Bless This House, For We Are All Together
By Rabbi Dan Utley, Director
Each summer, I share with our staff that one of their core responsibilities as role models of camp and Jewish traditions is “to help the old become new, and the new become holy.” This phrase, attributed to Rav Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of Israel, reminds us that meaning is created when people renew tradition and intention in the present moment.
At Camp Wise, this idea comes to life every day. We are stewards of both Camp Wise and Jewish tradition, some that are old and others created each summer anew. New campers, new staff, new friendships, and new ideas taking part in our beautiful camp community – 119 years old!
This spring marks an exciting new chapter in the Camp Wise story. When campers arrive in June, they will gather in a new 650-seat covered amphitheater at the heart of our campus. This construction
from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation. The new amphitheater will provide a flexible and weather-protected space to support Shabbat celebrations, song sessions, performing arts programs, and Jewish cultural events. In addition, a matching grant for capital expansion from the Gottesman Fund of the Foundation for Jewish Camp will accompany the Mandel Foundation’s investment, helping to ensure the project meets the evolving needs of the camping community.
The new amphitheater – complete with benches (with backs!) and professional sound and lighting, will become the home to many beloved community moments such as the camp play, talent
shows, chugim showcase, drama and Israeli dance, and of course Shabbat (when it inevitably rains). Our ruach (spirit) and connection will be elevated in this new gathering space. Every song sung and story shared there will reflect the love and commitment of our community that believes deeply in the power of togetherness and belonging.
I look forward to inviting campers and staff into conversations about what comes next as we approach our 120th summer in 2027. Each of us who calls Camp Wise the Home of Happiness is part of an unbroken chain of tradition. Through our presence, our relationships, and the moments we create together, we help make this place –and each other – holy.
Above: Rendering of new construction, next to existing dining hall.
At left: Various performances from the talent shows and summer plays.
NEW AMPHITHEATER
CHADAR
Unpacking a Piece of Camp Wise History
TRACING THE HISTORY OF “EVENING PROGRAM” AT CAMP WISE
For nearly 120 summers, Camp Wise has been shaped by traditions that blend joy, creativity, and community – and few traditions capture this more than the evening program. In fact, we can trace it all the way back to a sample camp schedule from 1907, where “evening program” appears as a dedicated part of the daily routine. While we can only imagine what those earliest gatherings looked like, the intention was clear even then: bring campers together at the end of each day for something special.
Today, evening programs remain a cornerstone of the Camp Wise experience,
evolving into some of our most beloved – and sometimes wonderfully wacky –traditions. Crazy Go Nuts and Pickle Night, paint parties and pool parties, to chooseyour-own-adventure nights and most recently our vibrant International World Fair carnival, these programs continue to spark laughter, connection, and camp magic. More than a century later, the spirit of the evening program still shines as bright as ever.
VOTE for the Photo of the Year!
The Camp Wise media team did an incredible job capturing the magic of Summer 2026. Now it’s time to choose the official Summer 2026 photo of the year! Vote for your favorite, the winner will be announced on the Camp Wise Instagram.
To vote for their favorite photo scan the QR code below.
Camper Referral Bonus Incentive
Camp Wise Referral Bonus: When you refer a new camper to Camp Wise, we’ll give you credit towards your camp tuition for this summer and a special gift that your family can use to bring some Camp Wise ruach (spirit) into your home!
• 1st referral: $200 off camp tuition
• 2nd referral: Additional $300 off camp tuition (total of $500 off)
• 3rd referral: Additional $400 off camp tuition (total of $900 off)
• 4th-8th referrals: Additional $400 each off camp tuition (maximum of $2,900 off)
The maximum total referral bonus is $2,900.
This discount will be applied to your future payments after the applying camper’s payments are set up.
August Programs at Camp Wise
CAMP CHAI
THURSDAY, AUG 13 - MONDAY, AUG 17
An overnight vacation in the woods for adults with disabilities! Come experience all the fun of Camp Wise and meet new friends!
FAMILY CAMP 2026
FRIDAY, AUG 14 - SUNDAY, AUG 16
Whether you’re thinking about camp for a future camper, want to relive your camp days, or want a weekend of fun, Family Camp is for you! Enjoy swimming, tubing, tennis, archery, basketball, campfires, arts & crafts, climbing tower and zipline, and a magical camp Shabbat and Havdalah
FAMILY FUN DAY 2026
SUNDAY, AUG 16, 1-4 PM
One more day at camp this summer. Show your family why Camp Wise is your Home of Happiness, and you can even bring a friend you want to see at camp next summer!
WOMEN’S WEEKEND 2026
FRIDAY, AUG 21 - SUN, AUG 23
Relax, unwind, and refresh with a weekend at Camp Wise. Relive your camp days or experience your camper’s summer with our pool, arts and crafts, lake activities, ropes course and much more! Join us for gourmet meals, Shabbat experiences and time with life coach Natalie Goldfein. Come on your own or with friends for a time to remember!
ALUMNI WEEKEND 2026
FRIDAY, AUG 28 - SUNDAY, AUG 30
This weekend is open to CW alum 21 years and older and their partners. Relive the magic of CW canoeing and relaxing at the lake, crafting in the art shack, reconnecting with fellow alumni, taking a hike in the woods, and most importantly, relaxing, disconnecting, and having fun.
RETURNING FOR A THIRD YEAR
Overnight for Grades 2-4 • Oct 2026
Meet the people you’ll be with at camp in Summer 2027, or reconnect with the ones you were with in ’26! If you’re thinking about joining our camp community for the first time, this is the PERFECT way to see Camp Wise in action. Try out our camp activities, celebrate Shabbat, and see what it’s like to sleep in one of our Chalutzim cabins! To close it out on Saturday night, we’ll have Havdalah with parents back at The Mandel JCC in Cleveland. Stay tuned for details this summer.
We love to celebrate the s’machot among our camp community. Are you celebrating anything? A B’nai Mitzvah, engagement, wedding? Please let us know so we can celebrate alongside with you by emailing us at wisekids@mandeljcc.org. May we continue to share happy times together!
“I’m tryin’ to tell you something about my life...”
C.I.T.s (Campers in Training)
Camp Wise Alum Future Camper Date
Jennifer (Ticktin) & Matthew Jacobs Eliana Noa Dec 29
Rachel Kaufman & Neil Edwards Clyde Edwards Jan 16
Eli Steinberger & Melissa Shamis Lucy Wynn April 30
Evan Meles & Jackie Mironov Eliana Aug 3
Emily (Josephson) & Eric Black Noah Jude & Lucas Asher Aug 4
Taylor (Kent) & Erik Ashman Hazel Brooke Aug 27
Rabbi Lenette & Michael Goldman Elijah Bear Sept 6
Amy (Saltzman) & Brian Barasch Solomon Lev Sept 22
Sydney (Ungar) & Ben Milgrom Henry Aaron Oct 11
Orela & Zach Marlin Maya Harper Oct 13
Emma & Kenny Fisher Asa John Nov 7
Sarah (Judis) & Johnny MacLean Zayd Michael Nov 28
Please let us know when any Camp Wise alumnus welcomes a new baby and we will send them a Future Camper onesie.
B’nai Mitzvah
WE ARE PROUD OF
YOU, I SAID WE ARE PROUD OF YOU... UH!
When someone at Camp Wise celebrates a big day, we all stand on our benches and cheer about it! Here’s a big CW cheer for all those campers who have celebrated their B’nai Mitzvah since our last newsletter. Please let us know if we’ve missed you and we will include you in our next issue.
Lily Bacik
Andrew Behrens
Julia Bergin
Sivan Blitstein
Nina Bodas
Orly Bogard
Josh Buchner
Jackson Cohen
Benjamin Danzig
Sam Decker
Cole Evans
Abe Gottfried
Kate Grishkan
Ethan Gruhin
Beatrice Halverson
Annalyse Harris
Everley Hurwitz
Sam Jacobs
Sydney Karfeld
Evan Kay
Chaya Laytin
Leo Lipman
Jonah McMurdy
Ivy Pevnick
Rosemary PlumbLarrick
Alex Potts
Mia Robbins
Anna Rock
Dylan Rocker
Anakin Roskoph
Elliot Sacks
Jillian Saks
Ethan Shuller
Shai Young
Ava Wilson
Ben Wirick
“I Can Hear the Bells...”
Marriages:
Nicole Krasnow & Ryan Smith • Sept 13
Elana Gloger & Luke Sober • Sept 14
Jason Wachs & Jordan Killian • Oct 18
Jamie Semel & Jake Rolfs • Oct 18
Erika Goodman & Connor Grotton • Nov 7
Jordan Marks & Jenna Blaszczykiewicz • Nov 14
Engagements:
Brian Chessin & Lauren Hadney
Gabe Baker & Hadass Galili
Jessica Singer & Michael Studer
Jonah Ricanati & Stephanie Bader
Lily Eisen & Michael Cancelliere
Sofia Snyder & Jeremy Gloger
Jordan Kulbarsh & Abby Falcone
Jessie Paley & Dr. Josh Mormol
Sydney Turoff & Ryan Hoffer
Hannah Tucker & Kyle Rakotci
Sam Terkel & Sofi Brakin
Emily Weisblatt & Jerod Garson
Emily Gilbert & Zach Beder
Hannah Sullivan & Jonas Short
Sydney Goldstein to Charlie Zuccarini
Morgan Levine & Emanuel Kam
Maya Cohen & Sammy Field
ON THE ROAD TO 120 YEARS 2025
Impact Report
• SIT 23 TOTAL NUMBER OF CAMPERS
Numbers of Campers/ Village
OUR FAMILIES TELL IT BEST...
• Chalutzim/ Rishon/Week of Wise 153
• Ohalim 142
• Noar 126
• Solel 47 • ILSE 29
“ This camp didn’t just give our child a fun summer – it gave them a boost of confidence, a sense of belonging, and memories they’ll carry for years. We are deeply grateful for that.” of those surveyed said 2025 was their best summer yet at Camp Wise of those surveyed said their overall experience was excellent or very good 94%
“ Camp Wise is always able to make my camper feel like she belongs. The activities, Shabbat services, and the counselors were all part of that.”
“ My daughter really connected with her counselor Jenna. She said she made her feel special and appreciated. That was a real difference for her from a previous camp where she didn’t feel connected to cabin counselor. This is very reassuring to us as parents.”
THE MANDEL-MYERS FELLOWSHIP OFFERS
$4,500 and $5,000 College Scholarships TO DOMESTIC STAFF WHO WORK FULL-SUMMERS AT CAMP WISE!
In 2025, 50 fellows took part in the fellowship, with over $250,000 sent to support their college education.
STAFF COMMUNITY
Summer Jewish Value
L’DOR VADOR Celebrating our connection to generations of campers and staff, Israel, and the history of the Jewish people.
DID YOU KNOW THAT CAMP WISE PARTICIPATES IN RUSTBELT RIDERS COMPOSTING?
Total tons of organic material and food waste sent to compost 10.8 Tons
CO2 saved by composting: APPROX 5.6 Tons by preventing food waste from entering landfills and creating excess CO2 – the equivalent of 1,320 miles driven in a car.
STAFF SHINING MOMENTS:
“I had the best time, made amazing friends and had so many new experiences. The community built is incredible and the love can be felt everywhere.”
“Camp Wise is always called Home of Happiness and that is completely true. It’s a place where I’m having fun while working with kids and still seeing my friends a lot. I can be myself without having to worry what others are thinking about me.”
• Chanukah Candle lighting
• Pool Party for grades 1-4
• Leadership Retreat for 10th-11th graders
• Winter Weekend grades 5-8
• Camper Reunions –Cleveland and Columbus
• Staff Reunion
• Spring Open House/Tours
• Impact Day
• Women’s Weekend
• Ohalim Takeover
• Camp Chai
CROSSWORDS FOR THE WISE
ACROSS
2. Ohalim’s raccoon mascot
8. The place you go before getting on the bus to go to camp.
11.“Take a look above you, discover the ____”.
12. “The seasons to round and round, the painted ____ go up and down”.
13. Have you got that ____?!
14. ILS stands for Israel ____ Summer
1. The Home of ____
3. WW. “1, 2, 3, 4, 5...Chalutzim is really ____.”
4. “Hats, sunscreen, lots of____”.
5. “Free Time” in Hebrew
6. The name of the property that Camp Wise is built on.
7. “____ inside a jar!”
9. The English word for Kehilla
10. Traditional Friday Lunch
A Very Special “Todah Rabah”
TO ALL OF OUR MOST RECENT CAMP WISE DONORS!
We are honored to recognize the families, individuals and groups who have chosen to make thoughtful and generous contributions to Camp Wise and join the 2025 Forward Together Now Harold Grinspoon Match.
Contributions to Camp Wise continue to help make camp possible for a number of campers. Your donations of $18 can help support us in new programming supplies for a cabin or village program. $36 will help support camp’s ability to post over 7,000 photos over the summer. $180 goes towards amazing out of camp trip experiences for our older campers. $13,164 will make it possible for two desiring campers to experience the Home of Happiness for the first time.
Please let us know if your name was inadvertently left off the list. As of Dec 31, 2025
DAY OF GIVING 2025
Caron Blanke & Dirk Bird
Sara Brick
Brian Chessin
Carly Chessin
Heidi & Loren Chylla
Rachel Felber
Carol & Arnie Feltoon
Julia Leb & Alan Gecht
Matthew Golden
Dan Goodman
Jennifer & Bernard
Gordon
Lesley Gordon
Jennifer Slate & Jonathan Grischkan
Juli & Charles Herman
Kerry & Daryl Kertesz
Adam Kling
Shayna Kling
Deborah & Russell Klein
Joshua Levy
Celia & Eugene Livshin
Laura & Bryan Loebl
Emily & Eric Ludwig
Stacy Lundy
Lisa Luxemberg
Hannah & Clifford
Mendelsohn
Jennifer Mintz
Mathew Ortman
Eliana LeVine & Josh Polster
Keith Rosenzweig
Mr. David Rubin & Ms. Elizabeth Ross
Jill Sadowsky
Joel Saltzman
Amy Saltzman Barasch
Jennifer & Lewis Sanderow
Alyssa Sands
Zachary Sebo
Jessica & Alan Semel
Abby Kaufman & Molly
Smemo
Haleigh & Marty Shankle
Stacy Schlein & Jeremy Sosin
Shani & Scott Spiegle
Darby & Jon Steiger
Randi & Fred Sternfeld
Melissa Shamis & Eli Steinberger
Rachel & Daniel Utley
Marni Weinstock
Alan Weiss
Barry Feldman & Paul When
Rena Widzer
Beth & Christopher Young
Erin Wolf
IN MEMORY OF
Steven Spiegle
Doris Copeland
Robert Laureno
Maxine Middleton
Carol & Yair Weinstock
Mandel Myers Fellowship
Paula Platt
Eliana LeVine & Josh Polster
Bonnie Spiegle
Jennifer Donohue
Marla Caplan
Enid & David Rosenberg
Jessica & Alan Semel
Bonnie Spiegle
Shani & Scott Spiegle
Helen Franklin
Leslie Balas
Mark Holtzman
Allie Lashner
Stacie Madow
Christina Malik
Allyson Wexler
Alma Perla
Shani & Scott Spiegle
IN HONOR OF
Ryan Levine’s daughter’s birth
Enid & David Rosenberg
Hannah Mendelsohn’s birthday
Debra & Jason Hollander
Papa & Bubbe Herman
Lindsay & Eric Marcus
Beatrice Halverson’s
Bat Mitzvah
John Dugan
Suzanne Ecker
Krysti Ellis
Alice Gordon
Eugene & Anne Greenstein
Jennifer Slate &
Jonathan Grischkan
Sydney & David Gruhin
Melanie & Andrew Halvorson
Jayme & Howard
Honigman
Susan & Dennis Lieberman
Sandy & William Lieberman
Stephanie Malley
Emily & Seth Vilensky
Leo Mendelsohn’s graduation
Stacie & Brian Ettinger
Darby & Jon Steiger
Traci Felder & Max Ritt
Kelly & Gil Rubanenko
Sam Bird’s Bar Mitzvah
Jennifer Slate & Jonathan Grischkan
Shai Young’s Bar Mitzvah
Amy & Richard Kalk
Sam & Justin Bilsky
Marilyn & Jeffrey Bilsky
Madelyn Freed
Lisa Plisko & Lisa Delson
For the fifth year, we are so excited to be able to offer the Mandel Myers Fellowship Program, a scholarship through the Cleveland Jewish Federation. This program allows our staff to keep doing what they love (being at camp) while offsetting some of the costs associated with attending university. Open to any Jewish young adult from Cleveland and beyond! Returning overnight camp staff will be eligible for a scholarship of $5,500. First-time overnight camp staff will be eligible for a scholarship of $4,500.
Ready to be a part of our 119th summer? Apply for Camp Wise and for the fellowship here
Tessa Tobin
Jeanne Tobin
Ethan Gruhin’s Bar
Mitzvah
Amy & Richard Kalk
Nicole Krasnow’s Wedding
Beth & Chris Young
Jesse Rosen
Arielle & Michael Gurman
Carol Feltoon
Irv & Julie Auerbach
Shabbat Tables
Julie & Samson Eschenbrenner
Juli & Charles Herman
Darby & Jon Steiger
Camp Wise Staff
Appreciation Night
Suzanne & Lee Appel
Natalie & Boaz Barak
Tracy & Matt Bernstein
Amy & Scott Bilsky
Caron Blanke & Dirk Bird
Rachael & Evin Boyd
Leah Weiss Caruso & Joshua Caruso
Cindy & Dale Cohen
Nicole & Jamey Cohen
Erica Starrfield & Chris De Cicco
Jennifer Rich-Drasner & Jason Drasner
Julie & Samson Eschenbrenner
Jennifer & Matt Glass
Laurie & Daniel Goetz
Ruta & David Greenberg
Jennifer Slate & Jonathan Grischkan
Allison & Jon Harris
Juli & Charles Herman
Trent & Jason Hershenson
Shari & Marc Jacobson
Inna & Dmitry Kats
Vicktoria & Aleksey Kotov
Marcia & Jonathan Levy
Lauren & Yale Levy
Laura & Bryan Loebl
Emily & Eric Ludwig
Kelly & Aaron Millstone
Vannessa Moses
Jill & Jeffrey Muencz
Susan Bichsel & Stephen Rusnak
Meredith & Matthew Sharp
Stacy Schlein & Jeremy Sosin
Andrea & Jerrod Woll
Grinspoon Match
Anonymous Donors
Rachel & Scott Arnopolin
Lynn Berg
Marlyn Bloch Jaffe
Jane & Scott Brown
Rachel Cahn
Leah Weiss Caruso & Joshua Caruso
Brian Chession
Carol & Arnie Feltoon
Denise & Richard Fogel
Tim Forbes
Trista Onesti & Seth Greenfield
Arielle Gurman
Kevin Jacobson
Dolores Kleinman
Naomi Lamb
Nancy & Adam Levin
Kate McQuade
Nora Singer & Marc Melamed
Eliana LeVine & Josh Polster
Enid & David Rosenberg
Alyssa Sands
Judith & Donald Schermer
Michael Shapiro
Deborah & David Shifrin
Randi & Fred Sternfeld
Marc & Susan Swirsky
Abigail Teitelbaum
Jessie Bruder & Aaron Tevlowitz
Suzanne & William Utley
Anna & Ivan Vinogradov
Andrea & Jerrod Woll
Staff Scholarship Summer 2025
Congratulations to the following staff members from Summer 2025 who were the recipients of our Staff Scholarship!
• Sloane Harris, Dance Specialist and Programmer – Ohalim
• Sam Bilsky, Counselor – Ohalim
• Sam Boyd, Counselor – Noar and Solel
• Nicole Hunt, Programming Supervisor
• Vicktoria Sharapov, Counselor –Chalutzim
