Camp Kee Tov

Zach Landres-Schnur, Director

Zach has been part of the Camp Kee Tov family for over 20 years. He began his “career” as a Habonim camper in 1989 and hasn’t left since! Of his 12 years on staff,  his roles have included two years as a rosh, three as a Program Director and last summer as the Assistant Director.

Kee Tov is in Zach’s blood. Over 10 family members (siblings, parents, cousins, uncles and aunts) have all been CKT staff members. Some have called the Schnur family the Kennedys of Kee Tov. (Not really).

Prior to working at Kee Tov full time, Zach was a sportswriter at a major newspaper and has worked at numerous schools. He avidly roots for the San Francisco Giants and the Washington Huskies (his alma mater) in any sporting event, even though they constantly break his heart.

Zach takes pride in pouring fuzzy milk, loves Capture the Flag and is really itching to learn how to make one of those really intricate friendship bracelets.

Contact him anytime at zach@bethelberkeley.org or at 510-848-2372.

Stephanie Pollick, Administrator

Stephanie has grown up at Camp Kee Tov, from a Habonim camper in 1990 to the Giborim Program Director in 2007.

After graduating from Clark University with a Bachelor’s in Sociology, she moved to Argentina where she taught English and thought she could stay away from Kee Tov, but she quickly discovered that it’s impossible to stay away because she loves it so much!

She is very excited to back at Kee Tov, watching the magic happen from a new angle in the office. While disappointed she won’t be seeing smiling kids all day, she loves nothing more than phone calls, emails and spreadsheets. Seriously.

Stephanie is super excited to see the other side of Kee Tov and is eager to assist you in helping to make Kee Tov the happiest place on Earth. (Disneyland ain’t got nothin’ on us!)

Contact her anytime at campkeetov@bethelberkeley.org or at 510-848-2372.

Jamie Costello, Supply and Training Specialist

Jamie Costello spent the first 14 years of his life in Berkeley. Well, actually, El Cerrito. But close enough. Only after he started working at Camp Kee Tov in the bygone era known as the “Nineteen Nineties” did his life come fully to fruition. After 12 years in the field, he will try his hand at being part of the administrative staff in 2010.

Jamie has worked as Program Director of Mapilim and Chaverim, and has spent summers in Rishonim and Chalutzim, as well. He loves performing in Kumsitz and coming up with the most creative programming possible.

In the Kee Tov off-season, Jamie is a speech and language specialist in the Albany Unified School District. He holds a B.S. in Education from the University of Virginia and an M.S. in Speech and Language Pathology from the University of Washington.

Emma Schnur, Rishonim Program Director

Emma entered the Kee Tov community at the ripe old age of seven when her parents decided that it was time to participate in the family tradition. (See above!) Since attending Kee Tov as a camper, Emma has worked at camp for seven years, six of  which have been in Rishonim.  This is her second consecutive year as Rishonim Program Director.

While she has six years of experience with Kindergarteners at Kee Tov, she has gained valuable experience working at Temple Isaiah preschool, where her mother is the Director of Early Childhood Education.

Emma is currently finishing her senior year at UC Davis and is primarily interested in pursuing a career in early childhood education. She is always ready for a rousing game of tag, can perform a hilarious side-splitting kumsitz skit at a moment’s notice, and constantly looks forward to the next song session.

Alex Mog, Habonim Program Director

Alex began his Kee Tov career at age five as a smiling, yet difficult to understand, Rishonimer. He loved it so much that he has refused to leave ever since. After a full 10 years as a camper, Alex happily graduated into counselorhood. This summer marks his eighth on staff, his fifth in Habonim, and his second straight as the Habonim Program Director.

Alex has pledged this summer to become the all-time messiest counselor on Messy Day, compile an undefeated Capture the Flag record and once again lead mighty Habonim to victory in the bi-annual ruach contests. He has no doubt that this summer will be the greatest ever in Kee Tov’s illustrious history. Alex will graduate from UCLA (Go Bruins!) in June with a degree in Political Science and embark on the next chapter in his life (ideas welcome).

Emily Schnitzer, Giborim Program Director

After spending her early years bouncing around the camps of Berkeley, Emily settled into her place at Camp Kee Tov as a young Giborimer. She ended her tenure as a camper in 2002 and has been on staff ever since. Emily has worked in four programs in eight years — Rishonim, Giborim, Mapilim and Chalutzim — but Giborim has always been her true love. She served as rosh in 2008.

During the school year Emily dreams of overnights in Tilden, handfuls of Goldfish (not Cheez-Its!), and rocking out at camp song sessions. Whenever she isn’t daydreaming, she manages to be a senior at UC San Diego majoring in biology and education studies. After graduation she plans on entering San Diego’s Masters in Education program and receiving her teaching credential.

Jake Rogers, Mapilim Program Director

Jake Rogers is attending the University of Redlands in their alternative and interdisciplinary Johnston program, and will graduate with a degree in Business, Politics, and Activism in the spring. Jake has served as his student body president for the entirety of his senior year, and is now looking forward to returning to Camp Kee Tov as the Mapilim Program Director.

He has worked in Habonim, Giborim, Mapilim, and Chalutzim over the course of his seven years as counselor. Jake has attended Camp Kee Tov, starting as a camper, since he was seven years old, missing only a few summers throughout his camper career; which were the worst summers ever. Obviously.

Jake has also been known as the counselor with the most ruach to pass through camp in years, having won more ruach competitions than any counselor has before in documented Kee Tov history. We can surely expect Jake to turn Mapilim into a very energetic and ruach-based program!

Sam Alcabes, Chalutzim Program Director

Sam Alcabes makes his return to Kee Tov and couldn’t be happier about it. After graduating from Cal in 2008, Sam tried his hand in the “real world” and found himself living in New York and working for a welding supplies distributor. He enjoyed his time there, but started to miss the comforts of home namely, Gordo’s, Cal football, and Kee Tov.

Sam has been at Kee Tov for nearly 20 years, eight as a staff member. He has worked in Giborim, Mapilim and Chalutzim. He no longer has a bowl cut.

Sam will be starting law school in the fall, so camp this summer will be his last shot at fun for the next few years. He’s ready for an epic summer!

Daniel Schindelman Schoen, Gesher Program Director

Daniel, aka DSS, aka Cinnamon Scone, aka Diesel aka whatever other names one wishes to call him, returns to CKT this year for his second run as Gesher’s Program Director.  Daniel has been known to exude ruach ever since he first joined the CKT family as a Rishonimer and hasn’t looked back since.

After working in every program at Kee Tov besides Habonim and Chaverim and taking time off to hike across Wyoming, travel to Europe and Israel, and live for a year in New Zealand, DSS has returned to Camp with a renewed passion for campfires and kumzits. He is currently studying Spanish and organic farming in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Daniel recently graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Nature and Culture (yes, this really is a major) and Comparative Literature. While in Davis, DSS worked with kids in the campus Ecological Garden, classroom environmental education, and the city’s teen recreation program. When he isn’t hanging out with the youth, Daniel enjoys playing Bob Marley songs on his guitar, jumping into various bodies of water, hiking up mountains with his dog, Jasper, and reminiscing about Kee Tov days past. He is incredibly excited for another great summer of Gesher fun, bonding and building community.

Julia Liepman, Chaverim Program Director

Julia Liepman will be returning to Chaverim this summer after spending last year earning her California Teaching Credential. Julia has worked in nearly every program at Camp Kee Tov.

She continues to come back to work in Chaverim because it is a special time of day. Only the best counselors can keep the fun going after campers have already had eight hours of ruach! She knows this is an amazing program because it is the only time throughout the day that our campers can spend time with other Rish, Hab, Gib, Map, Chal and Gesh campers all in the same program!

This past school year Julia was only referred to as Ms. Liepman by her class of 4th and 5th graders in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Julia dreamt of being a teacher since she was finger painting at Beth El Nursery School. Julia looks forward to a change of scenery after being in a classroom for a year. When asked how Julia will make the change from school to camp, Julia said, “I will try not to give homework during Chaverim or grade campers on their kumsitz.”

After camp, Julia hopes to study Spanish in the cheapest and most beautiful place possible. She is still contemplating the location. Julia looks forward to seeing all of you in June, which can’t come soon enough!