Camp Kinderland

Camp Kinderland is a summer camp located in Tolland, MA for boys and girls aged nine through sixteen. The camp's motto is "summer camp with a conscience since 1923". The main topics of the curriculum are: equality, peace, community, social justice, activism, civil rights, Yiddishkeit, and friendship. Campers may stay for four weeks in July, three weeks in August, or all seven of the offered weeks. There is also a two week session available for first time campers in the youngest group.

Founding and History

The camp was founded by members of The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, a leftist Jewish fraternal organization, in 1923 in Hopewell Junction, New York. Camp Kinderland, along with the rest of the left wing of the Workmen's Circle, split off in 1930 and created the International Workers Order. Camp Kinderland became the official summer camp of the Jewish section of the IWO. In 1954 the IWO was shut down and its assets liquidated by the government, which had determined that it was a Communist organization. At that time Camp Kinderland became an independent corporation.

While there is no discrimination in the registration process (campers do not have to be Jewish), a large majority are. Most campers are from the New York area, especially Brooklyn, where there is a shule (school of the dozen Workmen's Circle Shuln) associated with the camp.

ocial Values

Camp Kinderland promotes progressive social values through its cultural program. It is anti-death penalty, pro-labor union, and generally socialist. Every year it holds the Peace Olympics, where camp is evenly divided into four teams, each representing a movement or nation that camp's directors feel is helping the progressive cause.

Politics

The camp's left-wing politics led it to be the place many red diaper babies were sent growing up, which caused it to be investigated during the McCarthy era. Many alumni of the camp remain committed to various socialist and anti-war causes, sometimes under the Kinderland banner.Fact|date=February 2007

Notable Kinderland Alumni

* Spencer Ackerman, progressive blogger
* Katie Halper, comedian
* Max Kellerman, sports commentator
* Michael Klonsky, education policy expert
* Eric Mingus, son of Charles Mingus
* Sol Stern, senior fellow, Manhattan Institute
* Marisa Tomei, actress
* Merritt Wever, actress
* Lisa Geduldig, comedian
* Robert and Michael Meeropol (sons of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg)

ee also

Itche Goldberg (Contains a brief mention of shules.)

External links

* [http://www.campkinderland.org/ Official camp website]
* [http://www.kinderland.org/alumni.html Camp Kinderland Alumni Association]