The Greatest Gifts that Camp Gives Us!

By Harvey Rosenzweig

The Hanukkah Miracle, one night’s oil lasting for eight nights, the splitting of the Red Sea, the creation of the State of Israel three

Harvey has been the camp Social Worker for the past 5 summers. We are so grateful for all that he has given to our community and will give to us in during #Perlman2017!

years after the annihilation of European Jewry….the history of the Jewish people is marked with these astonishing feats. These accomplishments, actual or not, help to define who we are as a people.

I would like to add one more to this list, one that I have had the privilege of witnessing over my five years as the Perlman Camp Social Worker.

I have seen children arrive at camp for the first time, scared, anxious and fearful pleading with staff to be able to talk to their parents to demand that they pick them up. Over a very short time and with the love, sensitivity and caring demonstrated every day by our camp staff, observing their transformation into self-confident, exuberant and of most importance happy individuals.

Trying activities they would have never dreamed of doing, exploring and succeeding in positive peer relationship skills, and learning to rely on adult figures other than their parents.

For me, the ‘holy’ ground of camp is today’s modern miracle.

We may not be saving an entire group people from destruction, but we are working at helping to maximize our campers potential as individuals as they begin to confront the challenges of living in the world of today and tomorrow.