Anna Herman
Executive Director
Anna is so excited to be the Executive Director of the URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp. Anna grew up in Dothan, AL, and began attending the Henry S. Jacobs Camp at age 11. In addition to being a camper, Anna also was a counselor and unit head. Following graduation from the University of Alabama, she became the assistant director at Jacobs, after which she served as a congregational youth director and as the assistant director of the URJ Meetings and Conventions Department. Anna then transitioned to the assistant director of business operations for the URJ’s camping system. In this role, in which she partnered with our 14 URJ camps across North America, she gained a wealth of camping knowledge.
Throughout, she remained connected to Jacobs Camp as a lay leader, serving as the Camp Committee – Development Committee Chair. She also met her husband Nadav at Jacobs Camp, and surrounded by family and many friends from Jacobs and the URJ, they were married at the chapel on Lake Gary.
Anna is thrilled to be home to lead the Jacobs community, and to inspire generations of future campers to create Jacobs “magic” every summer
Carolyn Harari
Associate Director
Carolyn is so excited to be the Jacobs Camp Associate Director. She grew up at URJ Crane Lake Camp where she started as a camper at age 7. Nine years as a camper followed by three as a staff member at Crane Lake shaped who she is today.
After graduating from Tulane University, Carolyn was not ready to leave New Orleans. She started teaching and soon after became the Camp Director at the New Orleans JCC where she created traditions like the annual Kindness March and sneaking brownies at the overnight. After getting married (where her old camp counselor performed the ceremony!) she moved to Atlanta with her husband and golden doodle Daphne. While in Atlanta, Carolyn ran In the City Camps where she expanded their programming to multiple areas throughout Atlanta and help brought the overnight vibe to a day camp. Carolyn created online bunks and consulted with camps across the country on how to run virtual camp programming.
Carolyn cannot wait to welcome the campers, staff members, alumni back to Camp and see the Jacobs Magic this summer!
Elijah Thompson
Assistant Director
Elijah is so excited to join the year-round team at Jacobs Camp. Elijah was born and raised in Birmingham, AL, and started coming to Henry S. Jacobs Camp when he was eight years old. After his time as a camper, Elijah worked at HSJ as both a counselor and a unit head. Elijah graduated from the University of Alabama in 2023 where he worked at the local Chabad in Tuscaloosa and served as a member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Cabinet in the Student Government Association. In addition to his experiences at HSJ, Elijah has also learned about the camping world working as the head counselor at Camp LJCC in Birmingham and interning with Foundation for Jewish Camping as part of their experiential education and inclusion programs.
Elijah looks forward to sharing Jacobs Magic with a new generation of Southern Jews. Henry S. Jacobs Camp has taught Elijah so many lessons of independence and responsibility, and he hopes to continue passing those lessons along to our campers and staff.
Zoe Cole
Assistant Director
Zoe is so excited to join the Jacobs Camp year-round team as an Assistant Director. She is from Jackson, Mississippi and started attending Jacobs Camp at age 7. Zoe spent five years as a camper and three summers working at camp as a Community Care Specialist, Unit Head and Summer Director of Operations.
After graduating from The University of Southern Mississippi, Zoe spent two years teaching right outside of Jackson. During this time, She knew that working with youth and teens had a special place in her heart. She applied to work at Jacobs Camp after her first year in the classroom and the rest is history!
Following her first summer on staff, becoming more involved in her local Jewish community was a top priority. She served as the Beth Israel Temple Youth Advisor for the 2022-2024 school years, along with teaching the 2nd grade religious school class. Aside from her work at camp and in her local community, Zoe interned with the Foundation for Jewish Camp in their Disability and Inclusion Program in 2022 and 2023. Zoe also was nominated to participate in the Foundation for Jewish Camp Staff Recruitment Consult Initiative in 2024
Zoe is counting down the days to this summer. She cannot wait to be back in Utica with all of our amazing campers, staff, and faculty!
Tori East-Harris
Assistant Director, Business Operations & Community Care
Tori East-Harris is thrilled to join the year-round team at Jacobs Camp after two incredible summers as part of the Community Care team. Originally from Vicksburg, MS, Tori’s love for camp started at Warner Tully YMCA, where she began working at age 15 and eventually became Assistant Director. After earning a degree in elementary education from Mississippi State and a master’s in counseling from Mississippi College, Tori taught 5th grade for seven years in Vicksburg before following her passion for working with children and supporting youth development.
Over the past two summers at Jacobs Camp, Tori has made so many lifelong friends and witnessed firsthand the incredible impact camp has on both campers and staff. Camp provides a unique, safe space where kids can truly be themselves, explore who they want to become, and form lasting connections. Tori is especially excited to continue building on this foundation as the Assistant Director, supporting both campers and staff in their personal growth.
In addition to her love for working with kids, Tori enjoys reading, anything outdoors, and crafting. Bringing together a background in education, camp leadership, and mental health, Tori is eager to ensure that every camper and staff member has the best summer experience possible. She can’t wait for the summer and to continue being part of the Jacobs Camp family!
Jacob Fijman
Development Director
Jacob is thrilled to join the year-round team at URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp as the Development Manager. Jacob grew up in Jackson, MS and throughout his adolescent years, Jacobs Camp was a constant reoccurring element every summer. Jacob was a camper for 8 wonderful summers from Olim through Chalutzim. He traveled to Israel on the NFTY in Israel program with a large group of Jacob’s alumni, and then he returned to Jacobs for 5 summers, where he served as a Machon-Counselor in Training then a Counselor. Jacob attributes much of his personal development to his passion at camp: Adventure. As a camper, he completed team building challenges, clambered up the Alpine Tower, whizzed down the zipline, and traversed the high-strung X course! Jacob transferred all this experience as a staff member by developing the next decade of campers through the rigors of the challenge course.
Jacob graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. After graduation, Jacob worked as an Assistant Executive Housekeeper at Beau Rivage Casino and Resort in Biloxi, MS where he learned the importance of working as a team and supporting one another to get the job done.
Jacob is committed to merging this experience and his deep connection to Jacobs into his new role of Development Manager. Jacob’s goal is to deliver the same formative experience he enjoyed for many years by ensuring continued growth to the program and facilities.
Kristin Newman
Capital Campaign Coordinator
Kristin is so grateful to be part of the Jacobs Camp team as the Capital Campaign Coordinator. Kristin is a lifelong Louisianian and graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University (Lion Up!), where she obtained a B.A. in Secondary English Education. Kristin joined the Jacobs Camp family in 2021 while working as an 8th and 9th grade ELA teacher in rural Louisiana communities. She earned her stripes on summer staff as a Counselor, CIT Advisor, Unit Head, and Office Administrator before joining the year-round team in 2023.
A Jew-by-choice, Jacobs Camp holds an especially dear place in Kristin’s heart– she completed her conversion studies while at camp in 2021, concluding in her beit din ceremony held in Anna’s office and her mikve immersion in Lake Gary. Jacobs Camp has been an essential part of Kristin’s Jewish identity since becoming part of the community and she is passionate about sharing in and securing the Jacobs Magic for future generations of Southern Jews.
Nadav Herman
Operations Director
Nadav Herman grew up in the Golan Heights, Israel where he first discovered his love of adventure. At the age of 4 Nadav left his Kibbutz and rode his tricycle to the neighboring village. Fast forward to 2008 when he rode his bike across the USA!
Nadav has been at Jacobs Camp since 2005 in a variety of roles from Security Guard to Biking Specialist to Adventure Department Head to you name it! The only job he has not had is a cabin counselor. Nadav loves the community and is so excited to support our facility so that it can be the safest and most exciting for our campers and staff.