WHAT A DAY! We exceeded our goal and raised over $125,000!

Thank you to our amazing supporters!

Our GFC community came together in a powerful, generous, and deeply meaningful way. This community showed what is possible when we all come together.

Because of you, more children will be able to experience the magic of camp.

This is not just fundraising. It is an investment in belonging, identity, friendship, leadership, and the kind of Jewish community that stays with people throughout their lifetime.

To every donor, every supporter, every person who shared, encouraged, gave, and believed we could accomplish our goal, THANK YOU! You made this happen.

We did it together!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Erin and Marisa Reby

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Growing up I was always a sporty kid, but at camp it felt different. Spending countless hours in the Newlam playing basketball judgement free, allowing me to hone my skills, play against the boys and older campers, and hearing the cheers from the bleachers made the work I was putting in feel more momentous and impactful. GFC also allowed me to try new sports such as fencing, roller-blading, and beach volleyball, which helped me gain new skills (balance, strategy, and footwork) that I could use on the basketball court that I would not have learned anywhere else. Eventually, all of this hard work enabled me to play NCAA basketball at New York University, and accomplish an even greater feat – become the Basketball Specialist at GFC.

I now work as a development manager at an organization called Team IMPACT, which matches kids with serious illnesses and disabilities to college sports teams. This job combines my two biggest passions – sports and working with kids and families. Just this past month, I had the opportunity to plan two field days for over 300 kids, and when I was out of ideas and at a roadblock in the planning process, I quickly turned to old evening programs my counselors planned for me and program outlines I created for my campers. Remembering the immense excitement I felt at camp immediately brought back the joy to my job, and I can’t wait to share the camp magic with a new group of kids and college-athletes learning the importance of giving back to their community.

GFC has transformed me into the leader I am today. The support you receive from counselors, peers, and the environment camp creates allows you to try new things, feed off the encouragement from your friends, and learn how to live and work as a team. This version of camp magic has transformed me into the successful woman I am today. I hope you will consider giving to Greene Family Camp on the upcoming Camp Giving Day (May 7) to create this same camp magic for the next generation at a place where every Jewish kid can grow into the best versions of themselves and continue to make the world a better place.

Shabbat Shalom,
Zoe Makler

Zoe at Team IMPACT Field Day

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When our campers and staff drive through our gates, they step away from school pressures, labels, and routines, into a place where they are known, supported, and free to grow. Days are filled with friendship, challenge, laughter, and traditions that stay with them long after summer ends.

Passover reminds us that freedom is communal. We say “we were slaves” because transformation happens together. At GFC, that lesson is lived daily: in cabins that feel like family, Shabbat moments that ground us, and shared experiences that shape who our campers become.

Camp Day of Giving is coming up on May 7, and we invite our GFC families and alumni to be part of this ongoing journey. Your support helps ensure that future generations of campers can experience the magic of GFC. Whether you give, share our story, or help spread the word, your participation makes a meaningful difference.

As we move from the Passover table toward the summer season, I am grateful for our GFC community that continues to choose connection, growth, and joy. Thank you for being part of the GFC community today and for years to come.

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Erin

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There’s nothing like driving to camp and turning onto Smith Lane. You get butterflies in your stomach and your heart starts to beat a little faster. I spent countless summers at GFC, as a camper, unit head, and education director and I felt it every single time I drove up to the gates! This time I was in the car with my eight year old son, five year old daughter and husband…talk about coming full circle! We were about to spend our weekend at GFC’s Family Camp, and as we made our way down Smith Lane, those exact same feelings came back, as if they had never left.

This was our second time coming to GFC Family Camp, with the hope that our son would get a taste of what camp feels like and would commit to signing up for the summer. I didn’t realize that the weekend would end up being not just for him, but also for me. I got to see camp through the eyes of my kids; filling up their cups over and over with (bug) juice, dancing after every meal, singing along with Loui Dobin during the campfire, and watching them look up at the stars as we walked down the long road from the Chadar Ochel (dining hall) back to our motel room. I got to live these moments with MY kids and it brought me so much joy. They felt comfortable at camp, like it had already become their special place. My son looked at me and said, “Mom, can I live here?”

Not only did we get to spend the weekend as a family, we also got to experience it with my camp friends and their kids. Two other families from my Avodah (staff-in-training) year, and many summers prior, spent the weekend with us. Our kids ran around, together, as if they had spent summer after summer there already. It felt like the camp magic was already in their blood. My daughter looked at me and said, “Mom, I loved today!”

Camp was a place where I always felt like my true self, and coming back it felt just the same. Of course, there are a few new buildings and different names for camper units, but ultimately it still feels special. My son feels it too, I can tell. He’s ready, and while it’s bittersweet that I can’t watch him in action at camp, I know he’s going to have the time of his life. I can’t wait to drive down Smith Lane to drop him off for Bonim A this summer. This time, I don’t think I’ll be the only one with butterflies! See you again in June, GFC!

-Sara Edelman

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This week, we feel the shock and heartbreak of yet more violent acts against the Jewish community. Our hearts are with the Jewish communities in Detroit and around the world who are experiencing devastating acts of antisemitism.  

Strength (gevurah) calls to us not only as the strength embodied by the security personnel and Temple Israel clergy and leadership; it also refers to a quieter strength. It is the courage to choose connection, to live our Jewish values, and to gather together. At GFC, we teach our campers that strength is not only physical might; it is moral courage, spiritual resilience, and the willingness to support others. Strength is standing with our extended Jewish family no matter how many miles separate us. This week, that family includes our friends at Temple Israel of Detroit who are grieving, healing, and rebuilding. 

Our Torah commands us to respond to violence not with despair but with presence. We offer our time, our prayers, our advocacy, and our unshakeable solidarity. We stand with the Temple Israel community and with the entire greater Detroit Jewish community, praying for healing, safety, and strength.  

As we enter Shabbat, may the Source of Strength bring healing to Temple Israel, protection to all who guard and serve our Jewish institutions, and courage to each of us as we continue building a world rooted in justice, compassion, and peace. 

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Erin 

Read URJ’s statement on yesterday’s attack on Temple Israel of Detroit here.  

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My connection to camp started when I was about eleven. That first summer in Bonim wasn’t the easiest for me, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever come back. But two years later I decided to try again, and that summer changed everything. I made friends, felt at home, and finally understood why people loved this place so much. From then on, camp became a constant in my life.

I missed Kibbutz in the summer of 2020 like so many others, but the following year brought something completely new…the very first Chalutzim session. It didn’t replace the experience I had hoped for in Kibbutz, but it was still one of the most memorable summers I’ve had.

Later I joined Avodah, which gave me a whole new appreciation for how camp works behind the scenes. The next year I became a counselor. Working with kids pushed me in ways I didn’t expect, and after that summer I decided to step back and figure out what I wanted to do next. I tried college, worked different jobs, and eventually chose to spend a year in Israel. I took classes, interned in two bakeries, and learned a lot about myself along the way.

While I was in Israel, I talked with Lainey about returning to camp in a different role. She suggested logistics, and it turned out to be exactly where I belonged. When I came back, it felt like stepping into the right place at the right time. I loved the work, the pace, and the feeling of being part of something bigger. I must have been doing something right, because I was invited back for the next summer, and I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Working behind the scenes at camp is fun for me, and I know that my contribution to creating camp magic counts for something.

Camp has shaped me in more ways than I can count. It’s where I’ve grown up, found lifelong friends, and discovered what it feels like to truly belong. There is nowhere I’d rather be.

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My camp journey started when I won a scholarship to spend 4 weeks at GFC as a 10-year-old. (Yes, our sessions were a full 28 days!) Summer after summer I returned as a camper, counselor, and unit educator. Being on the professional team as an assistant camp director inspired me to become a rabbi. Rabbinical school solidified that camp is where I belong and where my rabbinate should be centered.  

I am so fortunate that I get to share the magic of camp with hundreds of campers and staff each summer and connect with our families, alumni, and supporters all year long. Part of this connection includes working with our amazing Camp Committee and Leaders Council (past GFC Camp Committee chairs), a group of staunch GFC supporters who give of their time, talent, and treasure to ensure that every generation feels part of this kehillah kedosha (holy community). 

Two weeks ago, our Camp Committee and Leaders Council spent the weekend in Bruceville, together with our professional team, learning and dreaming. We spent part of the weekend sharing our camp stories. Marisa Reby, GFC’s Development Manager, challenged us to succinctly share why camp is important to us. Each person’s “passion pitch” highlights what is so special about GFC that encourages them to stay connected and involved. 

There were a few themes that arose from these stories: connectedness to the Jewish community, being your authentic self, and the incredible impact of lifelong friendships. 

Greene Family Camp exists because of the people who love it. This year, we’re inviting our entire camp community to share your “why.” When you share why GFC is important to you, you help keep our community strong and connected for generations to come. Every time you share a memory, a moment of growth, or a reason you believe in camp, you strengthen the invisible thread that connects past, present, and future GFC families. 

Maybe your child found their confidence on the ropes course.
Maybe your first summer as a camper turned into a role as a counselor, and then into a lifelong commitment to Jewish camp.
Maybe you’re a donor because someone once invested in your summer and it changed your life. 

These stories are sacred. They remind us that GFC is more than a place. It’s a community built on shared purpose and shared heart. This year, we invite you, our families, alumni, supporters, and friends, to tell us why camp is important to you. 

Tell us the moment camp changed you.
Tell us what brings you back summer after summer.
Tell us the friendships you treasure, the traditions you carry, and the memories that still make you smile. 

When we share our stories, we deepen our community.
When we share our “why,” we inspire others to discover their own.
And when we speak about the importance of camp, we keep camp magic alive for generations to come. 

So go ahead and tell us. What’s your why? We can’t wait to hear your story. Please take a moment to record your 30-45 second portrait video and upload it to this link. As we get closer to Camp Day of Giving, we would love to share these with the community. 

The post The Power of Sharing Why Camp Matters by Rabbi Erin Mason appeared first on URJ Greene Family Camp.

If you were to ask someone from Greene Family Camp Session One if they knew Carmen Bernstein and Margo McAlister, not only would they scream “of course!” but they might mention how those are the girls that are always holding open the PAC (Performing Arts Center) doors for song session or shira. What they might not know is how fast we stack our chairs and sprint out of the Chadar Ochel (dining hall) to hold open said doors as soon as the youngest unit, Bonim, is dismissed to the PAC.

Hi! We’re Carmen and Margo and we’ve been going to camp for 7 and 6 years respectively. At GFC we’ve tried our fair share of activities including but not limited to arts & crafts, ziplining, swimming in the pool and the lake, gardening, and cooking. While we went to preschool together and live in the same town, camp brought us closer than ever before.

Holding open the doors might seem like something random, but it truly means “camp” to us. On Friday nights when all of camp is together, getting to say “hello, welcome, and Shabbat Shalom” to everyone feeding into the PAC for Shira from dinner fills our hearts. This past summer we realized that the small act of kindness in being human doorstops helps us get to know the whole camp and connect with everybody.

Early in the session campers and staff would go by, with maybe a smile or a mumbled “thank you” but it didn’t take long for the whole camp to learn our names. By the end of camp this past summer, we counted over a hundred high fives and heard more “Shabbat Shaloms” than ever before. For us, holding open the doors to one of our favorite summer experiences helped us bring the joy of GFC magic to our whole camp family.

Through this experience we’ve learned to take the first step and help other people find their camp magic. We see this every time the S’ganim teens end up in a mosh pit singing along to Or Zarua happy as can be, or when we get our own mini door holding helpers joining in to help us spread Shabbat cheer.

The camp community makes these moments shine as bright as stars in the sky (stop cringing, you know you love it), no matter how small they are. So this Shabbat try and find one small moment to make a difference to someone else and yourself – the door is always open.

Love always,
Carmen and Margo (Kibbutz ‘26!)

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Last week our professional team met in person for a 2-day retreat to kick off the new year. We came away with ideas and excitement for all aspects of our work, all with a spirit of collaboration, accountability, and through a lens of seeing each individual in our community for who they are.

We are dreaming big! From program innovation, to facility enhancements, to expanded leadership pathways, we’re committed to building on everything that makes GFC a place of belonging, growth, and joy. We can’t wait to share more as the season approaches.

We are thrilled to welcome our newest Camp Committee members: Robyn Burck (Houston), Lauren Lipsky (Plano), and Brandon and Jenny Mark (Houston). Each brings unique talents and perspectives that will help us build the next 50 years for every member of our GFC community.

To all our returning committee members – thank you for your steadfast leadership. To our new members – we cannot wait to partner with you in the sacred work of making GFC the transformative place it is. Our camp committee will come together at a retreat later this month for our Winter Meeting.

Even as we look to this new year with hope and excitement, our hearts are heavy following the recent arson attack at the historic Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi. As a Jewish camp dedicated to creating a safe space that fosters community, friendship, and feeling connected to Am Yisrael (the Jewish people), we stand in solidarity with the Beth Israel community.

DONATE TO REBUILD BETH ISRAEL CONGREGATION HERE

2026 will be a year of growth, joy, resilience, and connection. As we prepare for the months ahead, we do so with immense gratitude and deep love for our community, and unwavering hope for a world where every Jewish space is safe from hate.

Thank you for being part of our Greene Family Camp family. Your support made 2025, our 50th year, incredibly special; we can’t wait for all that this year holds!

Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Erin

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This past summer, I learned the true meaning of “family” at Greene Family Camp. I got to experience Camp not just as a member of the team or the Associate Director, but as a first-time mom. When I packed up my then-four-month-old son, Liam, for a full summer at camp, I was full of nerves and uncertainty, but I also knew we were stepping into something special. What I didn’t know was just how profoundly the GFC community would shape his earliest milestones and surround us with a village of love, care, and support.  

Over ten weeks, I watched Liam grow, not only hitting the typical first year milestones, but also growing in magical ways that could only happen at camp. He learned to crawl on the same floors where generations of campers have taken their first brave steps into our community. He spoke his first word, “mama,” in the Camp Care office, surrounded by our team of mental health professionals and educators. He tasted his first food, melon, during breakfast in the chadar ochel (dining hall). A group of Niviim campers proudly taught him how to high-five, cheering him on with every tiny slap of his palm.  

These weren’t just milestones. They were reminders that at GFC, family is our middle name. Camp is built on the Jewish values of kavod (respect), hineni (presence), and reut (friendship), guiding us to lift one another up, celebrate each other’s joys, and create space for every person, of any age, to belong.  

That’s why I’m especially excited to invite you to our upcoming Family Camp, happening February 27-March 1, 2026. Whether you’re long-time GFCers, brand-new to camp, or somewhere in between, Family Camp is an immersive weekend designed for families of all shapes and sizes. It’s a chance to relax, have fun, and spend meaningful time together while building community, engaging in Jewish rituals, and soaking up the unmistakable magic of camp.  

This year, we’re thrilled to welcome Grammy-winning musician Joanie Leeds, whose music brings joy to kids and adults alike. Her presence will add an extra spark to a weekend already filled with fun and adventure.  

If you’ve ever wondered what makes GFC feel like home, come experience with us. Bring your family, whatever your family looks like, and join our big, beautiful camp family for a weekend you’ll carry with you long after you leave our gates.  

See you soon in Bruceville and Shabbat Shalom, 
Marissa Meador, Associate Director 

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