Blog - URJ Jacobs Camp

Welcome Home, Always – Thank you Tori East-Harris

I’ll never forget the first time I drove through the Jacobs Camp gate. Assistant Director Elijah greeted me with a big smile and said, “Welcome Home!! Who are you?” I’ve told that story countless times because it captures something special. Before your name is known,...

Exciting Progress at Jacobs Camp

Construction is in full swing at camp, and it’s a joy to see so much progress unfolding. Cabins 1–12 are being renovated ahead of summer to strengthen the spaces that have nurtured connection and belonging for more than 50 years, and we’re also building a new...

Some Places You Visit. Some Places Become Home.

I first heard about URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp from my older brother, who visited toward the end of his camper days. Growing up in Sarasota, Florida, we went to a different Jewish summer camp, but when he came back talking about this mysterious other Southern camp, my...

A New Kind of Leadership is Emerging at Jacobs Camp

There are moments as Camp Director when I am reminded just how extraordinary the Jacobs Camp community truly is. As we continue the Our Camp. Our Home. Our Future. Capital Campaign, this is very much one of those moments. I have been deeply inspired by the generosity...

Why “Pick-Up Promises” Can Undermine the Camp Experience

It’s very common for parents to say before camp, “If you want to come home, we’ll pick you up.” We get it! This comes from a place of love. You want your child to know you are there for them. But in reality, this promise can make camp more difficult. When kids believe...

Expanding the Light: B’nai Mitzvah Fundraisers for Jacobs Camp

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" — Hillel the Elder, Pirkei Avot 1:14 It can be overwhelming to look at the world today and wonder where to even begin making a difference. While we may not be...

Donate for Today and the Future

If you’ve visited camp lately, attended one of our Capital Campaign launch parties, or just followed along online, you’ve likely heard a lot of excitement about the future of Jacobs Camp. Our community is incredibly passionate about supporting camp, and we are so...

Southern Jewish Resilience, From Generation to Generation

The arsonist who confessed to burning Beth Israel Synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, told police he targeted the building because of its "Jewish ties."What an odd phrase, I thought. As if there was nothing more than a flimsy connection between the building he aimed to...

More Than a Summer Job: How Camp Experience Builds Real Career Skills

These days, college students and young professionals feel more pressure than ever to land a “real job” or a resume‑building internship. Where summer camp used to feel like an escape, many staff now worry they might be falling behind if they spend their summer at camp...

Thank you Carolyn Harari!

If you had told me six years ago, I would be spending my summers in Utica, Mississippi I would have never believed you. Now, it’s hard to imagine what a summer will look like otherwise I’m excited for the opportunity to become the Camps and Immersive Manager where I...

Matzah Moments

Mar 29, 2018 | Jacobs Blog, Uncategorized

This week’s Torah portion focuses on how to honor God’s miracle of freeing us from Egypt. The portion focuses mainly on the sanctimony of Matzah. We remember that the Israelites had to rush out of Egypt so quickly, they did not have time to let their dough rise, and they had to bake the bread on their backs.

Why I Want to be in Touch with You

Feb 1, 2018 | Jacobs Blog, Uncategorized

Happy New Year, y’all, and many thanks for your generous year-end contributions to the Jacobs Magic Fund. Your support, totaling $80,428, ensures that in 2018, Jacobs Camp will be able to enhance our facilities, enrich our programming, and provide scholarship support to more families than ever before.

Build Your Future: Work at Camp

Jan 25, 2018 | Jacobs Blog, Uncategorized

Benjamin Hausmann is a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and just started working at Tokyo Electron as a Field Applications Engineer where he maintains quality and control for semiconductor wafer processing equipment. We cannot begin to explain what any of that means, but we can explain how he got there.

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