WHAT: 60 Years of Ruach - Concert, Dinner and Celebration at Camp
WHEN: Saturday, July 21, 2012, doors open at 4 pm
WHERE: URJ Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI)
On Sat. July 21, 2012, The Union for Reform Judaism's (URJ) Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) camp will gather together friends, family and alumni to celebrate “60 Years of Ruach” (spirit). The anniversary not only commemorates six decades of camping at OSRUI, but it marks the beginning of Reform Jewish camping as a whole. Founded in 1952, OSRUI was the first Reform Jewish camp in North America.600 Lac La Belle Drive
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
Phone: 262-567-6277
“The future holds great promise for Jewish camping as we create new relationships with congregations, collegians, synagogue leaders and parents who all come together to celebrate the uniqueness of a camping movement that found its roots at OSRUI some 60 years ago,” said OSRUI Director Jerry Kaye.
The event will feature dinner and a concert by Dan Nichols, one of the most beloved and influential Jewish contemporary musicians in North America. Dan is also a faculty member at OSRUI’s annual songleading workshop, Hava Nashira, created by Debbie Friedman, one of OSRUI’s most famous alum.
To learn more about OSRUI’s history, read A View to the Past with an Eye to the Future: The Reform Movement Celebrates 60 Years of Camping.In 1952, Union Institute was founded by the Reform Movement; today, URJ Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute serves more than 1,000 campers each summer from throughout North America and beyond.
OSRUI’s mission, in part, is to provide the opportunity for the pursuit of excellence in Jewish life experiences. Camp sessions are varied and focus on specific areas of interest, including Kibbutz life, the arts, Hebrew immersion, and more. OSRUI offers a wealth of activities, from archery to drama, photography, and waterskiing.
More than 40 rabbis, cantors, and educators from Reform congregations join the staff at OSRUI each summer, helping campers learn more about themselves and their Judaism. This faculty works with all of the programs at Camp, shaping the learning activities, guiding worship experiences, lending a knowledgeable helping hand in bar/bat mitzvah preparation, and acting as adult mentors and friends.