Camps Mohican Reena
Encyclopedia
Camps Mohican-Reena were sleepaway camps founded in Palmer, Massachusetts
in 1928. For 36 summers through 1963, they were among the most highly regarded summer camp
s. The camp colors were green and gold.
and the Bronx Boroughs of New York City
.
In 1952, the Deitch and Knoll families withdrew from ownership, selling their interests in Irving "Tarzan" Pearlman and Dr. Irving and Jackie Miller. Joe Deitch, beloved as "Uncle Joe," continued as a Director until suffering a heart attack just before the start of the 1962 season. The Millers apparently only lasted one season, selling their interest to Frank Salz, the long time head counsellor of Mohican.
Rickie Weiss, sister-in-law of the Halperns, served as Reena Head Counsellor for many years through the summer of 1959, and was succeeded for four summers by Shirley Liebman. After the summer of 1958, the Halperns and Salz families sold their interests to Fern and Harold Fox of Woodmere, Long Island. The Halperns remained as Directors through 1959, and Frank Salz continued as Head Counsellor of Mohican through 1960. Enrolment peaked at 400 campers in 1960, a large percentage of whom were children of campers and staff from the early years. As Harold Fox assumed control (Tarzan was largely responsible for buildings and grounds and the kitchen), long term staff members departed and enrolment fell precipitously.
Tarzan died during the summer of 1962, and his brother Max assumed his role in 1963. By 1963, enrollment had decreased to 150 campers and the facility had physically declined dramatically. After the 1963 season, the camps closed. The property was purchased by Camp Ramah
, and continues as a religious summer camp to this day.
At the end of every summer, trophies and cups were awarded to campers in such categories as Best Athlete and Best All Around Camper. Steven Gethers, an alumnus and Hollywood writer, dramatized the competition involved in the awarding these trophies in an episode of Playhouse 90 entitled
FREE WEEKEND which was first aired on December 4, 1958.Guest stars included Kim Hunter, Martin Balsam, Charles Bickford, Jack Albertson, June Dayton, and Nancy Marchand.
Although the camps have been closed for more than 40 years, the alumni association remains vibrant, sponsoring annual dinners in New York City and semiannual reunions in late August in Palmer.
----
Alma Mater=
(melody = NYU's alma mater; same as "Love Me Tender".)
When the evening shadows fall
O’er our campus dear
Voices raised in happy song
Echo our good cheer
Mohican, Mohican
Love we have for you
We will ever sing thy praise
To thee we’ll e’er be true.
Palmer, Massachusetts
The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in 1928. For 36 summers through 1963, they were among the most highly regarded summer camp
Summer camp
Summer camp is a supervised program for children or teenagers conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as campers....
s. The camp colors were green and gold.
History
The brother-sister camps were located on Pattaquattic Pond (known to campers as Lake Aladdin); Mohican (boys) on the north shore and Reena (girls) on the south shore. Camp Mohican for Junior Gentlemen was founded by Rabbis Samuel Price and Morris Silverman in 1924. Rabbi Silverman was born in Newburgh, New York in 1894. He edited the High Holiday Prayer Book, popularly known as the "Silverman Machzor" in 1939 which became the official prayer book for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for the United Synagogue of America of the Conservative Movement for over half a century. Before the start of the fourth season in 1928, they became associated with Mr. Emanuel Halpern, Mr. Benjmain Jaffe, and Mr. Joseph Deitch. The girl campers were called "Little Ladies of the Camp;" the girls camp was renamed camp reena prior to the 1928 season. After 1928, the ownership consisted of Anna and Benjamin Jaffe, Minna and Joseph Deitch, Celia and Sam Knoll, and Minnie and Emanuel Halpern. The owners were primarily educators, living and working in Jewish educational institutions in the BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and the Bronx Boroughs of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
In 1952, the Deitch and Knoll families withdrew from ownership, selling their interests in Irving "Tarzan" Pearlman and Dr. Irving and Jackie Miller. Joe Deitch, beloved as "Uncle Joe," continued as a Director until suffering a heart attack just before the start of the 1962 season. The Millers apparently only lasted one season, selling their interest to Frank Salz, the long time head counsellor of Mohican.
Rickie Weiss, sister-in-law of the Halperns, served as Reena Head Counsellor for many years through the summer of 1959, and was succeeded for four summers by Shirley Liebman. After the summer of 1958, the Halperns and Salz families sold their interests to Fern and Harold Fox of Woodmere, Long Island. The Halperns remained as Directors through 1959, and Frank Salz continued as Head Counsellor of Mohican through 1960. Enrolment peaked at 400 campers in 1960, a large percentage of whom were children of campers and staff from the early years. As Harold Fox assumed control (Tarzan was largely responsible for buildings and grounds and the kitchen), long term staff members departed and enrolment fell precipitously.
Tarzan died during the summer of 1962, and his brother Max assumed his role in 1963. By 1963, enrollment had decreased to 150 campers and the facility had physically declined dramatically. After the 1963 season, the camps closed. The property was purchased by Camp Ramah
Camp Ramah
Camp Ramah is a network of Jewish summer camps affiliated with the Conservative Movement. The camps operate in the United States, Canada, and Israel. Ramah camps serve kosher food and are Shabbat-observant.-History:...
, and continues as a religious summer camp to this day.
At the end of every summer, trophies and cups were awarded to campers in such categories as Best Athlete and Best All Around Camper. Steven Gethers, an alumnus and Hollywood writer, dramatized the competition involved in the awarding these trophies in an episode of Playhouse 90 entitled
FREE WEEKEND which was first aired on December 4, 1958.Guest stars included Kim Hunter, Martin Balsam, Charles Bickford, Jack Albertson, June Dayton, and Nancy Marchand.
Although the camps have been closed for more than 40 years, the alumni association remains vibrant, sponsoring annual dinners in New York City and semiannual reunions in late August in Palmer.
Notable alumni
- Art ModellArt ModellArthur B. Modell is an American businessman, entrepreneur and former National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1961–1995 and the Baltimore Ravens franchise from 1996–2004. Modell is the grandson of the late Morris Modell who founded the northeast...
, former owner of the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Football team who was vilified for having moved the team to BaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. - Stuart Zonis, Stuart DamonStuart DamonStuart Damon is an American actor. He is known for thirty years of portraying the character Dr. Alan Quartermaine on the American soap opera General Hospital, for which he won an Emmy Award in 1999....
as Dr. Alan Quartermane, Sr. on General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
. - Steven Gethers, TV and Hollywood writer.
- Mike Cingiser, Brown '62. Three time All Ivy Basketball player, and coach of the only Brown Basketball Team to ever win an Ivy LeagueIvy LeagueThe Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
title (1986). - Cynthia HarrisCynthia HarrisCynthia Harris is an American film and television actress.She is known for her role as Helen Hunt's character Jamie Buchman's overbearing mother-in-law on Mad About You. She has also appeared in many television series and TV movies, such as L.A. Law, All My Children and in the classic drama, Edward...
, Theatre, TV and Movie actress. Starred as Wallace Simpson in the Thames TelevisionThames TelevisionThames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
miniseries "Edward and Mrs. Simpson." Well known as Sylvia Buchman in the long running series "Mad About YouMad About YouMad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992 to May 24, 1999. The show starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City. Reiser played Paul Buchman, a documentary film maker. Hunt played Jamie Stemple Buchman, a public relations specialist...
". For many years represented Bradley's Department Stores as "Mrs. B". - Matthew N. Harris, M.D., Professor of Surgery, NYU Medical Center. Leading surgical oncologist associated with NYU Medical Center for over 50 years. Honored with the naming of the Matthew N. Harris Examination Suite at the NYU Clinical Cancer Center.
- Martin FeldsteinMartin FeldsteinMartin Stuart "Marty" Feldstein is an economist. He is currently the George F. Baker Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and the president emeritus of the National Bureau of Economic Research . He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the NBER from 1978 through 2008...
, From 1982 to 1984 chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors and chief economic advisor to President Ronald Reagan. Currently Professor of Economics at Harvard and the president and CEO of the National Bureau of Economic Research [NBER]. - Bella Savitsky Abzug, (July 24, 1920 – March 31, 1998) was a well-known American political figure and a leader of the women’s movement. She famously said, “This woman’s place is in the House — the House of Representatives,” in her successful 1970 campaign to join that body.
- David RosandDavid RosandDavid Rosand is an American art historian, university professor and writer.-Education and early life:Rosand was born in Brooklyn; and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School. He received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University in 1959.In 1961, he married Vassar graduate Ellen...
Professor of Art History at Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
----
Alma Mater=
(melody = NYU's alma mater; same as "Love Me Tender".)
When the evening shadows fall
O’er our campus dear
Voices raised in happy song
Echo our good cheer
Mohican, Mohican
Love we have for you
We will ever sing thy praise
To thee we’ll e’er be true.
External links
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/campmohican-reena/
- http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/camp_mohican/index.html&date=2009-10-25+16:49:56