Camp Kinder Ring is a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

summer camp A summer camp or sleepaway camp is a supervised program for children conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as ''campers''. Summer school is usually a part of the academ ...

located in

Hopewell Junction, New York Hopewell Junction is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 1330 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie– Newburgh– Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical ...

, accredited by the

American Camp Association The American Camp Association (ACA), formerly known as the American Camping Association, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves the United States. It is an association for camp owners, camp professionals and others interested in summer camps and si ...

and run by

The Workers Circle The Workers Circle or Der Arbeter Ring ( yi, דער אַרבעטער־רינג), formerly The Workmen's Circle, is an American Jewish nonprofit organization that promotes social and economic justice, Jewish community and education, including Yiddi ...

History

Camp Kinder Ring was founded in 1927 by The Workers Circle (formerly known as The Workmen's Circle, Yiddish ''Der Arbeter Ring''). Many families have been attending for up to four generations. ''Kinder ring'' (''Children's Circle'') was the name of a short-lived publication in the early 1920s.

Description

The camp lies near the

Catskills The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas cl ...

Dutchess County, New York Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later orga ...

, about a mile from the town of Beekman. It offers campers a wide array of activities such as sports, arts and crafts, and lake activities while also educating them about Jewish traditions and culture. The camp is divided into a boys' side and a girls' side, each having its own distinct set of staff. There are head counselors and assistant head counselors for both girls and boys. There are then eight divisions, each led by a group leader who has a staff of counselors, typically between three and six strong.

Traditions

Kinder Ring's traditions include a July 4 carnival, KR of the Week/Year, Behind the Scenes, all-whites ''shtiller ovnt'' (Yiddish for "silent evening") to celebrate the Friday evening advent of the sabbath, and the setting of candles onto Sylvan Lake symbolizing the end of another summer. Other traditions include popular Jewish singers like Rick Recht. New events are created every year. Traditional games include: * Maccabean Games: The Mikhl Baran Maccabean Games, or Mac Games, are held every year in the first half of the summer. Campers are split into two teams named after important and influential Jews in history. Over the course of 4 days, campers compete against one another. The emphasis of Mac Games is team spirit, teamwork, and fun, rather than winning. * Olympics: Olympics are held every year in the second half of the summer. Campers are split into teams named for two countries. Over the course of four days, campers compete against one another. As always, emphasis is based on team spirit, teamwork, and fun, rather than winning. Olympics hold the most famous events in camp, the Rope Burn, the Decathlon and the Triathlon. * Torchbearer: This KR tradition was started in 1971. It is known as the greatest honor one can receive at Kinder Ring, showing one's love and dedication to Camp Kinder Ring. During the Opening Ceremonies for Olympics, past Torchbearers come back to camp to help pass on the honor. Every summer, a Torchbearer is named before the entire camp and lights the Olympic flame, as in the real Olympics.

Notable alumni

Dean Blandino Dean Blandino (born September 13, 1971) is a rules analyst for Fox Sports. He previously served as the NFL's Vice President of Officiating from 2013 to 2017 and the head of officiating for the XFL in 2020. Biography Early years Blandino grew up ...

(born 1971), former NFL vice president of officiating, now a Fox sports analyst *

Barbara Boxer Barbara Sue Boxer (née Levy; born November 11, 1940) is an American politician and lobbyist who served in the United States Senate, representing California from 1993 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as the U.S. ...

(born 1940),

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

Bill Freiberger Bill Freiberger is a writer and producer for such shows as ''The Simpsons'', ''Drawn Together'', ''The PJs'', and ''Sonic Boom''. TV series' episodes written by Freiberger *'' Get a Life'' **"Roots" **"Paper Boy 2000" *'' Charlie Hoover'' **"Anniv ...

, Emmy-nominated television writer *

Adam Schefter Adam Schefter (born December 21, 1966) is an American sports writer and television analyst. After graduating from University of Michigan and Northwestern University with degrees in journalism, Schefter wrote for several newspapers, including ''T ...

(born 1966),

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

NFL Insider * Lawrence S. Wittner (born 1941), American historian – camper and counselor

Legacy

Camp Kinder Ring appears in many books on Jewish culture in America, including ''Raising Reds'' (1999), ''The Lower East Side Remembered and Revisited'' (2009), ''Children's Nature'' (2010), ''Yiddishkiet'' (2012) and ''The Remembered and Forgotten Jewish World'' (2018). Camp Kinder Ring also appears in memoirs, including ''The Way Home'' (2006), ''Goy Crazy'' (2006) and ''Working for Peace and Justice'' (2006).

References

External links

Camp Kinder Ring official websiteThe Workers Circle / Der Arbeter Ring website
{{Summer camps in New York 1927 establishments in New York (state) Buildings and structures in Dutchess County, New York Kinder Ring Non-profit organizations based in New York (state) Tourist attractions in Dutchess County, New York Yiddish culture in New York (state)