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In the summer of 2025, Ethan Holzer attended his third summer of Jewish Summer Camp.

Thank you Ethan for sharing you thoughts on this adventure and learning experience.

My Summer at Camp Harlam Summer 2025

By Ethan Holzer
I had so much fun at camp this summer! A lot has changed since I was in Kineret last year. I got to go to Hershey Park, instructional swim is gone, and I have the second breakfast now.

I did many things this summer - some old and some new things. Some things I did this summer included free swim, tower, and sports. Some new things I did included soccer, made smoothies, and rode Lightning Racer at Hershey. The food was great as always and we always either got popsicles after dinner or got ice cream. I like how if you want to get canteen you have to write a letter. It promotes letter writing to parents. Being in Arava, I felt sad leaving the younger side of Junior camp. Instructional swimming, Free swim with younger kids, and First breakfast. I loved the Hershey trip because I actually got to choose what to eat. Also at Hershey, I finally conquered my fear of roller coasters so I will be picking fast next year! I can’t wait to see my friends and make new ones! I also can’t wait to go to New York in 2 years!

I love to help with services at camp, so I was happy to help with chanting. I chanted the V’ahavta and Aleinu with Eyal, Ari, and some other kids. I really like services because I basically lead them at my Temple. This is really good practice as I prepare for my Bar Mitzvah. I have started my D’var Torah and it is going pretty well so far. My Torah portion is Vayakheil P’kudei and it is about the Israelites starting work on the Tabernacle. I have so far completed 2 Aliyot without vowels. I have been to my bunk mate, Ben’s, bar mitzvah and it was impressive how easily he could do it. I want to do at least 4 aliyot.

In color war, I was on team Green Jurassic Park and I worked on the plaque team. Plaque is when you create a plaque for your team. Green Jurassic Park’s plaque was a 3D T-rex that is made similar to the red knights plaque. I personally think we should have won plaque (a little bit biased) but whatever. I’m not the one judging. Field day was the only non-plaque thing I did. It went very well (Ruach-wise). Somehow I still haven’t gotten lower than 2nd place in color war.

Being in the bunk is chaotic and fun. We play a lot of card games like Uno, Top Trumps, and other card games that use a basic set of cards. Chaos ensues on the last night where everyone tries to stay up all night and go bunk-hopping. Bunk-hopping is when you leave your bunk at night to go somewhere else in camp. An example of bunk hopping is leaving your bunk at night to go to the Chadar. Do this at your own risk. If you get caught golf carts will likely be at your bunk in minutes.

The Arava Hike is a 5 mile hike (estimate). It takes around 4-7 hours round trip. It isn’t that bad once you’ve done the stream hike. The stream hike is, You guessed it, hiking through a stream. It probably takes around 2 hours (my guess). The water is actually freezing, likely 50 degrees fahrenheit.

The food at camp is great as always with the classics being the fried/roasted chicken, the rolling breakfast/lunch (#BRINGBACKBIGDONUTS!), and Deli day. The mac and cheese was amazing, I would love to see it return. Another food I would like to see return is the yellow meal (chicken patties).  I love the food at camp so much.

These are the reasons why I want to return to camp next year!