EISNER ALUMNI NEWSLETTER WINTER 2024
A Letter from Paul & Family
Shalom Eisner Community,
As I sit here reflecting back on my third summer as the Director, all I can think about is how proud I am of what we accomplished this summer. The Summer of 2024 will go down as an incredible one for our campers, staff and families. Especially coming off of the challenging year that we all experienced, camp was a needed safe place for our Jewish community to come together.
I want to share with you some of the things that I am most proud of from this past summer:
Connection to Israel: After October 7th, we spent a tremendous amount of time preparing for the summer. Whether it was speaking with our incoming and returning shlichim, brainstorming with our faculty or meeting with directors from across the URJ movement, we knew that this summer would be different. It was so amazing to watch how our community welcomed our 55 Israeli staff and 15 Israeli campers to the Eisner Bubble. It was obvious from speaking with our campers and staff that they left the summer feeling more connected to Israel and our Israeli families.
Alumni Visiting Days: 2024 was the first time since pre-COVID that we welcomed back alumni to camp throughout the summer. We offered six different opportunities for alumni to come and visit, including opportunities during Shabbat and during the week We welcomed over 250 alumni throughout the summer and look forward to welcoming more for the Summer of 2025. Please see pages 20-21 for the dates of our Visiting Days for next summer
Survey Results: At the end of each summer, we invite our families to complete a post-camp survey, the CSI (Camper Satisfaction Index). When we received the results in October, we were blown away from the responses from our families. On page 19 of the newsletter, you can see a snapshot of some of the scores and the impact that camp had on our families. Based on the response, it is not surprising that we are on track to retain over 90% of our campers once again for the Summer of 2025.
Programming: Prior to the summer, we spent a lot of time intentionally planning for the summer, especially around our programming. We changed some of the ways that we did our Evening Programs, including holding a Programming Retreat in January 2024 to bring in veteran staff to help us think about and make changes to our programming model. From the scores on the CSI, it was clear that our campers felt the change and liked the changes we made to the programming around camp.
I could go on and on about the Summer of 2024 and want you to know that the camp that you love and cherish is still making an impact on this generation of Jewish campers and staff. I want to thank our incredible team of full-time and seasonal staff for making Eisner the place that it is today Also a special shout-out to the support that we receive from the EisnerCrane Lake board members, who are always there to help in anyway possible.
Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy 2025!
Letter from Gabby & Family
By: Gabby Spear
The holiday season tends to focus on gifts and reminds me that camp is a gift. A gift to ourselves and a gift to the next generation. And not just the gift of memories, or the gift of finding peace when we are on camp grounds. It's also the gift that helps spark the foundation of our Jewish identity. But this holiday season I want to talk about the gift of connections. And so many connections for generations to come. Camp is about connecting to our spirituality, ourselves and each other.
Connections come in unexpected ways. Last year my camp connections led my family and I to a home cooked meal and a local Watford futbol match - living like a local while visiting London (thanks Paul!). Last Spring and Summer saw a camp friend and her son hanging out with my daughter and I over brunch, baseball and driving lessons (hi Nessa!). And this winter connections come full circle as a friend from camp reached out (someone I hadn't seen in almost 30 years!) to let me know her daughter is at the same college and plays on the same team my daughter will be joining next fall. What a gift of reconnecting with an old friend and providing a future connection for my daughter.
In a world that can feel so divisive, and during the holidays where we can sometimes feel lonely, please remember the immense and joyous connections we have from camp - ones that we may not cultivate every day, but are always there. That's the gift of camp. Maybe I'll end this with a challenge...reach out to someone you haven't talked to in a while. It can be as easy as a "friend request" on Facebook or a "like" on Insta or a "request to connect" on LinkedIn. You never know where life is going to take you but for sure, at some point, you will orbit another Eisnerite - and I for one can't wait!
Happy Holidays!
Gabby, Andy, Emma & Molly
Eisner History
Beit Knesset - Then & Now
In each Alumni newsletter we’ll be featuring a little piece of Eisner history! Do you have old photos, Eisner swag, or other memorabilia that you want to share with our community? Email Nicki at npoliak@urj.org to get featured in the Alumni newsletter!
L’Dor V’Dor
By: Jonathan Krystal
I have never been away from Eisner for very long. In 1998 I completed my Olim year, went to israel in 1999 and returned as a counselor in 2001 and 2002 That last summer, my now-wife and then-girlfriend Julie was quite adult and taking organic chemistry and was baffled that I was going to spend the summer at camp.
In 2023, I arrived at Eisner to drop off my 8 year old son, who would be going to sleep away camp for the first time It was both startling and comforting to see the camp as an adult. Things look different than I remembered them- some because they actually were different, and some because the way things are imprinted in our mind do not always match reality. In 2024, I was able to spend time at Eisner while Julie was being the camp doctor, and was able to see Eisner coming full circle in my life and my family’s life.
My experiences at Eisner were formative, and are part of what has made me the adult I am today. They created independence while learning to work with others. They taught me critical thinking and how to question information, while respecting others views. They helped foster an enjoyment and celebration of Jewish life and a lifelong connection and dedication to Israel. I have returned to Eisner so many times, in so many different capacities, because I feel so fondly for the place that was able to give me so much.
When my son was old enough for sleep away camp, there was not even a discussion about where he would go. Although Julie did not grow up going to sleep away camp, she understood the role it played in my life and was eager for our children to have the same experience. We both found ourselves nervous however at that first drop off, as we said goodbye to Zachary and left him to find his own Eisner magic for 3 weeks.
When we returned for pick up, we eagerly got out of the car and ran towards him- and watched as his face visibly dropped in horror at seeing us. He ran away to hide in the bathroom to avoid leaving. While we were slightly offended, we were both thrilled he had had such a positive experience. This past year, my whole family was able to experience camp, with Zachary in Bonim, our daughter Sasha in K’tanim, and our two youngest daughters staying at camp with us as well. I watched everyone in my family feel the effects of Eisner, not only the joy it brought them, but the growth they were experiencing as people and the memories they were making. I have no doubt that one day they will look back on their Eisner days and see how it impacted them.
The most remarkable thing about having Eisner as part of our lives is that it continues to touch us throughout the year. This past fall, Sasha began to cry one night, missing her Eisner friends and being at camp The next day, at our synagogue for Rosh Hashanah services, we heard a loud screech, at the pitch only 7 year old girls can hit. We saw Sasha running down the hall and embracing a camp friend tightly. This friend did not live nearby but had family in our area and was attending services with them Sasha and her friend were inseparable for the entire day, and Sasha came home rejuvenated, having gotten exactly what she needed. Sometimes when we are in the car or sitting in the kitchen, someone will turn on “Over the Rafters” (which is available on amazon music, amazingly) and we will all belt it out together, each of us thinking fondly of a happy moment at camp
I am grateful for all the ways in which Eisner has touched my life, and continues to be a part of it. The Eisner community can give muchcommunity, identity, connection to our Judaism, a supportive place to grow and thrive- and not just to campers but to entire families, and it turns out that is exactly what all of us need right now.
I Found My Love Because of Eisner
By: Mike Bloom
My name is Mike Bloom, and I attended camp from Bonim 1997 to Olim Counselor in 2007.
After my final summer at camp, I graduated college and moved to Brooklyn, New York in 2009. I was fortunate to have a close group of camp friends living in the city. Despite working multiple jobs and making new friends, my camp friends remained my closest confidants.
Fast-forward through a series of lackluster first dates and fleeting romances.
In 2015, my camp friend Mike Stein mentioned having dinner with another camp person, Andrea Zlotowitz. Andrea Zlotowitz…Hmm I recognized the name, but hadn’t interacted with her much at camp. She was a few years younger and so our paths never crossed directly. I did, however, remember her younger sister who was a camper of mine during my Olim summer in 2007. Intrigued, I asked Stein if he was romantically involved with Andrea, as I felt a bit excluded from this other Eisner social circle. Stein assured me he wasn't, and I expressed interest in joining their next gathering . And so it began.
For months, Andrea and I would narrowly miss each other at various events. She would arrive early, and I would show up late. Each time, Stein would inform Andrea of my impending arrival, only to have her leave by the time I arrived.
Towards the end of September 2015, after some playful banter on Instagram, Andrea and I finally scheduled a date. I invited her to celebrate "Martini Tuesday" (a weekly holiday of my own creation) on October 6th. We met after work and headed downtown to the Tippler Room for martinis. Our shared camp history made our first date feel effortless and comfortable. After two more dates that weekend, it was clear we had a strong connection.
Camp cultivates a unique community, complete with its own songs, traditions, and unforgettable characters. This shared background made it easy for Andrea and me to connect on a deeper level.
Thanks to camp, I met my partner, and we were married on October 6th, exactly three years after our first date. Since then, we have two objectively cute, smart, and funny children, and we continue to maintain close relationships with our camp friends. We hope to give our kids the gift of camp when they’re a bit older, so they can build friendships that last a lifetime and provide that strong foundation for relationships that only camp can deliver.
Because of Eisner
By: Dalia Mansell
This summer, I was in Olim and had a great time seeing a lot of my Olim class at Alumni Day this fall. As the oldest campers, Olimers are given many special responsibilities and opportunities. We live in A-frames, have Bonim buddies, lead Maccabiah and welcome everyone into Shabbat song sessions. My unit approached our Olim summer open to new experiences and friendships. We threw away old grudges and forgot about separating by friend groups. Every night on Olim hill, the whole unit attempted to sit in one big circle. We bonded on trip day in Vermont and throughout the rest of the special events we had over the summer. During Maccabiah, where we were all given specialized jobs to lead camp, we came together to lead our teams of campers. I developed close friendships with the Olimers on my team, some of whom I had barely talked to in previous years. I value the friendships I developed during Olim because some of them were unexpected. Our large group of close friends makes Eisner home, motivating us to return year after year.
Many of us attended Alumni Day in October, excited to reunite with our friends. When we all sat in the Beit Am at the beginning of the day, our Olim class took up most of the room, and we all reminisced about the seven special weeks we had spent together. We visited our old bunks, recounting hilarious memories that we made in them. We saw our Olim handprints hung up outside the Beit Am. And at the end of the day, we all did our favorite Israeli dances together.
Alumni Day was a great way to catch up with people I hadn’t seen in a few months, as finding time to hang out away from camp is difficult with all our busy schedules. Each member of Olim ‘24 is a better person for having spent the summer together and we discovered so many new things about ourselves. We learned friendship, leadership, courage, and openness. I am excited to continue the friendships with my fellow Olimers and will hopefully reunite with them for future summers on staff!
Alumni Corner
By: Sammy Altman
My relationship with Israel started in the Bubble. However, it wasn’t at Limud or Kesher. It wasn’t during Shabbat services or evening t’filah. My relationship started with Liron and Amit. With Sivan, and Eden, and Keren. My relationship with Israel started with people in the Bubble. Hearing the love and admiration they had for their country and their people is what inspired me to go to Israel with NFTY and my Eisner Community in the Summer of 2014.
We spent a total of five weeks with my Olim ‘13 class. We started with a week in Europe, visiting important sites of the Holocaust, and seeing the remnants of the devastations that occurred. It made landing in Israel feel like letting out a deep breath you had been holding for too long. I was surrounded by my lifelong friends, getting to experience the land that our counselors had been speaking of for years. It wasn’t long into our trip that three Israeli boys were kidnapped from the West Bank leading to Israel launching Operation Protective Edge. This completely changed how our trip was able to proceed. Each day was filled with unknown challenges and fear. While many summer camp trips were being sent home early, NFTY in Israel was able to pivot to allow us to really experience all of Israel, even during times of war. This fostered an even deeper connection to Israel and the Israeli people. We even had the opportunity to see the Iron Dome in action One night during Havdalah, we heard the sirens blast While everyone started running to the shelter, a few of us took a moment to pause and look up at the sky. We saw the explosion in the air and kept running. Amongst the chaos, I had never felt safer. I still felt like I was in the Bubble.
So, when my dear friend Kim Katz, who was my bunkmate from 2008 - 2013, asked me if I had done birthright yet, I jumped at the chance to go with her. At our 10-year Olim ‘13 reunion in the summer of 2023, we planned that we would go the following summer, 10 years after our first Israel trip together. A few months later, in the weeks after October 7th, we had to decide if we still felt safe going on this trip. We agreed that we would both apply and decide closer to the trip. As we saw more antisemitism and anti-Zionism around us, it reaffirmed that there would be no better time to go. So, we planned on a July 2024 trip to Israel.
And off we went! We spent the flight reminiscing on good times and old friends. As soon as we landed, we were reminded of the climate we were entering. We were welcomed with posters of the hostages and there was a feeling of nervousness in the air. We were greeted by our amazing guide, Gal, who immediately welcomed us to Israel and thanked us for coming. He acknowledged that it is a scary time full of unknowns. Kim and I exchanged a look -- this wasn’t our first rodeo We reflected on our first trip in 2014 with admiration. We knew that there might be changes in the itinerary but that we would still be able to make new memories, experience a place that we both love, and reconnect with a dear camp friend. We were bringing our little piece of the Bubble to Israel.
It ended up being an incredible 10 days. The participants on our trip ranged from 18 - 26 years old. Everyone was in a different walk of life. There were participants like me, 4 years into my career, and people about to start their first semester of college. Everyone came with their own story and ideology, but we all agreed that Israel is important to us and our Judaism. We were challenged to think about our own Jewish identity and how/if it has changed since October 7th, 2023. At camp, we also come from all different parts of the world and all different walks of life, but we are all there for the same reason. We all care about creating and maintaining the Bubble. We all are invested in helping the next generation maintain their Jewish identity and hopefully strengthen it.
The recurring theme of our trip was listening. Listening to each other and listening to the stories of the Israelis. Everywhere we went, people wanted to share their stories. One of the most meaningful moments on our trip was at Mt. Herzl, the national cemetery where IDF soldiers can be buried alongside other notable Israelis. While we were waiting to go into the section specific for October 7th victims, a group of soldiers approached our group. They happened to be waiting for the funeral of their friend, a lone soldier who had died. They asked us if we would be willing to hear their friend’s story, which of course we were. We also had the pleasure of 8 wonderful IDF soldiers joining us for 5 days. They all shared their experiences and how the war has affected them. Everyone expressed how they wanted it to end. This reminded me of how my relationship initially began with Israel. Hearing different perspectives of my counselors and friends and being truly willing to embrace new people and different cultures. It was an honor to hear their stories and be able to pass them on to others.
Going on Birthright this summer would not have been possible without Eisner. I would never have had the courage to go during a time of war. I definitely wouldn’t have been brave enough to go without Kim, who provided such a sense of comfort to me. I am so grateful to all the amazing mishlachat I’ve gotten to know -- first guiding me as my counselors, then working alongside me as my co-counselors, and eventually getting to lead them on my staff. Although I flew across the ocean, there wasn’t a feeling of unknown. It felt like I was going to visit my friend’s home. My Eisner Bubble expanded across continents.
Highlight’s From Our 2024 Camper Satisfaction Survey
#1 Made New Friendships
#2 Sense of Belonging #3 Increased Independence #4 Deepened Relationships
of families were extremely happy with care, fun & overall experience 92% plan on returning to Eisner for the Summer of 2025 (we are on track to hit these numbers!) highly recommend Eisnerto newfamilies 96% said that Eisner created an atmosphere where their child is proud to be Jewish 98% say that Eisner is an environment that supports their child’s mental, emotional & social well being 95%
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MAY
Friday June 20th from 6 PM - 8 PM
Friday, July 11th from 6 PM - 8 PM
Tuesday, July 22nd 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Monday, August 4th from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Olim ‘15 Reunion:
Friday, August 9th Olim ‘24 Day: Saturday, August 10th
The Chai Society
This year, led by Co-Chairs Liz Gutman Weingast and Julie Glick, Eisner and Crane Lake Camps launched The Chai Society, a leadership giving society for donors who give $1,800+ to our Annual CAMPaign. We are proud to share that we have over 170 alumni, current and former families, faculty, and friends who have joined already! Beyond creating transformational impact for our current and future campers and families, Chai Society donors receive an exclusive invite to join our in-person Donor Appreciation Shabbat!
We are so grateful for our alumni who have joined The Chai Society and are paying the way forward for future campers. Are you interested in learning more about The Chai Society? Check out our new website below and email Chanel Shirazi at Cshirazi@urj.org.
