From Michigan to Maple Lake: How Camp George Shaped My Life

For fourteen unforgettable summers, URJ Camp George has been more than a place I go each year; it’s been the heartbeat of my personal growth, my Jewish identity, and my connection to a worldwide community. When I think about who I was as an 8-year-old stepping off the bus from Michigan and who I am now as a unit head, the difference is astonishing in the best way possible.

I started at Camp George as a kid who just wanted to swim, make friends, and stay up too late. I had no idea that those early summers would set the foundation for the person I’d eventually become. Every cabin conversation, every energetic song session, every challenge, and every leadership moment nudged me forward. As I moved from camper to staff member and eventually to unit head, I found my voice, my confidence, and my leadership style. The responsibility of guiding campers, supporting staff, and helping create a safe and joyful community taught me more about empathy, collaboration, and communication than any classroom ever could. Camp didn’t just help me grow up; it grew with me.

Being a Michigander heading to a camp in Canada gave every summer a sense of adventure. It’s not every day you cross an international border just to get to your home-away-from-home! And that distance became symbolic of something deeper.

At Camp George, I’ve met people from across North America, Israel, Europe, and beyond. Each summer brought new perspectives, new traditions, new stories, and new friendships that stretched far outside my own experience. I learned early on that community doesn’t have to come from one place,  it can be built across time zones, accents, and continents.

Camp George is where I’ve discovered my strengths, built some of my closest friendships, and learned how powerful a supportive community can be. It’s where I realized that leadership is about compassion, where being silly is just as important as being responsible, and where I saw firsthand how diverse voices create the strongest bonds.

I may live in Michigan, but part of my heart will always sit by Maple Lake, surrounded by people who have shaped my life in ways I’m endlessly grateful for. And as a unit head, getting the chance to give campers the same sense of belonging and joy that I felt at their age is truly the greatest full-circle moment I could ask for.