Shana Says

Shana Says: Shining Our Light

This week Jews around the world will celebrate Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. It is a holiday that celebrates religious freedom. The small Jewish Maccabean army was victorious over the much larger Rabbi Shana Nyer – Jewish Educator Syrian army as they fought for the right to remain Jewish. When the battle was over, the Israelites rededicated their temple, which had been desecrated. This is what Chanukah means – to dedicate. Each year as we celebrate our Festival of Lights, we rededicate ourselves to our pride in being Jewish, to our gratitude for our freedom to worship as we choose, to celebrating how far we have come in our work towards justice and equality for all people. We also rededicate ourselves to our commitment to continue the work until everyone has the right to worship in whatever way they choose or to not worship at all, until everyone has the right to love whomever they choose, until everyone is afforded the same rights and opportunities no matter their gender identity, race, nationality, socioeconomic status, or their abilities. Chanukah takes place at the darkest time of the year, when there is the least amount of daylight. We are told that we are to light our menorahs and put them in our windows for all to see. I believe this is not only a symbol that we are proud of our Judaism and unafraid to let everyone know, but it is also a symbol of our commitment to end the darkness with our light. As we share our menorahs in our windows, we join together as a Camp Wise community. A community in summer and throughout the year, rededicated in gratitude and in the commitment to work together towards a brighter future.

Recite or sing these blessings as you light the Hanukkiyah each night during Chanukah: Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b-mitzvotav, v-tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Chanukah. Blessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who makes us holy through Your commandments, and commands us to light the Chanukah lights. Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, she-asah nisim la-avoteinu v-imoteinu ba- yamim ha-heim ba-z’man ha-zeh. Blessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in their days at this season. On the first night of Chanukah add this prayer Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu v-ki’y’manu v-higianu la-z’man ha-zeh. Blessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.

Alumni Spotlight

As Felber said, even after you leave Camp Wise, the Camp Wise Magic never fades. That couldn’t be truer of our dedicated alumni community who keep the Camp Wise Magic burning bright well after their last summers at camp. Our alumni support camp in so many ways. This summer so many of our incredible alumni went above and beyond to ensure that Summer 2021 was filled with the same traditions and memories as the ones that came before. Here are just a few examples of how our alumni stepped up and gave back!

JON HAUSMAN Jon Hausman almost needs no introduction. His journey at Wise began in 1993, and he’s been part of the Camp Wise Magic for 17 years. He remembers every single first-time camper who boarded the bus at the end of the session and told him that they loved camp and were definitely coming back the next summer. Jon says that every time that happened, it just added to his favorite memory of camp. Jon is always willing to lend a helping hand to camp, and this summer was no different. Jon did everything from helping us find rental cars (he currently works in sales for Bedford Nissan) to driving one of the luggage trucks at the beginning of the session to sponsoring a staff appreciation meal. The reason why he gives back? So that the laughter continues forever. DR. STACEY EHRENBERG This summer Dr. Stacey Ehrenberg, a MaternalFetal Medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, looked after camper and staff health and wellbeing both inside and outside the Health Center. Not only was she one of our camp doctors, but she also spearheaded an alumni effort to organize a staff dinner and foam party at the end of the summer. Stacey was a camper from 1987-1993 and was staff from 1993-1994. Her children Anna, Sophia, and Josh now attend camp. She loves giving back to camp because Camp Wise has given her so much and continues to give her children an amazing experience every summer. She says, “I absolutely believe that I would not be who I am today without Camp Wise. Camp Wise gave me the confidence to be who I am, to make life-long friends, to live and get along with people that aren’t my family, to love Judaism and connect with Judaism in my own way, and to gain skills that have truly shaped who I am.”

DR. JON GRISCHKAN While Dr. Jon Grischkan never attended Camp Wise as a camper, he was a staple at the pool from 1994-1998. Jon’s connection to Wise runs deep. His siblings also came to camp, and he met his wife, Jenny Slate Grischkan, “quite literally within five minutes of arriving at CW on [his] first day.” Their children, Noah and Kate, are now Camp Wise campers. Jon is a Pediatric Otolaryngologist (or ENT) living in Bexley, OH. This summer Jon supported camp in a major way as he set up COVID-19 testing site and administered the pre-camp COVID-19 tests for all of our Columbus campers. Jon made some of his closest friends at CW. He fondly remembers wearing swim goggles to protect his eyes from all the smoke while cooking with the other specialists for the weekly village cookouts. One of his favorite memories is walking onto the Ohalim Rec Field before breakfast to watch the fog lift from the overnight cold. L-R: Paul Argent and Jon Hausman Top Row L-R: Amy Saltzman Porter, Stacey Ehrenberg, Jen Gould, and Stephanie Wise Bottom Row L-R: Amy Gross, Lanie Cohen, Abby Bruell, and Stacey Gruhin L-R: Jon Grischkan, Jenny Slate (now wife who he met at Camp), and Jeremy Grischkan (brother)