The Cohen Camps Legacy
The Cohen family’s dedication to summer camps as a way to nurture and educate Jewish children began over 75 years ago when Eli and Bessie Cohen founded Camp Pembroke. The Cohens believed that education in its many forms was essential to strengthening the Jewish community. They realized the power of the immersive experience of summer camp and its ability to engage, teach and develop children in an informal setting. Expanding on this idea the Cohens founded two co-educational camps, Tevya and Tel Noar, to reach even further into the community.
For nearly 40 years, Eli and Bessie managed the camps. Today their legacy continues with Eli’s son Arnold, wife Annebelle, and grandson Jonathan running the camps. The mission is still to provide children with an exciting and traditional residential camp experience which instills Judaic identity and community.
Generations of children from a wide range of backgrounds have experienced this legacy at Camps Pembroke, Tevya and Tel Noar and have created for themselves identification with Kol Yisrael and a lifetime of memories.
In addition to the Cohen’s day-to-day leadership, the camp operations are overseen by Pearl Lourie, Executive Director of the Cohen Camps since 1996. As a former Camp Tevya and Camp Tel Noar staff member, and as Director of Camp Pembroke for eight years, Pearl brings 25 years of camping experience to the Cohen Camps organization. Pearl succeeded George Marcus who was Camp Tel Noar Director for nearly 40 years, served as the first full-time Executive Director of the Cohen Camps, and who is still involved in an advisory capacity.
The Cohen Camps integrates the operations of all three camps within a single organization. The Executive Director works closely with the individual Camp Directors throughout the year. Together this staff brings decades of experience in camping, education, youth development and business.
