Name: Tessa Robinson
Position at camp: Tzofim Rosh Eidah (Unit Head)
Years on staff: 6
Total years at OSRUI: 8
What do you do when you’re not at camp?
I recently graduated from McGill University with a major in History and Jewish Studies. I will be working at a Reform synagogue in downtown Toronto next year, and plan on attending HUC-JIR for a Master’s in Jewish Education and Jewish Non-Profit Management after getting experience working in the Jewish community. I love sports, traveling, and Saturday Night Live.
What is your favorite part of camp and why?
My favorite part of camp is being in an eidah like Tzofim where I can spend summer after summer with such fun, happy, and interesting campers and see them grow from young 4th graders into maturing 7th graders. It is really special to be able to build such strong relationships with the campers and staff of Kibbutz HaTzofim.
What is your favorite meal at camp?
My favorite meal at camp is Saturday morning breakfast. Being able to sleep in and enjoy a relaxed breakfast and chocolate milk is amazing.
What is one thing about you that would surprise people?
I have both skipped and repeated a grade! (I skipped first grade, and was a grade ahead until I got to sixth grade, when my family went to Israel for a year. I came back and did sixth grade over again to be back with my normal grade). This is the best fact I have for Two Truths and a Lie (a popular get-to-know-you game at camp), so I guess now people will know what one of my truths is!
What is your favorite memory at OSRUI?
My favorite memory at OSRUI is the Debbie Friedman concert in 2009. We made t-shirts for a bunch of people on staff, and had the most enthusiasm about the concert. I knew all the words and danced around like a maniac with my campers and friends. That concert was such an amazing night and full of ruach and happiness. It was not only my favorite camp memory, but one of my Top 5 Best Concerts of All Time!
What keeps bringing you back to work at camp?
I come to camp because I can’t imagine a summer without it. Ever since I started coming to camp, it has been such a huge part of my life. Camp is where I find myself to be the most content and together, and the fact that I have close friends that keep returning makes it all the easier to keep coming back. Being a Rosh Eidah also continues to be a viable option for me and my future career plans, as I want to be a Jewish professional, so worrying about internships and building my resume with other jobs than camp is not an issue for me.
What do you hope to accomplish this summer at camp?
I hope to create and maintain an inclusive, enthusiastic, responsible, open, and determined community for my staff, and to facilitate a comfortable, happy, and joyous environment for my campers. I hope to ensure that every camper and staff member feels the same kind of love and appreciation that I do for OSRUI and Jewish living.
Anything else you want people to know?
My favorite food is sandwiches. Any kind of sandwich will do.