Alumni

Welcome Back to the Home of Happiness!

For more than 100 years, Camp Wise has captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands of individuals. Camp Wise is a special place, and we want you to know you’re still just as important to Wise as Wise is to you.

As Wise alumni, you hold the traditions and memories that make it the wonderful camp we all love. With this in mind, we created an alumni community to give you the chance to reconnect, have a laugh or two, and maybe even come back to camp!

While our day jobs and families keep us busy, we are committed to supporting our alumni community in any way we can. We are dedicated to helping each alumni give back to Camp Wise in a way that feels meaningful to them.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Amanda Goldberg or Eli Steinberger, our Alumni
Committee co-chairs.

Alumni Banquet

Want one more night at Camp Wise? One more night to relive your glory days?

The Alumni Committee is excited to announce the first ever Alumni Banquet on Saturday August 17, 2024 (for alumni 21 and up).  A signature style event that will allow alumni of all generations to have one more night at camp, reconnect and reignite their passion for Camp Wise.

We all have fond memories of Camper Banquet, receiving awards that either made zero sense or made your summer, sampling around-the-world style cuisine and always ending in a dance party. The Staff Banquet was the culmination of everyone’s handwork with hilarious themes, Met Gala level costumes that were made in the art shack and a live auction where someone’s signature bandana would go for hundreds of dollars. 

Our Alumni Banquet will be for everyone. It’s your chance to bring your significant other who most likely already knows the welcome song and has heard your camp stories a dozen times.   Our hope is to give everyone plenty of time to put this in your summer plans. Our goal is to have all generations represented. 

The evening will include all the parts of camp you love. The chance to walk the paths and see your old cabins, chugim but all grown up, havadalah service in the chapel, family style meal at the chadar and live auction benefiting scholarships and fund a need for summer 2025. Can’t forget about bonfires and song sessions! 

The event is co-chaired by Amanda Goldberg, Andrew Saltzman, and Eli Steinberger.  If you are interested in supporting this event and our alumni efforts we invite you to become an event sponsor: [Click here to learn more]

Step Up. Step Back. Meet the Alumni Committee!

  • Lee Appel
  • Jessie Bruder
  • Rachel Braun
  • Brian Chessin
  • Amy Filzer
  • Amanda Goldberg – co-chair
  • Cydney Goldberg
  • Jenny Slate Grischkan
  • Dana Paris
  • Evan Meles
  • Jim Levine
  • Jake Simon
  • Jon Steiger
  • Eli Steinberger – co-chair
  • Marty Shankle
  • Fred Sternfeld

Ways to Get Involved

There are so many ways to engage with camp:

  • Join us at an alumni event (emails are sent to the alumni database, sign up below!)
  • Have an idea for an event (live or virtual?) we can help you plan it!
  • Host international staff on their day off
  • Refer campers and staff
  • Volunteer as a camp doctor
  • . . . and more!

The Job Wheel

The Alumni Committee is launching a new concept called the Job Wheel, named after the daily chore chart we would be assigned each day during cabin clean-up.  Some days you swept, lifted the flaps, and picked up the trash around the village and other days you just sat back and enjoyed your time off. Maybe you were rewarded with a trip to Dairy King!

For many of us, working at Camp Wise has given us valuable skills within our fields. Our goal is to be an inspiration and resource for current and potential staff members at Camp Wise while building our professional network.  Working at Camp Wise is much more than starting lanyards and moving canoes, it sets up young adults to be creative problem solvers, empowered leaders, and confident team players. 

Read Alumni interviews here!

Keeping in Touch

There are many ways our alumni stay connected to camp:

Add or update your contact information here.

We’re always interested in connecting with CW alumni. Be sure to keep your contact information current. Fill out the simple form at the link above and stay up-to-date on camp news! We do not sell or share your information with outside parties.

Follow us on Instagram or join our Facebook group

Long after the tie dye fades and the mountain bike wounds heal, Camp Wise still holds a special place in our hearts.  A donation to camp will ensure that future campers will be able to experience the magic of Camp Wise.

Here is how your gift can help:

  • A gift of $150 can send a child to camp for one day
  • A gift of $500 can provide us with Shabbat (and CW Night) candles for the summer
  • A gift of $750 can provide us with a horse for horseback riding chug for the summer
  • A gift of $1,000 can send a child to camp for one week
  • A gift of $1,800 helps us certify all of our staff in CPR and First Aid
  • A gift of $4,000 can send a child to camp for an entire session

Alumni Photo Album Here Soon!