The Jewish Federation of Cleveland announced the inaugural class of Mandel Myers Fellows that will be working as staff at select Jewish overnight summer camps, according to a news release.
The Mandel Myers Fellowship Program enables Jewish overnight camps to attract and retain high-caliber staff, help students from Cleveland offset the costs associated with attending a four-year accredited university, and add professional development experience to the camp counselor role to make it more competitive with other internship opportunities.
The program is funded by an $18 million grant from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation and a grant of $150,000 a year for the next three years from the David and Inez Myers Foundation. First-time overnight camp counselors will receive a scholarship of $4,500, while returning counselors will receive a scholarship of $5,500, the release said.
“Camp counselors are the foundations of the Jewish camp experience that is critical to the long-term health and vibrancy of Jewish communities,” Julie Finkelstein, director of engagement programming at the Foundation for Jewish Camp, who worked with the Federation to implement the Mandel Myers Fellowship, said in the release. “I am pleased to announce that we have selected incredibly talented leaders that I am confident will enrich the Jewish environment at their summer camps.”
Participants receive a scholarship and partake in professional development workshops during and after the summer camp season, managed by the Federation in partnership with Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, Jewish Family Service Association, the Foundation for Jewish Camp, Cleveland Hillel and Hillel at Kent State University.
“I have always loved being a camp counselor because it has enhanced my leadership skills and allows me to create a meaningful Jewish experience for myself and my campers” Adam Kling, a Mandel Myers Fellow from Cincinnati working at Camp Wise in Claridon Township this summer, said in the release. “I feared I would have to find a different job this summer, so I am grateful that I can continue my passion for camp and be meaningfully compensated, while also enhancing my resume.”
The Mandel Myers Fellowship Program is a program of the Federation and operates in partnership with JFSA and Foundation for Jewish Camp.
For more information, contact Leah Taylor at ltaylor@jewishcleveland.org or 216-593-2853.
