by Anna Vernick

For me, Camp Harlam is the absolute most beautiful place in the whole world. I couldn’t have loved that place more. The friends I made at Camp Harlam are irreplaceable, and I will love them forever. If I didn’t meet them, my camp experience wouldn’t have been quite as great, even though I’m sure it still would’ve been pretty awesome! I’m so glad I begged my parents to let me go, or else I wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience the most beautiful sight ever, a Camp Harlam Shabbat.

Camp Harlam Shabbats are something I will never forget. Sitting on the benches on the Chapel on the Hill and seeing the whole camp from there was truly amazing. Talking to my best friends before the service started, and hearing the music dance into your ears, and feeling just, so happy, those are the feelings I miss every day I’m not there. I remember everyone in my unit holding hands as we walked up to the Chapel on the Hill, and hearing the music getting louder and louder as you get closer. I remember my first Camp Harlam Shabbat, it poured. We had to have the service inside, but it was still beautiful.

Shabbat of course wasn’t the only thing I absolutely loved at camp, I remember the night I got really homesick, and my bunk all surrounded me to make sure I was okay. I remember pretending that I knew the words to the songs we sang at my first song session. I remember hearing the Birkat Hamazon for the first time, and wondering when it would end. I still find it hard to believe that I know that prayer by heart now. I still remember the smile that I smiled from ear to ear as we pulled up to camp. I remember me and my mom trying to figure out where to go on the first day, and then when we finally found my bunk, all of my counselors coming out to help us unpack.

I have never loved a place as much as I love Camp Harlam. I love the family that I made. I love walking hand in hand up to the Chapel on the Hill. I love color war. I love the stories that I heard about the past years. I love how I was welcomed into the big family. The only thing I would’ve changed is starting to go there a lot earlier in my life. Camp Harlam is a place I will remember for my whole life. And I will also never forget each one the friends I made. They’re really not kidding when they say “it’s where friends become family.”

by Adam Kawut

For the third summer I spent 4 weeks at Camp Harlam.  Between friends becoming family and all the activities that camp provides it is one of the best parts of summer that I have.  As an 11 year old boy, I never would have thought that I would look forward to Friday night and Saturday morning services, but the services at camp are so spiritual.  When our bunk got to lead services I had the chance to stand up in front of hundreds of campers and staff and talk about the meaning of Shabbat with friends.  Friday afternoons are a chance for us to relax and play gaga (Israeli dodgeball), before showering and changing into our Shabbat whites.  Each unit has its campers hold hands and walk to the Chapel on the Hill for services.

One of my favorite activities at camp is a bunk activity that brings us to the giant swing, which is located next to the outdoor wall.  On the swing you are pulled up by your bunk to 50 feet and then let go to swing back and forth.  Another activity that I enjoy is the tower.  The tower is a log climbing tower that you get to climb 50 feet to the top and look out and see all of camp and the mountains beyond.  I enjoy camp very much and hope that I have the chance to go back next summer and get to introduce my little sister to Camp Harlam.

by Maris Kraus

“Dio está mirando siempre, mama. Disfrute tu juventud.” God is al ways watching, mama. Enjoy your youth.
Marta’s bony hands shook in mine, and her slightly transparent skin was cold to the touch. Her eyes were a glassy navy blue, with almost an urgency to them. Her chapped lips revealed crooked, yellowing teeth.

“Sí, Marta. Yo se.” Yes, Marta. I know.

I smiled at her with glossed lips and straight teeth perfected by years of braces. I looked at her with young eyes covered in contacts, my vision near flawless.

“Necesito salir, Marta. A las cuatro. ¿Pero vamos a hablar mañana, sí?” I need to leave, Marta. It’s four o’ clock. But we will talk tomorrow, okay?

She nodded her head, her scraggly gray hair moving up and down.
I leaned over, still holding her hand, and kissed her cheek. She held my hand to her mouth and kissed it, smiling.

“Adios,” we said to each other. With a bounce in my step, I left.

I spent the last three weeks of my time at Urban Mitzvah Corps working at Regency, a Jewish nursing home. Most of our time was unstructured, leaving us free to visit the rooms of the residents, building relationships with them. Marta was one of the many residents with whom I spent my time. I heard her stories; she was forced to give up all her possessions when she left Cuba, her husband died in his twenties, and she is the only living member of her family. “Solita”.

Alone. I used my little knowledge of Spanish to converse with her; I tried to take in her advice and hear her pain. I juxstaposed my youth and privileges to her age and hardships.

My talks with Marta were broken. Some things were lost in translation. At times, her words were laced with confusion. But I tried to soak in as much as possible, and enjoy the time we shared.

Throughout this past summer, I had many conversations with a variety of people. Sometimes I didn’t agree with the opinions of others. But if I have learned anything, I have learned to take what I can out of those talks. I have learned to respect words other than my own; I value the feelings of those around me. And I will try to take the advice given to me.

“Disfruta tu juventud.” Enjoy your youth.

I will try my best, Marta. Muchas gracias.

by Lauren Harris

I had a tough choice to make this summer. As a rising senior, I had a fair amount of options: I could work as a camp counselor, get a job and attempt to earn some cash, maybe start the common app… or I could attend one of the few camps that still allowed me to be a camper, even at the age of 17. For me, the choice was simple. I decided to enroll at the URJ Kutz Camp as part of the Regional Board Leadership track.

I had never attended a URJ camp before. In fact, I’d never even gone to a “real” sleep away camp. I didn’t know if I would know how to share a cabin with 17 other girls, or what it would be like to spend 3 and a half weeks with about 180 other campers. But I went into the summer with an open mind, and came out of the experience with amazing memories.

The biggest part of my summer experience revolved around Regional Board Track. It was my “major,” so I spent a big chunk of my day there with the 25 other participants who had also chosen it as their major. Everyone in the major held a position on Regional Board for their region of NFTY, which gave me a unique networking opportunity, and also connected me to NFTY on a national level. Every NFTY region has a unique way of leading events, fundraising, and writing programs; we all had so much to learn from each other. But we also had a lot to learn about ourselves. Regional Board Track helped me discover who I am as a leader, and helped me fine-tune my goals for this upcoming year on GER’s Regional Board.

While I did spend a lot of time in my rather serious Major, I also had a ton of time to explore the fun side of Kutz! Part of each afternoon was spent in Minors and Electives, which could range from Advanced Tanning to Yoga to Kutz Glee. The choices seemed limitless– Kutz encouraged us all to shape unique experiences for ourselves and really pursue our interests.

The hardest part about Kutz was saying goodbye. By the time the summer came to a close, I had met so many amazing people from all over the world, and I knew it would be hard to figure out a way to see them again. It was also sad to be leaving a community where I felt that I fit in so perfectly; where different points of view worked in harmony, and where I could be completely myself. I hope to return next year as staff and see some of my friends again. But until then, I will hold on as tightly as I can to the friendships I made, lessons I learned, and the amazing memories I created.

My Summer Experience at Urban Mitzvah Corps

Jenna Wyatt

There are moments in our lives that shape us into who we become. At the end of the day, we are who we are, because of what we have experienced and how that has impacted us. At the end of this summer, I can say that I have been impacted and changed as a person, in what I believe is a very good way.

This past summer, I spent my days living in New Brunswick on Rutgers University’s College Avenue Campus with the program Urban Mitzvah Corps. For those who are unaware, Urban Mitzvah Corps is a 6-week program run by the URJ, that focuses on Kehilah and Tikkun Olam. I could never picture myself spending my summer in a different way. Even though, as a community, we had our ups and downs, at the end of the day there is nothing I would have ever wanted to change.

Our program was made up of 38 rising Juniors and Seniors and 4 staff members, so altogether 42 people from seven states equaling one Kehilah Kedoshah. We were truly a family, and the bond you make with others when you live together, work together, and pray together is a much stronger bond than just attending school together. Those who attend Jewish camps may understand this bond as it is similar. For our time there we got the opportunity to choose two of four job sites and work at each job site for the duration of three weeks. I chose to be a counselor at Daisy Recreation center, a day camp for disabled adults and children in East Brunswick, and Camp Play SAFE (Summer Activities for Everyone), a free day camp run by the township of New Brunswick for all resident children between the ages of six and twelve. By working there I really learned about how other people live, their perspectives, patience, and what it is like to be half my age again. I have never worked with such significant individuals, even if some were disabled and others were half my age, I learned a lot from them and they impacted me quite a bit.

Living at Rutgers was amazing, but not the most glamorous living style. At Rutgers I had an awesome roommate and many other awesome floor mates. There were always people around doing things and having fun, which was a lot different than being at home as an only child. Even though we did not have air conditioning in our rooms, which made my dorm room an average of 93 degrees, or a have a dishwasher in the kitchen… I absolutely loved everything about living there. I seriously miss living there, as it became a home for me. I loved having a roommate, waking up in the morning and talking to someone in the bathroom, and just having many of my closest friends around all the time. Since I have been home that is something I truly miss.

We also had a lot of great programs and guest speakers come this summer. Even Rabbi Stanway joined us one day for Torah Study. This summer we also had services for every Shabbat. Everyone made service groups at the beginning of our program and each group wrote and lead services. My group’s service was especially extraordinary, because it doubled as my Bat Mitzvah. I was the only UMC 2011 participant whom never attended Hebrew school or had a Bat Mitzvah, so while at UMC I did celebrate my Bat Mitzvah, only three years late.  We only planned it in a week, but the fact that I did it there makes it something I’ll never forget.

This summer has truly been an experience I will never forget. It has shown me the true meaning of the line, “Live, Learn, Laugh, Love.” I love all 41 individuals I lived with, had the time of my life, learned about myself and the world in general in addition to a bit of Hebrew, and Laughed more times than I can ever count. If anyone ever has the opportunity to attend this program, I suggest they do not miss on what I consider the experience of a lifetime.