The Jacobs blog

Hi! I am Josh Balkin and I am from New Orleans. I am so excited to be the Maskilim unit head this summer! I was a 10 year camper (plus Kochavim) and this will be my 5th summer on staff. In past summers I have been a counselor, bike specialist and Solelim advisor, as well as the Kochavim unit head. I just graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Economics and following the summer I will be moving to Dallas to start my career as a private asset analyst. Jacobs camp is my favorite place in the world and I am thrilled to be able to spend another summer here.

I’m Mason (Mo) Gilbert and I’m from Memphis, TN. I’m 18 years old and am attending Purdue for a genetics major starting this fall. During the year, I’ve played soccer for my high school for two years, and focused on academics for the other two years. I spend a lot of my time talking to friends or playing video games. I’ve been at camp for 10 years now and I hope to play the role of the counselor that all the campers like. I haven’t done any direct volunteer work, but rather I’ve been president of MeFTY for two years now. Through MeFTY, we’ve been able to help other communities as well as our own.

My name is Danny Leader, I’m a 20-year-old junior at Florida State University studying biology. I spent 9 years at camp as a camper and a year in training. I generally spend my free time cooking, watching nature documentaries, and learning Jiu-jitsu. It’s my first time back at camp in a while so I’m super excited to finally get to be a counselor!  

Hi, my name is Evan Levine, I’m 18 years old and I’m from Bentonville, Arkansas. I graduated from Thaden School this year, and next year I plan to move to Toronto to work in the film and photography industry. I was a camper at Jacobs Camp for 9 years, and I am really excited for my first year on staff.

Hi, my name is Benjamin Sutin and I have lived in San Antonio Texas my whole life. I love to read and be outdoors and I have played baseball for my school or a club team for as long as I can remember. This year at camp I am going to be a counselor and a lifeguard. This is my first year working at camp Jacobs but I went to a very similar camp in Texas called Greene Family Camp for about ten years. During the year I am an avid volunteer at the San Antonio food bank and I have spent multiple summers working with various volunteer organizations helping people in need.

My name is Eli Goldman, I am from Little Rock, Arkansas. I went to camp for 7 years and this will be my first year on staff. I will be a counselor this summer, but when I am at home I work in a restaurant. In my free time, I am either, playing video games, playing my guitar/bass, or talking to friends. Camp has had a huge part of my life, and I know if I hadn’t gone to camp as a kid my life would be drastically different.

My name is Gavriel, and this is my first summer on staff at Jacobs Camp, but not my first summer attending summer camp! I love acting in my community theatre. I can’t wait to do a lot of artistic and creative activities with all of the campers!