Camp Kinderland facts for kids

Camp Kinderland is a summer camp located in Tolland, Massachusetts for people aged eight 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

Kinderland 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 and became the official summer camp of the Jewish section of the International Workers Order. 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. Camp Kinderland is now a multicultural summer camp and community. While campers come from around the US, many are from the New York area, especially Brooklyn, where there is a kindershule, or secular school.

Social 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 the camp's directors feel is advancing 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.

Notable Kinderland alumni

• Spencer Ackerman, progressive blogger
• Chesa Boudin, lawyer and activist; San Francisco District Attorney.
• Lawrence Bush, editor, Jewish Currents
• Jules Dassin, film director
• Delia Graff Fara, philosopher of language
• Ted Gold, a member of Weatherman Underground
• Katie Halper, podcaster
• Max Kellerman, sports commentator
• Michael Klonsky, education policy expert
• Harvey Kurtzman, cartoonist and founder of Mad Magazine
• Ivy Meeropol, documentary filmmaker, granddaughter of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
• Marky Ramone, drummer, The Ramones, Misfits
• Suze Rotolo, artist and teacher
• Ben Shuldiner, 2006 Democratic candidate for New York's 19th Congressional District
• Paul Stanley, singer and guitarist, KISS
• Sol Stern, senior fellow, Manhattan Institute
• Marisa Tomei, actress
• Merritt Wever, actress

See also

• Itche Goldberg (brief mention of shules)
• Camp Boiberik