Director's Corner - June 4, 2025
Wildflowers
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worries
You belong somewhere you feel free
You belong somewhere you feel free
As we head into the final stretch before our campers arrive, I’m filled with gratitude and excitement. Over the past week, we’ve been deep in Leadership Week and preparing for Staff Week and it’s been nothing short of inspiring.
Our Leadership Team is made up entirely of returners this year. That’s a big deal. It means we have passionate, experienced people guiding every aspect of camp, from childcare and programming to operations, photography, office, and Jewish Life. They know Beber. They love Beber. And most importantly, they are ready to lead with care, integrity, and heart.
During Leadership Week, we dug into what it means to be responsible for others, covering topics like supervision, communication, boundaries, and role modeling. We’re setting the tone for what it means to be a team that campers and staff can count on. We’re nearly ready for Staff Week: a full, joyful, high-energy welcome for staff arriving from all over the world. We will celebrate the return of our CITs from last summer, now stepping into their first roles as counselors. We will build community, learn the daily schedule, and practice being the best possible team for your kids.
And all of this, the training, the planning, the preparation, is anchored in the simple truth that you made a choice to send your child to camp. Not just any camp, a Jewish camp. A place where they can laugh, learn, grow, and thrive… while being part of something bigger than themselves.
One of our teen leadership campers said it best,
“Every year, the place I can escape to is Beber. I go to camp to have a strong Jewish community. I get to be in a place where everyone gets me, where I never have to second-guess showing my Jewish star necklace. Thank you for that."
I recently came across this quote and it’s been sitting with me ever since:
“In a world where anti-Semitism persists, camp is an essential antidote. It empowers young Jews to face prejudice with confidence, armed with the knowledge that they are part of something bigger than themselves – a proud and enduring Jewish community.”
At Beber, we see that every summer. Campers come home more confident, more connected, and more proud of their Jewish identity. That’s not accidental, it’s part of the legacy we carry. That’s the legacy Sam Beber dreamed of, a place where Jewish youth grow into strong, joyful, values-driven leaders. And that mission is more important than ever.
Another teen shared:
“Beber Camp has changed my life by giving me a community to truly be myself as well as introduce me to the best friends I will have forever. Not knowing many Jewish people at home has made it hard to connect with that piece of my identity, but having this camp as a place in my life has made it so I can have a Jewish community.”
The setting itself makes this all possible. One camper said it beautifully:
“I am most in touch with my Judaism among the trees of Beber Camp. The beautiful Shabbat services always captivate my mind and heart. Speaking of the trees, I am constantly in awe with the nature and scenery of Beber. All in all, this camp is like no other. There is no place I would rather be, and it is truly my home away from home.”
Thank you for making this choice. For choosing Beber. For believing in the magic and meaning of Jewish camp.
The countdown is on, and we can’t wait to welcome your children home to camp.
Congratulations to the following who answered correctly that The Rolling Stones sang “Start Me Up.”
- Galite Shafer
- Andy Whitman
- Loren Rivkin
- Dennis Plankar
- Dennis Smud
- Patty Shalhav
Can you name the artist behind “Wildflowers?” Email your answer to trivia@bebercamp.com, and I’ll give a shoutout in the next post.
Peace, Love, 3BC,
Michael