Everyone has a different method for thinking up their best ideas. Some people have epiphanies in the shower, others prefer a quiet library, but Yoni Stadlin and Vivian Lehrer favor washing dishes. A few years ago, while elbows deep in dirty dishes, Stadlin and Lehrer came up with the idea of a camp based on environmentalism, social justice and spirituality, and POW! Camp Eden Village was born.

Well, as we all know, creating a camp is not as easy as just POW! It took the help of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, major funding from the Jim Joseph Foundation and other community support, to help make Camp Eden Village possible. The camp found a home on 248 acres, about an hour and fifteen minutes outside of New York City, near the town of Cold Spring.

Even with land and a great starting push, the camp still needs a lot of love. So, to help Camp Eden Village start off on the right foot, there was a Beresheit Festival on Sunday, July 12. Beresheit, meaning creation, was a perfect name to call the event, as the day’s purpose was to lend a hand in making it possible to open the camp for the summer of 2010. It was day spent fundraising, farming, cleaning, creating, eating, jamming out and so much more. People came from all over the country to help beautify the camp, and see what Stadlin and Lehrer envision.

With the help of the Jewish Farm School, the founders will be able to plant, harvest and teach from Eden Village. This will also help with their zero-waste goal, the ability to use renewable energies, have a working organic farm, and use green building practices. On top of that, the camp will be for all genders and kids of any kind of Jewish persuasion. Although the Beresheit Festival was a heartwarming kick off event, Eden Village is always looking for anyone who is interested in volunteering during the year or for next summer to help make their dream come to life.

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