By Rabbi Adena Blum

This summer is my fourth as a faculty member at URJ Camp Harlam. Harlam is my regional Reform camp. Harlam is the camp I would have attended if I had had the opportunity growing up. Jewish sleep away camp is where our children can eat, sleep, and breathe Judaism for three and a half to seven weeks of the year. Jewish sleep away camp introduces our children to other Jews from all over the world, from the Mid-Atlantic region to Great Britain to Israel. And Jewish sleep away camp enables our children to make lifelong friends and gain independence. I had the honor of serving on staff at Camp Harlam over a decade ago, and now I have the pleasure of working with other rabbis, cantors, and educators for two weeks every summer. I see it as a crucial component of my position as congregational rabbi to go to camp, and this is why:

I go to camp to support the campers and staff of my congregation. In recent summers we have had several first-time campers whose families were comforted by the fact that their children would have a familiar adult presence while away. I have supported my campers who are having a hard time away from home and my staff members who are struggling in their work. And I enjoy sitting with members of my congregation at the community cookouts, which enables me to get to know them better and hear how much they are enjoying camp.

I also go to camp to support all campers and staff. I am attached to a unit of campers, Kineret—going into sixth grade. One of my jobs at camp is to participate in my unit, getting to know their campers and staff and helping as needed. This sometimes means accompanying a camper to the Mirpa’ah (Health Center) when another staff member is unavailable, sitting with a bunk for dinner on half-staff days, or listening to the unit leadership vent about the challenges they are facing. Most people at camp are under the age of 25, so many find it helpful to have a few more experienced grown-ups around to provide advice and assistance.

I go to camp to teach and to learn. This summer I have taught about Israel, tefillah (prayer), wrestling with God, and Torah yoga. This summer I learned about gender, several new and fun tunes for worship, and a kind of friendship bracelet that I have never made before. I was consistently impressed by the intelligence and thoughtfulness of the campers I met, and I cannot wait to see what they have to teach me next summer.

I go to camp to connect with other clergy and congregations in our region. Faculty members work closely with their cohort, learning about each other’s communities and sharing ideas about programs and aspects of Jewish life. With the relationships I have forged, I could visit Baltimore, Delaware, Philadelphia, and other places in our region and be greeted by a friendly and familiar face.

I go to camp to become reJEWvenated. I have always loved camp, and two weeks spent secluded in the Harlam bubble feeds my soul so that I can return to my congregation feeling refreshed, renewed, and ready to get back to congregational life.

Adena Blum is a rabbi at Congregation Beth Chaim in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.