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NOTES, UPDATES & LETTERS 2nd edition

Editor’s note: Many people have thanked me for working on this project. The ‘thanks’ should not come to me, but to Gilda and Yaakov, who helped make our lives what they are today. This collection of memories shows the unbelievable influence they, and camp, had on hundreds and hundreds of people - an influence that has spread to many other people and organizations and communities here in the States and in Eretz Yisrael. Collecting this material has been a labor of love, and a privilege. Thank you to those who wrote; thank you to all those who made Camp Columbia what it was; and, most of all, thank you to Gilda and Yaakov!.

paul jeser

HAMAKOM Y’NACHEM…..

May the Lord comfort the families and friends of those members of the Camp Columbia family who are no longer on this earth

Phil Balsam
Channy Deutch
Jack Duksin
Steven Fastenberg
Phil Gorodetzer
Eve Hindin
Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman
Marty Kellman
Beth Jeser (married name Dashevsky)
Karen Kogan
Michael Laucheimer

ALMA MATER

The sun rising slowly Surveying a tranquil morning… The birds chirping sweetly To herald the golden dawning…

The silence is shaken - Life awakens… To the sound of voices Children in prayer… Giving thanks to the Lord for Columbia Camp and its friendships dear.

Mountains and hills of green Crowned with natures music… Peaceful and serene while A blazing sunset crowns the scene In Columbia - Camp of our dreams…

GILDA: B’LI YADAYIM!

ODE TO THE ‘CHEVRA’ (1965)

How could we forget to recall The most terrific group of all?

Those great guys headed by Oded Lev-ra The hard working Camp Columbia CHEVRA.

About the ‘general’ what can we say? Maybe, like Carl, He’s tired today.

We give to Oded, Nehama, That’s all And to Les, a basketball.

To Amnon Oko, we give Judy But Mendel’s busy, he’s on duty. For Alan ‘freckles’ is the word To Harvey we leave Ruth, and a bird.

Of Moshe Lowenstein, what can be said? And Moshe Fluk, oh well, he’s dead.

Toby Groob Atlas

I've been living in Israel since 1970 with husband John (Shalom). We have three children and one delicious granddaughter. I work as a research administrator at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and am active in choral groups and community theater. My two sisters were also in camp with me in 1961. Rhea is married to Joe Applbaum and lives in Rehovot, Israel. She is a special education kindergarten teacher. Lenore is married to Scott Foster, lives in Riverdale, NY and works for MCI.

Zvi (Hal) Gastwirt

Jerusalem, Israel 93581  wife-Lorraine (Billitzer) Aliyah - 1971 Director of Efrata Teachers College in Jerusalem

I met Yaakov and Gilda in Camp Massad and I was very flattered when they asked me to help run the new camp they were opening. I always knew that they were nice people but now I realized that they were also good judges of character.

Seriously, camp meant a lot to me especially when I was studying at the Hebrew University, and coming back each summer allowed me to plug back in to American society.

Camp was a lot of fun and when I think back to some of the things we did, it’s hard to believe that Yaakov and Gilda let us do them. I drove a bus and a tractor for the first time in my life and thank God did not have any accidents.

I enjoyed staying up to all hours of the night shooting pool and listening to the juke box with Phil Balsam z’l. To this day when I meet Gil Goller I remind him of the Gil Goller memorial race we used to run ever since he almost drowned in color war.

Camp was where I met my wife even though it took us six years until we got married. Columbia was also the first time that I lost money in an investment (although unfortunately not the last time). Columbia was a wonderful blend of an orthodox camp with kids from different backgrounds, with a little Hebrew, a lot of Zionism, wonderful zemirot on Friday nights and a lot of nice people just like the Halperns.

I am very sorry that I cannot get to the reunion to see if the rest of the people look as old as I do.

Paul and Lonny and everyone else who worked on the idea of the reunion deserve a lot of credit. Their efforts and the interest the reunion has generated is a small testimonial to what Camp Columbia meant to all of us.

Hope to see you all in Israel.

Steve Wassner, M.D.

Camp Columbia was my summer home for five years and bracketed my college education. Then came medical school, a pediatric residency in Los Angeles and fellowship and pediatric kidney disease in Los Angeles and San Francisco. It's hard to believe that a big-city boy like me ended up in the small town of Hershey Pennsylvania but that's working for the past 27 year as Professor of Pediatrics, head of the division of Pediatric Nephrology & Hypertension and more recently Vice-Chair for Education.

I met my wife, Enid, a classmate of Patsy and Dana, while in medical school. Enid was originally a physical education teacher but now works in multiple roles at the Harrisburg Jewish community Center. We are proud of our two children, Ari, in his third year of medical school and Nancy in her junior year at college.

We look forward to seeing our old friends and catching up with them.

Steve Wassner, M.D. P.O. Box 850 Hershey PA 17033

Marc Halpern (alias Mayer)

Click here for letter to Camp Columbia Counsleors/Campers and Yaakov Halpern history in Poland

Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08002  Occupation: Ph.D. chemist, entrepreneur Family: Wife - Zehava; son #1 - Oz (born in Jerusalem) biochem major at Univ. of Maryland; Son #2 - Jonathan (born in Midland, MI) high school junior

History: Aliyah: Halpern family moved to Israel in July 1969 (BEFORE Woodstock, men on moon and Mets rise to the pennant).

High School: got left back in 11th grade, ineligible for high school diploma, but after two years of appeals to the Israeli Ministry of Education, I finally got it.

Israeli Army: Hated every minute of my three years in the Israeli air force (10/72 to 10/75) including the Yom Kippur War in which I had the dubious honor of being on the receiving end of the first surprise attack in the Sinai at 2 pm on 10/6/73.

University: rejected by major Israeli universities. Good story: I was eventually accepted when my mother, Gilda, nagged the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for a couple of weeks. You don’t say no to Gilda. Eventually, finished 2nd in my class for my B.Sc. and then Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry. Married an Israeli girl, Zehava, in 1980. Until then life was lousy, since then life is great.

Move to US & career: after 14 years in Israel, moved to the US (Philadelphia) in 1983 with wife and son for a postdoc, then to Midland, Michigan as an entry level chemist. Moved to Cherry Hill, NJ in 1989 for a couple of executive positions. Wrote a few books, started a scientific journal and 5 startup ventures in the area of catalysis (3 of which are still active), helping chemical companies prevent pollution and increase profit at 188 sites (and counting) in the US, Europe, Asia and Africa.

Other: Visited Auschwitz and my father’s childhood house in Krakow with my parents (Yaakov and Gilda) and older son in 2001. Even when we think we don’t have time/money for such luxuries, such events are important to help keep the Jewish heritage going, for those of us who do not live in Israel.

Plans: 7-10 years from now, live 50% in the US and 50% in Israel (probably around Rehovot- Gadera to be near my wife’s 100 closest family members = brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, first cousins).

Mike Geizhals (lightening)

A thought about karma, life, effects and what I did for my summer vacation….

How did Camp Columbia effect me...interesting question...

I was a camp member from Columbia's inception until its closure which means that early childhood for me was either school or Columbia...now I do have parents who obviously helped me along the way and influenced me, but that story is for another place and time...because I was so young I never really thought about how Camp effected me except in hindsight a few interesting mentionables. Throughout high school / college I was active in Jewish Youth movements and causes also as a madrich including in charge of a 6 month program for college students in Israel.

During the Yom Kippur War I dropped out of University to come to Israel as a volunteer. In September 1977 I made aliyah and have been living here ever since. I am an avid secular Zionist rather left wing...living on Kibbutz Shaar Haamkim for 22 years. 24 years ago in August Yaakov was a "witness/signature" to my marriage in Savyon, outside of Tel Aviv.

I have a degree in theatre and amongst other projects...was Cultural director of my kibbutz for three years..worked as producer/director of a community children's play group and we did 5 children musicals...including original music ... and if truth be known have a musical bent for theatre musicals.

Now I am not saying that genectics do not rule the world..my DNA obviously made me do it. but upon learning about the reunion I managed to find an old 1965 yearbook and the memories flooded and I noticed hebrew terms in all sorts of camp names..(except mine)...remembered activities, all that musical input - Boy-Girl sing, Division sing, Color War sing, camp plays..discussions and Judaism snuck through the back door...

Camp Columbia was a special place with special people. Its influence on us is an undisputed fact.

One more reflection: The day I am writing this, in Israel, is between Rememberance Day for the Holocaust and Rememberance Day for Fallen Soldiers/Independance Day. I think of how my parents (my father was from Krakow also) and how Yaakov spent their childhood years in the Holocaust. Maybe it is only natural that people who had their childhoods stolen along with everything else make a summer camp for the next generation.

Michael Friedman

Stamford, CT 06903

Family information: Married 32 years to Lois (teaches English as a second language). Two Children, Daniel (software developer/musician - 28) and Sarah (songwriter, vocalist, pianist performs under the stage name Sarah Fimm - 23)

Education: Graduated Brooklyn College with Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts 1970 MBA University of Connecticut 1977 Doctoral Candidate Pace University ABD (I may never get to finish my dissertation)

Work: Taught photography for one year in Deer Park High School.

Worked for Hilti Fastening Systems for 10+ years holding positions from Sales Representative to Vice President of Marketing and Chief Operating Officer of their Pneumatic Fastening Systems Division.

Last 20 years working for Purdue Pharma L.P. I am currently President and Chief Operating Officer of this privately held research based pharmaceutical company.

Other: Chairman of the Board of SACIA, the business council off southwestern Connecticut. Member of the Board of Trustees of the Bicultural Day School. If you want to know more, ask my mom. She has all the details.

Dear Yaakov and Gilda,

I have very clear and very fond memories of my Camp Columbia experiences as a Noar boy teaching arts and crafts for Norman Ochs. I was a somewhat rebellious teenager who resisted the rigor of Orthodox Judaism and I found the understanding and tolerant environment of Camp Columbia to be like a breath of fresh air. More important, it provided me with a brand of Judaism that I could live with.

I was a shy teen when I arrived at Columbia. It was not initially easy for me to make friends, but I remember the kindness of Sonny Lichtenstein who made sure I was part of the bunk and camp activities. This was an important socialization experience for me.

I also came somewhat out of my shell as a result of my experience being around and participating in a minor way in the productions of the Columbia Players. I developed an affinity and appreciation for musicals and stage production that has stayed with me to this day. My two children are musicians and this must be connected to Camp Columbia in some way.

Finally, I made many friends and remember only the great feeling of freedom and warmth of the Camp Columbia experience. Simply walking from the boys campus to the canteen or hanging out at the swimming pool on a sunny day were some of the simple pleasures that I clearly remember. As you can see, it was so good that it is not something I can easily describe.

Fern Amper

Teaneck, N.J. Married to Eli Schaap for 25 years. He is Associate Director of CAJE. I am Early Childhood Director of Bnai Yeshurun Nursery School in Teaneck. Two daugrhers - Yona (21) graduating Stern College and attending Columbia University for Masters in occupational therapy. Nomi (19) learning this year in Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter at Midreshet HaRova and attending Touro College in the fall.

Sue Samelson

I married in 1972 and promptly moved to Berkeley, CA. to do my post-graduate work in Slavic linguistics. While there we had twin daughters Lara and Jenny and in 1976 moved back to NY and a year later to Great Neck. We've been in great neck for 27 years and i teach in our local yeshiva. My girls are married to two Brooklyn boys and we have five grandchildren between them. I'm so looking forward to the reunion. Great Neck -

Paul Jeser

Ø Attended camp from the summer after becoming a Bar Mitzvah (1959) until the week before I got married in August, 1967 (to Faye who did drama for the younger kids for a few years).

Ø Faye - the most important person in my life, and certainly the better half - is an accomplished musician (piano and voice) who has spent her life performing and teaching Judaic and secular music and performance arts in Hebrew Day Schools where ever we lived.

Ø We have 3 sons: Marc (Emergency Room Physician living in Las Vegas with wife, 3 kids, 2 cats and a dog); Dave (most recently the Executive Producer of CRANK YANKERS); and Michael (who, the Friday before the reunion will receive a Masters in Social Work from USC and the day after the reunion will receive a Masters in Jewish Communal Service from HUC - and has been appointed Director of Outreach and Development for the JCC at Milken in LA).

Ø Spent 3 ½ years in the US Army (1969-72) in Germany (where oldest was born) and Vietnam (where I received a Bronze Star for being shot at - Faye claims by friendly forces!).

Ø Many s’machot in our lives (thank G-d!), however, there was one very tough loss: My sister, Beth (z’l), who attended Camp from 1959 (age 5) until 1968, died as a result of Breast Cancer, June 1994, at the age of 40, leaving three young children (she was the same age, died of the same disease, and left three kids - the same ages/sex - as our mother who died right after camp, 1962).

Ø Have worked in the Jewish Communal Service field since finishing my Army service with positions in Lewiston, Maine (where I was the JCC & Federation Exec., and the two youngest sons were born), Orlando FL (Fed. Exec.), NY (Exec. Of CLAL, senior campaign positions with JNF, Hebrew University and the America-Israel Friendship League), and now, living in LA (moved here to punish the three kids who moved west), I am raising funds for the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.

LA, CA 90064

Dear Yaakov and Gilda,

I have said to you personally throughout the years what I will write in this short note, but this way it becomes ‘official’!

For many years you were my parents. During my formative years you also were my teachers and role models. You gave me opportunities and experiences that went way beyond any reasonable expectation. You were always there for me and very much a part of every aspect of my life.

What you provided me, personally, and through Camp, made me the person that I am - much more so than any other person, time or experience. For that I am and always will be grateful and in debt.

I am pleased that, with Lonny and Doni, I have been part of the process that will lead to the Camp reunion, and more importantly, to the recognition that you so well deserve from many many people. This has been a decade old desire and I am privileged to see it become a reality!

ODE TO A BLUE BOMB (65 yrbk about P.Jeser’s 57 Chevy which died in camp)

Where are your eyes that flashed so bright And tickled us pink with their blinding light?

Your charm and grace, your wonderful poise, Your almost unbearable traveling noise.

Your comfortable seats, your deadly power, Your maximum speed - thirty miles an hour.

Your looks that brought us so much luck, Your engine that constantly got us stuck.

Each counselor remembers, each camper too, How you stood there piously, like a Jew.

Oh, why did you leave us and go so far? Come back, we love you, Paul Jeser’s car!

Randy Seidman Freeman

Upper Montclair, New Jersey 07043

It’s been so many years since Camp Columbia. But, I must say that the memories of camp are some of the nicest memories of my childhood. I was there for 6 summers and then worked at another camp for the 7th summer, the summer before I went to college. I went to the University of Bridgeport and received my BS in Nursing. I met my husband Ken at the end of my junior year. He was attending Yale. He and I were introduced to each other by a friend of his who happened to be Carlo Ponte’s son and Sophia Loren’s stepson. (That’s for real!) Anyway, we were married at the end of our senior year and have been married for the past 32 almost 33 years.

Ken and I have lived all over the place, from Arlington, MA, to Cincinnati, Ohio, to Kansas City, Missouri, to New Jersey, to Connecticut and now we’re back in New Jersey, in a town called Upper Montclair which is about 12 miles outside of NYC. We have two sons and recently became grandparents. Our older son, Jonathan has been married 5 years and his wife Andrea had a daughter 4 weeks ago. Our younger son Brett is engaged to be married to Lauren Shimmerlik and will be moving to Chicago this summer to begin graduate school. He’s interested in studying the development of the relationship between the United Nations and Israel over time. (If anybody can share any information with him that would be useful, let me know.)

I’ve been enormously lucky in so many ways. Ken and I have been best friends, as well as spouses and I couldn’t ask for more from my life partner except for him to work fewer hours (but I’ve been told to be careful for what you wish).

I’ve also had an interesting career. I started out working in nursing. While the children were growing up I got a masters degree in nursing and then went back for a masters in social work. I have been a part of a psychotherapy practice for the past 13 years and have been an adjunct faculty member at Montclair State University for the past two years. I’m especially enjoying my psychotherapy practice and work with a wonderful group of people.

Well, that’s it. I’m looking forward to the reunion and seeing people from my past which is always kind of strange because none of us will look the same. What do you say to people that you haven’t seen in over 35 years? Yikes!!

David Schottenfeld

Cooper City Florida 33026, Married to Ann 1971,{introduced by Esther Frieden} son Jason age 26, daughter Dara age 23 {struggling actress living in NY]. University of Florida School of Law 1973. Most embarrassing fact - my accountant was in Columbia Players, and is not attending the reunion.

Lori Seidman Weinreich

 Poughkeepsie, NY 12603  I started Camp Columbia when I was 5, probably the youngest camper (I am not sure if David Halpern was younger than me). I went to camp there because my parents were investors in the camp and also because they worked there during the summer. I can honestly say that those summers were the best summers and the most influential summers as far as my Jewish identity. You would think that being such a young camper that I would not be able to remember many things. I remember everything and loved every minute of it. I remember Havdalah services by the pool. To this day, when I sing Eliahu I think of Camp Columbia and the beauty of all the candles in the pool and the sounds of everyone singing that prayer. I can remember the smell of those wonderful cookies that were being baked by our baker Mr. Hoffman. I can see him and his wife like it was yesterday. And milk time watching the fresh delicious chocolate milk coming out of those tubes. I can remember singing birkat after every meal. I loved that and I still enjoy singing it when I am at a shul dinner. I can remember Israeli dancing on the basketball court and Ami Gilad playing the accordion. I used to love to sing and dance to all the Israeli songs. I remember being the calf in my first play with Dana Launa. I can remember running around with David Halpern and my cousin Jamie Kalikow. I can remember color war and the birthday ball. I remember during color war my favorite part was when we were down by the pool and we had to put pajamas on top of us, swim and then take them off and give them to the next person. I can just see Paul Jeser blowing the whistle and finding my partner. I remember going down to the canteen and seeing my mother as the canteen mother with her wonderful smile or going horseback riding with my dad. I can remember going in the boat at the lake thinking it was the biggest lake in the world when it was in reality quite tiny. I can still sing the Kinneret song. I can sing the Camp Coumbia song. My children and husband could probably sing it too!! I can remember Lonny Benamy being the greatest nature counselor. I can remember leaving my bunk and running away one morning at 6am because I did not like my counselor and then walking down that famous hill all by myself to my parents bunk. They were not so happy to see me there and made me stay in their bunk all day and miss all my activities. I remember my most wonderful Israeli counselor, Orly. I remember watching holocaust movies in the canteen rec area and learning about the holocaust for the first time. But most of all I remember the feelings that I had being at that camp. My feelings about Judaism stem from Camp Columbia. My dream was to make aliyah and when I graduated college I went to Israel and applied for a job at Hadassah Hospital. When I went home to take my nursing boards I met my husband and ended up staying in the states. I have returned to Israel and have brought my family with me but they do not share that same passion as I did. My frustration through the years had been my inability to find a camp for my sons like Columbia. For me, it was so sad when Columbia closed down. Since I live in Poughkeepsie, NY I have gone up to the Elizaville area to visit the camp. In some respects, I wish I had not done that as it was so sad to see what had become of the camp. I am thrilled to be able to go to the reunion and I look forward to seeing everyone. At this time in my life, I have been married to a wonderful man named David. We have three sons Marc (21) at George Washington University, Michael (18) deciding between Brandeis and University of Rochester, and Brian (15). We have been living in Poughkeepsie for 20 years. I work as a psychotherapist and have opened a private practice. I am very involved in my synagogue and I am on the Board of Directors of our Synagogue. Jewish life plays an important part in my life and I thank the people at Camp Columbia for helping to make it that way for me.

Peter M. Bartfeld, Esq.

Business and home address, phone number, etc., below. I am married to Teri Schure (she uses her own name), and we have 4 children. I am a lawyer, and have practiced business, real estate and international law for almost 30 years in NYC. I graduated Cornell University and NYU Law School. Two of my kids went to Cornell. My wife was, until recently, the publisher of an international news magazine, and she continues to operate the international news web site, worldpress.org. She is also the Chairperson of the Leadership Network, a consortium of intellectual magazines, including Commentary, New York Review of Books and Columbia Journalism Review.

(Through Teri, I went on one of my more fascinating trips abroad, where we went to an international peace conference in Prague several years ago. Teri was an invited speaker, and we spent a lot of time with Israeli delegates to the conference, as well as many delegates from various Arab countries, including Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, etc., and including one of the senior editors from the Al Jazeera Network, who was also invited as a speaker at the conference.)

I have done a lot of volunteer work over more than 20 years in different areas (although am now retired from all that! Time to relax now!) Since I was always into sports, a lot of my volunteer activity was in youth sports.

I was the president of my community youth soccer club (known as the Blue Star Soccer Club; you know, as in a six pointed star, but that is a very long story) for about 10 years. Also, was a youth soccer chair for the US Maccabi Organization in 2001 (for the Maccabiah -- the Jewish Olympics -- in Israel) and 2002 (for the Australia Maccabi Games) and most recently I was the national youth sports co-chairman for Maccabi USA at the Pan American Maccabi Games in Santiago Chile (this past December 2003).

My parents were never in a concentration camp, but they have incredible stories of hiding and escaping from the Nazis during a 4-year odyssey from 1938 through 1942, when they finally reached the US. They were born and raised in Vienna, Austria, and along the way between 1938 and 42, they illegally crossed multiple borders and traveled "on the run" through Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, France Spain and Portugal. One or both of my parents were almost shot, were arrested, were held in detention centers, prepared forged passports for a living, worked as a commercial artist, sold fish in Lisbon, cut diamonds in Antwerp Belgium, were overrun by the Nazis several times, were assisted by, and participated in, the Jewish underground, crossed the Pyrenees Mountains on foot, etc., etc.

And then less than a year after my parents got to the US, my father was drafted into the US Army, and wound up on the beaches of Normandy on D-day in the afternoon. My dad was with US Army Signal Corps Intelligence, and his job was to break German codes and to interrogate German prisoners of war. Needless to say, he took enormous satisfaction in the latter activity.

My parents came to the US with not a penny in their pocket, and I grew up without a lot of money, but my parents always made sure that their children had the basics. One of the great gifts my parents gave to me, was to allow me to get away to summer camp, which was no small feat when there was never a lot of money.

Being at Camp Columbia was a terrific experience for me, in many ways. There was a unique blend of athletics, the arts and Jewish thought and culture at the camp. Those who remember me, might recall that I spent an awful lot of time around the basketball court, on the road running, or swimming laps in the pool, or shagging fly balls for Normie Ringel, but I remember as well, quite fondly, the Friday night and Saturday afternoon Zmirot, which Bobby led. To this day I still have, and occasionally use, the Camp Columbia songbook, rife with those wonderful old Chalutzit songs, to say nothing about the Dylan and Peter Paul Mary folk tunes. (I still sometimes go to PPM concerts!) Hopefully, at the reunion, Bobby will lead us in some old Chalutzit and American folks songs, as in days of yore!

I remember also the Saturday afternoon Pirkei Avot sessions with Yaakov, and although we were probably more interested in the Shabbat afternoon football game on boys campus (followed by a game of Risk with Eli and Doni or Chess with Morris Goldfeld), Yaakov actually did get through to us with many of the ethical precepts of our forefathers, and that we carry with us to this day.

There are so many, many more memories from Camp Columbia, but of all the remembrances, what stands out foremost, were the eerie, haunting and completely spiritually consuming moments during the Erev Tisha B'Av - Holocaust Memorial Service each summer. This is my most searing memory about Camp Columbia. Coming from a confirmed "jock", that might come as a surprise, but those memories have forever been etched in my being, and it is a vision and a thought which I will carry with me always.

My parents, who came out of the Holocaust, gave me the chance to breath, and much more than that, they gave me the chance to live a good, secure, comfortable, happy and fulfilling life. Yaakov and Gilda gave us an environment in which to reinforce and refine what our parents strove to impart to us, and to allow us to spend time together with our peers, often borne of the same experience and life outlook. Yaakov and Gilda helped to imprint on us the memory of the tragedies of our people, but also the strength, wisdom and vitality of the Jewish people.

Anyway, hope the above is helpful. I figured I would give you a paragraph or two, but as I got going, I sort of just kept going!

 North Woodmere, NY 11581

Rabbi Barry Konovitch

Sonny Lichtenstein and I would come up early to help Paul and Yaakov open camp. We drove that red jeep all around the camp and the county playing c.b.ees, til we almost turned over. Sorry I can’t make the reunion but regards to all - especially to Gilda & Yaakov.

Shalom, barry

Karen Rogoff (Eisenberg)

Dear Gilda and Yaakov, I wouldn't have missed this camp reunion and the opportunity to pay tribute to the two people who made it all possible, for anything in the world. From the first moment I heard there was a reunion planned, I was flooded with wonderful feelings and memories from my 6 years as a camper. It is a challenge now to find the words that can accurately express the depth of feeling I have when I recall those magical summers at Camp Columbia. I truly loved everything about camp - welcoming in the Shabbat, the singing, arts and crafts, the thrill of color war, the chef's delicious Hungarian Goulash!, horseback riding, overnights, playing jacks on the bunk floor with my friends, whispering ghost stories after lights out, and so so much more.

I will cherish the countless memories as a precious gift from both of you, along with the community of gifted and talented people you carefully selected to nurture and lead. We Camp Columbians were and still are a lucky group, given a once in a lifetime opportunity to take part in an extraordianary experience - one that has surely left an indelible mark on my life.

I have been married for 27 years to a wonderful man named Ted Eisenberg. We live in North Caldwell, N.J. I work as a clinical social worker in a community mental health agency. Ted is a labor attorney for management. We have been blessed with 4 terrific children. Shoshana is 26 and lives in Manhattan where she works as a public interest attorney. Daniel is 24 and is in his 2nd year of law school at Georgetown U. He plans to become an environmental attorney. Elyse is 22, lives in Manhattan, and is communications asst. for Environmental Defense. Jen is 20, a junior at U. of Michigan, interested in Jewish studies, and is currently studying abroad in Melbourne Australia.

My parents are doing well and they send you their warmest regards.

Thank you for it all! Love and warmest wishes to you always!

Ami Gilad

Dear Gilda and Yaakov,

When I met you at Camp Columbia, I had no idea I was meeting two great educators. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to express myself as a young Israeli musician and folk dancer and pass the wonderful Israeli culture to so many Jewish American children and youth. I looked at you as two ambassadors of Jewish and Israeli culture. You made Camp Columbia the best source for learning thru joy and fun. Looking back some forty years brings so many wonderful memories of a camp that carried special ruach 24 hours a day. Thousands of campers, staff and counselors had the opportunity to swim in an "ocean" full with Israeli and Jewish culture.

My best wishes to you and thanks for being my friends.

Doni Schoenholt

Dear Jacob & Gilda,

In my senior year of High School I decided to get a summer job in a camp working with children. I always liked and enjoyed the company of children. I checked my school bulletin board and saw a posting for a Jewish children’s camp looking for a counselor who could teach Arts & Crafts, and help out in riflery. I called and got an interview with a fellow named Halpern at the Jamaica Jewish Center. I won the job. Eight weeks for Eighty Dollars plus room and board. I would save on cigarette money as there would be no smoking on Shabbat.

I still remember my first impressions of that place that changed my life forever. “Tobacco Road” (a 1932 book by Erskine Caldwell that takes place in the poverty ridden back country of Georgia) I said to myself as the staff bus pulled up behind the dining room and we climbed out and walked past the water tower and the log cabin. Within two days I was thinking, maybe it is a broken down old facility, but there is something about this place. The magic was already doing its work, and the campers hadn’t even arrived yet.

During that summer, and the summers that followed, I learned to love my Jewish heritage, and that place and those people beyond my crude ability to put into words. I met the men who would be closest to me throughout my adult life, a special friend, and my dear Helene who has been my buddy and life companion for almost thirty years, all there in Elizaville during those golden days.

My ability to read Hebrew remains halting. My best Hebrew sentence is yet, “Ani lo yodeyah Ivrit,” and still, with the flame you ignited I have done my part becoming active in my local Jewish community and through years of saying, “Sure, but what does that mean in English,” I have found ways to support my people and my community having served as President of Little Neck Jewish Center, for four terms, being honored as their Man-of-the-year twice, serving United Synagogue For Conservative Jewry, as a METNY Region Board Member, and being honored by Israel bonds (1996) and UJA (2004). I am proud that my son, David (24) can walk into any synagogue and feel comfortable joining the Minyan.

Camp Columbia was a special place. I knew it even then; I reveled in it, blossomed in it, and remember it with advantages. When I visited with you at your 50th Wedding Anniversary, I was surprised to discover that you considered Camp Columbia your life’s great failure. You were wrong. You brought a sense of Jewish community, and culture, and eight weeks of the bliss of country camp life to more than a thousand young people, enriching and changing their lives forever; sending them out into the world better, and happier, better Americans and better Jewish people. Camp Columbia was not a failure. Believe me, dear friends; it was a success beyond your fondest dreams.

Doni Schoenholt General, Bonim -1968

Nancy Salzberg Blorian

It's so unbelievable to hear these names from the past that awaken so many memories, some blurry and many crystal clear. Here's a little info about me: I'm married to an Israeli (perhaps a Camp Columbia subliminal influence!) and have three children; a 19 year old daughter at University of Pennsylvania, an 18 year old son starting at Syracuse University this fall, and a 15 year old daughter. I'm a psychiatric social worker and work at a local hospital. My home address is Great Neck, N.Y. 11023. I'd love to hear from some of my old camp friends. I ran into Lori Seidman on a parents visiting day a few years ago at the camp my nephew owns in Belgrade, Maine called Camp Modin. She told me she had been looking for a camp for her children to go to that was like Camp Columbia, and thought Modin reminded her of Columbia. Can't blame us for wanting to hold onto those memorable summers.

Robert Rogoff

Dear Gilda & Yaakov,

There would no place i'd rather be, but unfortunately I have prior family committments for that day. My brother David and sister Karen will B'H be there. I have long, deep, and fond memories of my many summers at Columbia as I am sure everyone who went there has, . . Does anyone remember me as the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz?? Anyway,, it was definitely because of those intense summers, that i became Orthodox , and with my wife, Lauren, raise, 4 beautiful children. Tova is married to Yosef , Deena is a junior in Touro, my son, Donny a Chayal stationed at this moment in Jenin, and my youngest son, Avi in 6th grade at Yeshiva Beis Hillel. Passaic. Jacob and Gilda can be very very proud of the enormous contribution they have done for Klal Yisroel: People ask me often, how was it i became a religious zionist, and the answer is always, Jacob and Gilda Halpern. Our love for the Jewish State brings us there often, we sent our daughters to learn in Seminary, and sent our son, Donny to Yeshiva, and Baruch Hashem, we are very very proud of him, because, he decided to stay and join the IDF. And ALL of this is because of what Columbia did for me over those many summers, and the dedication that the Halperns and the Staff put into the campers, through the leaning, the teaching, the singing, and the davening. Thank You my family, Jacob and Gilda. I love you Both.

Joey Burger

Dear Gilda and Yaakov and mishpacha,

The years at Camp Columbia have remained beautifully nestled in my heart...Fond memories of friends and thousands of special moments....games and dances and plays and excursions and color wars and all of the people were imprinted in so many peoples minds....And it was all because of you...and I'm so glad to have the opportunity to spend a little time with the friends of my youth...Ever so grateful to 'the organizers' who undertook such a massive job and apparently have been very successful to bring us all back together.....Bless you.....

Judi Samuels

Dear Yaakov and Gilda,

Thank you.

The summers that I spent at Camp Columbia during my adolescent years were among the most pleasant of my life. The camp was just the right size to enable me to safely explore new avenues of expression and to develop socially, athletically and spirtually. I especially loved the plays and singing in the dining room. The ambiance on Shabbat was total calm and identification with one another as young members of the Jewish community. There was wonderful nurturance of the campers, from the administration on down. Perhaps it was the size and the skillful balance between our Jewish identities and our physical and emotional development that made it appear to a child that there was trust and concern and friendship throughout the camp community.

It is no surprise to me that so many of us who attended Camp Columbia have become dedicated leaders and participants in the Jewish community both in the US and Israel and trace the beginning of that committment to experiences that we had at camp. I am very grateful to you and somewhat in awe of your achievements.

I wish you many years of continued health and strength. B'shalom,

I loved my summers at Camp Columbia although I am not quite sure how many summers it was. The memories blend together as one brief coming of age journey.

Basic bio facts:

As the oldest of 3 children and the daughter of Jewish educators in Rego Park, NY, I came to Camp Columbia through my father 's (Ruben Samuels z"l) relationship with Jacob. I attended Camp Columbia through many of my JHS and HS years. After HS graduation (Forest Hills HS) I went to Hofstra U. for one year and then transferred to Rutgers U. in Newark, NY (brought about by my family's move to Englewood, NJ.) Upon graduation as a Sociology and Hebraic Studies major I went to Columbia University School of Social Work in NYC and got my MSW in 1973.

I married Rim Meirowitz in 1973. We settled on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I went to Social Work School and he attended JTS Rabbinical School. We joined the NY Havurah. I joined the fledgling Jewish Women's Feminist group Ezrat Nashim. These two groups, their communal involvement and devoted friendships have the formed the nucleus of my social network and Jewish involvement throughout my adult life. Rim and I lived in Israel from 1972-1973.

My first child Sara, was born in 1977. We moved the New City, NY when Rim took his first Rabbinical position and I had a variety of social work positions in both the Jewish communal world (particularly during the resettlement period of Soviet Jewish emigration) and work with the geriatric and mentally retarded populations.

We moved to Lexington, MA in 1981. My second daughter, Eliana, was born in 1982. We continued our involvement in Jewish communal work through synagogue life, my work at Jewish Family Service, and the Havurah movement in the Boston area (Brookline Havurah Minyan).

My third child, a son, Ben, was born in 1985.

All three of my children attended Jewish Day School from the Solomon Schechter School (conservative) the Rashi School (Reform) Maimonides HS (Orthodox) and New Jewish HS (non-denominational). Two of these were start-ups. We enjoyed being pioneers starting new Jewish educational institutions.

My marriage ended in divorce in 1989. However, we have remained in close proximity and close friends.

In 1993, I remarried. My husband, Arthur Tischler is a pathologist at New England Medical Center. We moved to Newton, MA where we live today. Professionally, I have been part of a private psychotherapy practice for the past 16 years. My kids have grown, with Sara having graduated from Yale and now working at MIT Press, Eliana a Junior at Columbia U. and Ben a Freshman at U. of Vt.

Since my remarriage, I have had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the US, Europe the Far East and Israel. I am an avid runner and have competed in several races (although not yet the Boston Marathon).

My father past away in 2000 and my mom and 2 brothers are well. We enjoy good health and good friends and many blessings.

Judi Samuels  Newton, MA 02461

Bobby and Lynda

Dear Gilda and Yaakov,

"The sun rising slowly surveying a tranquil morning . . ." It's not easy for us to write about what Camp Columbia means to us, because to put it mildly--it means everything to us. If it weren't for Camp Columbia, we would never have met, and our lives certainly wouldn't have been the same! We met in camp in 1962, were married in 1965, and are about to celebrate our 39th anniversary! In addition, all that I know about administration and leadership began in camp where I started as a junior counselor and grew into head counselor. (I think I'm the only staff member who was there all 9 years!) Also, my love of the arts was certainly enhanced by the programs and activities we developed. The Columbia Players, our own performing group, of course, had its origins in camp.

Our vocabularies even today include camp phrases like "don't waste Yaakov's money," and "1,2, beck, beck." I have wonderful memories: Ø of being chased around the kitchen because Apu Hoffman was offended that I put ketchup on his meatloaf Ø of watching Apu stir the bug juice with his crutch Ø of color war breaks and fake outs (buses were headed to a riot in Albany and would stop at camp?) Ø of watching the glorious sunsets during dinner Ø of Visiting Days and the parents running up the hill Ø of the Dutchess County Fair Ø of decorating the Chadar HaOchel for Color War in natural greenery, and being told by the doctor that the plants we had used we all poison sumac Ø of afternoons that were so hot that we had to cancel all activities and spend the day at the pool Ø of explaining how we changed the clock weekly because of Shabbat . . Ø and mostly of the people who became members of our summer family!!

Thank you Gilda and Yaakov for creating the wonderful atmosphere called Camp Columbia and for allowing us to have been a part of it.

Bobby and Lynda

Helene Cohen Schoenholt

Dear Jacob and Gilda,

Through the years, as we make new acquaintances, Donald and I are asked where we met. The answer is always the same. We say, (or sing), “Camp Columbia, camp of our dreams.” And it truly was. Forty years ago, after a slide show in my living room, I sensed that Camp Columbia was a place with very special people. That feeling is lasting a lifetime.

Thank you.

Aliza (Weg) Dworetsky

Teacher: Talented and Gifted Program-N.Y.C. Grade 5 Married: Ray Dworetsky (owner Creative Day Camps) Children: Adena (Pediatric Physical Therapist)-Married to Michael Greenfield (CPA) Alan (student Queens College) Michele (student Yeshiva University Stern College for Women) Grandchildren: Danielle Mara Greenfield Atara Rachael Greenfield Address: Plainview, N.Y. 11803

Beverly Blatt Hazelkorn

I was in Camp from 1961 until 1966.

I grew up in Briarwood, Queens, and went to Jamaica High School and Queens College.

I graduated from Queens College with a BS in Accounting.

Met my husband, Stephen, of 34 years, at Queens College. Got married within three months of graduation and worked as a Public accountant for three years. Became a CPA and retired to raise a family. Stephen and I have two wonderful children, Todd an investment banker with a PhD. in Finance and Alyse, a buyer for Bloomingdales (30 and 27 respectively).

Stephen and I reside in Port Washington, NY. Our children live in Manhattan one on the East Side and one on the West Side.

Stephen owns a Pest Control Company and I am a Religious School Principal with an accounting practice on the side.

 Port Washington, NY 11050

Dear Yaakov and Gilda,

I am one of the “kids” from Jamaica Jewish Center-the shul with the pool and the school. My parents knew little about Sleep away camps except that it might be a good thing for their “girls” to do. I was registered and signed up for Camp Ramah and my sister, who was too young to go with me (Arlene), was going to Camp Columbia. Our Principal, Mr. Halpern had an interest in the camp and that was enough for my parents. Both Arlene and were going away for the first time. Neither of us knew anyone else going to the camp.

About a month before camp started I received a letter from Ramah with (among other things) a booklet of “Helpful phrases to use at Camp.” It included the English and Hebrew for “Pass the butter,” “May I go to the restroom?,” etc, etc. I took one look at that and said “NO way am I going to a camp where I have to speak Hebrew all summer!” I may have been a good student at Jamaica Jewish Center Hebrew School but summer too!!-not happening. So, a quick change was arranged and I too was sent to Camp Columbia-“Camp of our dreams.”

In hindsight, my parents (uninformed as they were) made a great decision. I spent six memorable summers at Camp Columbia. They were the important years between 12 and 18. I learned so much-I had never met anyone who lived in the suburbs. On my first trip to Herricks, Long Island, I thought I was traveling to a foreign country. I made friends (one especially that I have to this day), learned more about being Jewish than you could possibly imagine (including Hebrew songs I hum to this day and Israeli dancing), had experiences I will always cherish (remember the “after camp” trip to the World’s Fair in Flushing?), developed a love of theater, ate great food (probably one of the few camps you could say that about) and have been excited about the prospect of this reunion since the day my Mom found the advertisement in the Jewish Week (she beat me to it).

Oh and by the way Yaakov-I have taught in a Religious Schools like Jamaica Jewish Center for many years and for the past six have been a Religious School Principal. Who knew? Thanks for the memories.

Beverly Blatt Hazelkorn

Marty Edelman

Hello Camp Columbia,

This is Marty Edelman head of NOAR in 1965, then Camp Rabbi... Now Rabbi Moshe Edelman, Director of Leadership Development for the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. I was a congregational rabbi for 19 years in Port Jefferson LI and Cedarhurst LI where I now live.

Murray Forseter

I almost drowned my second year at Camp Columbia. Though I’d been a sleep-away camper for seven years by the time I was 14, I still had not learned to swim. Not for lack of trying and coaxing by the waterfront staffs of three camps, Massad Aleph, Dellwood and Columbia.

Paul Jeser accepted the challenge of teaching me to swim that year, 1963. Lessons were proceeding swimmingly, pun intended, until one day he said the group and I were ready to jump off the diving board, swim underwater and after exhausting our breath, tread water for 30 seconds. I told Paul I could do the first two but couldn’t tread water. He did not take kindly to my objections, and since Paul was much, much larger than I was at the time, it was not in my best interests to argue with him.

So in I dove. A beautiful dive, I might add. I swam underwater, reaching the corner of the pool’s right angle when my lungs gave out. As I surfaced, Paul said, “Now tread water.” “I don’t know how,” I warbled. My words turned to gurgling as I went under. The next thing I knew, I was being lifted out of the water on one arm by a tanned Adonis, Barry Konovich, head of the waterfront. He asked me if I could swim. When I said no, he angrily wanted to know why I had been in deep water. I pointed at Paul, laying all the blame at his webbed feet.

By the end of the summer Paul must have had “rachmanus” on me since he generously awarded me an Intermediate Swimmer’s card, a certificate that enabled me to graduate from Brooklyn College years later. Brooklyn required all graduates to be swimmers, and since I had yet to attain that status, the Intermediate card fooled them into awarding me my sheepskin. Thank you, Paul.

I spent six summers at Camp Columbia, from 1962 through 1968 (1966 I spent in Israel), rising from a camper to division head. It was at camp that I began a long time affiliation with Knight House, the Brooklyn College house plan (like a fraternity) that included Sonny Lichtenstien, Tully Dershowitz, Marty Kellman, Bobby Perelmuter, Gary Meyers, Bernie Klapper, Eli Uncyk, Norm Ringel, Abe Sultanik and later a new generation, my generation, including Hymie Chabbott, Harvey Haber and David Krischer.

The mid-1960’s were a special time in America for all of us. Folk music, American and Israeli, and Broadway musicals dominated our summer repertoire. But rock music could not be blocked out, not if one of your bunkmates was David Burger and his guitar wailing out the Rolling Stones’ Satisfaction every chance he could.

When I was a waiter and eligible for off-campus days off, the competition to get a seat in Lonny Benamy’s car was fierce. Riding with Lonny was an adventure, especially if he spotted a woodchuck. He’d veer off the road to try and run over any of the critters, a course of action no doubt picked up during his studies at Cornell’s School of Agriculture. July we’d go to Monticello. We’d spend time downtown, then in the evening change in the racetrack’s parking lot before heading home at breakneck speed in his 1956 Buick to beat the midnight curfew. August we’d go motor boating on Lake George or go to Saratoga for the afternoon races. If we went to Saratoga, we always had dinner at the Tradewinds, Lonny’s favorite restaurant on Route 9 with a distinctive stone front where you had to wear a sports jacket and tie. (The restaurant is still there, though now it is an Italian eatery called Paradiso.)

In Saratoga we’d go by the Empire Hotel and the Brooklyn Hotel at the north end of Broadway. They were both kosher hotels, the Empire a more imposing structure, though in truth not very distinctive either. When redevelopment came to Saratoga several years later, they were torn down, to be replaced by the civic center and a Sheraton Hotel, now a Prime Hotel. But they always stayed in my mind. And now they are etched in my memory forever, for my wife, Gilda, who I met at Brooklyn College, grew up in those hotels. Her family owned them.

It is difficult to define all of the outstanding memories of my six years at Camp Columbia. David Mandelbaum and Harvey Gorodetzer entertaining us Saturday nights in skits worthy of Saturday Night Live; the imaginative color war breakouts (though I really didn’t care for the “rioting in Hudson” theme-Lonny walking around with a rifle is not a comforting picture); Ruthie and Apu Hoffman running the kitchen; Yaakov, or was that Dana, hurtling up the hill in the red Jeep; the list can go on and on.

About five years ago I accompanied my wife to a nurse practitioners’ meeting in Kingston in late spring. While Gilda sat through her conference I ventured out to find Camp Columbia. It took about 30 minutes to find Elizaville and then the real fun began, looking for the road leading to camp. I came across the old country store and knew from instinct where the road should be. It was paved, with houses dotting its sides. About half a mile up it dead-ended. I got out of my car and started walking on a trail. This clearly was the way, but the trail was closed. I was close, not close enough to see the lower lake, but close. My choices were to proceed and find a camp that I had not seen in 30 years, a camp that probably had fallen into disrepair, a camp that I know had been taken over by new owners who had filled in the pool; or to stop and reflect on what Camp Columbia looked like in my youth. Camp Columbia was not a beautiful camp. But it was the camp of my formative adult years, the camp I will always remember in the words of the alma mater Marty Kellman wrote to the music of Brahms, as “the camp of our dreams.” I turned around.

Murray Forseter (1962-1968), married to Gilda Barasch of Brooklyn.

Murray is Publisher and Editor of Chain Store Age, a monthly business to business publication. Gilda is a Nurse Practitioner specializing in spine surgery at The Spine Institute of Beth Israel Hospital of New York.

Gilda and Murray have two children, Daniel, an assistant superintendent with Turner Construction's Boston office, and Ellie, a recent art history graduate of Skidmore College.

Glida and Murray reside at 11 Brad Lane, White Plains, NY 10605. 914-682-3749 gforseter@optonline.net and mforseter@chainstoreage.com.

Murray's sister, Lee, attended Camp Columbia in 1962-63. She lives with her family in Los Angeles. Murray's brother, Bernie, visited Camp Columbia several times and, like Murray, is a Knight House/Brooklyn College almunus. He and his family reside in Rockville, Md.

Joyce Garber

Just wanted to let you know that living in Boca Raton the last 21 years, I have come across some people from camp. Many years ago I enrolled briefly in the Melton Course at our local JCC. The first class, the teacher never introduced himself, but I kept saying to my friend that he looked sooooo familiar. The friend I'm referring to is Eydie Holz, wife of Ira Holz, who is Mark Levenfus' cousin. So I've been able to see Mark at each of Eydie's kid's B'nai Mitzvahs. As it turned out, I finally realized that the teacher, who only was referred to as "Rabbi", was Jacob Halpern! My 3 children, who are now 14, 15 and 16 attended Donna Klein Jewish Day School for 8 years. My oldest daughter, Samantha had Gilda as her Hebrew teacher; her best Judaic experience in all her years at Day School.

My kids have had to listen to endless stories about how much I loved camp, the Columbia Players, Friday nights in the dining room, etc. etc. etc. I could never understand why prayer at Jewish Day School couldn't be as much fun or as enriching as it was at Columbia. I also only hoped that they would have as great a camp experience as I've had, or as many enduring friendships. (I have always kept in touch with Carol and Michelle Albert and Penny Hutmacher Zellner.)

Believe it or not, I have not traveled without my family in 20 years, but I am coming up for this reunion.

Pat Launer

People in California don't "do" or "get" summer camp -- the independence and thrill of being away from home; the fresh mountain air; the friendships and camaraderie; the singing, the dancing, the sports, the competition; the back-biting, the whining, the kvetching; the August vows to stay friends for eternity (and then not seeing those people again till the next July -- if ever).

If it weren't for Camp, my Master's thesis would've been delayed (and different). I think I was at Kfar Masada by that time, but I lump them together in my mind sometimes, because so many of the people were the same. Anyway, Camp provided me with access to 200 (normal??) kids of various ages for my research establishing normative data on voice production (which, amazingly, is still cited in speech pathology texts). Later, I went on to get a Ph.D. from CUNY in Speech & Hearing Sciences. My dissertation, completed at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, concerned the acquisition of American Sign Language in deaf children of deaf parents (maybe my deaf aunt had something to do with it??). I really felt I could sign fluently when I told my first ASL dirty joke! For five years, I was head of Speech & Hearing at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, and simultaneously taught at Hofstra and Adelphi and then, for 23 years, at San Diego State University.

My high-drama experiences at Camp -- acting, singing, directing, writing songs -- and Color War?? -- provided a backdrop for my overlapping, alternate career as a theater critic and arts writer. When I moved to San Diego in 1979, I combined my two passions and became founder/writer/director/producer of Sign of the Times, the San Diego Theatre of the Deaf.

Ever the performer, I now air my theater reviews on public radio station KPBS every week, and my arts features are on KPBS-TV and sometimes on NPR. I've written for the LA Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Magazine, In Theater, theatermania.com, and regularly in On Air Magazine (monthly) and sdtheatrescene.com (weekly). I had my own TV program -- "Center Stage" -- a live-audience, live performance, all-theater variety show, for which I won an Emmy. Every January for the past 7 years, I've hosted my own theater awards show (The Patté Awards -- "cause you ain't chopped liver!"), and that's up for an Emmy, too. As for recent stage performances, I strapped on the ole boobs (bags of birdseed) to play May Peterson again (after 35 years, I still remembered all those hilarious lines!); I was in "The Vagina Monologues" (Note to Gilda: It's not a dirty play), toured with language-maven Richard Lederer in "Love Letters" and understudied Martha in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

My husband John is a theater-lover, too. We see >150 shows a year (in San Diego, LA, NY), travel a lot (off to Peru in July) and in our spare time, he does tai chi; I do yoga. He's a photographer; I paint in oil. He got me a baby grand for my last birthday (and to celebrate my university retirement), and I'm taking lessons again -- for the first time in about 45 years! More details-- writings, photos, etc. -- are on my website: www.patteproductions.com. My professional motto is 'Put a little drama in your life" (but once I slipped on TV and said, "Put a little drama in your wife!"). Either way, it's good advice.

A few random memories of CAMP COLUMBIA § Sitting under a desk in the dark the night before Color War broke, writing songs § Being a waitress at 15 -- I still clear the table of 'livestock' first! -- and will never forget the little pink 'monkey dishes' (wherever that name came from!?) § Ruthi Hoffman's fruit soup § The shilshul scourge (when, for a Saturday night skit, I recoded Lucky Strike's 'LSMFT' to mean "Loose Stomach Mean Full Toilet" -- I still use that one, too! § Vun two, beck beck (and other Israeli dance routines) § The Legend of Harvey Brenner § Playing Nellie Forbush in "South Pacific" and Rose in "Bye Bye Birdie," with my sister Judie playing Mama May Peterson. Later, with the irrepressible, unforgettable Columbia Players, I played that monster-Mom, May, several times, and recently reprised the role at a San Diego theater (thankfully, my boobs still needed to be artificially dropped to my waist) § Zmirot and Birkat Hamazon (I've never sung them since) § Lonny sleeping outdoors with a bayonet by his side § Doni lamenting (for decades!) that he lost "Dining Room Decorations" § Inspection (Who was it that, military style, actually dropped a coin on the beds to check if the blankets were tight enough? Sonny, maybe??) § The Myth (and terror) of Bats in the Hair, which forced a bunkload of us to sleep with bathing caps on -- for a month! § Yaakov's arm-numbers being the first I'd ever seen § Gilda complaining that too-close dancing at a social was "walking intercourse" § Gilda going into a store in town (Red Hook? Rhinebeck?) and asking for "a nice pair of shoes for Visiting Day" § The annual, frenetic lead-up (and inevitable let-down) of Visiting Day § Bobby at the piano -- even at meals during Color War § Oded in a jeep (or Jip," as he said it) § Stevie Wassner singing "A Monkey and a Donkey" § Shula § Tether-ball outside Kineret § Calling Camp Mother Belle Kleinberg 'Ding-a-ling' § Directing "Guys and Dolls," and when we did "Peter Pan," having a chubby lead whom we referred to as 'Peter Pot' § The Chevra: especially Stevie Wassner, Harvey Gorodetzer and David Mandelbaum as sweaty but ever-amusing dishwashers § Oded calling me 'Patskela Katanah' and himself 'Patskela Gadol' § Finding out that, scrawled across my camp record, was "Smut Machine" (still true!) § The Saturday Night revues we'd write and perform § Joey Burger and I performing in one of those revues, "Bye Bye Moses" (which, with David Burger, we toured to Jewish Centers for years afterward!) § Scoring a coveted seat at the Head Table in the dining room § The Baker flicking his cigar ashes into the dough § The nightmare-inducing Holocaust films on Tisha B'Av § The Aruv § Crocheting yarmulkes -- with "Up Yours" and "Rough Darts" and other deeply religious phrases on them. I learned how to crochet at Columbia, and to this day, can crochet anything of any size -- as long as it's round! § Flinging 100 lbs. of wet jeans over my head to blow up and use as a 'float' in order to pass Senior Life-Saving § The hunky, ever-tan Barry Konovich posing by the pool § Being a real-life Lily Tomlinesque Ernestine ("Is this the party to whom I am speaking?") on that ancient, multi-tentacled octopus of a switchboard when I worked in the Camp Office § Watching Woodstock and the Moon Landing on the camp TV in said office…. Could we really have been that close to Woodstock and not there???? One of my '60s regrets… except when I think of the toilet facilities …. § The bathtub-sized lake § Archery -- did we really have Archery at a Jewish camp?? § Still going to camp after I was married (no one out here can believe that!) AND, of course, § The sun rising slowly…..

Paula Gorodetzer Long Beach, NY 11561

Still working as case worker for social service agency, helping Russian immigrants, senior citizens, and the disabled in far rockaway. Summer visits to Israel to visit Maury (Moshe Ganot), his five children and eight grandchildren.

Leya Gorodetzer Diamond

Long Beach, NY 11561 

Pediatric occupational therapist, married to David, a dentist. We are the proud parents of Yael, 18, and Adin, 17.

Helene (Flatow) Wallenstein

 Oceanside, NY 11572

Dear Gilda and Yaacov and anyone else interested,

Camp Columbia was the 3rd most important “thing” that influenced my life, after my marriage and the birth of my three children.

Nearly 44 years ago, I left home to go to sleep away camp for the very first time. I was a quiet nerd of a kid when I became a Super Senior in Carol Fishman’s bunk. Carol had a boyfriend named “Meeley” and splashed huge quantities of Jean Nate cologne on herself before night activity. Also sleeping in my bunk was Eudice Stein, who worked on the waterfront by day and instructed us in the fine art of hair and makeup on her time off.

One day my bunkmates and I were dancing The Twist to the tune of “Palisades Park” in the canteen, when I dislocated my knee. I had to spend a week in the infirmary and gained instant fame and recognition. My life would never be the same. I blossomed socially, made friends and lost my shyness.

Over the 7 summers I spent at Camp Columbia, I developed talents I never knew I had: writing songs, acting in plays, leading songs in Color War, and painting “pitgamim” in arts and crafts. Like Eudice Stein, who cut my hair, I started cutting and styling Gilda’s hair before Shabbat. And how vividly I remember Shabbat in camp: getting dressed up, the fabulous dinners the Hoffmans made, Willy Gruenbaum’s baking and the Friday night Israeli dancing on the basketball court. We all remember Gilda beating the bushes for couples. In Camp Columbia I formed some of the closest friendships of my life. I spent 10 months a year at home, waiting for those 2 months away in Elizaville, NY.

Then one day I outgrew camp. It was on to Queens College where I wrote and directed Frolics skits and where my “houseplan”, Ivy House, entered Frolics with Club House. I met this guy, Herby Wallenstein, who kept telling me his own camp stories about his summers at Camp Massad, where Jacob Halpern was a director. On March 29, 1970 Herby and I were married. Beverly Blatt (Hazelkorn) was my matron of honor. I went on to graduate school and became a school psychologist, like Bobby Perlmutter. Herby and I raised 3 children in our Modern Orthodox home. They went to religious sleep away camps, but never had the camp experience that we had. Not a summer goes by when I don’t think about the Tisha B’Av commemorations in camp, with candles floating in the pool and Eichah chanted as we sat on the dining room floors, benches turned over on their sides. Now, when I walk to shul in the summer, the warm smells of the outdoors remind me of camp.

Over the years I have written and published articles in a variety of places. They have appeared in the New York Times, Newsday, The Baltimore Jewish Times and the Jewish Week. For seven years I wrote a weekly humor column in the local newspaper. I don’t think I ever would have known I had the ability to write, if I hadn’t gone to Camp Columbia. And now my oldest son, Andy, 30, is a Senior Reporter with the Hollywood Reporter, my daughter, Liz, 25, is the Assistant Editor at Parent Guide, and my middle son, Aaron, 28, is an attorney.

What am I doing now that our children are grown? I have been most fortunate to be married to my best friend for 34 years. We have held leadership positions in local Jewish organizations, as well as having been involved with Shaare Zedek Hospital and Bar Ilan University in Israel. We work together (we own Harco Chemical Coatings, Inc. in Brooklyn and Chesapeake Bay Coatings, Inc. in Baltimore), play together, travel together and drive each other crazy.

I want to thank you, Gilda and Yaacov Halpern, for making it all possible: the Shabbat experience, the creative environment loaded with talented people and the opportunity for personal and religious growth. I can’t wait to see you at the reunion.

Thomas Hoffman

Dear Yaakov & Gilda, and Camp Columbians,

I regret not being able to attend the reunion but wanted to wish everyone a most successful event.

My father died in 1995 (age 86) and my mother died in 1992 (age 82). They worked all their lives in the food industry and took great pleasure when the fruits of their labors were enjoyed by others. They spoke fondly of their times at camp and often recalled many of you in stories to me and my children. The maintained a close friendship with the Gorodetzers throughout their lives. Paula called my mother every Friday and continues to make contact with me regularly.

I went on to a career in medical research at the National Institutes of Health after training in Pediatrics and Clinical Immunology. Recently I undertook a mid-life career switch and became a psychoanalyst and consultant to biomedical research organizations.

I married Judith Kline Hoffman, a psychotherapist clinical social worker, in 1984 and have two children. Jacob, 16, is on his way to becoming a rabbi and Semitic language scholar. Becca, 12, has aspirations to be in the WNBA. Where do they get it?

I reside in Bethesda, Maryland and would be thrilled to meet you when you visit Washington. Please call, e-mail, or write.

All the best,

Thomas Hoffman  Bethesda, MD 20814-3958

Jay Kaplan

Dear Yaakov and Gilda,

Camp Columbia meant a lot to me. this is currently manifested in my anticipation of the upcoming reunion. due to the size of the camp, Camp Columbia was a place where you got to know everyone. This was the second sleep-away camp that I attended and I did not enjoy my first experience. My brother(Alan) and I first attended Camp Columbia in 1966 (due to the fact that Bobby P. is our cousin.) However, I had a great experience at Columbia-whether it was playing ball, Color War (including the breakout), Dutchess County Fair, and the other activities which brought the entire camp together. I was sorry to see the camp close in 1968. However, it was great that a large group of people from Camp Columbia were able to stay together and go to Camp Kfar Masada with Bobby.

The camp cycle has come full circle now as we are looking at sleepaway camps for my son. Instead of calling the camp owner to come to your house and describe the camp to you, you now go to a specialist to recommend camps that you now visit. One of the camps recommended to us is in Elizaville; but, alas, it was not Columbia. With the reunion upcoming, it got me to thinking that Columbia was the type of camp that would be a perfect match for my son.

Thank you for providing 3 of the most enjoyable summers that one could have.

Jericho, N.Y. 11753  --graduated University of Pennsylvania in 1976. --married to Susan for 17 years --one child - Lloyd - almost nine years old --I am a CPA and a partner in the firm of Leipziger & Breskin LLP.

Linda Leavitt Bennis

I attended Camp Columbia from 1963 through 1966. I left in 1967 and met my husband, Les - in another camp! I graduated from Bridgeport University in 1970 and held several jobs usually centered around medicine. For the last 20 years I have been the Practice Administrator of a 5-physician Hematology Oncology practice in Bay Shore, Long Island. Les and I have been married for 33 years and live in Melville, with our two sons.

Naomi (Schwartz) Lopkin

"Memories" Camp Columbia - did we have a good time! Great friends, great memories! Waking up to that brisk, country air and music and announcements on the loudspeaker, sharing thoughts, sharing clothes, learning how to swim, play rehearsals, so many talented and creative people, Israeli dancing, waitressing, delicious desserts, our bunk taking everyone's shoes and spelling out SHOES on the lawn, the canteen, the banquets, and more.

Thank you Gilda and Yaakov for the magical environment you created!

"Bio" The summer after I left camp, I worked at the Pine View Hotel in South Fallsburg in the children's day camp and met the sweetest, most handsome waiter in the childrren's dining room - my husband, Carl. We were married June, 1968. I graduated Brooklyn College as an english major. Carl's medical residency brought us to Boston - opportunity and a warm community enticed us to stay. I work with Carl doing everything NOT medical, and also teach Israeli dancing. We have 4 great kids (2 girls, 2 boys) and the older 3 are married. Among them and their spouses, we have a pediatrician, pediatric dentist, nursery school teacher, computer engineer, aspiring actress, and a med student. Our youngest son, is graduating college (the same day as the reunion) as a communications major. And, we have 4 adorable grandchildren. It's been so nice to reconnect with camp friends. Please let me know if you are in my neighborhood.

. Newton, Ma 02459

Gilda (Alpert) Steiger

Dear Gilda and Yaakov,

First, I want to say how sorry I am that I can’t be there to tell you this in person. Camp Columbia meant so much to me all through my teen years that not being there for the reunion is almost unthinkable. I hope you know that only a family wedding could keep me away.

I don’t know if you ever realized how much my summers at Camp meant to me. I guess you could say that I was a “summer child”, I lived for summer and the time I would spend on top of the mountain in Elizaville. The rest of the year was insignificant; it was time that had to be spent before I could get back to camp.

People who weren’t there cannot understand how special Columbia was. It provided a place, and a space, to form friendships and to live in a fun-filled, almost magical atmosphere. It was a safe haven - and was a very important part of getting me through those teen years.

So thank you for all that. I hope that I’ll be able to tell you that in person some day - either at reunion #2 or here in Florida. Someone told me that you’re living down here, and I would love to get together sometime soon.

David Rogoff

Let's see. Can't wait to see everybody. Here's what I'm up to. Private psychotherapy practice in Highland Park, NJ for the last eight years, prior to which I was the director of a hospice program affililiated with JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ. Loved the hospice work, but was suffocating as middle management in a health care bureaucracy. Private practice suits me beautifully-----no boss!!!!----and it's thriving.

I share my townhouse in Somerset, NJ with a beautiful rescued greyhound named Meg, the world's fastest couch potato. Jewishly, I'm on the board of the National Havurah Committee, which plans an annual week-long institute of learning, davening, and exciting, diverse, multi-generational Jewish living every August. Also a member of an egalitarian Havurah minyan in Highland Park, and a founding member and past president of NJ's Lesbian and Gay Havurah, now about 13 years old.

Life is filled with close loving family ties, great friends, spectacular nights at the opera whenever I can, fixing up vegetarian feasts, and figuring out how to put the pack of scoundrels currently wreaking havoc in Washington and our world out of business. Looking forward to sharing some big hugs!

Gilda and Jacob, I love and miss you and can't wait to hold you in my arms.

Michele Albert (Carlin)

For the past ten years, I have been working for ELEM/Youth in Distress in Israel, an American/Israeli organization that has programs throughout Israel for at-risk and troubled adolescents such as outreach vans, crisis shelters and counseling centers. You can get more information at www.elem.org

I am married to Richard Carlin and have two children, Jordana (16) and Zachary (13) and live in Roslyn Estates, NY 11576. 

Gilda Alpert Steiger

Hollywood, Florida, 33021

Family: Married for 20 years to Chaim Steiger of Netanya, Israel. Divorced 16 years. David Schottenfeld was my divorce lawyer, we didn’t recognize each other and your should have heard us play “my camp is better than your camp”!! How great to realize that we both won!

I have 2 wonderful children. Mirit (31) is a lawyer and is living in South Florida again after living in the Midwest and Northeast (New York) for the last 12 years. Needless to say I’m thrilled! She married Michael Teifeld, a wonderful man from Rhode Island this past December and I couldn’t have chosen better for her myself! Barry Konovitch who, along with his wife Aileen have been close friends for many many years, officiated.

My son Ron (27) is presently at Kellogg School of Management getting a Masters degree in Business. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Debbie Albo (who is like a daughter to me) and they live in Chicago. Both of my kids (and Debbie too) went to the University of Michigan for undergrad and I am a staunch Wolverine! No grandchildren yet.

I have been in relationship with a wonderful man for the last 4 years. His name is Bill Rubenstein, he’s a Real Estate lawyer - and he makes me very happy. His son Eric is getting married the day of the reunion - which is the only thing that’s keeping me from being there.

For those of you who remember Howie and Sherry Tischler, my sister Roberta married their younger brother Jonnie. They have 2 wonderful boys and a really cute grandson.

My dad passed away 16 years ago. My mom is 83 and busy traveling the world (India, China, Japan….) and taking courses at Queens College. I want to be like my mom when I grow up….

Occupation: I’ve worn many hats. I was a speech pathologist (specialty Language Development) first in the Yonkers School system and then in private practice in Florida. I gave that up to run my husband’s diamond importing company until my divorce and then went into residential real estate for 6 years. I hated that - so when a friend of mine came up with an idea for a new business I jumped on it.

I presently own (with that friend) an on-line company that advertises within the hospitality industry. We produce e-publications from hotels, destinations etc to meeting planners and leisure travelers, as well as maintain a website where planners can search for hotels around the world.

That’s it for me - I would love to get together with anyone who’s coming down this way. And I will definitely be at reunion #2!

Carol Albert Ozeri

I am presently living in Fresh Meadows New York. I have two children; a son, Gilad (25) and a daughter Alexandra (19). For the last twenty years or so I have been teaching English As A Second Language in a middle school in Flushing. I haven't ventured too far from home, although I have spent a great deal of time in Israel. I guess that summarizes the past 35 years in a paragraph.

Debbie Leavitt Austin

Camp Columbia was an important part of my growing up. It taught me much more than swimming, Israeli dancing, prayers and songs. It taught me the flavor of being Jewish, as well as the rituals. But most important it allowed me to meet people who had a profound impact on my life, people I considered, and still do, my second family. My five summers at Columbia gave me a foundation that I would not have found elsewhere, and people I will always feel connected to, no matter how much time goes by. The memories are fresh, even 35 years later. The lessons of friendship, caring and sharing have lasted me throughout the years. When I think of Camp, I think of friends, sharing and caring for each other, and just lots of fun.

Personal Information

I have two children, Shaun, 26, and Beth, 19. I have been married to Len Austin for 20 years and we live in Jericho, Long Island, New York. My son is a paramedic working for Nassau County Police Department, and my daughter is a sophomore at University of Delaware. My husband is a NY Supreme Court Judge, and I work for Nassau County as an assistant to one of the Deputy County Executives. My daughter is following in my footsteps of living for and loving camp; she is going into her 12th year at the same camp!  Jericho, NY 11753

Steven J. Glueck

 North Miami Beach, FL 33162

About six months ago, I saw Yaakov and Gilda in Delray Beach at a funeral of a dear friend/"aunt". He said - "Steven, they are looking for you! There is going to be a Camp Columbia reunion." So, with just those words, Yaakov managed to cheer me up a bit. (Although I was still concerned with who "they" were!) The memories came flooding back of 1965 - Sharon and 1967 - Galil (with a stint at Camp Ramah in Wingdale in between to hone my all Hebrew lack of skill. I was the original "Lost in Translation!")

The strongest memories, not necessarily in order of importance: Marty Edelman dressed up in drag by the Noar girls. (Sorry Marty but I believe that having the photo did inspire you to hire my wife Sharon and me in 1975 for the fledgeling Suffolk County Institute of Jewish Studies - the county-wide Hebrew High School, which helped with living expenses while I attended Brooklyn Law School and my wife taught at the Hebrew Academy of Suffolk County. Our secret was safe and you did keep your position as Rabbi in Port Jeff. Station.)

Playing Rusty Charlie in Guys and Dolls - I already reviewed this recently with "Patsy" -how I auditioned for Nathan Detroit using a Brooklyn Orthodox accent instead of a "Brooklyn dees and doze". And when Patsy stopped laughing, she saw a little talent so I did get to play Rusty Charlie. I also pointed out to Patsy that Michael Chertoff who (or is it whom?) she cast as Big Jule - "I'm clean, 26 arrests and no convictions", was until recently, the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Criminal Division of the United Stated Department of Justice and is now a Judge on the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. How Camp Columbia ironic is that?

I ended up playing the same role in my USY production of Guys and Dolls in 1970). That experience helped me overcome stage fright and I have enjoyed being on stage when the opportunity has arisen. The highpoint of that career came in 1973/74 - while attending Hebrew University I (and my future wife) were extras in "Moses The Lawgiver" with Burt Lancaster which was filmed south of Eilat. It is available to rent from Blockbusters.

The breakout of Color War by herding us into the Hadar Ochel at 2 in the morning claiming that Blacks were rioting and driving up the road to Camp; watching staff with rifles and guns from under a table. I don't think I was ever so scared in my life. I still don't know who the brains were behind that wonderful exercise in race relations.

Learning Israeli dancing with Ami Gilad - After all these years, my wife and I remain avid Israeli dancers and Ami planted the seeds. Yes Ami, we listen to your radio show on Sundays.

Winning the fencing and archery competitions during Color War. Those skills really came in handy over the years as an attorney.

Listening to the Lollipop Gilda...

Running with Morris to the camp gate and back in the morning and watching him eat onions like apples...

Getting nauseous from the thick chocolate milk on hot afternoons.

Wondering why that film never came off the plastic glasses.

Quickly eating the main dish so that I could get to Mr. Hoffman's incredible desserts.

Wondering why horseback riding ended abruptly one summer.

So many more great memories.

Years following, I attended "camp" again with Yaakov and Gilda. My in-laws "Conservative rabbi and rebbetzen" would go to the Greater Carolina Association of Rabbis retreat in Wildacres, North Carolina and they invited us to attend - which we did over a few summers. Primarily Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Rabbis and families - we represented Orthodox Jewry (quite a frightening thought.) Yaakov and Gilda were there also and we had a few good talks about camp days.

Personal - Married to Sharon (Jacobs) for 29 years. Attended SUNY-Stony Brook and Hebrew University followed by Brooklyn Law School. (Was talked out of attending JTS by a number of rabbis.) Practiced law on Long Island until 1985 when we moved to Florida where I have a law practice and title insurance company in North Miami Beach - practicing real estate and probate law. We have four children - Talia - married and living in Teaneck, NJ with husband Chesky and our 2 year-old grandson Yitz; Arielle - beginning Einstein Medical School in August; twin boys Jesse and Benjamin-attending the Hillel Community High School.

Although the son of a Conservative Cantor married to the daughter of a Conservative Rabbi - we are Orthodox. Although I still show my true nature when writing the entertainment for our shul annual dinner - "Did you hear about the new Kolel doll - the one that you wind up and it DOESN'T work?"

I can't make it to the reunion but my thoughts will be there. We ought to have a South Florida Camp Columbia reunion!

Sue Anne Fishkin

How does anyone begin to explain the impact of a feeling that you just can't really put into words........

I think that Camp is all of that.

It was singing and banging on the tables in the diningroom seranading Danny Steinlauf about becoming a "Brick layer', and being too young to know what it meant. It was reading the various midos hanging from the dining room rafters. Checking for the weekly Shabbat changes and thinking that Doni's lettering could never get more beautiful. Walking up and down the hill to the dining room for meals, plays, Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Fall - being a Hat Check Girl in Guys and Dolls, becoming an expert in Name that Tune - I can name it in 1 note!!! A first boyfriend, a first kiss, a committment to a Jewish Life, a committment to friendships. Finding a childhood spritual self and wanting it so badly for your own children.

COLOR WAR!!! Awakening in the middle of the night, feeling scared and excited all at once. Lonny being a force to be reckoned with!! Dissing your best friend for Color War and making up right after. Singing....singing....singing.....more singing, painting murals that meant something. Having every bit of your creative soul stroked, hugged, loved and stroked some more.

Bobby was always at his best - Patsy, Dana, the Chevra, Boker Tov everybody from Benjie. You can tell, by the smell, hail Kineret we are here! (The only division song of memory because it was so funny)

There was always something. Some amazing talent in someone, and if you didn't have one of your own, you could partake in someone else's. I am starting to get a little teary, but with a smile on my face.

It didn't matter how old or young you were because there weren't any barriers. You became someone's little brother or sister. Going to the canteen and buying as much sugar as possible after a hard day at camp, and dancing to the jukebox - or was it someone playing records - who cared. It made me want to grow up and live in Brooklyn because all of my friends (the coolest kids in camp) came from Brooklyn. I wanted to be hip like them. Trying to sneak upstairs to Arts & Crafts because I loved it so much.

Begging my parents, the last summer that camp was in existance to let me go - PLEASE - just for the last 2 weeks. I was so depressed to miss it. They consented and it was just like I never missed a beat. All my friends welcomed me with open arms. I loved them back. Going to Banquet the last night of camp and feeling bittersweet thoughts - another summer coming to an end. Lighting the year in flames on the lake and everyone hugging, crying, laughing....this time knowing that it just wasn't going to happen again next year.

I lived all year long for camp. I couldn't wait to get there, and away from home. I felt so respected there, so capable, able to make decisions for myself, free of my grownups. It was an outstanding childhood.

Thank you to all my friends, counselors, division heads, head counselors, the fabulous cooks, the outdoor evening movies watching 7 Brides for 7 Brothers for the 90th time and hating it just as much. Mostly thank you to Yaakov and Gilda, for putting together the most amazing group of people in one place at one time.

Now that I'm supposed to be a grownup- I do live in Brooklyn, and I admit I do LOVE it. I have been married for the last 24 years to Michael Hurwitz - a guy from Far Rockaway. We have 3 kids - Miriam (aka Minnie when she was small) who is 22 and graduating from Brandeis on the 23rd of May. I almost had to miss her graduation for this. Max who just turned 18 and graduates from High School next year, and Goldie-Rose who will celebrate her Bat Mitzvah in June right around my 50th birthday.

Currently I work as a sales rep for an educational publisher. I was trained as a fine artist, and always look for time to follow that love.

Brooklyn, NY 11226

Florence and Seymour Morgenstern

I would like to express my feelings about these two people who are responsible for changing and inspiring so many lives, as you all know. They are two of the most incredible people in this universe. Since I was a little girl, I have heard only "extraordinary" comments about Gilda. From "winning the dictionary" (meaning she was valedvictorian of her class), to being the "prodigy" of her Hebrew School, to founding a Yeshivah, to Camp Columbia, to Aliyah to Israel, and her innovative and creative ideas in the teaching of the retarded in Israel, to her writing and printing of the many, many books, her teaching and inspiration to her class of 80 students in Florida (which is the talk of the town) to her national award from Hadassah for her curriculum, and on and on and on. Her accomplishments, talent and dedication are indescribable in words, and too numerous to list.

As her sister, I could never have asked for a more devoted, loyal, loving, caring and generous person. How did I get so lucky? I am so proud to tell everyone that she is my sister! What a blessing and privilege. She has devoted her life to Am Yisrael since she was a child, being an ardent Zionist when others did not even understand what that word meant. Her participation in youth groups as a leader was a great contribution to Judaism and Israel. Her creativity, perseverance and courage are second to none. Our Mother (a great woman in her own right), was so proud of Gilda's character, ethics, talents and wisdom. Of course, our dear beloved Mother was a great influence on Gilda's loves and life.

In addition, Gilda is an extremely devoted Wife to Jacob, Mother to her two sons, Mayer and David, and their beautiful wives, Ariella and Zahava. Her six grandchildren, Ronen, Tal, Oz, Jodi, Jonathan and Mia adore Gilda, and are so proud of her. She has given each grandchild special attention and love. A devoted Sister-in-law to Seymour and to Aron. .A loving aunt to Caren, Jeff, and Mannie and their partners, Miriam and Dena, and to their six children. Also to Sarah, Stuart and their children.

I guess what I am saying is that Gilda is a "MENSCH" and is respected and loved by all.

And, of course, Jacob came to us, and has enriched and enhanced our lives beyond words. His ethics, wisdom, generosity, talents and brilliance is at genius level. His ancestors were well known Rabbis, and he obviously inherited their intellectual talents. In spite of difficult times in his life, experiencing inhuman atrocities; no human being should have had to endure, Jacob shone when he helped to save lives where his own life was in danger. Fortunately, Jacob was able to overcome these years, and is living a life filled with inspiration, teaching, and perpetuating Judaism and Zionism all over the world. Establishing Camp Columbia, the founding of a Yeshivah. And in Israel, his life and work with J.N.F., Dean of the Machon Greenberg School, Dean of a Day School in Louisville, the teaching of Rabbis in Boca Raton, Fla., teaching classes to young leadership in Fla., leading elderhostels on various subjects, and working along with Gilda in her marvelous classes in Florida.

Jacob, or Yaakov, as he is known by, has earned the respect and love of thousands all over the world. He has had the opportunity because of who he is, of spending quality time with great men in Jewish History. David Ben Gurion, Golda Meir, Menachem Begin, Ephraim Katzir, and on and on are some of the dignitaries he has worked with and spent time with. He was included in Bible Study with Menachem Begin for several years on Saturday nights at Begin's home, a great honor. Gilda, too, attended. His brilliance has been recognized by the greatest.

He, too, is a devoted Husband to Gilda, Father to Mayer and David and their families, to his Brother, Aron, Seymour, to me, his Sister in law, and to the rest of his family in Israel. He was a wonderful Son In Law to our Mother, Minnie Brodsky till the very end of her life. His own Father and Mother were killed during the Holocaust, also special people. He was a son to our Mother.

Yes, you have come to honor these two great people, Gilda and Yaakov. They did put much of their lives into starting a Camp where they could inspire and teach, where they could create love amongst brothers and sisters, bring out talents and creativity where it might not have been recognized, create a family of people who at one time were strangers, but today see and love one another. Yes, they gave opportunities wherever they could to bring out the full potential of each and every child and staff member who were fortunate enough to experience CAMP COLUMBIA!

Gilda and Yaakov, "may you go from strength to strength"! You done good!

Your loving Sister, Florence Morgenstern "Fagie", as I am called by Gilda and Jacob

From Seymour….

Florence has said it all about Gilda and Jacob, but I must add a few things. Firstly, over the years, whomever was touched by Gilda or Jacob their lives were improved. They both have that special gift of doing things for people and never making them feel an obligation. There is a kindness about them and a wisdom that transcends all else. Florence and I hold them in awe for all of the wonderful things that they have accomplished and for all of the goodness that they exude. We wish them long, healthy and content lives.

Faye Jeser

Dear Gilda and Yaakov (or is it Yaakov and Gilda?).

No matter how you look at it the two of you definitely go together. One and the same; a very special and unique couple.

I met Paul in September of 1963 in the college town of Potsdam, NY. We met at High Holiday services right after the first yahzeit of his mother, Marjorie.

Without exaggeration, it was from that very first day that we met that I began to hear about two wonderfully incredible people, Gilda & Yaakov. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times Paul would relate stories to me. Somehow each story would always end with him telling me how much love and admiration he had for the two of you and how much influence you had on his life. You were his surrogate parents. So, I must say, “Thank you” to the both of you for helping Paul become what he is today. An outstanding human being! You have been such positive role models.

At first, I did not understood the depth of the relationship the three of you had. And at times I even felt envious of your closeness. I decided that I too wanted to become a part of this wonderful relationship and get to know the two of you better. So, off to Camp Columbia I went for two summers. Wow! Needless to say, the magic of Camp Columbia and the Halpern family combined swept me in and made a huge impact on my life as well.

You have done so much for so many people. May the Jeser/Halpern friendship/bond remain strong for many years to come.

Yaakov and Gilda, you are two of the finest, caring people I have ever known. Thank you for all you have done for the Jesers and so many other families around the world. I love you both a great deal and wish you “everything good”. Biz hundred und tvanzik yor.

AND THE LAST WORD(S), FROM NONE OTHER THAN (VU DEN) ……

Lonny Benamy

Some camps were known as "camper camps." Others were known as "counselor camps." Columbia had the unique distinction of being both. But it was much more than that. Yet even those of us who spent many fantastic summers there might be hard pressed to describe what made it so special.

Physically, the camp was hardly extraordinary. We moaned in the sweltering heat of the Chadar Ha'ochel. We groaned when we had to walk down to the lake (and even more when we walked back up.) You could hear the howls from all parts of campus when the hot water ran out in the showers every Friday afternoon. It's not that we forgot those things; they were simply not important in the final analysis. What was important were those things that are hard to quantify- a sense of belonging, the ability of Jews from wildly divergent backgrounds to mesh seamlessly (a sorely needed example for today), magical sunsets, and much, much more. In short, Camp Columbia became as much a state of mind as a geographical location.

When we gather for our reunion on May 16th, it will not be mere curiosity that brings people from all parts of the country and Israel. It will be the recognition that Camp Columbia taught us some very important life lessons, strengthened our Jewish identity, and forged the basis for enduring friendships.

To Yaacov and Gilda and everyone else who had a hand in this enterprise, thank you for making it possible.

THE END!!