Sarah Bate – Assistant Director – Welcome Home!

Coming Home to Camp: My Journey to Assistant Director at Jacobs Camp

If you had told 10-year-old me—calling my mom from a two-week trial session at URJ Camp Harlam and begging to stay longer—that one day I’d be the Assistant Director of a Jewish summer camp, I probably would’ve said, “Yeah, that makes sense.”

I fell in love with camp before I even realized it. Growing up, I spent eight summers at sleepaway camp and was deeply involved in my local and regional NFTY chapter. I was a shy kid—camp and my synagogue were the places where I could be fully myself, where I felt safe enough to take up space, speak up, and find Jewish identity. It’s where I met counselors who believed in me, friends who celebrated my weirdness, and a community that held me through it all. And once I got that first taste of Jewish camping? I never looked back.

So, how does a girl from New Jersey end up at Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Mississippi? Great question. Ten years ago, on a bit of a whim—and thanks to the encouragement of longtime friend and former HSJ videographer Alex McKeen—I packed up and gave it a try. And like so many people who stumble into Jacobs Camp, I stayed. You just can’t get rid of me!

From photographer to counselor, lifeguard to unit head, I’ve worn a lot of hats here, but the best part has always been the people. The campers who embrace this community, the staff who create Jacobs magic, and the leadership that saw something in me and encouraged me to dream even bigger.

In 2022, one of those dreams took shape in Leah Tenen’s office when I knocked on her door and asked, “Do you think I could be a social worker?” She said yes—and off I went! Shout out to all the incredible camp social workers who do the quiet, powerful work of holding our communities together.

I followed that spark all the way to graduate school, earning my Master’s in Macro Social Work—learning how to create systems and programs to support communities. I knew it would help me give back to the spaces and places that shaped me, though I never imagined the opportunity to return to Jacobs would come so soon.

But here I am—and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Camp is where I grew up, where I became myself, and where I now get to help others do the same. I’m beyond grateful to be stepping into this role, and I can’t wait to keep building a place where everyone feels like they belong.