| Surprise Lake Camp | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Surprise Lake Camp fromBreakneck Ridge to the northwest | |
| Location | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 41°27′39″N73°57′0″W / 41.46083°N 73.95000°W /41.46083; -73.95000 |
| Information | |
| Type | Jewish summer camp |
| Religious affiliation | Judaism |
| Established | 1902; 123 years ago (1902) |
| Founder | Educational Alliance |
| President | Michael Zbar |
| Director | Bradley Solmsen |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Affiliation | ACA |
| Website | surpriselake |
Surprise Lake Camp is anon-profitsleepaway camp located on over 400 acres (1.6 km2) inNorth Highlands, New York (approximately 60 miles (97 km), north ofNew York City). It is the oldestJewish summer camp in the United States.[1]
Founded in 1901 by theEducational Alliance as a camp for Jewish boys from the tenements of Manhattan'sLower East Side around the lake thatBreakneck Brook rises from, it incorporated as Surprise Lake Camp in 1902. In 1911 the92nd Street Y joined in the operation of the camp, and in 1917 the camp became an independent agency within the newly formedFederation of Jewish Philanthropies. The camp continues to operate as a summer camp for children from theNew York metropolitan area.[2][3][4][5] In 2005, the camp sold 200 acres and granted aconservation easement over an additional 465 acres of camp property to theOpen Space Institute, thus ensuring the preservation of these undeveloped lands adjacent toHudson Highlands State Park.[6] The camp was the setting of a popular 2013viral video on the topic offeminine hygiene entitledCamp Gyno.[7][8]
In its early years of operation, the camp was subjected toantisemitic demonstrations ofcross burning by local members of theKu Klux Klan, but the camp developed a better relationship with the surrounding residents over time.[9] For its campers who came from immigrant homes, many of themYiddish-speaking, the camp emphasizedacculturation to mainstream American styles of speech and appearance.[9] Surprise Lake Camp is part of a large-scale archival project directed byYIVO (the Institute for Jewish Research) with the goal of preserving the historical record ofthe Jews of New York City.[10]
Among Surprise Lake's first campers wasEddie Cantor, who credited his youthful performances at Surprise Lake Camp (also depicted in the 1953biopicThe Eddie Cantor Story[11]) with giving him the encouragement to pursue show business. Upon achieving success as an entertainer, he became one of the camp's most ardent supporters. He was a member of the Surprise Lake Camp Board of Directors, and a theater at the camp was named for him.[12][13]
Other notable Surprise Lake campers have includedNeil Diamond (who has identifiedPete Seeger's visits to the camp as his earliest exposure to a musical role model),[14][15]Jax,[16]Joseph Heller,[17]Jerry Stiller,[18]Gene Simmons,[19]Larry King,Neil Simon, Cody Brotter, andWalter Matthau.[10]