Back At Camp
Tamarack opens its grounds for Family Fun Day.
Gabe Neistein
Special to the Jewish News
amarack Camps kicked off its 110th summer with its fifth annual Tamarack
Family Fun Day. More than 1,100 campers, parents, family members and
friends gathered at Camp Maas in Ortonville on June 24 for a day of sun and
fun. All camp activity areas were open and staffed by 2012 Camp Maas staff mem-
bers.
"Tamarack is so pleased to host this event for our community," said Steve Engel,
Tamarack executive director. "We look forward to it each year as it gives us an oppor-
tunity to show off our amazing staff and beautiful camp grounds."
Howard, Melissa, Diane and Jonathan Morof of Farmington Hills after their
mezuzah dedication ceremony
Growina Together
he Jewish Senior Life Commun-
ity Garden at Temple Emanu-El
_ _ in Oak Park has been an ongo-
ing garden project for the past three
years, funded by the Jewish Women's
Foundation and JSL, with help from
volunteers and technical support from
Michigan State University Extension
Service-Master Gardener trainees.
Volunteers include adult members of
the community and children from the
Temple Emanu-El religious school as well
as children from the Jewish Community
Center summer camp. This year, more
than 20 JSL residents are participating in
the garden.
Fourteen raised beds hold herbs, flow-
ers and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Volunteers made markers in English,
Hebrew and Russian indicating the
names of the plants.
The garden project starts in the winter
with educational classes for the residents
to help prepare them for spring plant-
ing. Residents also plant seeds early and
store them in the greenhouse for spring
planting. All the plants this year came
from seeds.
Geoff Berdy of Royal Oak, education
director for Temple Emanu-El, said, "It's
going to be a bountiful harvest. The reli-
gious school students, in grades K-6, did
composting. I am really excited for the
New to the event this year were mezuzah dedication ceremonies for families who
participated in the Mezuzah Project, which started last December. The project allows
families to "own a piece of camp" in a meaningful and Jewish way.
Family Fun Day also featured a special 110th anniversary art project led by local
artist Gail Kaplan and tours for new camper families.
"It's such a great day for the whole community," said Amy Brody, who co-chaired
the event with Geoff Kretchmer, Tamarack vice president. "The addition of the mezu-
zah dedications, in particular, really added to such a warm family atmosphere. We are
so lucky to be part of this wonderful community" E
For more pictures from Family Fun Day, see Tamarack Camps on Facebook.
Face-painting is always a popular activity at Family Fun Day.
JSL community garden at Emanu-El unites several groups.
Julie Englander of Bingham Farms, a
Master Gardener and Master Composter,
with the scarecrow made by campers at
the nearby JCC day camp
potential for intergenerational program-
ming.
"There are so many wonderful Jewish
values to learn in caring for the Earth;
you could say that the first lesson in
Bereishit is that God gave us a garden to
take care of"
Proceeds from the harvest will be
split among residents, JSL's food service
provider to be included in meals and Yad
Ezra.
Plans are under way to add a pergola
and outdoor furniture. E
Garden volunteers, clockwise from front left: Teitel resident Beverly Levenson, Carol
Scheuer of West Bloomfield, Shaul Englander of Bingham Farms, Yair and Renee
Nadiv of Huntington Woods, Bill Pioch of Ferndale, Judy Front of Oak Park and Julie
Englander of Bingham Farms.
The community garden is made up of 14
raised beds full of vegetables, herbs and
fruit.
A sign in English, Russian and Hebrew
July 26 • 2012
21