off-campus trips every summer—in years past campers have gone to Dorney Park, Hershey Park, white-water rafting and Skyzone, while the Teen Campers have gone to Boston, Toronto, Florida, California and Colorado. Plus, Mesorah pioneered the idea of “camper workshops”—where every camper gets to pick an activity they want to participate in several times a week. Whether they want to improve their skills, such as in sports, swim or mountain biking, or learn a new activity, it gives them a chance to create their own summer experience.
Besides having an amazing schedule of daily activities and special programing, all Mesorah campers are living in bunks that have been built or fully renovated in the past three years. In addition, over the past few years Mesorah has upgraded the entire campus: Girls Campus has two brand-new softball fields and renovated volleyball, basketball and tennis courts; Boys Campus has a sports pavilion that houses two full basketball courts and two hockey rinks, a ramped-up Challenge ropes course and zip-line, a mountain-biking trail that is made more challenging every year and a brand-new aerobics and spin studio. Plus, a gorgeous brand-new dining room, which is one large room, allowing everyone to see each other and interact while eating. This past summer, Shabbat was incredibly inspiring and filled with ruach, as the dining room was filled with zemirot and birkat hamazon being sung by a room full of campers and staff.
In addition to the beautiful and impressive facilities, a hallmark of Camp Mesorah is the warmth of their Upper Staff and the connections they create with their campers and maintain throughout the year and continue the following summers. From Camp Owner/Director Rabbi Ari Katz of Bergenfield to the Boys & Girls Campus Staff and Specialty Heads, every camper is known to the staff and every camper has a relationship with the Upper Staff. This gives a sense of security to the campers—knowing that if they have a question to ask, an issue they need addressed, they are coming to an adult who they know, not to just a random adult in camp. And because of that connection between the campers and staff, the staff is able to have an amazingly positive impact on the campers—on their personal and religious growth in camp.
At Mesorah, all the Main Campus Head Counselors and Division Heads are parents and educators. They have a wealth of experience and knowledge in how to deal with any situation that might arise in camp. Plus, campers (and their parents!) are comforted by the fact that should they need a “mommy” in camp, each campus has a Camp Mom they can go to for any help needed! Plus, boys going into third through fifth grades have their own Camp Mom to help them have the best camp experience!
There are many New Jerseyans as part of Mesorah’s Administration. Deena Katz of Bergenfield and RYNJ Morah is a camp administrator; Ronit Wenger, who lives in Bergenfield and is a teacher in the RYNJ pre-school, is Girls Head Counselor; and Rabbi Chaim Hagler of Elizabeth, who is also dean of students at Magen David Yeshiva, is the Boys Head Counselor. In addition, Rabbi Avie Schreiber of Bergenfield and Yavneh is chinuch director and Lauren Adler of Teaneck and teacher/coordinator of instructional technology at Moriah is a Girls Campus division head.
Mesorah is very proud that many campers return to camp to be staff members—especially campers who spend a post-high school year in Israel. These young men and women are fantastic role models to all the Mesorah campers, modeling for them how to act amongst their friends, how to play sports with middot and sportsmanship, how to act as a true ben/bat Yisrael, even in the more relaxed environment of camp. And this past summer saw a rejuvenation of the Mesorah Kollel. Over 20 young men, many returning from Shana Bet in Israel, were a part of the kollel, under the direction of Rav Meir Goldwicht. In addition to learning in the kollel, they spent time learning and davening with the campers, enjoyed the many sports facilities, showing the campers how learning Torah can be combined with summer fun and still be “cool.”
Camper comfort and well-being are also very important at Mesorah. To that end, “Coach” Gila Guzman can be found at every meal, helping campers make healthy food choices and working with them to make sure they have something to eat at every meal. Plus, she leads “healthy eating” workshops for campers and staff throughout the summer so they can bring their enthusiasm for healthy eating back home!
Yachad, which has such a large presence in New Jersey, also has a very prominent presence in Mesorah. Led by New Jersey Yachad’s Chani Herrmann, Yachad participants are integrated into the bunks and serve in vocational programs within the kitchen, arts and crafts studios, sports arenas and camp office. Last season, four vocational staff served as Color War generals to the cheering and encouragement of all.
Mesorah is a camp that truly has something for everyone—and where everyone is family! Don’t delay—the Early Bird deadline is October 26 and Divisions will sell out before then! Join us for a parlor meeting at the home of Terri and Yitzi Karasick, 75 Thames Blvd, Bergenfield on October 23 at 8 p.m. To register for Mesorah 2018 or for more information, email [email protected] or call 845-362-7778.
