It is no secret to anyone that Camp George plays a significant role in the life of our family. We met at camp (during the very first summer!), have had the benefit of watching our children grow from infants to real people at camp, and have developed as professionals and educators at camp. Camp is at the heart of who we are – shaping our values, our beliefs and impacting the choices we have made as parents.

Each of us began our camp journey long before Camp George opened. Coming from very different communities in two very different Canadian cities, Jewish camping played a unique role in each of our lives. The truth is, neither of us may have ever had the experience of camp if it wasn’t for the gratitude of others. Growing up in Regina, Saskatchewan, Daniel’s small Jewish community played a significant role in helping Daniel attend camp in Alberta. Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto and the URJ (then UAHC) camp that Karen went to both supported Karen’s family to help her get to camp. As kids we didn’t realize the significance of the generosity of our communities, nor did we know that the experience of going to camp would shape our lives in such a prominent way. As adults we look back and realize the great depth of camp’s positive impact in shaping the course of our whole lives. Our decision to give to camp honours those who impacted us.

Our history of giving began over 16 years ago at our wedding when we made our first donation to camp in honour of our guests. Since then we have continued to support our scholarship and capital campaigns, knowing that both getting kids to camp and building camp’s physical infrastructure is integral to camp’s growth and sustainability.  As we prepare for Ruby to become a Bat Mitzvah next fall, we are proud that she is thinking about how camp might play a role in her own giving. Whether or not camp is what she ultimately lands on, we believe that we have successfully rooted in her the values of giving and of community.

We all have a story that connects us to where we came from and influences us today and in our future. By giving to Camp we hope to help sustain Camp George so that it can be a place of impact where other people’s stories can grow.