Supporting Wellness: Lessons Learned from Camp Colleagues

The recording from this workshop can be found here.

We were joined by Russell Birner (Camp Young Judaea Tel Yehudah) Helene Drobenare (Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake), and Rabbi Ami Hersh (Ramah Day Camp in Nyack). The facilitators shared their experiences supporting children and teens after 18 months of isolation. 

Arranged in partnership between The Jewish Education Project and Foundation for Jewish Camp. 

Featured presenters:

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Russell Birner | Russell Birner, M.S., N.C.C., is so happy to have been able to be back for his third summer as Rosh Feelings (more officially, the mental health specialist) at Camp Tel Yehudah, where he is an alum. He loves working with adolescents and young adults because of the monumental change a positive interaction can trigger.  He believes in camp as a safe and happy place, where teens can be themselves and explore who they really are.  His approach to camp counseling is to be non-judgmental, compassionate, and always easily accessible.  In counseling teens and young adults, regardless of setting, he explores mindfulness-based approaches to living and utilizes Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy and Existential Therapy.  

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Helene Drobenare | Helene Drobenare, MSW, MA, holds a Master of Social Work from Yeshiva University and Master of Administration in Organizational Change Management from the New School of Social Research. Helene has been working with youth for 20 years. She grew up in BBYO and went on to work in their leadership camp programs at Perlman and Beber camps. She has also served as the coordinator for the March of the Living program, and the director of programs for Masada Israel Summer Programs. Helene lived in Israel for four years where she worked for TRACKS Adventures as Director of Youth Programs & Marketing. Helene has spent years committed to improving the lives of children in Africa through her volunteer work in South Africa and Tanzania. Helene has served as the director of Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake since September 1999. Helene is also one of the recipients of the prestigious Covenant Award for 2021.

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Rabbi Ami Hersh | Ami Hersh currently serves as the Director of Ramah Day Camp in Nyack. He also works as part of the rabbinic team at the Orangetown Jewish Center. Ami was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in May 2012 with a concentration in Jewish non-profit management. In 2013, he also received a master’s degree in Jewish education from the Davidson School of Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary with a Concentration in Israel Education from The iCenter. Previously, Ami taught fourth grade at the Solomon Schechter School of Greater Hartford. Ami holds degrees in Elementary Education and Judaic Studies. He is an alumnus of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship and an iCenter Israel Education Fellow. He currently sits on the boards of The iCenter and the Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County. He is married to Dr. Loni Hersh and has four children.