Uncategorized 11.08.17

Meet the Field: Ari Paskoff

Meet the Field:

 

What’s your role?

Assistant Director at Capital Camps.

 Where did you get your start?

I started off as a day camper at the Lancaster JCC, but spent most of my childhood at URJ Camp Harlam.

If you weren’t a camp professional, you’d be…

I would be in government or politics. Until my 3rd summer on staff at Camp Harlam, I was certain I was going to work in politics after graduation!

What was your camp nickname?

I never had a consistent one, and consider it a huge missing element of my childhood.

Your favorite camp meal is

Pierogies with ketchup, I know, it’s weird, I am okay with that.

Last camp person you spoke to was

From work? My boss, Adam. From the camp I grew up at? One of my BFFS Dani Katowitz who works at FJC!

Camp is a big part of my life. Two of my oldest friends from Harlam live around the corner from me, and we reminisce about camp at least once every time we see each other…so all the time.

Whats your favorite icebreaker?

My favorite icebreaker changes a lot, but currently my favorite icebreaker question is, if a movie was made about your life, who would play you and what would the movie be called?

What is the best paper plate award/superlative you ever received?

My last year as a camper I got:

I apparently gave good hugs! That was one of my proudest moments of my camping career.

What’s a MUST on your camp playlist?

Other than all of my favorite Israeli hip – hop songs, I would say anything by Zac Brown usually finds its way onto my camp playlist.

What is your favorite hobby?

Besides terribly singing Broadway songs? Probably seeing all that DC has to offer!

Best advice you ever received OR words to live by

I recently saw this even though it is an old quote, Henry Ford said “Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.” I am a huge proponent that your mindset can dictate the outcomes of many situations you find yourself in, and it is something I strive to both practice and preach to those I work with throughout the summer.

The camp activity that makes you wish you were a camper

Well the best part about being an Assistant Director is I CAN participate in all of the camp activities, my unofficial title I tell my friends is that I am a Professional Camper. In terms of activities though, I never pass up a good ga-ga game.

What’s always in your backpack?

The camp iPod! Capital Camps has music blasting all the time, and it starts and ends with the camp iPod loaded with the summer’s hits!

Tell us what Jewish camp is to you, in 6 words.

It is unfair to ask a Jewish Camp professional to shorten this to 6 words! But…

Fun, powerful, Life–changing, family, laughter, home.