300 Campers and Staff Reunite at Parksville Reunion

More than 300 campers, alongside staff members from this past summer, gathered Thursday night at Itchke’s Shteibel on Maple Street for a special Camp Gan Yisroel Parksville reunion. The gathering brought the Gan Yisroel family together once again for an evening filled with friendship, memories, and the unmistakable spirit of camp.

This event was made possible with the direction, guidance, and support of the Director, Rabbi Yossie Futerfas.

Although the summer of 2026 is in the rearview, Thursday night’s reunion served as a reminder that the Gan Yisroel experience doesn’t end when the buses leave Parksville. The friendships and memories formed throughout the summer continue to bring the Gan Yisroel family together long after camp is over.

The reunion gave campers the opportunity to reconnect with their bunkmates and counselors, catch up with friends, and relive some of the experiences that made their summer in Gan Yisroel Parksville so memorable.

A special thank you to Mordechai Sperlin, who MC’d the event, and to the other head counselors for coming out for the evening — Mendy Rochester, Dovi Wilhelm, and Mendel Heber. Their presence meant a great deal to the campers.

The evening featured several special moments, including singing camp songs, one of which was composed in honor of Gan Yisroel’s 70th anniversary. Staff members also organized a special game highlighting the camp’s 70-year history, giving campers an opportunity to learn while adding an exciting element to the evening.

Another highlight was the introduction of a Mivtzah encouraging campers to say Krias Shema every night. To help inspire the campers to take part, the initiative will include prizes and raffles.

The reunion was made possible through the efforts of Mendel Fogelman, Motty Sasonkin, and Nosson Shur.

A special thank you to Zalman Deitsch and Shmuel Kotlarsky for their help in putting the evening together and making it a success.