Camp Northland - 2024 Impact Report : simplebooklet.com

Dear Camp Northland Families,One year ago, I was in Israel on a bear witness tour of the atrocities ofOctober 7th. Reflecting about this trip in my March 2024 blog, I shared thefollowing: “…364 innocent people were murdered at this festival site where my feetwalk in slow and careful steps, all too aware of the now sacred space I haveentered. The visit to the festival site started as a very personal experience. Iwalked alone reflecting on what happened here, as did dozens of othersaround me. Then the sound of a violin floated through the air. It drew me in,but I was not alone. As if on cue, everyone zombied their way towards themusic that invited us in. A man played the violin to the picture of amurdered teen. I think everyone in the festival site was standing together atthis point. Our experience became a collective one. We were one. On thisday, music came to a place where the music had stopped, to allow a seedof healing to be planted. In a literal sense, seeds of trees have been plantedat this site, one for each innocent soul taken on that black shabbat. As thetrees grow, so will we, over time. Like the trees need sunlight andnourishment, so do we. If we stick together and nourish our community, ourchildren will stand in the shade of these trees, protected by their massivebranches, and our community will be strong again too.”Now, one year later, many of us have more questions than answers. Why isthere so much anti-Israel sentiment? Why is Jew hatred being toleratedaround the world? Why are Canada’s and Toronto’s political leadershipfailing the Jewish community? Why are hostages still in Gaza? When willthis war end? When will our community heal? Why do we have to endure somuch tragedy and heartache? And then…Why did we have our own tragedyat camp this past summer? How and when do we heal?I don’t have answers to these questions, but I know with absolute convictionthat Camp Northland-B’nai Brith plays a critical role in helping thisgeneration move closer towards the answers we seek. Camp is the centralplace where our children, staff, alumni, friends and families stick together.We are at the core of nourishing our community from our metaphoricaltree. We provide shade when the negativity and pressure shine too bright totolerate or understand. We nourish through experiential education,informed programming, building confidence and strong Jewish identities.The positive impact our camp has on today’s children is tremendous andshould make us proud as a community. This Impact Report celebrates the headlines of the past year. The story yetto be told is the exponential impact these moments will have on the futureof these children, and in fact the future of the Toronto Jewish community.Onward Northland,ONWARD NORTHLANDSimon WolleExecutive DirectorGarry WiseBoard PresidentPresident’s Note From the time of our humble beginnings in1909, Camp Northland has moved onward,hand in hand with the Toronto JewishCommunity, to build and preserve a vital,beautiful and magical place on Moose Lakewhere our young people can grow, learnand thrive each summer. I offer our deepest thanks to our community- to our camp families, our Jewish CampCouncil members, our donors, our builders,our seasonal and professional staff, ourpartners at UJA Federation of GreaterToronto, and all of our Board leaders - past,present and future - for your continuing,generous support of Camp Northland andthe important work of the Jewish CampCouncil.For 116 years, we have built and preservedCamp Northland’s proud, hard-earnedlegacy. There have been many challengesand triumphs, moments of grief and tears,and many moments of renewal and joyalong the way.We remain strong and poised for the future,as we continue with the important work ofbuilding an enduring Camp of the Future. Asour AGM approaches, we thank ourcommunity for its support of CampNorthland.Our deepest gratitude to all of you.Onward. Together.

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Grow engagement with ourcommunity’s Jewish childrento inspire young generationsto embrace Jewish life and toensure a Jewish future. Invest in requiredinfrastructure and operationsto deliver the best possibleexperience for both currentand future campers. Jewish LifeInfrastructureCreate and deliver a superiorexperience that makes CampNorthland the best camp towork at for teens, young adults,and our year-roundprofessional staff.Staff ExperienceExplore and evaluate newopportunities throughrenewed relationships withcommunity stakeholders andpartners.Increase fundraising capacityto raise at least $5 million forcapital investment as we builda plan for our “camp of thefuture.” Improve programmingcapabilities and creativity aswell as develop milestoneachievements with keyprogressions in our variousspecialty areas.Increase Camp Northland’scapacity to support camperand staff mental health andwellness.Community PartnershipsFundraisingProgrammingWellness1234567VISION, MISSION & STRATEGIESOURVISION OUR MISSIONOUR STRATEGIESTo give every child an amazing Jewish camp experience.To achieve and sustain the highest standards of excellence in camper care,innovative programming and Jewish identity building in order to ensure thatall campers and staff grow, thrive and have fun at Camp Northland bymaking lifelong friends, building life-skills, appreciating nature andrespecting one another.These seven strategies guide our operations to ensure we deliver a positiveimpact on the next generation of Jewish leaders, and to continue to build astrong and sustainable future for the camp and community that we loveand cherish so much.

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590UniqueCampers 7.7% from 2023169First TimeCampers 16.6% from 202343 Counsellors-In-Training 34.4% from 2023234Staff & YouthLeadersConsistent with 2023 50Israeli Staff &Campers 163% from 2023SUMMER 2024 BY THENUMBERSOur CIT program is a key part of staff development, providinghands-on experience while developing responsibility andaccountability. CITs participate in Torah High, which deepenstheir Jewish values and identity. This program prepares themto be exceptional leaders, mentors, and future counsellors.Camp Northland's team exceeded 200 members, includingmany local staff who grew up at NBB, as well as staff fromaround the globe. Our international Camp Northland familywelcomed talented individuals from Ireland, Spain, Germany,Israel, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In the aftermath of October 7th, Camp Northland played a critical role in helping to bring the Jewish community together and allow Jewish campers and staff to feel safe, accepted and supported. The opportunity for these children to simply be children, experience a peaceful summer, and escape the difficult times at home was invaluable. We were thrilled to welcome 169 first time campers into ourCamp Northland family. Our community welcomed themwith open arms, helping them navigate through their firstsummer on Moose Lake. Their presence reminded us of thetransformative power of Camp Northland, as we watchedthem grow, make new friends, and create lasting memories.In 2024, Camp Northland welcomed 590 campers, filling ourcamp community with energy while fostering growth andcreating incredible memories on Moose Lake. Our strongenrolment allowed us to get closer to Camp Northland’svision of giving every child an amazing Jewish campexperience.

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A special thank you to the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, theFineberg Foundation, Foundation for Jewish Camps, UJAFederation of Greater Toronto, and the Anton & Ilana RabieCharitable Fund who provided extermely generous support in 2024. Rachel ChitizSUPPORTING CAMP IN 2024Starting in Unit 1, Rachel spentseven incredible summers atCamp Northland as both acamper and staff member. Herfondest childhood memories arethose spent up at NBB.In September 2024, Rachelstarted as camp’s DevelopmentDirector. Rachel is focused onadvancing camp’s fundraisingcapabilities and strengtheningthe donor experience to ensurecamp has the funds it requires tothrive for years to come. Rachel has a business degreeand spent the early part of hercareer in marketing and brandmanagement for large foodcompanies. After some time, shemade the decision to pivot intothe charitable sector where sheworked in donor marketing foran international developmentnon-profit organization for sixyears. Rachel feels that now, more thanever, it is important to give backto her community and helpensure that Camp Northlandcontinues to be a place whereevery child receives an amazingJewish camp experience.As a not-for-profit children’s charity, we are deeply gratefulfor the generosity of our donor community who, together,contributed $564,142 in 2024*Where did our support come from?Camper fees do not cover all of Camp Northland’s expenses.Every dollar donated goes towards initiatives that directlybenefit campers and camp life at Camp Northland. What did this funding support?Providing scholarships to advance our mission of giving everychild a Jewish camp experience, regardless of financesExpanding our wellness team and advancing our mentalhealth and wellness initiatives Supporting our family in Israel and fostering a strong sense ofJewish identity and values within our camp communityStrengthening security at camp through new infrastructure,processes and training, to keep our community safeGrowth through the purchase of additional land to expand campproperty, as well as through new staff, facilities and programs.Donations:Day of Giving30.7%Donations:Kibbutz Kfar Szold11.1%Donations:All Other32.5%Grants25.6%*Subject to final auditStrategy 5: Fundraising

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48%80%29%STAFF EXPERIENCEStrategy 3: Staff ExperienceCAMPER SCHOLARSHIPS For Summer 2024, Camp Northland was able to provide $500,434*in scholarships to advance our mission of giving every child anamazing Jewish camp experience. This scholarship assistancecomes through donations from our community and additionalallocated scholarship funds. We firmly believe that finances should never be a barrier toattending Camp Northland and we are very grateful to our donorswho help make this possible!52%Funding from Campof families receive funding directly from CampNorthland20%Outside Fundingof families also receive outside funding (from UJAFederation of Toronto, JF&CS, Synagogue, etc.) 71%Contigent on Fundingof families say that sources of funding for nextyear is very influential on their decisions to returnto Camp.Camp Northland has been making a concerted effort to support the staff experience andmaintain positive morale and strong mental health. Movie NightsSocial NightsOffsitePrizesRecognition &AcknowledgementAwardsFun Programming(ice cream & foodtruck, carnival)Cornerstone(FJC) “The people and the environment were amazing, I learned so much about myself and grew as a person in a community thatsupported and fostered that growth. This camp wouldn’t be the same without the people that have been so kind, lovingand open to international staff and allowed us to integrate ourselves into camp life while building phenomenal friendships.”- 2024 StaffBased on responses to our 2024 Camper Satisfaction Survey*Subject to final audit

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75%25%88%96%75%86%MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESSCamp Northland is committed to delivering strong mental health and wellness support for our campersand staff. Our continued efforts focus on dedicated wellness resources, a specialized and growingwellness team, and intentional programming. We are ensuring wellness remains a top priority, creatingan environment where every camper feels safe, heard, and supported. Through these initiatives, we arefostering a community that prioritizes well-being at every level.Mental Healthof families agree Camp Northland has staff who appropriatelysupported mental, emotional, and social health needs of their child whileat campEnvironment of families say Camp Northland provided a healthy, safe, and secureenvironment for their childProgramsof families believe the quality, frequency and diversity of activities tosupport mental health and wellness as well as resilience are excellent“Camp has given my child a place to grow and become more independent. It has also become a placewhere they can be vulnerable and yet still feel safe. She felt safe at camp, loved the environment andwas happy to be there” - 2024 ParentThis summer, we planted the seeds toour first ever community garden!Campers and staff repurposed acanoe into a garden. Through this, wereinforced the importance ofmindfulness and helped campersconnect with nature. Community Garden2024 was the second year with ourC.O.R.E Space (Chill Out, Relax andEnergize). We are continuing to utilizeand enhance this incredible space forimportant meetings and gatheringsand embed its regular use into ourcamp culture. C.O.R.E SpaceSplashIn 2024, we said goodbye to Splash,our beloved camp dog who ranwellness sessions affectionatelycalled ‘Splash Bash.’ For 10 years hehelped teach us lessons onunconditional love, loyalty, patience,empathy, and friendship. Splashtouched countless lives and will bedearly missed.Based on responses to our 2024 Camper Satisfaction SurveyStrategy 7: Wellness

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Creating a sense of Jewish identity, values and pride as well as fostering ourcommunity’s connection to Israel has always been a priority at Camp Northland. Giventhe current state of the world, this focus has become more important than ever. Thanksto the generosity of our community, we have been able to step up for our family inIsrael, while allowing our Canadian campers and staff to make meaningful connectionswith their Jewish brothers and sisters. CONNECTION TO ISRAELDONATED CAMPGEARDonations of camp gearwas required to support ourIsraeli campers and staff.This included bedding, duffelbags, sleeping bags, towels,etc. Our community steppedup in remarkable ways. KIBBUTZ KFAR SZOLDWith incredible support from ourcommunity, Camp Northland welcomed 13children and 2 chaperones from KibbutzKfar Szold for a summer of normalcy, joy,and belonging. These children, escaping thefear of missiles overhead, experiencedlaughter, friendship, and the magic ofcamp.BEIT HALOCHEMFor three weeks, CampNorthland proudly hostedKids of Courage, welcoming10 children of severely injuredIsraeli veterans and one staffmember. Sharing cabins andactivities with Canadiancampers, they developedfriendships and discoveredmore similarities in their livesthan differences.“I was excited to see the Shabbat receptions on Friday evening whichwere special, full of singing and laughter. I loved seeing the Israeli flagat every opportunity! Filled my heart with pride.” - 2024 ParentANGEL WINGS ART INSTALLATIONDuring the summer, our Israeli staff and campers tookthe initiative to recreate a special and meaningful artinstallation honouring the victims of October 7th.Parents, alumni and friends of Camp Northlandcontributed by donating countless bins of toys to beadded to the angel wings.Scan this QR code to watchthe important impact of thispast year’s Israel initiativesat Camp NBB.Strategy 1: Jewish Life

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Strategy 2: InfrastructureIn Summer 2024, we made transformative enhancements to our camp’s infrastructure.From purchasing additional land to installing new buildings as well as strengtheningsecurity measures, these upgrades provide an enriched camp experience for currentand future generations. Media &Radio ShedsWe enhanced our centralarea with two brand-newfacilities: the Radio Shed andthe Media Shed. The Media Shed providesdedicated storage andworkspace for our mediateam, ensuring all equipmentis secure and accessible. The Radio Shed has becomethe heart of camp’s dailyenergy —serving as the hubfor Mifkad segments, all-daymusic broadcasts, and ourradio specialty, wherecampers engage with DJboards and interactiveprogramming. These additions enrich thecamp experience byamplifying creativity,communication, andconnection through mediaand sound.BUILDING A BETTER CAMPNew Land &StructuresWe are proud to share thatseeds have been planted tocontinue putting down rootsat camp with the purchase of33 new acres of land! Thismarks an exciting chapter inCamp Northland’s legacy andcreates new opportunities togrow our community and ourinfrastructure.Our commitment tocontinuous growth extendsbeyond the land itself. Wehave also secured four newstructures to be used insummer 2025. These newbuildings will serve a variety ofpurposes, from housing toenhanced specialty areas. With more land, physicalspaces, facilities, and a visionfor the future of CampNorthland, we are ready toexpand our programs andwelcome new campers intothe Camp Northland family. In recent years, we haveinvested hundreds ofthousands of dollars intosecurity-related infrastructureenhancements at camp.This includes P.A. systems,emergency call boxes, aguard booth, cameras, CCTV,motion activated perimeterlighting, staff training, on-sitesecurity audits, night watchprotection, emergencyresponse training, preventiontraining, and more. As we do every year, we arecarefully monitoring what ishappening locally and aroundthe world, and in particular inthe wake of October 7th. We are proud to share thatCamp Northland is at theforefront of security in thecamping world.SecurityImprovements

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NEW ENDEAVORS Strategy 6: ProgrammingCamp Northland focused on enhancing the camperexperience through innovative new programs and thereturn of past traditions. Josh AkumJosh Akum joined our full-time team in May in the roleof Assistant Director -Business Operations &Logistics.Josh has been a part of theCamp Northland family since2013 and is incrediblypassionate about developingleaders within the campcommunity. In recent summers, Josh wasa Specialty Head & SectionHead and also has experienceon our Directing Teamoverseeing Junior Shift Units &Sections.Beyond his camp experience,Josh was heavily involved invarious Jewish organizationsacross Toronto andWashington D.C. Josh has a Bachelor ofScience in Business and looksforward to using his Jewishleadership experience andbusiness background tocontribute meaningfully tocamp!WOODW O R KINGAs part of their Torah High JewishLeadership Project, our CITs took on ameaningful woodworking workshop.With expert guidance, they workedtogether to craft two large Muskokachairs, strengthening their teamworkand leadership skills. This hands-on experience allowed themto create a lasting contribution to campwhile learning practical skills and thevalue of collaboration. The projectembodied the spirit of leadership,creativity, and giving back to the campcommunity.We brought in top-tier sportsprograms to elevate our athletics.Team Israel Baseball, featuring starplayer Zach Penprase, visited campto teach skills and share hisprofessional experience withcampers.We also welcomed the Toronto FlagFootball League, which ran excitingclinics and interactive sessions. Theseprograms not only enhanced oursports offerings but also inspiredcampers through hands-oncoaching from elite athletes.PRO S P O RTS A T C A M PFor the first time since summer 2019,Visitor’s Day made a highlyanticipated return. Families finallyhad the chance to visit camp, jumpin Moose Lake, meet their child’sstaff, and experience a day atcamp! This special day strengthenedconnections between families andcamp while allowing parents towitness firsthand the magic ofCamp Northland. Its return was ahuge success and brought ourincredible community together. RE T UR N O F VI S I T O R ’ S DA Y

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Engaging Families &Strengthening CommunityCornerstone Expanding Our Impact ThroughCommunity PartnershipsCommunity EngagementStrategy 4: Community PartnershipsNORTHLAND YEAR ROUNDAt Camp Northland, our commitment to community extends far beyond the summermonths. Through a variety of family engagement initiatives, we continue to buildmeaningful experiences year-round. Whether reconnecting with camp friends,welcoming new families, or supporting global Jewish initiatives, our programs ensurethat Camp Northland remains a lifelong community for campers, staff, and supporters.Our annual Northland Community BBQ is acherished tradition, bringing togetherfamilies and staff before camp begins. Wealso hold an Annual General Meeting,ensuring transparency and collaboration inour camp’s future. To cap off the season, theSummer Video Yearbook Reunion givescampers and families the chance to reliveunforgettable memories, strengtheningbonds within the Northland community.Camp Northland participated in theFoundation for Jewish Camp’s annualCornerstone Fellowship. We were proudlyrepresented by a cohort of 6 exceptionalstaff members. Our Cornerstone cohort hadthe opportunity to learn from experiencedJewish educators and each other, developinnovative programming ideas, strengthentheir leadership skills, and create plans toimplement at Camp. Our cohort planned andexecuted fantastic camp-wide programsand mentored fellow staff. Beyond the summer, Camp Northlandcontinues to serve as a hub for Jewishcommunity groups. We were proud to host J-Academy Family Weekend, reintroducingRussian Jewish families to camp life after amulti-year pause. Additionally, we partneredwith UJA Federation of Toronto and JIAS tobring back Gibushon Weekend, a programdesigned for the Hebrew-speakingcommunity. Camp Northland is more than just a summerexperience — we foster community all yearlong. From alumni events like our ChallahBake and Paint Night to outreach initiativesfor new campers and parents, we keep ournetwork engaged. We host key moments likeour Annual General Meeting, Open House,and Yearbook Event while expanding ourreach through LinkedIn and dynamic socialmedia. These efforts strengthen connections,celebrate alumni, and ensure camp remainsa meaningful part of our community.

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ALUMNI ENGAGEMENTWith a history of more than 115 years of memorable summers, Camp Northland is a placethat thousands call home. Maintaining a strong relationship with our alumni community is avery important part of our work. We now have board members dedicated to developing andexecuting initiatives with the goal of building an alumni community that is engaged withcamp and invests in its future. Here are a few ways we connected with NBB alumni in 2024.Alumni & Friends Weekend: We love welcoming our alumni and friends of NBB to the shoresof Moose Lake each summer for a weekend of fun, friendship and nostalgia. AlumNight: We hosted a fun event where we reconnected with old friends and sharedstories from our camp days, while enjoying music from NBB’s alumni band, Night Owl! Online Connections: We have been more active and have stayed better in touch with ouralumni community through dedicated social media channels and our monthly newsletter. The incredible power of our communityshined extra bright during the tragedy thatoccurred at camp this past summer. Wewere completely blown away by theoutpouring of love, offerings of support andwillingness to drop everything during ourtime of great need. For this, we will forever begrateful. Thank you to our alumni, communityprofessionals, and summer staff.

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Accessibility: Helping Jewish families send their children to Camp Northland andequipping them with the needed supplies to thriveCapacity Building: Upgrading aging infrastructure, meeting evolving needs of ourcamp community and establishing the foundation for our “Camp of the Future”Safety & Security: Ensuring camp is a safe place for our Jewish children given thesharp increase in antisemitismIsrael Connectivity: Deepening our connection through immersive culturalexperiences, expanded Israeli staff, and a dedicated Head of Israel EducationEndowment: Generating a sustainable revenue stream to ensure CampNorthland is well set up to thrive for future generations LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025We are filled with pride as we reflect on 2024 and all that we’ve accomplished,thanks to the generous support we received from our community. At the same time, we recognize that the work required to bring to life our vision ofgiving every child an amazing Jewish camp experience to life is not complete. As we look to Summer 2025, we are committed to making it our best year yetand will be focusing our charitable donations in 5 critical areas:To discuss giving opportunities and ways to support camp,please contact Rachel Chitiz at rachelc@campnbb.com

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To our incredible donors, volunteers, campers, staff, families and community:As we reflect on the past year and what we have achieved together, we feel immense gratitude for your support and generosity. Thank you for your loyalty and for staying engaged and connected with us. 2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORSGarry Wise - PresidentRichard Carson - Immediate Past PresidentNed Blinick - Interim President ElectAmy Laski - President ElectJordan Brudner - TreasurerLynn Kirshin - SecretarySean AbensteinErnie GutsteinJodi LiebermanEsther TockJennifer LewisTamara CaplanSydney Seidel Sammy PtasznikRichard FreilichOUR LEADERSHIPCAMPNBB.COM | HAPPYCAMPER@CAMPNBB.COM | (905) 881-0018PROFESSIONAL TEAMSimon Wolle - Executive DirectorAdam Kertesz - Associate DirectorDenise Harris - Administrative DirectorRachel Chitiz - Development DirectorRob Abbs - Maintenance DirectorJosh Akum - Assistant Director -OperationsGabi Cohen - Assistant Director -ProgramsRachel Evans - Registration DirectorElaine & Lana Bezner - OutsourcedBookkeeping ServicesLeore Zecharia - Assistant Director -Programs & Year Round Engagement(Parental Leave as of Sept 2024)Alex Costa - Office Manager & Registrar(Parental Leave as of June 2024) In loving memory of Benji Covant

Camp Northland - 2024 Impact Report

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