The Power of Institutional Memory and Community
On Sunday April 6, 2008, I had an opportunity to return to my Jewish roots in the shadows of the redwood trees of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Close to 800 alumni of URJ Camp Swig descended upon the camp as we participated in a ceremony to say goodbye. After almost 50 years of inspiring Jewish youth on the West Coast, Camp Swig was officially closing its doors. The level of attendance and ruach was a testament to the power of institutional memory and commitment to community. I am a strong advocate for all things camp and would not be who I am today as a Jew and a professional if it was not for my Jewish summer camp experience. The single greatest decision that my parents made concerning my upbringing was to send me to summer camp in Saratoga, CA.
Being raised in Fremont, CA, my Jewish surroundings were limited at best. Outside of my strongly identified and involved immediate and extended family, Judaism for me consisted of a synagogue membership of roughly 150 families and a religious school class of 8 students. By the time I was 9 years old, I was one of nine Jewish students in my entire elementary school. I was intimidated to show my “Jewish colors”. I strongly disliked Pesach because I had to frequently explain why I was eating this funny looking cracker with peanut butter and jam. I was teased, embarrassed, and yearned to be like the others. I began to despise being different and resent my Jewish upbringing.
Everything changed during that summer. The rabbi had convinced my parents that attending Jewish summer camp would be a wonderful experience for me and would allow me to discover who I really was and who I could become. For the first time, I experienced a Jewish world, surrounded with all things Jewish: a daily schedule that ran on Jewish time, a language that was common and did not need to be explained, an appreciation for nature and art and education that provided greater context for my religious school studies. I forged life-long relationships. Shabbat became more than the Friday night blessings, truly powerful education did not need textbooks and desks and chalkboards, and college kids could actually seem old. Camp became my home away from home and where I learned how to become a mensch. These are the things that stick out in my mind as I look back upon the years. This is the power of institutional memory and community that have made me who I am today. The power of these experiences have permeated who I am as a person, and eventually led me to Hebrew Union College where I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Jewish Education in 2001.
I have been lucky enough to have worked at many great institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area including synagogues, residential and day camps, and JCCs. Along the way, I have added my personal touch in helping continue the ongoing legacy of powerful institutional memories and communities at these locales. My expertise in the field of informal Jewish education, specifically in the realm of Jewish camping, has allowed me to inspire many young people to enjoy learning and to feel connected to their Jewish roots. I have been able to give them the gift I received as a nine-year-old boy, of experiencing “connectedness” to Judaism in their day-to-day lives. Coming to Congregation B’nai Tikvah as your new Director of Education, I look forward to helping continue the excellence of the synagogue’s youth and family education programs, while, at the same time, benefit from the strength and knowledge base the community. As someone who has a strong background in the Jewish professional and retail management world, I approach my work with a passion for bettering the lives of all those with whom I come in contact. I know that I will be a great addition to the Congregation B’nai Tikvah team and I look forward to the challenge ahead.
I look forward to meeting all of you in person very soon. Please do not hesitate to take some time this summer to come by the religious school office and introduce yourself to me.