Each summer Camp Harlam honors our staff members who have worked at camp for a 5 years. Some a take a few years off in between, the years, others come back year after year. THANK YOU to each and everyone of you for time and dedication to Camp Harlam. This year we honor:

Hannah Ableman:
Supportive.
Sarcastic.
Motivated and determined.
Funny.
Laughter.
She goes together with camp like chocolate, graham crackers & marshmallows ❤️
She makes camp a better place.
These are words some of those closest to you at camp used to describe you. You clearly bring so much joy to those around you and throughout your years at camp have made a true impact on the people and this place. One of my earliest memories of you was on stage in the Beit. Not surprising, I’m sure, as you have found yourself on that stage many times – first as a performer, then as a director, and now as a leader helping to mentor staff and nurture the creativity in our campers.
In reflecting on your years at camp, I realized that there are many similarities between theater and camp and found 5 quotes from characters in musicals that I thought would inspire you as you take your bow on 5 years on staff:
Phantom of the Opera: To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.
Wicked: People come into our lives for a reason.
The Lion King: Remember who are you.
Mary Poppins: Anything can happen if you let it.
Legally Blonde: Being true to yourself never goes out of style.

Haley Amdur: With a guitar in her hand, and a song in her heart, Haley Amdur has graced this community with her talents, gifts and musical contributions for the last several years.  But unbeknownst to us, her inherent talent to lead our most senior campers in Chavurah was her best kept secret.  Haley leads this unit every day with confidence, humility, deep compassion and dedication like no other.  She has inspired her staff and campers alike to be the best versions of themselves because she aspires every day to be the best version of herself.  She can simultaneously make you feel like the most important person in the room when you’re talking to her, and be observing and interpreting the dynamics of everything going on around her.  Working tirelessly to provide her campers with the best summer possible, Haley has left no stone unturned, no Staycation unplanned, no Slip and Slide unslipper-ed, no campfire unsung, no prank unmet, no heart unmended.  According to her devoted staff, she hates eating breakfast, swimming and taking off periods.  According to all of us, she has left an indelible mark on this group of Chavurah campers from the summer of 2021, and in the village for a long, long time.

Dana Bederson: Anyone who has sat on Chapel on the Hill as Friday shabbat services conclude and the first notes of Adon Olam begin, knows the power and beauty that Dana Bederson brings to this community as one of our Head Songleaders and Jewish Life Assistant Supervisors. As she belts out those incredible notes, and her voice echos throughout camp, so too does her impact – she has inspired and uplifted all of us with her skill, positivity, and genuine love of Judaism. In her five years as a staff member, and before that as a CIT in the JLife department and camper songleader, Dana has always been clear about her path towards becoming a Jewish leader and a Cantor, and she has worked tirelessly caring for campers, teaching staff, partnering with faculty and Jewish Life advisors, and now leading her department and camp. Combined with her studies at music school, her volleyball playing and commitment to running, her close connections to friends and her sibling, and her curiosity and desire to learn and grow, it’s easy to imagine Dana as someone that will continue to lead and inspire, and I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes in her future. Thank you, Dana, for helping us all to live and love Judaism here at Harlam.

Ashira Boxman: I have known this evening’s five-year sweatshirt recipient since my first summer in 2007, when she was just a little awkward, and yet extremely cool, Arava camper. Since then, I have had the immense pleasure of being her K’far counselor, then K’far supervisor when she was a staff member, and now of watching her do an amazing job as the Staff Engagement Supervisor. Rumor has it that she made me cry when I was her counselor, but it must not have been that impactful, since I kept coming back, and she continued to be one of the most important people in my camp life. As you all have seen this summer, Ashira is a pretty fantastic human. She rarely has anything but a huge smile on her face. She can pretty much make any fashion fad work flawlessly. She is passionate about Israel and LOVES being Jewish! One of Ashira’s greatest qualities though is her ability to build strong relationships with everyone she meets. This has helped her to be so successful in this role. This summer was not easy for anyone, especially without the ability to have typical time off, but she took on this challenge and helped us to all feel relaxed and supported. Seeing her form relationships with our staff community makes me so excited to see her one day lead a congregation with compassion and love. I have been blown away by her this entire summer and I am not surprised, once bit. Shi-Shi – it is my absolute pleasure to present you with your five-year sweatshirt. When you wear this, may you always remember the impact that this place has had on you and the even bigger impact you have made on it. May you return home one day, when summer comes again!

Collin DeWitt:  Growing up takes a lifetime, but there are milestones along the way and ceremonies to help us recognize those passages. These ceremonies mark moments of transition. They help us declare what we once were, and who we no longer are. We are more, different, better.” I find these words by Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin so meaningful as we sit here tonight, together as a community, and particularly as we get to honor and celebrate Collin, a very special individual who has grown tremendously at camp over his 13 years, including 5 of those on staff. And as much as he has grown at camp and learned so many valuable, life lessons, he has helped us grow as well. Collin is a true mensch. He is the definition of a good person – he is kind and compassionate, he acts with integrity, and does so humbly. In fact, like a true mensch Collin is probably almost too modest to want to be complimented in this way.  I think we can all agree that Collin has offered so much to this community. He cares so much about this place and the people in it. He takes his work on the waterfront seriously – ensuring the highest safety standards and investing in the growth and development of his team. When asked to lead color war, he accepted the responsibility enthusiastically and with pride. He values his camp relationships and is a true friend to so many. Collin, mazel tov on 5 years on staff. I am grateful for the opportunity that we had to work together and am excited to see where your journey takes you!

Amy Kagan: It is not an exaggeration to say that this summer would not have been possible without the incredible and tireless work of Amy Kagan, our Associate Director. While often leaders at camp lead from the front, the work that goes on behind the scenes is what truly makes camp possible, and nobody here worked harder to make those things operate smoothly and safely than Amy. Amy started at Harlam as a camper and CIT and then on staff as the first gymnastics specialty counselor to run gymnastics in the actually-new New Beit, and eventually joined Super Staff as our Athletics Supervisor. After a career that included time as the NFTY-GER Advisor and summer Assistant Director at Kutz Camp, we are so grateful and lucky that she returned home to Harlam. While we joke that her first summer as the Associate Director might be the most challenging one she ever experiences, her ability to manage our COVID safety protocols to keep us safe, while also balancing the unique challenges of supervising Food Service, the Health Center, Housekeeping, Operations, Communications and more is astonishing. And, she’s really good at making us fun Harlam gear with her criket. Amy does it all, with quiet strength, and to the very highest standard. She is a true partner, ready to step up to help me and our entire team with any task at any hour, without being asked, and while she always puts others first tonight we celebrate HER. Amy, you helped us come home. Thank you for keeping us safe and making the magic of camp happen.

Sophie Kaplan: This five-year sweatshirt goes to a supervisor who I have had the pleasure of working with for a few years, but who I have seen grown up here throughout my years at camp, the wonderful Galil Unit Head, Sophie Kaplan! Although we are celebrating Sophie’s five years on staff, one year late, she has been at camp for way longer. In honor of these past 6 years on staff, here is a list of six fun things I have learned about Sophie over the years that I believe make her amazing:
She loves hot sauce. She would put it on anything.
Beyonce is her idol
She can REALLY rock a groutfit
She can always be seen whizzing by on her trusty steed, her bike, rocking an awesome pair of biker shorts or a skort, smiling from ear-to-ear
She was once a journalist and now is becoming a teacher – both great opportunities to change the world!
Her camp friends are her world, and she loves them fiercely
On a more serious note, recently, Sophie has joined our Camp Council, which is a group of stakeholders, such as alumni, parents, and grandparents, who help to make Camp Harlam the best it can be. It has been amazing seeing Sophie take on a variety of leadership roles, especially the creation of C.H.A.M.P.S, our new young alumni group, with one of her best camp friends. She takes her role on the council seriously and has been an asset to the group. Sophie has also been a key person on our DEI Task Force, helping to make Harlam the most inclusive and accepting camp we can be. The work she has done with this group will have an impact for years to come. Sophie, Thank you for your weird humor, go-with-the-flow attitude, and your love for camp. Thank you for everything that you have already given and will continue to give to this place! We are so lucky to have had you for these five years!   

Hannah Lafargue: Webster’s dictionary defines the word “supervisor as “one that supervises”. Although this five-year sweatshirt recipient is a supervisor, there is so much more to the definition of Hannah Lafargue. I have had the absolute pleasure of knowing Lafargue, Le’far’gue, Le Frog, Frog, or even Frogitha, for about five years. Together we share a love of Ke$ha, Nicole Byer, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and, most of all, Monopoly Deal. I even had the opportunity to teach her how to eat an almond. And this summer, having the getting to supervise her has been an absolute blast. In my office is a diagram that Lafargue once created during a stressful point in the summer of 2019. In short, it describes the important transition from camper to staff member. One thing it shows is how vital it is to give back to this community so that future campers can have a positive and meaningful experience. Lafargue takes this to heart in everything she does. She has beautiful relationships with her former campers and works to build new ones each summer. She puts others before herself and believes strongly in the mission and vision camp.

Risha Neil: I met Risha for the first time at a Camp Harlam reunion at Dave & Buster’s.  At first, I saw her from the back and thought she was a camper taking a picture of her friends.  Then I heard her yelling over the music for 2 campers to stand together for a photo. I thought to myself, this doesn’t sound like any camper I have heard before!   Fast forward a few years, a few staff yoga sessions, and about 75 miles worth of steps on opening and closing days, and everything in between.   Our kids have grown together here at camp, we have shared a porch, the office, and become friends ourselves.  Risha is a mom away from home for her staff and has given all of your parents a glimpse into what really happens at camp.  From the quiet moments between activities, to the not so quiet moments at Shabbat song sessions, Risha has, in no small way, captured what makes Harlam such a special place in a real tangible way.  Over the past few years Risha and her staff have captured between a quarter and a half million images of what makes Harlam so special, and we are lucky to have her here.  Risha, you are one of the special parts of camp Harlam, and I am more than honored to be able to present you with your very well deserved 5 year sweatshirt!

Cooper Schwartz:
Shigayon…Tell me how to say – Cooper – Chaim Ruven…
Cooper “swinging from the trees” Schwartz.
Cooper “captain o captain” Schwartz.
Cooper “computer coding” Schwartz.
Cooper “eats the most perogies” Schwartz.
Cooper “low ropes are the best ropes” Schwartz.
Cooper “problem solver” Schwartz.
Problem Solver. This might be my favorite way to describe you. Google defines the phrase as “the process of finding solutions to difficult or complex issues.” Cooper, you think outside the box. You look at a situation and figure out how to make it better. Whether it’s how we teach the Hebrew word of the day. Sign our staff in at night. Record camp records. And more. And not only do you strive to make camp better, but you have fun doing it and do it humbly.  As you reflect on your 10 summers at camp, including 5 on staff, I hope you feel proud of what you’ve accomplished, gratitude for the opportunities to learn and grow, and perhaps most importantly, realize the positive impact you’ve had on campers and staff. Cooper, it has been my absolute pleasure to work with you this summer. You bring a can-do attitude to all that you do. You are trustworthy, accountable, thoughtful, and honest. You are a strong and capable leader, smart and insightful. You step up and step in as needed without hesitation. And while you get hundreds of high fives every morning while people chant your name, it’s all the rest of it that really makes you the rock star that you are! I can’t wait to see where your next adventure takes you!