BECOMING OLIM

B’tzelem ElohimJewish tradition teaches that we are all created in the Divine Image. This teaches us torecognize God in other human beings and to discover a divine ideal within ourselves.

Gemilut ChasadimBy doing acts of loving kindness, we treat others as we wish to be treated and balance our own need for justice with compassion.

Tikkun OlamWithin our k’hilah, together we take upon ourselves the mitzvah (obligation) to engage in fixing the world and bringing it toward the divine ideal.

Developing Future Jewish LeadersOlim campers are leaders on camp, and much is done to celebrate this aspect of a camper’s career. Our goal is for campers to come out of the Olim experience seeking to create holy communities at camp, in their lives, and in the world.

The Olim experience is a multi-faceted, intentionally-crafted summer where campers are moved from being individuals to working together as a unit contributing to the good of the community. The components of the Olim experience work as one interwoven piece, based on three pillars, with the goal of building a k’hilah k’doshah – a sacred community.

What Does Olim Mean?Olim translates as “to go up” or “to ascend.” It’s also a term of distinction given to someone who immigrates to Israel. At Eisner Camp it is the name given to rising 10th graders in our oldest camper unit. Olim is the pinnacle camper experience. From a child’s first summer in Bonim, when he or she is paired with an Olim buddy, becoming Olim is an eagerly anticipated and highly desired aspiration. Among the 140-plus campers in Olim each summer, the average amount of time each has spent at Eisner is over 6 years. For their entire camp careers, they have looked up to the Olimers who have come before them, and these campers aspire to take their place on the “Hill” as leaders at camp.

Becoming Olim has a high standard. The title isn’t just awarded, it is earned. Campers arrive at Eisner as individuals, and it is by working together as a unit that they are able to ascend and earn the right to be called Olim. They accomplish this goal together through a summer-long experience in personal growth, leadership, and community building.

“Every camper here looks up to the bunks on Olim Hill, literally and figuratively. All of them will look up to you this summer. They will look

to you for the camp traditions and what life looks like here in the “bubble.” They will turn to you when they want to see how to act, and

they will follow your lead in services and in song sessions. The question is, what will you do this summer to be worthy of that respect

– to be worthy of being Olim?” ~

-Spoken to Olim the first night of camp by Louis Bordman, Eisner Camp Director

OpportunityThe physical manifestation central to Olim is the Beit Am. This space becomes the main gathering point for unit meetings and activities. The Olim Beit Am provides a sense of unit pride, as significant memories are created in the confines of this sacred space.This project will replace the previous Olim Beit Am that Camp was ordered to remove by the town building inspector. For the past two summers, Camp has used a temporary event tent as a replacement. Camp plans to build a permanent facility by the summer of 2015. Our goal is to raise $400,000 for the construction and maintenance of a new Olim Beit Am. We need to secure all commitments by March 2015 to meet our deadline.

“Over the summer we have shaped each other and have

“Our Olim year has been one of finding ourselves

and learning not just about leading camp, but about leading our own lives.”

“As we step out of the bubble for our last time as campers, we leave behind our lessons and memories. To future Olim, our advice to you is to cherish your time here. You’re never too cool for anything, and the friendships you make here will last a lifetime.”

“All of these lessons have added up to our Olim summer and even though this is the end of the chapter, it’s not the end of the book.”

Lifelong MemoriesMajor memories are created in Olim, from “chilling on the hill” to bonding with Bonim Buddies to the Montreal trip to leading Maccabiah to writing one another T’shuvah notes in the Olim Beit Am on the last night of the session. Each are significant in their own way, serving as building blocks on the journey to becoming Olim. These memories are permanently etched into campers’ souls and are spoken about for decades by alumni as some of the best times of their lives - inside jokes, catch phrases, tearful exchanges shared among best friends in the final summer as campers become powerful experiences, as evidenced by their readings from Olim’s final service of this summer:

“Over the summer we have shaped each other and have become Olim. We plan to take what we have learned and use our experiences to shape the rest of our lives.”

URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Campsis a recognized 501 (c) (3) corporation. Your contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Become Olim! Join us along with your family and friends as we band together to make this building happen for next summer. Your participation is the missing piece to this puzzle that will solidify Olim for generations. Consider a gift at one of these levels.

The opportunity to name the building is available upon request. Gifts of appreciated stock are welcome. Please contact Corey Cutler for details.

“We grew into Olim together and we achieved the right to lead camp. We earned the right to become Olim. But, just because we became Olim does not mean that our jobs are complete. After all, keeping the hill alive is all about legacy, and leaving a place you care so much about better than you found it. We want nothing more than to pass that passion and love along. We hope we have left our mark.” ~Julia, 2014 Olim camper

Unit Head $ 50,000Assistant Unit Head $ 25,000General $ 10,000 Captain $ 5,000Specialist $ 2,500Judge $ 1,000Bonim Buddy $ 500

URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Camps160 Chubb Ave, Suite 207

Lyndhurst, NJ 07071Tel 201.722.0400

www.Eisner.URJcamps.org/OlimBeitAmccutler@urj.org