By Mendel Duchman, Los Angeles, CA
Dear Camp Emunah,
Tomorrow marks the day that you will open your doors to hundreds of girls for your 58th season. First – and foremost, may it be your best year yet. B’Ruchnious and B’Gashmious.
But it will be a sad day for me, a day of reflection, a day that for the first time in 25 years none of my six daughters will be attending your camp in the capacity of camper and/or staff member – hence, no “Duchman’s” in this year’s season.
It was exactly 25 years ago this week that I landed at JFK with my 6-year old B’chora. We rented a car and began our drive via Route 17 to the Rebbe’s camp in Greenfield Park. I vividly remember how nervous I was – the hesitancy with this entire journey. Yes, I went to camp all my life (Swan Lake/Parksville, of course) nevertheless, the insecurity was working overtime. But I knew that living in Los Angeles year round, my daughters needed to get a real “dosage” from real Lubavitcher and Chasidesche girls and staff. Hence, we were on the way to Camp Emunah. As I drove into the campgrounds 25 years ago, I read your large mission statement on a sign with bright yellow and green colors. The sign said:
“You can take a girl out of Camp Emunah,
but you can’t take Emunah out of the girl.”
I said to myself please, Hashem, I hope this Mission Statement will become true to my daughter that I am dropping off. The farewell ceremony was extremely difficult and emotional and, after a while, my daughter went off to her bunk and I headed back to JFK for my flight to the west coast.
The rest is history . . .
We are living in a time where there is so much said negatively about our Mosdios. Well, I believe in equal rights and when we see one of our own Mosdios, like Camp Emunah, doing something good for over 57 years – especially “Far Unzereh Kinder” – it is time to speak up and give them a Yasher Coach.
So here we are, 25 years later.
Dear Camp Emunah, I want to take this opportunity to give you my Hakoras Hatov and say thank you for the following:
You have taught my six daughters to be Chassidim.
You have taught my six daughters to be good and responsible campers.
You have taught my six daughters to be great and dedicated counselors.
Your have taught and given all my six daughters an opportunity to be your head counselors.
Most importantly, you have given my six daughters tremendous leadership skills as they embark in life – skills that are of the utmost importance to stay on the right side of the Derech.
You have taught my six daughters how to interact with other Lubavitcher girls.
You have taught my six daughters to be Mashpeim in helping their subordinates through difficult times.
And, most of all, you sharpened my six daughters skills in Midos Bain Adom L’Chavairoy and Bain Adom L’macom.
Thanks to you, Camp Emunah, today all my six daughters are teachers and in Chabad and Jewish day schools, scattered throughout the USA and Canada. What else can a proud father ask for?
For that, Camp Emunah:
I salute you, I honor you, and I thank you for a mission accomplished!
Your Mission Statement says it all –
“You can take a girl out of Camp Emunah,
but you can’t take Emunah out of the girl.”
. . . it has with my family!!
Camp Emunah – Chazak, Chazak V’nischazek – may other of our Mosdios follow in your footsteps!
P.S. Oh, by the way, Camp Emunah – I almost forgot – my two granddaughters will be boarding the buses for your 58th season and all I ask you is to be as successful with them as you have with my six beautiful daughters-please…..
Hey chavi nice pic of u
love ur secret friend
sorry that is what i meant 6 sisters
and ur the 7th!!!
we miss you in melbourne
youre the best mad and night activity director!!!!
You’re all forgetting the best head counselor of all time, the Duchman Bechora, Roza.. I was in BJJ the year she was head counselor and it was the best summer of my life!! From the oldest to the youngest, they are all true chayalois of the Rebbe and a source of tremendous nachos to their venerable Zaides.
except he only has 6 sisters not 7
hes the seventh… 😉
precisely #44
jj, i think u have the best father, and the best sisters ever!!!
and 7 of them!!!!!
jj you rock!!!!!
miss u!!!
well said 18
To all those who have nothing nice to say and don’t know how to keep their mouths shut:
I’m sure there is a large percentage of ppl here that are wonderfully tznius dressers AND posting trash. You should know that how you speak counts as tznius too. So for all you bashers who look down on others who may not dress as tznius as you, you’re no better!
Just b/c no one can see you does not mean you are exempt from tznius.
Watch how you speak. Nothing good can come out of negative talk.
BJJ we love u, ur our home away from home…
u instilled within us to do all that we must…
through learning and rebbe time u insprired us to do…
the memories of BJJ…
the memories of BJJ…
ILL ALWAYS REMEBER U!!!!!!!
Thanks for the letter Mendel Duchman for sharing so many of peoples sentiments! As a former Emunah camper and staff member, I cannot express in words what Camp Emunah gave me. The older I get, the more I cherish the memories. Being immersed in the air of Greenfield Park every summer, helped me become the friend, wife and mother that I am today. Even though I live across the world, It is my dream to send my girls to Emunah for the same experience. I made lifelong friendships and still have the Emunah spirit in my bones. I can still… Read more »
To the Duchman girls, as a lubavitcher mother who has put 4 daughters thru camp emuna…I want to thank you for your years of dedication….im sure when you became of age of being a staff member you were pressured to leave camp emuna and go to “all the fun city day camps –that shluchm offer today’s girls” and where most of them end up going- but no you stayed put…to give back to the camp that helped you as youngsters¬¬- ……..that is a beautiful Mida and im sure I speak for many parents when I say you all should be… Read more »
I’ll never forget what an awesome counselor and head counselor Soochie was! She was so creative and full of life, and i remember that always….so thanks for the article:)
seriously ppl i dnt think ther has been even one article that no one posted at least one negitive comment! just stop with all your negitivity! if you dont agree with the article just keep it to yourself
I am a not a family member and have been to Emunah practically my whole childhood life. I had the best experiences there and have wonderful memories. So I hope you are satisfied to hear it from a non family member.
sing and dance, inspiring soul…. lalallalala
love camp emunah
I have had the privilege to get to know R mendel Duchman, during the 11 years that I have lived in the west coast. He is a man of very high caliber and a true mentch. He does not just speak , but ACTS.. he is a big ba’al tzedokoh, and a wonderful human being. He has personally and tirelessly headed wonderfully and so successfully, a boys minyan, for many years in the chabad of Levi Yitzchok ,in the Hancock park shul. He has arranged many exciting international trips to different mekomos kedoshim, for the winners of best davvener, and… Read more »
very nice but i think they should update there web site bc i think it was abt 4 years since they posted some pics
it has become a custom to knock ,speak negative about all that is wrong with our crown hieghts, moisdois , hanhalas etc…i guess he took of his time and simply wanted to write and give a compliment…whats wrong with that???? (besides he is a great comunicater?- and it is a joy to rad it…)
i wish negative comments could be censored. there is enough negativity in the world without making efforts to generate more!
I wholeheartedly agree with the author’s sentiments about Emunah, and I have NO family connection with the camp hanhala. I found the entire staff to be loving, concerned, and genuinely motivated to help each camper reach her potential (especially in teen camp). They fill a unique and important role in the world of Lubavitch right now. Thank you.
to all numbers who only know how to post negitive posts if there married hey are and if not whats it ur bussinis?
Your childhood is saturated with Mesiras nefesh of the old generation , We are now the leaders of the next generation You have shown to continue giving what you got ! Keep up the Boys Shabbos minyan , they will pass it on to the next generation . Our fathers Climbed the Mountain, We were born on top of the Mountain . Keep it up Mendel , we are the zaidies of this generation , and leaders of the moshiach generation . Children are looking at us , teach themwhat it takes to be an example of a Rebbes a… Read more »
😉
nice to see a positive article
i love srula ,for last three years she calles me every sing le shabbos -to wish me a gutt shabbos and to find out how was my week?
i cherish that…
get a life….. u must be a bitter person
he was simply saying thank you from his expierience….
enjoy ur summer with your family….(but dont say thank you)
as usual……gered tzu di zach!!
ARICHAS YOMIM…..and keep up your communal work …
Srula-she is so devoted …thruout the year when ever she comes to ny she takes her bunk out for breakfast- thats beyong the call of duty !!
srula keep it up!!
Whats the point of this article?
old navy is having a wholey moley sale. everything is 30% off its a great deal there is even a few outfits that would be befitted for an EMUNAH GIRL!!!
they are not all married. srula and jj arent
i believe they r all married……(with families)
so much for your smart a. comment….
try saying somthing nice to somone -u may like it…….
or our dearest reb mendel could have said was
thank you shviger
lilly, lilly , lilly ,lilly lilly i gess u got married!!!
hahahha
luv ur camper
Just what i was thinking!! 🙂
get a life! what does one have to do with another???
please stop talking about everyone!!!!
Why was he so nervous? He’s Reb. Hecht’s son in law. If she can’t look after her own grandchildren, who can she look after? It’s nice to have Hakores Hatov, but it would be nicer to hear from a non-family member.
this is truly beautiful!
i rmember when adina duchman and srula and all the others were head conslers….. they were truly amazing! camp emunah we owe everything we’ve got for u!! u r a true lubavitch camp! all we need is a little bit more…. MOSHIACH!!!!
We are not all fortunate enough to live in cities with Chabad schools. Lucky for you though….
Well said and well appreciated
i dont get why people would send their daughters to a non lubavitch school. they really need this chassidishe feeling he is talking about.. u only get that by being educated in a lubavitch mosed
he is still trying to marry off his daughters
you have a child in the rebbes camps that’s what counts