December 5, 2012, New York, NY--Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Camps were given honors at the Annual Conference of the newly re-named JCamp 180 (formerly the Grinspoon Institute of Jewish Philanthropy) this fall. JCamp 180, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF), provides free consulting services to over 90 nonprofit Jewish camps throughout North America.

More than 50 lay and professional leaders from URJ Camps attended the conference where URJ 6 Points Sports Academy (Greensboro NC) was added to the JCamp 180 affiliated roster. Now 13 of the 14 URJ Camps receive free consulting services from JCamp 180. (The 14th camp, 6 Points Science and Technology Academy, will not be eligible until after it opens in summer 2014.)

URJ Camps were also honored with three of the four outstanding achievement awards, including:

• Outstanding Board Leadership Award-Awarded to Daryl Messinger for her improvement of URJ Camp Newman's board governance, fundraising, and planning.
• Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award-Awarded to Ellen Alexander, development director of URJ Camp Henry S. Jacobs Camp, for her building long-term vitality and sustainability through increased cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
• Impact in Technology Award-Awarded to URJ Camp George for its integrated use of technology for internal effectiveness and improved communications, community-building, and fundraising.
  

"We are so proud of this recognition by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation," said URJ's Director of Camp and Israel Programs Paul Reichenbach. "Our camp staff and lay leaders continually strive for excellence and it's incredibly rewarding to have these efforts acknowledged by the preeminent Jewish camping consultancy in North America."
 
"I want to wish a hearty mazel tov to my colleagues in the Reform camping movement for receiving such accolades and honors year after year," said URJ North American Camp Committee Chair Harry Levy. "It is because of this outstanding leadership, our young people are able to experience Jewish camping at its best."