Q & A With Camp JCC Alumnus, Mike Smith

Maggie Schutzler Development Director

For that reason, a candle on the menorah or Hanukkiya is lit for each of the eight nights of the holiday to commemorate the miracle. For that reason, Hanukkah is referred to as The Festival of Lights! It is a custom to light the menorah near a window, where it can be easily seen, and each night, the light from the candles continues to grow, which serves as a

The JCC is excited to announce the creation of a group for alumni of Camp JCC! Our hope is to create a space that allows Camp JCC Alumni to come together and connect, share memories, and help camp continue to flourish for years to come. We are gearing up for a Camp JCC Alumni Reunion in August and hope all Camp JCC alumni will be able to join us for an evening of reconnecting & fun.

Another staple is the dreidel, a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters on each side that stand for the phrase “a great miracle happened there,” with “there” referring to Israel (Fun fact, in Israel the letters are different with “here” replacing “there!”). Traditionally, games of dreidel are played for stashes of Hanukkah gelt, with the winner receiving a pile of chocolate coins.

We asked Camp JCC Alumnus and current JCC Board Member Mike Smith to give us his thoughts on this new group and share some memories:

Q: Why is the idea of a Camp JCC Alumni group exciting to you?

As a former camp director for Camp JCC, I always loved when alumni would choose to send their children to the same camp

Heather Lavin wowed the audience and was able to fully embrace their roles with the help of PBS39 and the Museum and community they spent their summers in. We would talk a lot about our previous experiences of being campers and/or working for camp, what’s changed, what’s new, and then they would typically ask for a tour. This wasn’t a tour to check out the facilities as much as it was to go back in time and relive their experiences as a child or young adult. Camp is a special place where special bonds are created, and I loved hearing the stories they shared. Now that we have an alumni group, we can hear more of those stories and probably have a few laughs along the way!

Q: What were your favorite memories of Camp JCC?

As a child, I was a bit of a troublemaker at camp. (Anyone who grew up with me at camp will probably get a laugh out of me saying that.) My fondest memories as a camper were in my 3rd and 4th grade years. I feel like we spent the entire day in the woods. We

The JCC of the Lehigh Valley will be celebrating Hanukkah with our annual Family Hanukkah Celebration and Community Candle Lighting on Sunday, December 18 from 3pm-5pm. We will be celebrating in style