“There are so many segments of the community that will benefit from this generous gift,” said Jay R. Roth, president of the Harry & Rose Samson Jewish Community Center.
Roth was referring to the $1.46 million gift that the JCC received from the Daniel M. Soref Charitable Trust that will be used to create the Daniel M. Soref Education and Retreat Center at the Albert & Ann Deshur JCC Rainbow Day Camp in Fredonia.
The gift was made by the trust in memory of Daniel M. Soref, who was the son of Rose and Samuel Soref. Samuel was one of the founders of Master Lock Company, and Daniel Soref served as an officer of the company until his retirement. The trust was established in August 2001, upon Daniel’s death.
The first phase of the project, renovation of the bayit, or camp main lodge, began last week, and will be completed by the first day of summer camp in 2005. The entire retreat center, with its 20-room lodge with private rooms and bathrooms, will be completed by September 2007.
Bert Bilsky, executive director of the Jewish Community Foundation, called the facility a “tremendous benefit to the entire community. It’s really going to meet educational and recreational needs for the camp and many other users.”
The main building of the retreat center will have amenities, such as a kosher kitchen, outdoor grill for use in summer and winter, meeting spaces and a portable stage for performances.
Roth, who called the retreat center “fabulous as a place to come and work together,” said it will be available for family camps, like those now held at Camp Interlaken, as well as Jewish educational programs, and even for singles events.
Roth hopes it will draw visitors from all areas of Wisconsin and also Chicago, as it will be available for rentals that will include use of the site’s ball fields, outdoor pool, climbing walls and amphitheater.
“We did a lot of research to evaluate the need” for the center before the approximately year-long process of planning began, said Roth.
“There is clearly a niche for this kind of retreat center serving with a focus on the Jewish community of Milwaukee,” Roth said. Other facilities are frequently booked or require very large groups.
Growing camp
Rainbow Day Camp, which is about 35 minutes north of Milwaukee, currently serves over 300 campers, according to Roth, who added, “We hope the camp will grow in numbers and we hope the bayit will contribute to that,” with the renovation and expansion of the facilities.
According to Lenny Kass, camp director, “We outgrew our facility a number of years ago. The camp just keeps growing and growing.”
A major advantage of the expansion, Kass added, is that it “will give us a lot more room for rainy days.”
The current bayit is a two level facility with about 6,000 square ft. of space. Both levels are being expanded to double this size, and will feature air conditioning and additional program space. New lockers, bathrooms and shower space will also be included, which Kass said have been “in desperate need of repair for the past five years.”
Age appropriate playrooms for younger children and a larger surrounding deck for outdoor activities will also be added.
According to Roth, who emphasized how “nicely done” the bayit will be when completed, the facility will be available for various functions other than camp, including youth group and synagogue functions, and family reunions.
Kass, who has worked for the camp for many years, beginning as a counselor during high school, is excited about the plans. He plans to organize winter camps and reunions for older campers.
He called the facility and surrounding land “a treasure for the Jewish community,” and said “it’s nice we can now use the facility year-round. It’s a place that we will be able to cherish for many years.”
The gift from the Daniel M. Soref Charitable Trust was made, Roth said, “because Daniel Soref had a strong commitment to the Jewish community, and to perpetuate his memory. We’re honored to have this opportunity.”
Bilsky agreed. “The generosity of the fund is remarkable and we are fortunate that Daniel Soref left this legacy to the community.”
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