From the HBT Archives: Jewish Summer Camps

From the HBT Archives Committee: Jewish Summer Camps

By Susan Mogil

When Pesach is over, the minds of some turn to summer camp.  Even the parents and grandparents of campers recall their summers at sleepover camp with fondness. In the early days of the community, establishing activities for Jewish youth was an important way for Jewish organizations to not only occupy children during the summer months but also to impart specific Jewish values and political principles.

Readers may read more and see photos of Jewish camping movement on the website of the Ontario Jewish Archives. OJA has a vast amount of archival material related to this unique experience. The collection reveals the early days of the community when summer camps were aligned with political movements or branches of Judaism.

As early as the 1930s, private summer camps that catered to the Jewish communities around Ontario were established all over the Muskoka and Kawartha regions. At many of these camps, Jewish traditions such as a Shabbat service, were blended into a largely secular program. Several Jewish summer camps have owners with strong ties to Holy Blossom.

Camps Winnebagoe and Ogama

Camp Winnebagoe was the first Jewish co-educational camp established in Canada. Founded by Joe and Sadie Danson in 1933, it has always been steeped in rich traditions, particularly mindful of its Jewish heritage. The camp had several lakeside locations, but in 1971, Camp Winnegaboe purchased Camp Ogama, originally operated by Jill and Ben Lustig on Fox Lake near Huntsville, and it has been there since. Both Danson and Lustig families are long-time Temple members. Daughter Ilyse Lustig now runs the camp.

Camp Wahanowin

Harold Nashman and his mother, Anne (Bubby Nash), always dreamed of owning a summer camp for Jewish children. They discovered the site on Lake Couchiching near Orillia, and Camp Wahanowin welcomed its first campers in the summer of 1955. Harold’s son Bruce and his wife Patti own and run the camp 80 years on.

Camp White Pine

Joe Kronick founded Camp White Pine in 1956 in Haliburton on Hurricane Lake (also known as Lake Placid). Camp White Pine has a strong tradition as a Jewish camp, with programming, rituals, and community involvement designed to teach campers about their heritage. Joe and Doreen Kronick were active members of Holy Blossom, and Joe was the temple’s Youth Director in the 1950s. Their son Adam and daughter-in-law Dana took over as camp directors in 1987, continuing Joe’s approach to camping.

Camp Kawagama

Elsie and David Palter opened Camp Kawagama in 1945 on Hollow Lakes in Haliburton. They promoted Kawagama as a progressive Jewish camp with special meals on Friday night and services. In later years, it was run by their son David Palter and daughter-in-law Ruth-Ellen Soles.

Camp George is the 1^st and only Canadian camp run by URJ and has a close connection to Holy Blossom. It was founded in 1999 on Maple Lake on a campsite previously owned by Camp Winnebago since 1960. HBT and Temple Sinai brotherhoods were “hands-on” to clear the site. Camp George has many staff and campers who are HBT members. Every summer, the camp is visited by HBT and Leo Baeck clergy & staff. Holy Blossom also supports 4 Camp George scholarships.  Watch here for the introductory Camp George video.

(The Archives Committee receives inquiries regularly. We invite you to contact us about this or other areas of interest at:  [email protected].   We are always interested in learning and sharing more about our remarkable history.  We also encourage you to examine the archival displays in the Schwartz-Reisman Atrium.)