By Roey Kruvi, Senior Director of Immersive Experiences
Jewish Summer Camp for Adults!
My love story starts with an anonymous post-it note. “Would you go to the camp dance with me? Yes, No, Maybe.” I paced by her room, nervously twirling the square neon paper in my hand. Sliding the note under her door, I ran down the hall to avoid being seen. My sticky note was anonymous. If it was meant to be, she would know who it’s from. It was the first night of Camp Nai Nai Nai, a Jewish summer camp for adults. More than 125 ‘campers’ in their 20s and 30s were asleep in their bunks ready for a weekend filled with nostalgia, joy, self-exploration, and for her and I – an entirely unexpected love story.
Camp Nai Nai Nai is an incredible place where you can be yourself, explore new creative outlets, get locked in a camp-themed escape room, dance, play soccer in a giant bubble or a game of human hungry hippos. You can be in a sea of white for Shabbat and in a huddled drum circle with hundreds of your friends singing Havdallah. It’s a place where you can explore your Jewish identity in a creative, playful and adventurous community. And turns out that being in this kind of space makes us more attractive to potential partners! The Washington Post reports, “researchers at Pennsylvania State University asked 250 students to rate 16 characteristics that they might look for in a long-term mate. ‘Sense of humor’ came in first among the males and second among the females, ‘fun-loving’ came in third for both, and being ‘playful’ placed fourth for women and fifth for men.”
I love camp because I love to play. I believe it is an essential part of who I am and I love to share that with others. I believe that our Jewish community (and those who love us) can be transformed by the power of playfulness, creative expression, and authenticity. And you can find it at camp. She came to camp for the flash mobs – I came for the glow in the dark laser tag. And we met somewhere in the middle. Nearly two years and three Camp Nai Nai Nais later – we’re still together – and Camp will forever be our special place. I invite you to come make it yours.
