Camp B'nai Brith (Montreal)

Camp B'nai Brith (Hebrew: מַחֲנֶה בְּנֵי בְּרִית‎) is a Jewish summer camp north of Montreal, in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. Camp B'nai Brith has been recognized as a pioneer in the world of community-service camps in North America.[2] CBB offers camping to children and senior citizens on a sliding fee scale based on the family's finances, with fundraising activities subsidizing those who cannot afford to pay.[3]

Camp B'nai Brith
מחנה בני ברית
Location
5445 Route 329 North
Ste. Agathe, Quebec, J8C 0M7[1]
Coordinates46.123175°N 74.281573°W / 46.123175; -74.281573
Information
TypeJewish summer camp
Established1921 (1921)
Genderco-ed
Age range6–17
AffiliationQCA, AIJC
Websitecbbmtl.org

History

In 1920, the Mount Royal Lodge of B'nai Brith Canada set out on a project to provide summer holidays for underprivileged Jewish boys.[4] The first campsite was located on a farm about 40 miles from Montreal, and only those children whose parents could not afford to pay for camping services were accepted. The counsellors and directors were student volunteers from McGill University, and repurposed army tents were used as sleeping quarters.[5] The camp emphasized Jewish culture and Zionism in its activities.[6]

Camp B'nai Brith moved to its current location in 1929.[6] All capital and operating costs were financed by Mount Royal Lodge until 1942, when Camp B'nai Brith became a constituent agency of the Combined Jewish Appeal. From 1954 to 1964, the camp grew to accommodate over 1000 campers, most of whom received scholarships to attend.[5] In the late 1970s, a seniors' vacation retreat was created at the camp in conjunction with the Cummings Golden Age Centre.[7]

CBB now runs a variety of different programs over the course of the summer and runs two main camper sessions of about 425 campers each.

Notable alumni

See also

References
  1. Dashefsky, Arnold; Sheskin, Ira M., eds. (2017). American Jewish Year Book 2013: The Annual Record of the North American Jewish Communities. American Jewish Year Book. 117. Springer. p. 625. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-70663-4. ISBN 978-3-319-70663-4.
  2. Lash, Rochelle (10 July 1998). "Up with Camp: B'nai Brith Getaway Welcomes 1,400 People in Summer". The Gazette. p. C13. ProQuest 433292079.
  3. Schnurmacher, Thomas (16 June 1995). "Camp B'nai Brith Holds Diamond Gala". The Gazette. ProQuest 432856151.
  4. Gordon, E. J. (25 June 1986). "Guests Flock in Hundreds for Camp B'nai Brith Fund-Raiser". The Gazette. p. D13. ProQuest 431352598.
  5. "History". Camp B'nai Brith. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  6. Levine, Allan (2018). Seeking the Fabled City: The Canadian Jewish Experience. McClelland & Stewart. ISBN 978-0-7710-4805-0.
  7. "A journey through 100 years: 1977–1986". Federation CJA. 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  8. Abbott, Louise (16 July 1988). "Summer Camp: Quebec Memories Began in 1894". The Gazette. p. K2. ProQuest 431659174.
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