Meet Our Team

Home » About Us » Meet Our Team

Anna Herman

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

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!

Ben Cohen

Ben Cohen

Assistant Director

Ben Cohen is excited to join the Jacobs Camp team as Assistant Director. Ben grew up outside St. Louis, Missouri and was active in his synagogue youth programs and served on NFTY Missouri Valley Regional Board. He attended the URJ Kutz Camp as a camper, where he discovered his love for Jewish camping, and returned for two summers as a staff member. He graduated from the University of Denver in 2020 where he was President of Hillel and interned at a synagogue in Denver. Ben comes to us from Omaha, Nebraska where he was Youth Engagement Coordinator at Temple Israel, a Reform synagogue of 650 families. While in Omaha, Ben created more opportunities for teens to get involved, increased teen engagement, mentored teen leaders and recruited for camp and other Jewish summer experiences.

Ben looks forward to bringing his experience to and learning from the Jacobs Camp community. He can’t wait to spend this summer at camp, meet everyone, and hear what you love about Jacobs Camp!

Elijah Thompson

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.

Tamisa Huell

Tamisa Huell

Business Manager

Tamisa Huell was born and raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and came to Jacobs Camp in January 2018. Before joining the HSJ team, Tamisa served in numerous finance positions with other non-profits and multiple supervisor positions. Tamisa obtained her degrees from Belhaven University and has over 15 years of finance/accounting experience.

Tamisa enjoys spending time with her children and family.

Jacob Fijman

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

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

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.