From Surfside to Seminary: How Camp Made Judaism Personal
Sydney grew up in Surfside, Miami, where being Jewish was always part of her life, but mostly in a traditional sense. She attended a Conservative Jewish elementary school, occasionally lit Shabbat candles at home, and went to shul on the High Holidays. “I always knew I was Jewish,” Sydney shared, “but I didn’t really understand what that meant beyond the basics.”
It wasn’t until her mom heard about CGI Poconos and suggested she and her sister attend camp that something deeper began to take root. Her mother thought it would be a fun summer experience, but no one could have predicted the powerful transformation that would follow.
Sydney spent two summers at CGI Poconos, between fifth and sixth grade. From the moment she arrived, something clicked. “It felt like a whole world opened up for me,” she said. “For the first time, I felt connected to something greater.” Camp was her first exposure to a fully religious Jewish environment, and it was a revelation.
She learned about netilat yadayim, the beauty of tznius, and most memorably, the magic of Shabbos. Singing together around the Shabbos table and feeling spiritually united with other girls like her gave Sydney a deep sense of belonging. “CGI Poconos felt like a second home,” she recalled. “The staff, the atmosphere, the judgment-free environment—it all made such a lasting impact.”
The second year, Sydney brought two of her friends—Natalie W. and Maya Z.—who also connected deeply to the camp experience. Although she couldn’t return as a camper the following years, the inspiration she gained stayed with her. In high school, Sydney joined CTeen, started putting her phone away on Shabbos, and found herself yearning for that same connection she once felt at camp.
“I kept thinking back to those little moments at CGI Poconos that felt so meaningful,” she said. That longing led her to enroll in a seminary in Israel after high school, where she developed a religious lifestyle and a strong love for Chabad.
This past summer, Sydney returned to CGI Poconos, this time as a sports specialist, eager to give back to the place that sparked her transformation. Now continuing her Jewish education at Stern College and preparing to spend the summer learning at Machon Alte, Sydney is still climbing, still growing.
“CGI Poconos gave me more than memories, it gave me direction,” she said. And through every step of her journey, she carries those two summers in her heart, grateful for where they’ve led her and excited for what’s still to come.
Sydney’s story shows how just one summer at CGI Poconos can spark a lifelong commitment to Yiddishkeit and leave a lasting impact that continues to shape her life.
