Camp Airy

A couple of weeks ago Gary traveled to Camp Airy for a special Hiddur Mitzvah Project. This excerpt from the camp newsletter describes this great program.

"...In addition, as part of our camp’s continuing mission to instill Jewish values into the young men and women at Camps Airy and Louise, our campers this year participated in a Mitzvah project by creating mezuzot that will be affixed to the doors of our new bunks. With the help of internationally recognized artist and sculptor Gary Rosenthal (www.collectgaryrosenthal.com), our campers fashioned the beautiful fused glass mosaics that have been transformed into dazzling mezuzot, many of which will be placed on each of our twenty new bunks.

In fact, our campers did such a nice job at making the glass that there was a lot of glass left over after the twenty new mezuzot for the bunks were made. Gary has very generously fashioned many additional pieces of Judaica for Camp Airy that gives us the opportunity to enhance the original mitzvah. These pieces include Shabbat candlesticks, Chanukah menorahs and dreidels, a unique vertical seder plate, mezuzot, and tzedukah boxes.

As you may know, many campers at Camps Airy and Louise are able to have a summer camp experience because of generous donations that are made throughout the year to our “Campership Fund”. We would like to encourage all families who have the means to consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Camp Airy Campership Fund. In appreciation of your generous donation, we will be able to recognize your thoughtfulness with a one of kind piece of artwork because the glasswork was “touched by our campers”.

In addition, we would also like to invite you to dedicate one of the bunk mezuzot. A permanent commemorative plaque will be placed alongside each mezuzah in order to recognize your thoughtfulness. Again, all funds go directly into our Campership Fund.

Thank you so much in advance for participating in this worthwhile endeavor. Because of your help, another camper will be able to join the Camp Airy family and enjoy the same positive growing experience that your son has experienced over the past few weeks."

Gary talks with the campers while they put together glass mosaics