Camp Interlaken is American Camp Association accredited. What this means is that the ACA visits Camp Interlaken to review and judge us for achieving over 600 standards ranging from the qualifications of our staff (licenses and certifications help by specific medical and program staff) to management of our facility, from the quality and safety of our programs to the temperatures of our dishwashers. In addition to our accreditation, Camp Interlaken also has the opportunity to participate in various trainings and classes provided by the American Camp Association on everything from Staff Training to Camp Nursing and marketing.
Camp Interlaken is a Lekhu Lakhem participant. Lekhu Lakhem is a program that provides Jewish and Educational Journeys for JCC Camp Directors. This two year program, launched in 2004, has begun its second cohort that includes Toni Davison Levenberg, Interlaken ’s Director, and eleven other JCCA Camp Directors. Howard Wagan, Interlaken ’s previous director, participated in the first cohort group. Lekhu Lakhem is a two year professional seminar that began in the fall of 2007, and it concludes in the fall of 2009. Over the two years, the Fellows participate in a series of five seminars in North America and one extended seminar in Israel , along with an ongoing program of Jewish learning and educational mentoring. The content of the seminars focus on Jewish education and camp leadership, using texts to grapple with issues of philosophy, Jewish vision, camp administration and Jewish educational leadership. All these subjects are examined within the context of JCC resident camps and the issues that our directors face in the course of their work.
Camp Interlaken has received grants from the Foundation for Jewish Camp including the Cornerstone Fellowship, CALL, and Launch Pad program.
The Cornerstone Fellowship is a Jewish leadership training seminar built specifically for third year returning camp counselors at Jewish camps. The Cornerstone Fellowship program enables us to increase the Judaic effectiveness of our programs through retaining and training our third year cabin counselors. By providing an incentive stipend and advanced professional development training to Camp Interlaken’s most valuable, Jewishly-strong third year counselors, Jewish camps including Interlaken will continue to attract and grow "Cornerstones", our emerging Jewish leaders. Camp Interlaken is excited to send six of our third year counselors to the Cornerstone Fellowship with Cornerstones from 50 other Jewish Camps this May; they will be led by Sharon Cohen, their Interlaken faculty mentor. Interlaken has participated in the Cornerstone program each year since its inception in 2003.
The CALL Program, Cornerstone Alumni Leadership Ladder was a one year seminar for Cornerstone Alumni in 2007. Camp Interlaken sent four of our Unit Leaders in the 2007 to participate in this training, and two of them are returning to camp to be Unit Leaders again in 2008.
The Launch Pad Fellowship is an exciting new 10-month professional development program for entry and mid-level administrative and supervisory staff at nonprofit Jewish summer camps. Based on lessons learned from the CALL program, the Launch Pad Fellowship focuses on training former counselors who are returning to camp for summer 2008 in a capacity of increased responsibility for a unit, specialty or all-camp programming or staff supervision. The program is open to first-year and second-year supervisory staff members. The goals of the Launch Pad Fellowship program are twofold: to increase staff retention in camp supervisory positions as well as increase the number of young Jews exploring Jewish career options. Launch Pad Fellows will meet with a wide variety of experts in leadership development, Jewish education and management/supervision training. Camp Interlaken is elated to send four of our supervisors to Launch Pad in 2008 with Hazzan Carey Cohen as their Advisor Mentor Coach.
