By Noah Kalishman, past camper and current staff member

I sit in my classroom in Ann Arbor, Michigan and listen as my graduate student instructor asks the class if any of us would like to comment on the matter at hand — the Israeli/Palestinian peace process and why we still don’t have peace. As the rest of the students in the class sit there with their eyes glazed over, I raise my hand to contribute to the conversation, and I am taken back to a different classroom.

This classroom is much less fancy, is without SmartBoards, and sits within four walls and a roof in beautiful Lake Como, Pennsylvania. In this classroom, I am with about twenty of my best friends in the entire world. Candice, the Judaics Director at camp, has split us into small groups, each representing a different party in the Israeli Knesset. Our goal for the activity is to form a coalition, like the actual Israeli Knesset would, in order to learn about the Israeli government. I enjoyed the activity, but didn’t really understand how it would apply to my life in the future, until that day in my Israel/Palestine history class.

Over my ten years at Perlman, I have learned many lessons that I apply to my life today in college.

Although your normal camp lesson doesn’t usually involve learning how the Israeli government works, camp does give you a global perspective because of the international nature of both the staff and the campers. It causes you to think more big-picture, and to answer questions about the state of the world today. Perhaps the most important skill I learned from gaining a global perspective is the importance of independence in today’s world — no matter where you come from. From camp, I learned how to travel and to be away from home. I’ve found myself to be as prepared as possible during my freshman year, states away from my home. I am independent, and I owe that to my summers spent at camp. I am forever grateful for them today and for the future.

No matter the gift, large or small, your support and generosity ensures that every camper will have the opportunity to experience the life-changing magic of Summer 2018 at Perlman Camp. Share the Magic today.