by Michael Lorge, former OSRUI Board chair, OSRUI camper and staff alum, former faculty member, and co-chair of the Community Assessment Committee
Several weeks ago, we announced that this summer at Camp will conclude the long, dynamic and successful tenure of our Jerry Kaye as Director of URJ-OSRUI. There is much to acknowledge and much that will be said about his extraordinary leadership of our pioneering Camp. Details about how Jerry and his manifold contributions will be honored are being developed.
As we search for the next director of OSRUI, we are committed to drawing upon the thoughts and wisdom of the entire community, including those from other movements and other camps, to inform our selection process. A Community Assessment Committee has been formed, and they will develop a profile of the core values, core competencies, Jewish literacy and experience that we seek for our next director. We will ultimately form a small committee from this group when we begin to interview applicants.
I am chairing this effort, in collaboration with Miriam Chilton, URJ Vice President of Youth, and Paul Reichenbach, URJ Director of Camp and Israel Programs. Rabbi Ramie Arian is also part of the team. Rabbi Arian has worked in Jewish camping throughout his 40-year career, including serving as the founding Executive Director of the Foundation for Jewish Camp and working in the Youth Division of the URJ.
The Community Assessment Committee is meeting, but we seek the involvement of everyone. To make your voice heard, please fill out the questionnaire at OSRUI.org/director.
This is a wide open, intensive, nationwide search and we encourage everyone to spread the word that anyone who feels they have the experience or skills should apply for this very special position to lead one of the greatest Jewish experiential institutions in America.