The 2026 Mitch Perlmeter Leadership Award

Presented at Gesher Family Shabbat on Saturday, July 25th

“No place or event has provided me with more memories, more friends, more character, or more love than Camp Harlam has.”

Mitch Perlmeter never had the chance to be a staff member at Camp Harlam, but his CIT application tells us everything about the kind of counselor he would have been. He believed that Camp Harlam is a place where Jewish joy and Jewish learning could thrive. He believed that Camp Harlam is not only a place for fun and laughter but also a place for connection and growth.

In his honor, we award one Gesher CIT every year with the Mitch Perlmeter Leadership Award to celebrate someone who embodies the qualities Mitch possessed: passion, vision, and belief.

This year’s recipient is Tyler Schwartz!

Matt Hersh (Gesher Supervisor), Jake Weitzman (Gesher Assistant Supervisor), and Ofek Kimhi (Gesher Assistant Supervisor) said of Tyler:

“She carries herself with a kind of happiness and kindness that is contagious. She has a way of making people feel comfortable, supported, and seen…She has shown us that leadership is not just about having the loudest voice in the room. It is about knowing when to step forward, when to listen, and when to ask for support.”

Congratulations to Tyler, who received this award in the presence of her family, her camp community, and several past winners of the Mitch Perlmeter Leadership Award! And a huge thank you for helping to make Camp Harlam magical.

Read the Gesher leadership team’s full speech about Tyler here.