SEPTEMBER 7 • 2023 | 41

From Camp 
From Camp 
Tamarack 
Tamarack 

CAMP MAAS IN ORTONVILLE, 
MICHIGAN

LAUREN VIDAK, 
PROGRAM COORDINATOR 

While all of us here at Tamarack Camps 
exhale from a spectacular summer, we 
reflect on the lessons learned and memories 
made over the last eight weeks. As the sun 
shined brightly over camp, the spirit of 
tzedakah thrived in every corner. We are 
incredibly proud of our campers’ dedication 
to positively impacting their community, 
both within and beyond our campgrounds. 
 
CREATIVITY AND COMPASSION 
Under the guidance of the talented Gail 
Kaplan, our bar and bat mitzvah-aged 
campers undertook a journey of creativity 
and compassion. Each Berman and 
Hermelin camper crafted an exquisite glass 
tzedakah box, serving as a meaningful 
keepsake as they approach their mitzvah 
celebrations. These beautiful pieces 
symbolize the value of giving, reminding 
them to continue their acts of generosity 
well beyond their special day. Thank you 
to Lynda and Ron Charfoos and the Max 
M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation for 
helping to make this program possible. 

FARBER FARM: GROWING & GIVING 
At Farber Farm, our campers sowed seeds 
of compassion and shared the bounties of 

their hard work. With great care, they 
have diligently weeded and tended to 
the farm’s vibrant crops, which were 
used in summer cooking programs, and 
the larger harvests were donated to 
Yad Ezra. The staff at the farm worked 
carefully to ensure that campers felt 
the impact that their work has on our 
community. 
 
REVITALIZING OUR SECOND HOME 
 
From Camp Maas to Camp Kennedy and 
Charles N. Agree Outpost Camp, or on 
our Alaska and Western Trips, and the 
Joy and Allan Nachman Teen Leadership 
Trip to Israel, our campers united to 
enhance wherever they called home 
this summer. Through collaborative 
efforts, they dedicated their time and 
energy to cleaning and restoring firepits, 
removing litter during “clean-up club,” 
and brainstormed future enhancements 

to the camp experience for others. These 
initiatives not only strengthened our 
camp community, but also provided a 
welcoming haven for shared experiences 
and heartfelt connections. 
 While we point to these concentrated 
efforts that instill a culture of giving 
amongst our campers, it is also the 
quiet, everyday actions that genuinely 
speak volumes. From offering a snack 
to a friend in need to volunteering to do 
extra cleaning after a meal, our campers’ 
acts of kindness can be seen every day 
and in every way. Their selflessness and 
empathy embody the true essence of 
tzedakah. 
 We extend our heartfelt gratitude to 
our campers, parents and dedicated staff 
members for fostering an environment 
where tzedakah thrives. Together, we 
are building a community rooted in 
compassion and generosity. 

Hermelin campers Grant 
Gershonowicz and 
Avery Shefman with 
their tzedakah boxes.

LEFT: Session 1 Camp Kennedy campers. RIGHT: Tzedakah boxes made by Tamarack Campers 
this summer with the guidance of Gail Kaplan.

Joy and Allan Nachman Teen Leadership Trip to 
Israel participants Noam Barzel, Eric Diskin, Hailey 
Serlin, Danielle Forman, Noam Kadar and Roni 
Schwartz at the Western Wall.

