Jim’s Retirement Message

Dear Camp Barney Medintz Families, Staff, Alumni, MJCCA Board of Directors and colleagues, CBM Committee, community leaders, supporters, and friends,

Every year following our summer season, I write to all Camp Barney families and staff sharing some of the highlights of our experience, accomplishments, and impact of our days together up at Camp Barney.

As I approached the waning days of this particular summer, I felt that this letter would be decidedly different as I am, at this time, choosing to announce my retirement as Director of Camp Barney Medintz.

I always knew that one year, this day would come. The time feels appropriate now, as we successfully emerge from this especially disruptive and challenging year and complete a rather remarkable summer at Camp Barney in 2021.

I have thoroughly loved the opportunities and people with whom I have shared previous careers but this one – as Director of Camp Barney – has been the pinnacle and almost beyond what I can properly express in words.

I am overflowing with heartfelt gratitude for so much and to so many with whom I have shared this journey for nearly 30 years: my mentors and colleagues at the MJCCA and throughout the national camping industry, to those who collaborated with me on countless programming innovations and significant facility planning and development, truly special friends and supporters of an inclusive camp environment, hundreds of selfless parent representatives, volunteers and alumni, community leaders in Atlanta, throughout the US and in Israel, those who helped us create our ‘signature culture’ of music and dance during and in between each summer, which created an indescribable energy and reinforced that Camp Barney spirit, and all those who inspired impactful Judaic, educational and personal growth. My sincere gratitude also extends to our exceptional year-round professional staff, to the thousands of dedicated, talented, and passionate summer staff, and to literally tens of thousands of truly remarkable and special campers.

I am proud of our collective accomplishments and incredibly impressed by how many of us discover an exceedingly more positive trajectory throughout our lives because of our days at Camp Barney. Mostly, however, my heart will forever be full because of the depth of genuine experiences, words, moments, and feelings that I’ve shared with Camp Barney parents, staff, and children throughout all of these years and, for as many as possible, for years to come!

Camp Barney Medintz is an extraordinary place today, recognized nationally and globally as a leader in Jewish resident camping. I’m certain that we will continue to celebrate countless amazing summers and memories at CBM in the future. I am moved and delighted to have been a part of these nearly 30 years at Camp Barney and I’m happy to serve as a consultant to “Our Summer Place” even as I embark on my next adventures.

Thank you for your friendship and for sharing this spectacular journey with me!

L’Shana tova. I wish you and your family a very healthy and meaningful New Year.

With much love,

Jim Mittenthal

Email:
Through August 30th: jim@campbarney.org
After August 30th: jmittenthal33@comcast.net