welcome to yj gives - young alumni edition!
Just as we did in the fall, this 36-hour giving campaign will support the growth and needs of YJ, and to ensure that we have the resources to remain a beacon of light for our Jewish community.
YJ has been a pillar of the Jewish community since 1939. It has provided generations of Jewish youth with a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment to learn about our heritage, develop lifelong friendships, and build a strong Jewish identity. Our camp is not just a place for fun and recreation; it's a space where we and our children grow to become confident, resilient, and proud members of the Jewish community.
Never in our 85 years has the case for Jewish summer camp, and YJ in particular, been more compelling. We have always believed that Jewish summer camp is a transformative experience for our children and grandchildren. However, the past few months have been a powerful reminder of how important YJ is.
Throughout this campaign, we will share the stories of young YJ alums, why YJ is important to them, and how YJ has helped frame who they are today.
Every donation, no matter the size, will make an impact and be deeply appreciated. To make a gift today, click here.
Meet gabi cortez, daled ‘09
Why do I love YJ?
YJ is family. Of course, literal family sometimes, but also there’s this inherent connection and tie with the YJ community that really feels akin to a familial tie. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been or if I even overlapped with someone during my time at camp, we’re still so interconnected by the fact that we know what it feels like to have been a part of this incredibly unique camp experience. I feel it whenever I see my camp friends or meet a new YJ connection.
I have reconnected with friends from my Daled at different times in my life, always at the time when I’ve needed them most. These people know me to my core, knew me while I was finding out what it meant to be Gabi and that means a whole lot to me. Being lucky enough to have people in my life like that feels like something magical.
Why is Jewish camp important to me?
Although I grew up in the Massachusetts suburbs, I didn’t have many opportunities where I was around many other Jews, unless it was at synagogue. Being Latina with a name like Gabriela Cortez, my Judaism was a bit hidden outside of camp by people’s assumptions and I realized that it would take me a bit to figure out what that really meant to me. I wanted to fully embody both of the rich cultures that I felt lucky to be born into and being at camp gave me the opportunity to fully drop into that as a kid. I could have a space to explore.
Currently, having this strong Jewish community to lean on in times of difficulty is really important to me. It’s where I find my grounding. I truly believe that it is because of my YJ family that I will never worry about feeling isolated in my Judaism. I felt that during my time as a camper and it has continued ever since.
How did my YJ experience help get me to where I am today?
I feel so lucky that, from an early age, I got to learn so much about who I am within an intimate community like YJ. I've found that I always want to be surrounded by people, but always strive to maintain my individuality. It taught me how joyful it feels to find the balance of expressing myself fully while being so interconnected with others.
It started to become clear to me that trying to create similar experiences like YJ for others who might not typically have the opportunity was important to me. Because of this, I started volunteering at Camp Jabberwocky to help create a camp environment that celebrates each individual’s differences as a part of a whole collective camp experience. I realized that this was where I’d like to spend most of my time and ended up transitioning into a full-time directing role.
Knowing what it feels like to first step into the camp atmosphere, I knew so deeply that I wanted to establish a sense of welcoming from the top down, making sure that people felt that they could step out of their comfort zone to become a part of the camp community and know that they’d be embraced every step of the way. That’s what I got at YJ and what I will always strive to recreate.
My favorite meal at YJ was:
Egg salad at picnics, going to dream about that now that this memory is unlocked.
My favorite camp song was:
Jack and Diane! I play it in my pilates classes just to feel a little camp squeeze.
Favorite Maccabiah color:
Red all the way!
meet abi genser, daled ‘15
Why do I love YJ?
There are so many reasons I love YJ. The place itself is absolutely magical. I still reminisce about Friday night services in the Grove, song sessions in the dining hall, free swim in the lake, and talking with my friends in the bunk at night. Having eight weeks without technology allowed me to be present and learn how to make meaningful connections with my friends as well as my counselors. But I think what makes YJ the most special is the culture of buying in and going into every activity with spirit and joy.
Why is Jewish camp important to me?
Jewish camp further enabled me to be proud of my Judaism, create traditions around prayers and celebrations like Shabbat, and find a Jewish community that can be found in so many cities across the globe.
my favorite part of yj?
It is so hard to narrow down to just one thing, but it probably was my evolving love for Baboosic Lake. As a 10-year-old I was petrified of the murky water and slimy seaweed. Then as a staff member, there was nothing I Ioved more than jumping in the water between periods and floating around looking at the beautiful trees and houses that surround the lake.
How did my yj experience help get me to where i am today?
YJ gave me amazing role models to look up to, friends who support me during the happiest and hardest of times, and a deeper connection to Judaism than I otherwise would’ve had.
My favorite meal at yj was:
Something about the grilled cheese with sugar on top!
My favorite camp song was:
The Middle by Jimmy Eat World
Meet jacob kaplan, daled ‘13
Why do I love YJ?
The people. I love Foster Field and Lou Brown Park as much as the next person, but to me, camp is nothing without the people who make it up. I love it when everyone embraces the spirit of “buying in.” The spirit of saying yes, and not shying away because something seems uncool.
Why is jewish camp important to me
I think a big part of growing up Jewish is developing your own, personal relationship with Judaism. As a kid, you tend to default to your parents’ “brand” of it. But for me, Jewish camp was my first opportunity to explore and develop my own connection with Judaism.
And the other thing about camp is that the connection is not purely religious. It’s this unique time and place where you’re surrounded by other Jewish kids and living a Jewish life, but the activities aren’t strictly “Jewish.” And I think that’s important—it’s a reminder that Jewish identity encompasses much more than religious observance. It’s a reminder that you’re part of a community.
My favorite part of YJ?
During my Daled summer, Josh “Peach” Goldstein gave our bunk a lecture on the “Organic Camp Experience.” Which basically refers to those unplanned, unstructured moments at camp that become the most memorable parts of the summer. Everyone has their own “organic camp experiences,” and no two are the same. And that’s why they’re my favorite part of YJ. Unexpected, unique, but so unmistakably camp.
How did my yj experience get me to where i am today?
Literally, I owe my career to YJ. My camp experiences are the main source of my comedy. I’m currently touring a stand-up show all about my camp experience. And later this year I will be filming a movie I wrote, also about my camp experience. But I didn’t choose the subject of camp at random. My YJ experience was so vivid and so personal that I have this bottomless well of experiences to pull from. YJ was the first time in my life that I really felt like a part of something. And, in turn, I have this very emotional connection to it. And I think that’s what makes it such an easy, free-flowing place to write about.
My favorite meal at YJ was:
Either breakfast for dinner or the year mozzarella got added to the salad bar.
My favorite camp song was:
Too hard to choose one: “The Middle,” “Don’t Stop Believing,” “I See You.”
Meet Polly Lejfer, D’12
Why do I love YJ?
I love the lifelong connections that YJ fostered. Spending 7 weeks straight with your best friends every summer was the perfect recipe for lifelong friendship. I still talk to my camp friends every single day, and I genuinely think our group text will be active until our grandchildren are campers at YJ . YJ also helped strengthen my relationship with my siblings and older cousins who went to YJ as well.
Why is Jewish camp important to me?
YJ was an integral part of developing my Jewish identity. Camp made being Jewish feel so fun, and so special. Shabbat services in the grove and Friday night Hebrew song sessions felt magical, and even the long birkat on Shabbat was so spirited and fun. Jewish camp also taught me the importance of Jewish community, which has stuck with me to this day - whether it be in college or even traveling abroad, I have always felt the need to find fellow Jews no matter where I am.
My favorite part of YJ?
My favorite part of YJ was simply the pure, unadulterated fun. No matter what we were doing- evening activities, rainy days, meals, seventh period and even cleaning up the bunk in the mornings- we were always laughing and having the best time.
How did my YJ experience help get me to where I am today?
Leaving home for the whole summer starting at age 8 instilled independence, confidence, and integral social skills in me from such a young age. Learning about Israel every summer and then going on Gadna helped me develop my love and support of Israel which is so important today. Being on staff, I had young campers who confided in me about home and life issues outside of camp. And looking back, I think that helped point me to my career path of being a social worker and therapist for kids.
My favorite meal at YJ was:
Chicken patty picnic & taco picnic
My favorite camp song was:
I want to name 15 songs…but probably Free Fallin’
meet ethan samet, daled ‘08
Why do I love YJ?
YJ encourages the best in its campers and counselors. Campers who succeed tend to be those who are kind and accommodating to their peers, and the most beloved counselors are creative, warm, and caring.
Since leaving camp, I’m amazed at how often I’ll run into former campers, counselors, and friends all over the world–completely randomly. And even after not seeing each other for 10 or 15 years, there’s something deeply memorable about the people you spent those summers with, that you can’t help but remember their face and want to reminisce and catch up.
And of course, I’ll always be grateful to camp for facilitating some of the oldest friendships in my life. It’s hard enough to make new friends as an adult, but making old friends is actually impossible.
Why is Jewish camp important to me?
The practice of maintaining long-distance friendships in childhood enabled me to sustain those relationships as an adult. My camp friends remain among the most important communities in my life, probably because I learned as a kid how to maintain friendships even when you’re apart for 10 months of the year.
Camp is also an increasingly unique break from technology and cell phones. Eliminating excess virtual connectedness for a few weeks fosters an environment for realer human bonds, environments that seem fleetingly rare in 2024. And when a foundation for the environment is a shared identity and culture, the depth of the relationships forged is unparalleled.
my favorite part of yj?
Two locations and one experience. Boys’ Area old growth forest – every time I remembered to look up I was shocked how tall the trees are. Baboosic Lake – nothing is more summery than a super-dive off the dock and into the lake. Finally, the experience I remember the most is the fact that we have “Family Style” tables rather than just sitting with our bunk. I always thought that was super fun. I loved having a “big sister” or a “little bro” or a camp “Mom and Dad” to eat with, different from the bunk I was always around.
How did my YJ experience help get me to where I am today?
At first, I thought from my experiences as a counselor, I wanted to be a teacher (I taught sixth grade science for two years in Springfield, Mass). But really, camp demonstrated to me that I just loved being around people, particularly in times of growth and change. I feel proud to be granted the privilege of trust when folks are feeling vulnerable, whether it’s from homesickness, setting boundaries in bunk rules, or from a new medical diagnosis when I’m talking with patients in a clinic.
My favorite meal at yj was:
Mac and Cheese
My favorite camp song was:
Brown Eyed Girl & Kehila Kedosha