What brings you strength?
Dear Kalsman Community, At the end of each long, activity-filled day of camp, we come together to slow things down and end the night by putting our arms around each other and singing the prayer Hashkiveinu. The prayer asks for a shelter of peace over the...
Why Camp is Home to Me
When I rolled up to camp last Summer, I didn’t feel like I fit the mold. Being born and raised in Wisconsin, I had never been to the Pacific Northwest and, more importantly, I’m not Jewish. In fact, I’m not sure how many Jewish people I had met before coming to...
C.I.Thank you Machonikim for all that you bring
The Jewish summer camp experience is one of love, growth, and holy community. Whether you were in the summer heat of Camp Swig in the ‘70s or walking the rolling hills of URJ Crane Lake Camp just years ago, there is an expectation that you would be provided with the...
Prioritizing Mental Health at Camp
Campers and staff are coming to the URJ Camp Kalsman this year from all over the world. From Israel to Poland, Florida to California, many people want to be a part of the magic that happens in the mountains of Arlington, Washington. We all have our own lived...
Jordan Road, Take Me Home
You know you're doing something right when children are excited about a road. It’s literally just a road. It's not Main Street at Disneyland (although to many it feels like it). To some, Jordan Road is simply a few miles of winding pavement connecting the outside to a...
The Communal Power of Music!
We sing a lot at camp. Between two shirot (song sessions), T’filah, and siyum every day, camp is an incredibly musical place. Last Shabbat, I was sitting with my campers as Myles played “It’s Up To Us,” an English version of Aleinu. As he finished, one of my campers...
Kallah Kalsman Summer 2020 Reflections
Summer 2020 was full of community, fun, and Judaism. The unconventional detail of it being through the screen allowed for some of our staff alumni who haven't been able to be at camp for the past few summers to "come back home", and join our other eager staff and...
Havdalah Thoughts from our Campers: Community Is Where the Heart Is
Shavua Tov! Last week, Kalsman Virtual Havdalah was beautifully led by some of our Kesher campers from last summer. The emotions we are all feeling of missing camp, while all the same feeling incredibly thankful for our Kalsman community was so wonderfully...
Opportunity’s Na-Na-Knocking
Kalsman’s Head Songleader, Jacob, recounts how a songleading “flub” led to a personal “aha” moment.