Welcome to The Alumni Insider, a quarterly newsletter to build connections between alumni.
Share a story, keep us posted and stay connected! Submit any news or updates that you would like to see in our next issue to by clicking here.

Hanukkah Bingo Night
Giving Tuesday
Digital Yearbooks
Exciting News
Good & Welfare
Alumni In The News
Giving Back to CYJ
Join our 2022 Tzevet.
Click here to apply.
We are looking for former campers and staff to get involved on our newly formed alumni committee. If you are interested in learning more, please email Ellen Finestone at [email protected]
Camp Young Judaea Midwest Friends,

To me, CYJ Midwest means the most unstoppable and unshakable community. My best friends are my camp friends. I am thankful to be a part of CYJ and for the impact it has had on my life. I am a Jewish Professional because of my experience at CYJ.

If you're a CYJ Alumni, I urge you to be a part of our growing community by completing your alumni profile, following our alumni social media groups and by visiting our alumni website where you can find digital yearbooks and more.

I look forward to meeting you at an upcoming alumni program!

-Rebecca Schwab, Alumni Committee
Hanukkah Bingo Night

We're excited to present CYJ Hanukkah Bingo Night hosted by Jon Lowe on Tuesday, November 30 at 7:00pm CT. This virtual event will benefit the camp scholarship fund. We will light our Hanukkiot together and then play some Hanukkah Bingo! Each Bingo card is $10 and prizes will be awarded!
Giving Tuesday 2021
How can I help?

  1. Start a fundraiser. Start a personal fundraiser via our Facebook page. Find info here. We can also create a personal page on our website just for you!
  2. Attend. We're excited to announce a virtual Bingo Night on November 30 at 7:00pm CT. Click here to register.
  3. Spread the word! Share on social media what our mission means to you. Use our tag @cyjmidwest so we can harness the power of social media and connection.
Digital Yearbooks & Alumni Website
Imagine the ability to find long lost CYJ friends, network professionally within the vast Camp Young Judaea Midwest alumni and parent community, and catch-up on alumni life-cycle and milestone events. Check out our brand new Alumni page and get connected today!

We have almost every yearbook digitized just for you!
Click here to start exploring!
Exciting News
Rachel Ruskin will be joining us as our Camp Life Director starting Monday, November 29th. Rachel has deep roots with CYJ Midwest, where she spent her formative summers as a camper and a summer staff member. Rachel has over two decades of experience working in the Jewish community, including National Senior Advisor for Young Judaea, Director of the Summer Delegation for the Israel Scouts and Associate Director of Tamarack Camps.

Jeffrey Harris, will be joining us as our new Operations Director starting Monday, December 6th. Jeffrey is a classically trained chef, a veteran, and has worked for five years within the Jewish camping movement, including as a chef at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center and most recently as the Logistics and Food Service Director for Ramah in the Rockies.
Check out who has registered the next generation for CYJ in 2022!
Zach Alpert & Caryn Stern - Eyal H Barash Jennifer Beck - Katy Burstein
Amy Eisenstein - Susan D. Elbaum
Amy Flamenbaum - Michael Flamenbaum Danny Glaser - Sara Goldshlack
Zac Hirschman - Brian Jaffee
Libby Katz Karon
Heather Ravvin McKee - Debbie Marks
Molli Tobin Monk - Julie Ruskin Ohana
Sherri Polaniecki Kushner- Richard Primus Miriam Rieger - Gila Marcus Robinson
Elana Harris Schanzer
Jennifer Beck & David Joseph
Sivan Kredow Schondorf
Asherith Even Shulman & Dan Shulman Suzan Sultan - Jonathan Weinkle
Register for a special alumni Virtual Open House on December 12 at 7:00pm CT.
Want to host a special virtual open house for your friends? Reach out to Rachel Ruskin at [email protected] for more information.
Good & Welfare
Mazel Tov to....

Whitney Conen Hersh and husband Aaron on the birth of their daughter, Liora Gillian on July 22nd.

Elana (Satin) Richter and husband Matthew Richter on the birth of their daughter Margot Lawrence on August 24th.

Stu Sufrin and wife Emily on the birth of their daughter Rivka on October 8th.
Mazel Tov to....

Hava Richmond and Dan Strauss on their engagement.

Kevin Saeks and Sarah Kuhn on their May 29th wedding.

Shoshana Nolan and Joshua Pomerantz on their October 3rd wedding.

Elaine Giglio and Ty Long on their October 9th wedding.
Alumni In The News
The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle is proud to present the Volunteers of the Year for 2021. Their stories are incredibly inspirational...
Barbara Baumann grew up in Young Judaea, attending Camp Young Judaea Midwest, Tel Yehudah and YJ summer & Year Course in Israel. Read more by clicking here.
Two young people from Skokie were named to the annual "Double Chai in the Chi: 36 under 36" list of influential young Jewish Chicagoans...

Rebecca Joey Schwab is a former CYJ Midwest Camper (2004-08), Tzevet (2010-12) and Senior Advisor to Midwest Young Judaea (2016-19). Read more by clicking here.
“I’m in an environment that has helped me connect to Judaism and I am around all of my friends," says Avital Ohana, a fifth grader from Michigan....

Julie Ruskin Ohana's daughter Avital was quoted in a Hadassah article about Young Judaeans going back to camp in 2021. Check out the full article by clicking here.
Give Back to CYJ
Join the CYJ Forever Legacy Society to ensure future generations can share in this legacy and to give you an opportunity to continue to be a part of our future, forever. Click here for more information.
Don't forget to shop through Amazon Smile for donations to CYJ Midwest when you shop Amazon. Just go to www.smile.amazon.com for the exact same products and Amazon will donate a percentage of your purchase.

You can set your account to always give to CYJ on every purchase, forever.