216-593-6250
Affiliated with Mandel JCC of Cleveland
Overnight Camp
Our camp has a special needs inclusion program in which children are mainstreamed.
Camp accepts special needs children on a case by case basis.
Session Lengths: 2 Weeks, 3 Weeks, 4 Weeks, 7 Weeks
Camp Wise 2018 Video from Camp Wise Jewish Overnight Camp on Vimeo.
Camp Wise, the overnight camp of the Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland, is nationally recognized as one of the premier Jewish overnight camps in the country. Camp Wise will help your child develop confidence, independence and positive self-esteem. We’ll give your child the skills they need to make life-long friendships and they’ll learn how to face challenges and overcome them. We’ll encourage them to try new activities and they’ll gain a love for nature. We’ll model for them what it means to be a proud, engaged Jew and they’ll learn how to be a true mensch. When they return home at the end of camp, they’ll give you a warm hug and then tell you how many days, minutes and seconds there are until next summer! Camp Wise has been a second home to children for more than 100 summers.
We serve over 700 children each summer. Over half of our campers are from cities in Ohio like Cleveland, Columbus, Akron, Cincinnati and Toledo. Other campers come from across the country, and still others come from around the globe. We even have campers from Israel! Only 30 miles from Cleveland, parents like knowing we’re close to home, and kids like us because as they look up at the twinkling stars in the night sky over our 325 acres of forest, they feel like they’re in another world – their “Home of Happiness.”
Rachel assumed the role of Camp Director in August 2016 but is certainly not new to Camp Wise, she’s been an Assistant Director at CW since the spring of 2012. Before that, Rachel (or Felber as she’s known around camp) spent 5 years at the Austin, TX JCC where she helped reenergize their youth and teen programming, as well as their day camp. She was the Assistant Director of the Youth & Teen Department and the BBYO City Director. Rachel earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Clark University. She also holds a Master’s degree from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University during which time she was a participant in the JCC Association Graduate Scholarship program. Rachel also completed the JCC Association Merrin Teen Professional Fellowship – a two year professional development program. She’s been going to CW longer than most of our campers have been alive!
Rebecca Copeland joins the Camp Wise staff after five years at Case Western Reserve University Department of Physical Education and Athletics as the Associate Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations. Her wide range of responsibilities included the scheduling and oversight of the departments many athletic facilities, day to day operations along with event operations for over 200 varsity competitions and university events annually. Copeland initially served as Facility Manager for the CWRU Athletics Department from November 2004 through July 2007, before leaving for Johns Hopkins to become the Assistant Athletics Director for Game Operations. Following her time at Hopkins, she served as the Director of Events and Guest Services at the Pearlstone Retreat Center in Reisterstown, MD. Over her career, Copeland has also worked as the Coordinator of Team Operations for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Gund Arena, and as the Manager of Operations and Programs for the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. She spent 4 years at Camp Wise (1985-88) as a camper and 3 years as a member of staff (1990-91 and 1994). The highlight of her time at the Home of Happiness was her final year on staff as head counselor in Noar. Her responsibilities at camp will include staff recruitment, day to day summer programming, alumni engagement and fundraising. Outside of camp, Rebecca enjoys sports (watching them!), music (is currently missing live music), hiking and spending time with friends. Copeland received her Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial Science with a minor in Business Administration from Ohio University, and her Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Cleveland State University.
Bess is so excited to be back at the Home of Happiness! Bess spent 13 summers at camp, growing up there as a camper and then going on to serve on staff as a counselor, Cornerstone fellow, Judaics specialist, Art Shack supervisor, and now as one of the Assistant Directors. Bess has spent the past three years working for the St. Paul JCC as the Youth Coordinator and Assistant Camp Director for Camp Butwin. In this role, she wore many different hats supervising after school programing, specialists during the summer, and overseeing various operations across the Youth and Family department. Bess graduated from the University of Cincinnati where she received a degree in Psychology and a certificate in Art Therapy. She has always had a passion for camper care and is so excited to continue helping campers grow to their full potential at Camp Wise. Last September, Bess was selected to be a part of Merrin Teen Professional Fellowship. She is excited to continue her work with the fellowship; networking with other professionals and working to engage teens and young adults with the JCC. Bess believes that going to camp provides children the space to develop self-confidence, explore new interests, and take pride in being one’s self, all while fostering a love for the outdoors. Bess is excited to be back tie-dying at the Art Shack and enjoying some delicious camp hot dogs!
