At local Jewish camps, many of the counselors started as campers themselves.
They credit their strong Jewish identity, leadership skills and lifelong friendships to their years at camp.
Zach Mittelman, 20, is one such counselor. He serves as a counselor to counselors-in-training at Camp Airy in Thurmont. He prepares them to be staff counselors the following year.
“We want to give them the best possible summer, just being there when they need it most,” he said. “We’re trying to prep them into being great counselors for the future.”
Mittelman is a junior at the University of Richmond, double majoring in psychology and leadership studies. He said he strives to set a good example for when campers become CITs and counselors at the overnight camp.
“When I was a camper, I always looked up to these older counselors for not just leading by example, but also for giving really good advice,” he said. “Now you just want to be that person for them, whether they’re 17 or they’re 6.”
Michael Bernstein, 20, is a senior bunk counselor for 8-year-olds at the Beth Tfiloh Camps in Reisterstown. He has been at the day camp for 16 years, initially as a camper. This year is his fifth as a counselor.
“I’ve been here most of my life, growing up here, watching what the counselors did and the impact that they’ve made on me,” he said.
He enjoys watching how the camp experience impacts young lives.
“The campers are learning about nature. They’re learning about arts and crafts. They’re learning athletics,” said Bernstein, who is studying at Salisbury University to be a gym teacher. “I feel like every activity they do has an impact on them because it might spark an interest and then they might fall in love with whatever they are doing.”
Ally Kasman, 25, of Pikesville, is a song leader at BT Camps. During the school year, she teaches math at Dulaney High School.
“Music is my passion,” she said. “Camp gives me a way to share my love for music with kids.”
Also at BT Camps, Mollye Komins, 27, supervises 20 staff members and 80 campers. She started as a camper at age 5. 11 years ago, she became a counselor. She has a master’s degree in early childhood education from Towson University.
“I love working at camp. It’s like a second home for me since I’ve been coming here forever, and I just love the community,” said Komins, who teaches first grade at Chadwick Elementary.
Counselors also spoke of how they have built lifelong friendships each summer at camp, with the other campers when they were young and with the other counselors now.
“I’m getting married next year, and a lot of them will be at my wedding,” Komins said. “I keep in touch with all of them.”
Kasman has learned to be a leader during her years at BT Camps.
“Every year I get more leadership skills,” she said. “I was a counselor, then head counselor, until they asked me to be a unit head.”
Jenna Lifson-Book, 22, is a head counselor at Chizuk Amuno Camps in Pikesville, where she oversees second graders. She recently graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in criminology and criminal justice.
“I love seeing the kids every day and making sure that they have a great time at camp and make lots of friends,” she said. “I like helping them learn how to become more independent while at camp and how to have fun and how to take new risks.”
Lifson-Book is headed to Israel next year for a teaching program. Her staff experience at a Jewish camp influenced her decision to do this.
“I already have a strong Jewish identity,” she said. “Camp has helped me strengthen my perception and relationship with the Jewish community.”
Lindsay Kushner works at J Camps in Owings Mills as a senior counselor for a second-grade bunk. The JCC of Greater Baltimore day camp “leads you from the camper to the counselor role,” she said. “I love teaching the kids and seeing where they go in the future.”
Kushner is a Salisbury University sophomore majoring in exercise science. She believes that camp counseling has helped her overcome her shyness.
“I’ve learned to express myself more and to understand what other people go through and how to help people when they are having an issue,” she said.
As a camper and a counselor at a Jewish camp, Kushner has also learned more about Judaism.
“Participating in all of the activities like Shabbat at a young age has had a huge impact on how I see my identity,” she added.
Madelyn Brown, a 2023 graduate of Dulaney High, is a counselor for 10-year-olds at Camp Louise in Cascade. For 10 years, she was a camper, then she transitioned to a counselor.
“I’ve always looked up to my counselors, and I wanted to give other campers the same opportunities that my counselors gave to me,” said Brown, who is going to Penn State in the fall. “Mostly to be your authentic self and be exactly who you want to be, free of judgment.”
Corrections: This article has been updated to correct the locations of Camps Airy and Louise, as well as to correct the attribution of a quote. It is Mollye Komins who is getting married next year.
