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.

My name is Emma Carter and I am from Northwest Arkansas and I am going to be a counselor and lifeguard this summer. I was a camper at Jacobs for 6 years and then attended the NFTY in Israel trip. Since I began to for my Bat Mitzvah project, I have volunteered at a local nursing home painting residents’ nails each week. I also have always been a volunteer peer tutor. Some other fun facts about me are that I am vegan; I have 4 siblings who have all also gone to camp; I am very social and love people and animals; I love doing yoga and meditating; I love exercising (pilates, walking, yoga, and weightlifting); and since going to Israel I literally only wear elephant pants.

I am from Lake Charles, Louisiana. I mostly just go to school or work, hang out with my friends when I can. I am going to be a counselor at camp this summer. I’ve been at camp for 9 years, going to be 10. When I can in between school or work, I try to volunteer at Hobo Hotel, a rescue cat center where you can go and socialize with the cats to get them ready for house life. My temple holds a food drive where we package sandwiches and other food options to give out around town to any homeless and to the women’s shelter.

Hi, I’m Sara and I’m going to be a science specialist at camp. I’m from Saint Petersburg, Florida, and I’m currently a senior in college in Atlanta, Georgia. This is going to be my first summer at camp, which I’m very excited about! Having gone to and worked at a variety of different summer camps, I know that every camp is unique, and I’m so excited to discover everything that makes Jacobs Camp special.

My name is Shani Aharon and I live in Gani Tikva, where I work in a bakery! I am excited to be the cooking specialist and a counselor. This is my first time at Jacobs and I am excited to be here and get cooking with the campers! Between my cooking, I volunteered some and did things such as deliver food to families in need, donating blood, and giving out cakes for Purim!

My name is Emma Benjamin and I’m going to be a counselor this year! I’m a rising sophomore at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN with a plan to major in Anthropology/Sociology and History. I’m originally from New Orleans, LA and this will be my ninth summer at camp!

Hi! My name is Wyatt Davidson and I am from a small town called Meridian, MS. I like to hang out with friends, study very hard, play loads of sports, spend lots of time with family. I will be a first-year counselor. I have spent nine years as a camper at Henry S. Jacobs Camp. I play a huge role in volunteer work in my hometown. I have visited a local group home for the past 7 years. I was even fortunate enough to have it named after me! I also am the social chairman of a girl’s high school club that helps volunteer in different works all across Meridian. Volunteerism is a huge aspect of my life!

Hi! I am Hannah! I am from Baton Rouge. I am a full time student studying Apparel Design and Communication Disorders. Part time I run an online business selling secondhand clothes. I am the Visual Arts Specialist this year and I am super excited to incorporate fashion into our projects! I was only a camper for 2 years, but I am making up my missed time on staff! This is my second year on staff. During the year, I volunteer a lot with our local cat shelter. I hope to do more volunteer work related to teaching sewing skills in the future.

I am from Little Rock, Arkansas. Throughout the year I attend college at Hendrix University while simultaneously working on the weekends at a local pizza place. This summer, I will be attending camp as a camp counselor. This will be my seventh summer at Jacobs camp. I, unfortunately, haven’t been able to do much volunteer work this year due to covid restrictions, but I am hoping to become more involved as restrictions continue to lift.

I’m Molly and I use they/them pronouns! I’m from Birmingham, Alabama, but I go to Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and study Japanese language for my East Asian Studies major. Last summer I was able to work at my local popsicle store, and this year I’ve been helping around the kitchen and serving food at my college’s dining hall! Though I haven’t been able to do many musical activities this year, I sang in my high school’s choir for five years and was even able to work in a separate choir. Some of my favorite things include singing, cooking, art, languages, Japanese culture (including anime!), writing, and travel. This will be my tenth summer at camp, so I can’t wait to be a counselor this year!