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Heart to Heart
Camp Mountain Chai: Culmination of a Dream,
San Diego Jewish Times, Sept. 9, 2005, page 14.
By Gert Thaler
His name is Ed Samiljian.
From
out of the blue he emerged onto the San Diego scene only a few short years ago
and threw himself, head and heart, into community action.
It’s an understatement, “action”, because Samiljian comes on at
full steam and keeps going until his goal is reached, small or big project.
When he
threw himself, like I said, head and heart bound, into the creation of a Jewish
campsite to benefit San Diegans some people were sure he would run into a wall.
But
their reckoning showed that they didn’t really know the kind of fuel Ed’s
mind runs on. Loaded with hi-octane
and with Todd Kobernick as Camp President, his main quarterback, the two of
these guys receiving strong support from JCC Executive Director, Michael Cohen,
proceeded to go at full power into fund
raising hi-jinks that have produced
phenomenal support. Heading the
Executive Board as Chairperson is Elaine Galinson with Dr. Jack Bark serving as
its Secretary and Samiljian as Treasurer. Further
enhanced by a Board of Directors consisting of 15 community leaders, the group
has worked tirelessly to bring proposed programs into reality starting with the
opening day of camp in June, 2006.
All
that was in the recent past when other campsites, once thought ideal, had to be
discarded and, like sages from long ago predicted, “this too shall pass, and
behold! A miracle will bring us
joy!”.
Joy
turned into reality and on Sunday, August 28th, I joined about 400
happy campers as we were taken via bus up and around and around some more and
then a few more of the same until we suddenly emerged into densely forested
mountain top country, 3 and a ½ hours out of San Diego into the setting which
Murray Galinson described during the
dedication ceremony saying, “If you don’t feel closer to God while standing
in this place, then you will never again have such an experience”.
Dozens
of volunteers were strategically placed to lead us visitors along the many
trails as we covered the campsite. Lunch
was served in the oversized dining hall where 500 people can be comfortably
seated after circling the abundant buffet choosing from a variety of foods
prepared in the immaculate kosher kitchen by an expert crew.
Certainly
the day’s viewers were a cross section of San Diego’s Jewish populace,
coming from every different synagogue and organizations as well as those who are
unaffiliated some of whose children
attend any one of our Jewish Day Schools as well as other private and public
schools scattered all over the county.
Camp
Mountain Chai’s Executive Director, Len Keilin emphasized one
of its goals in an outreach program which will be to make the camp
experience available to children whose homes may not observe Jewish rituals,
such as candle lighting or blessings over wine or
bread, all activities which will take place during the camping period and
which, hopefully, most children will bring back to their homes.
“Share
the Magic” Keilin encouraged the crowd and several young families signified
their enthusiasm by signing up during the day to be among the first San Diegans
on opening day next summer. Information on accommodations, activities and the
site itself as well as costs can all be obtained by contacting the Camp Mountain
Chai office located at the Lawrence
Family Jewish Community Center or via phone, 858
535 1995.
Or at its website, www.campmountainchai.com
Taking
Highway #15 north we turned onto #215 thence to #10 and upward winding around
high rising mountains that saw a magical change of scenery from the heat and
humidity of the San Bernardino/Redlands area into a moderate temperature of 80
degrees and low humidity factor. Surrounded
by the denseness of the towering trees as we drove the last 30 miles, passing
Jenks Lake Road, we suddenly
rounded a bend in the trail and the sign proclaiming “WELCOME TO CAMP MOUNTAIN
CHAI WHERE GOOD FUN, GREAT FRIENDS AND A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES AWAIT YOU!”
Growing
up in San Diego in the 1940’s and beyond until today, we were not able to
offer our children a camping experience. Many
families did send their off spring to camps beyond Los Angeles and in some
instances, to distant east coast Jewish camps.
Since I had never had the experience as a young San Diegan I was not
acquainted with such activities and thus became a “camp mother” each summer
schlepping not only my own two but letting other kids attach themselves to my
apron strings.
Able
to accommodate groups of 20 to 600, there are six separate meeting lodges and up
to the minute conference facilities. Every
guest cottage and sleeping facility has its own bathroom.
Numerous groups throughout the city have already booked positive dates
for such meetings both within and outside of the local Jewish community.
In
unison the Board of Directors, their officers and staff members have echoed
their invitation for Jewish parents to give their children the unforgettable
experience of sharing a residential
summer camp for children ages 8 to 16. By
establishing an atmosphere of knowledge and love for Jewish culture, religion
and traditions such Jewish identity becomes a part of everyday life and
continues on throughout a lifetime.
Camp
professionals have documented the advantages of such experience and point to the
fact that lifelong friendships have been established plus the development of
independence and self-worth.
Best
said, at 7,200 feet a real Alpine feeling envelops the campsite.
There truly is magic in the mountains around Camp Mountain Chai
where early Native Americans considered this a sacred land with its
clear, cool air.
Jewish
camping began in the United States 102 years ago and
there are now 130 Jewish camps, most not connected to a religious
movement, the same as Camp Mountain Chai and all dedicated to meeting the needs
of the entire Jewish community.
Applause,
applause! To Ed Samiljian as the Man or the Hour for his forthright vision and
to all those who have given their time (and lots and lots and lots of their
financial support) to bringing Ed’s dream into full bloom.
Mazal tov and naches.