Tamarack Camps

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Tamarack Camps is a Jewish summer camp organization run by the Fresh Air Society in Bloomfield Hills, MI. The Fresh Air Society began in Michigan in 1902, and recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary in the summer of 2002.

Tamarack is comprised of 3 major camps, as well as a selection of other programs. Those camps are Maas, Agree, and Kennedy.

Camp Maas, the major camp of Tamarack, is located in Ortonville, MI, off of Perryville Road. Maas' 1,500 acres cater to children from grades 2 through 9. It is made up of 11 "villages", ranging by age and gender. The villages are:

Applebaum - 2nd and 3rd grade boys
Shifman - 2nd and 3rd grade girls
DeRoy - 4th and 5th grade boys
Fishman - 4th and 5th grade girls
Levison - 6th grade boys
Sheruth - 6th grade girls
Hermelin - 7th grade boys
Berman - 7th grade girls
Pioneer - 8th grade co-ed
Ruach - 8th grade co-ed
Specialty - 9th grade co-ed

Located in the woods of Canada, the Agree Outpost Camp is home to 9th and 10th graders who have a love for camping. It is limited in number and creates a sense of community. Agree is located off of Highway 17 between Wawa and White River and has two programs:

Canadian Wilderness - 9th grade co-ed
Ultimate Agree - 10th grade co-ed

Canadian Wilderness consists of a 5 day hiking trip, a 5 day canoeing trip, and an overnight "solo" on an island. Ultimate Agree consists of a 5 day hiking drip, a kayaking trip, and a solo.

In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is Camp Kennedy. Kennedy is the site of Governer Green's former hunting lodge. It is located off of Adam's Trail in Shingleton, near Munising. Like Agree, Kennedy is limited in number to make an unforgettable experience. Kennedy has only one program, for 10th and 11th graders. Kennedy campers go on several trips, including a kayaking trip and a hike in Algonquin Park.

10th graders have the option to go on a Western Trip. This trip is 5 weeks long, and travels by charter bus through the country. Western campers go on 2 backcountries; one in the Rockie Mountains and one in Yosemite National Park. Western trips also travel and hike through places such as Zion, Bryce, Yellowstone, Badlands, etc. They visit cities such as Aspen, Colorado, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The trip is culminated at Camp Kennedy.

11th graders can attend a trip to Alaska. This trip is 7 weeks long, and travels by charter bus. The first week is in Canada, after which the campers take a ferry to the state. They hike famous places, such as Chilkoot, the Klondike Goldrush Trail. The trip is culminated at Camp Kennedy.

Located at Maas, the Pine Forest day camp caters to younger children in the area. Pine Forest campers use the facilities at Maas.

Recently closed, the Silverman Village was home to campers with behavioural diffuculties at Maas.

Also located at Maas is The Butzel Conference Center, made up of cabins and a central lodge for meetings and groups.

Tamarack also owns two tripping bases in Michigan: one located in Mio, and one located in Mesick.

-ZF 2007