Campfires And Color Wars

It's another Camp Movie Night as Micah is joined by Arielle Nissenblatt, Shira Moskowitz, and Michael Wormser to discuss the 1979 camp movie Meatballs, Bill Murray's first big starring role. How does it hold up after 40+ years? Is there enough coverage of the campers? How old are these people supposed to be anyway? You know what - IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER. Warning: There is frank discussion of sexual assault in this episode, so please use discretion if the subject matter is too uncomfortable.

Multi-talented performer Jonah Platt is part of a large, multigenerational camp family and joins to share some hilarious stories of his time growing up at Ramah Ojai, including a prank so good a national publication did an oral history of it! Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

The hosts of the Pray For Us podcast Jacey Naccarella and Jessica Dollin join to share their memories of camp growing up, including stories about mascot flirtations, dino nuggets, and underwear humiliation. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

Mark Young joins the podcast to share stories of growing up at Camp Wise and how the lessons he learned there contributed to his current work helping organizations respond to crises. Plus we talk songleading and remember the days when we had no idea what was going on the world outside of camp. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

Writer and author Lana Schwartz joins the podcast to share stories of summer camp including winning a very important beet-eating contest, a not-well-thought-out insane asylum prank on a cabin of 7-year olds, and the perfection that is the movie Wet Hot American Summer. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

Hilarious comedian Pamela Schuller joins us for a brand-new episode to talk about her time at summer camp and how much things have changed over the years to make camp more inclusive for campers with different needs. She shares an incredible story of getting kidnapped by her unit, how she got her start as a comedian as a camper, and shares a brand new camp game that is (isn't) sweeping the nation! Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

Florida Congressman Ted Deutch joins to talk about his time growing up at Ramah Poconos and the impact that had on him and his approach to politics. We talk about evening programs that impacted our worldview, the key to spending time with someone before it's time to go back to your cabins, and why raids in hindsight weren't as "spontaneous" as they seemed. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

Advocate and pioneer Rabbi Denise Eger joins the podcast to discuss the transformation of camp for the LGBTQ community and her memories of growing up at Jacobs Camp in the summer heat of Mississippi. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

Sara Beth Berman, aka SBB, noted Jewish Geography Zoom Racing celeb, joins the podcast this week to talk summer camps, and more specifically her experiences at a multitude of them! It's possible she's worked at more camps than any previous guest, or at least we're going to make that claim without doing any research to back it up. We talk about Letter Lotto, hiding staff romances from campers, and much much more. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

This week we are joined by Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz, owners of Gefilteria and the creators of the Great Big Jewish Food Fest, to talk food, tradition, and camp! Come for the discussion of which camp foods are the best, stay for the breakdown of how to make bank as a camp entrepreneur and the value of befriending the counselors. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

Jim LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham are the directors of Crip Camp, an incredible documentary streaming on Netflix about Camp Jened, a remarkable summer camp in the 1970s that proved to be a breeding ground for several of the leaders of the movement to gain rights and equal treatment under the law for Americans with disabilities. Join us as Jim and Nicole recount their experience making the film as well as Jim's memories of being a camper at Jened. What an incredible story and what an incredible movie! Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

Jamie Beth Cohen and Sam Schindler are a camp couple - that is to say, they both went to camp growing up, but had vastly different experiences. How has that shaped their view of summer camp, and what does it mean for their kids and where they go some day? Don't waste a minute, take a listen and find out!

Indigo Girls have been a staple of summer camp since bursting onto the scene in the mid-80s. Why is that? We break down how the iconic musical duo became so ingrained in the experience of camp for so many girls (and some boys) and why they still have such a deep connection with their fans all these years later. Don't waste a minute, stay safe and take a listen!

Author Iris Krasnow joins to discuss her new memoir "Camp Girls" and how her time at Camp Agawak created lasting friendships that continue to this day. Plus we discuss the allure of the horse stables, taking the train to camp as a young child, and much much more. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

We're all trying to make the best of it during quarantine. With Expedition Nai, Roey Kruvi and Abby Eisen are part of the team that has put together the world's largest virtual Color Wars competition, where participants around the globe can win prizes, find community, and try to have some fun even in these difficult times. Plus we discuss Sadie Hawkins camp dances, flash mobs, and the thrill of spending time in the staff lounge. Don't waste a minute, wash your hands, and take a listen!

Wherever you go, there's always someone Jewish. It's a true statement, and it's also an incredibly popular summer camp song. In our latest episode we dive into the creation of the ubiquitous ditty with its author, longtime songleader and songwriter Rabbi Larry Milder, who walks us through how the song game together and shares his own camp journey along the way. Don't waste a minute, stay safe and wash your hands, and take a listen!

If we ever needed to transport ourselves to our happy places, that time is now. Tamar Anitai joins the podcast to talk about her experiences at Kutz Camp, the joys of going to camp exclusively for teenagers, and we talk (of course) about the impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on us all. Join us to try to escape at least for a little bit - and stick around for a musical surprise at the very end! Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

With all the talk of camp nostalgia, what's it like to be on staff at camp today? Ben Lieberman, who is currently a staff member at Camp Gilboa in Big Bear, California, joins to dish on modern camping, what's changed and what's the same from our childhoods, and more. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

It's Valentine's Day, which means love is in the air, and we're back for the fourth straight year with delightful tales of camp love. Join us as we talk with couples Janet and Adam Guy and Mimi and Marc Yoskowitz about how their relationships connect to their summer camp experiences. It may be cold outside, but this episode will warm your heart! Don't waste a minute, take a listen!

We all miss our days of yesteryear at summer camp. But what if...you could go back? Like right now? That's what Trybal Gatherings is all about, and Carine Warsawski joins to discuss the camp experiences she is creating for adults as well as share her own amazing stories from growing up at Camp Eisner in the Berkshires. Don't waste a minute, take a listen!