Photos by John Hardwick camp » Beyond Fresh Air Sunshine & Tamarack Museum opens June 19. Vivian Henoch | Special to the Jewish News W hat keeps Tamarack campers coming back, summer after summer, generation after gen- eration? Perhaps there’s something in that fresh air. From its humble origins serving indigent children in its earliest days as the Fresh Air Society, Tamarack Camps has grown into a multi-faceted agency with assets far more reaching than its 1,250 forested acres, spar- kling lake waters and exceptional facilities in Ortonville. As one of the largest and oldest Jewish summer camps in the world today, Tamarack now serves thousands of camp- ers, families and school groups year-round with the mission to build Jewish identity and strengthen a vibrant community. Building on its legacy of caring, Tamarack has been ever responsive to the needs of the time, providing a welcome summer home for immigrant children, sur- vivors of the Holocaust, Israeli children in the crossfires of the Intifada as well as chil- dren with a diverse range of special needs. And, to support services and scholar- ships for families with respect to their abil- ity to pay each summer, Tamarack raises approximately $1 million for financial aid, more than any Jewish camp in the world. 32 June 16 • 2016 “There’s a story here that needs to be told,” says Tamarack Camps CEO Steve Engel. “Spanning five generations, Tamarack Camps has long been considered to be a jewel of our community. The time has come to celebrate our vibrant history in a permanent home, where summer campers along with their families and thousands of alumni and visitors can come and explore our roots and experience our organization’s rich Jewish heritage.” On June 19, Family Fun Day at Camp Maas, the Tamarack legacy will come to life in the Clara and Irvin Charach Tamarack Museum, thanks to the vision and dedica- tion of many volunteers with the support of Natalie and Manny Charach in honor of Manny’s parents, Clara and Irvin. Located within the gateway to the Camp Maas grounds, inside the main building of the Smoklerville Pioneer Village, the museum occupies a rustic storefront space of approximately 700 square feet. At 90, Manny Charach recollects his own experience at a camp for children of immi- grants in Pittsburgh back in 1935. “I’ve always been thankful for my one- week experience at that camp,” he said. “When I learned that Tamarack was look- ing to start a museum for the memories LEFT: The Story Circle, where memories are shared around the campfire. UPPER RIGHT: T-shirts and craftwork, tucked away among the Tamarack treasures dis- played in the bunk area. LOWER RIGHT: Designer and fabricator Joe Hines of Project Arts & Ideas seated in a sunny spot on a vintage bench from the Green Bus. that have been gathered over 114 years, I leaped at that opportunity to help. My wife, Natalie, and I are honored to be a part of this wonderful project.” Sharon Alterman, archivist of the Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives at the time, was enlisted to cata- log Tamarack Camps’ massive collection of photos and documents as well as to part- ner with Tamarack to collect and organize photographs and camp memorabilia from the community in an initiative called the Tamarack Memories Project. “From its inception three years ago, the project took on a life of its own, and I count it among the most fun and gratify- ing professional assignments I’ve ever had,” she says. This effort, led by past president Michael Maddin, then evolved into the larger proj- ect of building the museum, conceived as an integral part of the camping program. “Given the overwhelming response of the community to the Memories Project, we realized we had an even larger story to tell,” Maddin says. “Through the lessons learned and values fostered in camping programs — including the adult-related programs such as the Bubbie Zaydie Family Camp — Tamarack alumni often become the com- munal leaders of their generation as well as better parents and grandparents.” BEYOND THE GREEN BUS “Our vision for the Clara and Irvin Charach Tamarack Museum was that it would be an immersive experience,” Alterman says. “Visitors are invited to share their memo- ries and stories as they view hundreds of photos, posters and camp artifacts on display. The rustic space readily allows for interchangeable components as well as crafts, photos and memorabilia that camp- ers and their families are welcome to con- tribute over time.” The museum comprises three main vignettes depicting iconic elements of camp life. Take a seat for a virtual ride on a Green Bus, then explore the Village area, where bunks in a cabin and tent are so authentically replicated, you might close your eyes and almost hear crickets chirp- ing. Finally, for the “record,” at the heart of the museum, gather ’round the Story Circle at the campfire to share memories of sum- mer nights under the stars. A CREATIVE COLLABORATION The collection of artifacts on display have been gathered in large part through the collaborative effort of a community task force chaired by Jeff Zeman. “Our creative process was collaborative,” explains Joseph Hines, exhibit designer and principal of Project Arts & Ideas. “Our goal was to bring camp alive to many genera- tions, to make each exhibit an active living space. We grabbed sparks of inspiration out of the air — drawing much of the content from items found in storage and in con- versations with campers of all generations, hearing their stories and soaking up infor- mation from their photos.” As the community portal for connecting and reconnecting Tamarack alumni, the Clara and Irvin Charach Tamarack Museum invites campers and visitors to share their camping experiences. A web-based compo- nent of the exhibit is now in development and will be online soon. To contribute pho- tos and items to the Tamarack Memories Project, contact Gabe Neistein at gneistein@ tamarackcamps.com. * Vivian Henoch is editor of Federation’s MyJewishDetroit, where this story first appeared.