URJ Eisner Camp to Commemorate 50 Years

Over 1,000 people expected to attend weekend celebration

 

Great Barrington, Mass. – (April 8, 2008) –  For 50 years, The Union for Reform Judaism’s (“URJ”) Eisner Camp has provided meaningful, transformative experiences to more than 20,000 young people who have entered its gates. Beginning, Friday, July 25, 2008, the Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, Mass will celebrate this milestone with a two-day reunion.

 

Throughout the weekend, Eisner alumni and their families will relish in the power of Jewish overnight camping with Shabbat services, song session, Israeli dance, cultural activities and tours and visits down memory lane. The anniversary will culminate Saturday night with a 50th birthday party complete with an authentic camp dinner, a concert and fireworks display.

“Eisner Camp means so much to so many people. The reunion will be an opportunity for alumni to revisit with old friends, relive and revel in their camp memories, take tours of the camp and enjoy a celebratory weekend in the Berkshires,” said Louis Bordman, Eisner’s senior director. “Children and adults from around the world have found their summer home at Eisner for 50 years, and we look forward to celebrating this milestone with them.”

 

“While the camp has seen many physical changes since it first opened in 1958, the atmosphere and the impact it has on today’s youth is the same. Camp remains a beacon and safe haven for its constituents and a safe and nurturing environment for kids to be themselves, try new activities and live in a vibrant Jewish community in which everyone is treated fairly.  Living Jewishly 24/7, is something campers can not ordinarily experience in their home communities.  Camp in affect is a second home where kids are loved and cared for, and it is a bond and memory that lasts a lifetime which is why we anticipate over 1000 people to celebrate with us.”

 

Cantor Steve Weiss of Hanover, Mass is the weekend event chair. The 50th Anniversary committee is spearheaded by Jeffrey Bank of Manhattan; Beth Grossfeld of Kew Gardens, NY; and Doug Weigler of North Hills, NY.  Registration is open to the entire camp community and their families. For event fees and donation opportunities, visit www.eisneralumni.org

 

URJ Eisner Camp has over 20,000 alumni and in conjunction with its sister camp, West Stockbridge’s URJ Crane Lake, serves over 1,800 campers and staff members each summer.  Camp alumni represent 45 states in the United States and 20 countries around the globe.  Over 100 marriages have united couples who met at the camp. Notable Eisner alumni include the immediate past chair, president and vice president of the URJ and dean of Hebrew Union College of New York. Additionally, hundreds of rabbis, cantors, educators, temple presidents and other lay leaders of the Reform Movement are Eisner alumni.

 

About URJ Eisner Camp: The Union for Reform Judaism's Eisner Camp is located in the picturesque town of Great Barrington, in the heart of the beautiful Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. Eisner was established in 1958 on the grounds of an historic estate.  The camp serves Reform congregations from all of New England, New York and parts of New Jersey.

     

Eisner features a full-service camp setting, groomed fields, all land sports, modern bunks interspersed with magnificent historic buildings, two heated swimming pools, a lake for boating and a renowned program of Jewish involvement and identity building are all part of the wonderful experience. In addition, a fully functional medical facility including RNs and a doctor are on site and available 24 hours a day. For additional information, call 201.804.9700 or visit www.URJnecamps.org.

 

 

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PRESS CONTACT:

Lauren B. Kaufman for Eisner Camp

laurenkpr@gmail.com