As it marks its 70th Anniversary, B’nai Brith Camp is bursting at the seams. Last year the camp, had 295 campers and 85 staff, according to Jacob Brodovsky, who is the co-executive director of the camp with his spouse Lexie Yurman. “‘For the 2025 season, we are seeing unprecedented demand for BB Camp as we have filled over 280 spots in the last four days,” Brodovsky told the Winnipeg Jewish Review on Nov 7. We usually only fill 70 spots in that time frame, “Brodovsky added, noting that the camp can hold about 310 campers.
When asked if this jump in numbers was related to specific ages of campers, Brodovsky replied, “It’s across the board,” and indicated that “we are having lots of unaffiliated Jewish families send their children—families who live in St. vital, Il Des Chenes and Headingly-who do not live in traditional Jewish neighborhoods. Some are the children of new immigrants. BB Camp may be their only touchstone to the Jewish community.”
Brodovsky noted that this year BB Camp expects to be turning people away.
In light of this, the Winnipeg Jewish Review asked Brodovsky if the camp’s infrastructure could be expanded to hold more campers, but Brodovsky explained that this was not a simple issue of just building an extra cabin or two, as they would also need more staff. Additionally, the sewage system would have to be developed to allow for more washrooms, as would other infrastructure need to be put in place. There would need to be more boats and because the camp is on an island, "we would have to be mindful of protecting the environment." Lexie also noted that the camp prides itself on developing a meaningful "one on one relationship with each camper, staff, and family", which it would want to retain, making it difficult to increase its capacity of campers.
As it marks its 70th anniversary, BB Camp is is undergoing significant upgrades. This winter the camp will be upgrading the electrical service to the island and adding air conditioning to the Chadar Ochel [dining hall] thanks to a generous grant from the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba. Since summers are getting hotter and hotter, the camp has also increased the Capital Improvement Fee per camper by $20.00-$ 30.00 per camper which will generate the necessary capital to perform upgraded on 1-3 cabins every summer, with the goal of having all living spaces air conditioned by its 75th anniversary in 2029 ensuring that generations of young people can continue to enjoy the campsite safely for years to come.
“We also have a fundraising campaign to rehabilitate our tripper shack, which houses our canoe equipment,” Brodovsky notes. Over 25% of the required amount has been raised – Click here to learn more
Brodovsky explained that the camp has Israeli staff who run an Israel day program and also work as activity instructors”. There is an agent in Israel who finds suitable people and then BB Camp sponsors their flight, work visa, health insurance, and pays for their time. "The camp stopped bringing in Israeli staff in 2013 but in 2022 it restarted bringing them in again”, Brodovsky says.
BB Camp was founded in 1954 and was originally located in Sandy Hook but moved to Towne Island at Lake of the Woods. “It was originally affiliated with B’nai Brith but has not been since the 1980’s,”Brodovsky pointed out “ We purchased our portion of the Island in 2008-2009, and in 2022 we helped Nature Conservancy of Canada purchase the rest of the Island, such that there can be no development on it. Yurman adds that there will be two family weekends this year.”Last year we sold out the family weekend in an hour.”
Brodovsky and Yurman were both campers at BB camp and have been working at the camp for 15 years. They got married in 2020 on Town Island and will be celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary.
Editor’s note: I went to BB camp as a camper from 1975-1977, and her son Dov Corne was a Camper and then took out the Advanced Camptrip. I rememberdevil's rock on the boat ride to BB camp, and canoeing by there, and recall someone trying to teach me how to do a J stroke with the paddle– but I am not sure I ever really mastered that one.
I recall how the pristine landscape of the BB campsite, with the sounds of the wind rustling through the leaves and birds chirping. I have memories of cookouts and bonfires and of morning prayers, which Brodovsky says still occur.
I remember the swimming area and taking swimming lessons and doing laps in the morning, where the water was cold (some would say refreshing, but I remember it as cold). I remember learning how to build a box fire and a tee-pee fire.
I also remember when I fell in 1977 on the dock at the camp and somehow got part of a nail in my foot and had to go to Kenora hospital to get stitches and antibiotics as the area subsequently got infected. My cabin mates and counselors got me a blue t-shirt with white letters that said "WATCH YOUR STEP SPIV." I kept the shirt for years and years, long after I had outgrown it. For my 60th Birthday this year, a friend framed a photo of me wearing that shirt.
As BB camp celebrates its 70th anniversary may it go from strength to strength.
