Camp Hess Kramer, known to many as CHK, is a reform Jewish summer sleep-away camp owned and operated by Wilshire Boulevard Temple. The camp is nestled against the Pacific Coast Highway, between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, just over the Ventura County line. Camp Hess Kramer and its sister camp, Gindling Hilltop Camp, are run by Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps, an organization associated with the Union for Reform Judaism. Together, the camps “welcome more than 1,100 children and teenagers each summer.”[1] These summer camps have “encouraged Jewish youth to embrace their religion, history, and culture.”[2]
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Rabbi Alfred Wolf joined the Wilshire Boulevard Temple staff in 1949 and is considered the pioneer of the camp. After gaining the support of the Temple, Wolf set out to create and experiment in camping. Steve Breuer, who ultimately became Wilshire Boulevard Temple’s executive director in 1980, as well as serving 18 seasons as a camp director, was one of the teenagers Rabbi Wolf brought to the temple’s first experiment in camping in 1950. Cosmetics distributor Harry Mier donated funds to buy the land on one condition – that it be named in memory of lifelong friend Haskell W. “Hess” Kramer, who was a leader in the West Coast Reform movement. Thus, Camp Hess Kramer opened in June 1952, to which campers help build and create many of the current day landscaping we see today.[1]
During cabin activity time, as well as twice daily, campers get to engage in activities of their choice. At the beginning of each session, campers choose their chugim and pe’ulot (long term and short term activities). Nearly every activity offered has a specialist who is experienced in the specific field. The staff and specialist(s) run these programs to provide a fun and exciting experience for the campers. List of activities offered:
Once a week, the entire camp takes a trip to beautiful Zuma Beach, only a ten minute drive from the camp site. Campers spend the day supervised by staff and lifeguards playing in the water as well as participating in many other activities such as beach walks, sandcastle building, and sports.
Kahuna is a fictional Sun God who comes during breakfast the morning of beach day. He is summoned by the campers who yell “Kahuna! Kahuna! Bring out the sun! Bring out the sun!” numerous times, until he comes running into the dining hall. Kahuna has powers to “bring out the sun,” and divides the camp into four parts: Beach, Sand, Sun, Fun. These chants are called out numerous times until Kahuna declares it okay to go to the beach.
Once a week, a campfire is held at Scout’s Grove, the traditional campfire site. Chief Texaco and his partner Little Fireboy are summoned by the camp community by yelling “Alakazam, Alakazot, Alakazeit, Guzunheit!” Once Chief Texaco and Little Fireboy and at the fire pit, they begin to light the fire while singing “come on baby light my fire, come on Texaco make my fire higher!” Generally there is also a skit accompanying this, followed by a camper talent show.
Maccabiah is an opportunity for the entire camp to engage in a color war type competition. The camp is divided into four teams, and must compete in many events. Events are catered to every camper and include artistic events (chalk drawing, cake making), athletic events (basketball, climbing the rock wall), a pool event section, all camp relay, and many other competitions. It is an all day event filled with ru’ach (spirit) and energy.
Siyum is a tradition held every night where the entire camp (or sometimes by unit), will gather together and sing prayers and songs.
Each summer, the Leadership group, who are the oldest group of campers (entering 10th grade) go on a hike through the Santa Monica Mountains. This is truly a bonding experience for each of the campers in the Leadership unit because of the things they experience and overcome on this hike.
Upon becoming a Senior Counselor, staff will receive a red jacket bearing the Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps emblem. This jacket is received either by completing the two years of assistant counselor training prior to that summer, or by being a certain age.
Once a session, the camps bring in a visiting musician. The visiting musician is generally on camp grounds for a couple days and participates in many events in around the camp. It culminates in the Teatron (Amphitheater), where Gindling Hilltop Camp comes down, and the musician plays a concert for both camps. It is a very fun-filled and energetic night, and even the campers sometimes participate on stage. Past musicians have included Noam Katz, Danny Nichols and Eighteen.
Cheering is a major part of the camp experience. Campers and counselors cheer as a whole unit, individual cabin, for their Maccabiah team, or for anything at all! A general camp cheer would be as follows: Cabin/Unit/Team _______ 2008: (clap) followed by the cheer that has been devised. Generally, the appropriate cabin, unit, team and year would also be used.
Along with cheering, there are numerous songs sung daily that stick with the campers throughout the year.
Birthdays are celebrated with a wide assortment of skits put on by the counselors, generally after dinner. There are at least three sections to the singing of Happy Birthday: the generic song, an entreatment to skip around the room, and a conclusion with the relatively recent addition of a song which was sung by a dancing plastic cake and popularized by a Leadership group.
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Camp Hess Kramer, known to many as CHK, is a reform Jewish summer sleep-away camp owned and operated by Wilshire Boulevard Temple. The camp is nestled against the Pacific Coast Highway, between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, just over the Ventura County line. Camp Hess Kramer and its sister camp, Gindling Hilltop Camp, are run by Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps, an organization associated with the Union for Reform Judaism. Together, the camps “welcome more than 1,100 children and teenagers each summer.”[1] These summer camps have “encouraged Jewish youth to embrace their religion, history, and culture.”[2]
Contents |
Rabbi Alfred Wolf joined the Wilshire Boulevard Temple staff in 1949 and is considered the pioneer of the camp. After gaining the support of the Temple, Wolf set out to create and experiment in camping. Steve Breuer, who ultimately became Wilshire Boulevard Temple’s executive director in 1980, as well as serving 18 seasons as a camp director, was one of the teenagers Rabbi Wolf brought to the temple’s first experiment in camping in 1950. Cosmetics distributor Harry Mier donated funds to buy the land on one condition – that it be named in memory of lifelong friend Haskell W. “Hess” Kramer, who was a leader in the West Coast Reform movement. Thus, Camp Hess Kramer opened in June 1952, to which campers help build and create many of the current day landscaping we see today.[1]
During cabin activity time, as well as twice daily, campers get to engage in activities of their choice. At the beginning of each session, campers choose their chugim and pe’ulot (long term and short term activities). Nearly every activity offered has a specialist who is experienced in the specific field. The staff and specialist(s) run these programs to provide a fun and exciting experience for the campers. List of activities offered:
Once a week, the entire camp takes a trip to beautiful Zuma Beach, only a ten minute drive from the camp site. Campers spend the day supervised by staff and lifeguards playing in the water as well as participating in many other activities such as beach walks, sandcastle building, and sports.
Kahuna is a fictional Sun God who comes during breakfast the morning of beach day. He is summoned by the campers who yell “Kahuna! Kahuna! Bring out the sun! Bring out the sun!” numerous times, until he comes running into the dining hall. Kahuna has powers to “bring out the sun,” and divides the camp into four parts: Beach, Sand, Sun, Fun. These chants are called out numerous times until Kahuna declares it okay to go to the beach.
Once a week, a campfire is held at Scout’s Grove, the traditional campfire site. Chief Texaco and his partner Little Fireboy are summoned by the camp community by yelling “Alakazam, Alakazot, Alakazeit, Guzunheit!” Once Chief Texaco and Little Fireboy and at the fire pit, they begin to light the fire while singing “come on baby light my fire, come on Texaco make my fire higher!” Generally there is also a skit accompanying this, followed by a camper talent show.
Maccabiah is an opportunity for the entire camp to engage in a color war type competition. The camp is divided into four teams, and must compete in many events. Events are catered to every camper and include artistic events (chalk drawing, cake making), athletic events (basketball, climbing the rock wall), a pool event section, all camp relay, and many other competitions. It is an all day event filled with ru’ach (spirit) and energy.
Siyum is a tradition held every night where the entire camp (or sometimes by unit), will gather together and sing prayers and songs.
Each summer, the Leadership group, who are the oldest group of campers (entering 10th grade) go on a hike through the Santa Monica Mountains. This is truly a bonding experience for each of the campers in the Leadership unit because of the things they experience and overcome on this hike.
Upon becoming a Senior Counselor, staff will receive a red jacket bearing the Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps emblem. This jacket is received either by completing the two years of assistant counselor training prior to that summer, or by being a certain age.
Frequently, Once a Year the camps bring in a visiting musician. The visiting musician is generally on camp grounds for a couple days and participates in many events in around the camp. It culminates in the Teatron (Amphitheater), where Gindling Hilltop Camp comes down, and the musician plays a concert for both camps. It is a very fun-filled and energetic night, and even the campers sometimes participate on stage. Past musicians have included Noam Katz, Danny Nichols and Eighteen.
Cheering is a major part of the camp experience. Campers and counselors cheer as a whole unit, individual cabin, for their Maccabiah team, or for anything at all! A general camp cheer would be as follows: Cabin/Unit/Team _______ 2008: (clap) followed by the cheer that has been devised. Generally, the appropriate cabin, unit, team and year would also be used.
Along with cheering, there are numerous songs sung daily that stick with the campers throughout the year.
Birthdays are celebrated with a wide assortment of skits put on by the counselors, generally after dinner. There are at least three sections to the singing of Happy Birthday: the generic song, an entreatment to skip around the room, and a conclusion with the relatively recent addition of a song which was sung by a dancing plastic cake and popularized by a Leadership group.
Hebrew man comes out at lunch. Two-four staff people have an argument and then HEBREW MAN helps them solve it. He comes out when you bang on the tables to the tune of 'We Will Rock You' but instead of saying 'We Will Rock You' you say something about Hebrew Man!
The Birkot is a blessing which you say after every meal and there are some parts where you bang on the tables. But this last year or camp, 2010, the camp has decided that banging on the tables is disrespectful so instead, you do 3 symbols at the edge of the table where you are sitting; Thumbs up, Thumbs down, peace, shalom. On the last meal of the session, the whole camp bangs on the tables as loud as they can and they get up on top of chairs and tables and start screaming. It is so much fun that you do it again!
Yellow Buses are something that counslers say on the last night of the session. They say EVERYTHING that has happened during the session. From the first day of camp to the last. It is basically a journal or everything you did.
Your agenda for Friday is: Wake up and go to breakfast. Then you go to a cabin activity where you chose a class such as challah making, beach walk, yoga, etc. Then you have an extra long rest/shower hour. Before you know it, the rabbi's and the singers are bring the torah around to your cabin. You follow them to services. After service, off the dinner! Your dinner includes: Chicken, Challah with Honey, Apple Turnovers, Rice, and Broccoli. After dinner, song session. All the male counslers burst out the mens locker room in basketball jerseys and into Baru Hall. The whole camp has so much energy when the boys burst in! After 45 minutes of song session, everyones favorite part of the night, dancing with Dassa!
  | Gindling Hilltop Camp homepage - Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps: About Camp Hess Kramer |
| | Hess Kramer Turns 50 - Hess Kramer Turns 50 | Education | Jewish Journal |
| | Alfred Wolf, 88; Noted Rabbi Started Jewish Youth Camps - Alfred Wolf, 88; Noted Rabbi Started Jewish Youth Camps - Los Angeles Times |
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