Dear Camp Coleman Family, 
It’s hard to believe there are only a few days left for the summer of 2021 at Camp Coleman. I can tell that we are savoring every movement of it. We just celebrated the final Shabbat of the summer and what a meaningful moment it was for me as I prepare to step down as camp director after 30 memorable years.
I am filled with gratitude for the wonderful summer and session that we have been able to have. As we prepared for this summer, our team was more committed than ever to give our campers the summer they needed and deserved. We worked through lots of challenges to make it happen. Last night, as I watched the entire Coleman community singing, dancing, and cheering at our camper-led “Coleman Rocks Concert”, I saw a community of youth who were filled with joy and, at least for that moment, seemed like they did not have a care in the world I loved seeing both the pride of the performers and the spirited support from their peers. Following the concert, we all headed to the field for Havdalah where each unit sat in a
circle amidst the glow of the twisted candle. A sense of calm and peace was palpable. As Havdallah concluded I looked across the field at all of the campers and knew that we had grown closer and more comfortable as a community than we were 3 weeks ago when the campers arrived. Because camp opened and was “so much kef (Hebrew for fun)”, these campers had a summer in which they could be and feel connected for the first time in a long time. I cherish the many interactions that I have had with your children—they are grateful just to be at camp and some have even told me it has been their favorite summer yet. Hopefully you also received an email from your child’s counselors this week. We hope that it gave you some insight of your child’s bunk and camp experience this summer.
That I would be preparing for my final summer during 
a global pandemic is something that I would have never imagined. On the other hand, however, I also could not have foreseen just how incredibly special and rewarding this summer would be. I have had the chance to interact with your children more this year than any other and I have absolutely loved it. They are filled with wonder, curiosity, hope, and a great sense of humor. They are having a summer of fun, joyful Judaism and creating memories that will last a lifetime for which we are all grateful. They have also provided me with an abundance of precious images and feelings that will never leave me. And, for that, I am deeply grateful.
Here is to a fantastic final week of 2021!
Bobby Harris