Karli Niehaus, husband Josh and their family at Camp Solomon Schechter. <\/i>(photo from Camp Solomon Schechter)<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/i>Camp Solomon Schechter alum Karli Niehaus is returning home \u2013 as camp director. She brings extensive experience in childhood education, community leadership and Jewish engagement, and she\u2019s ready to bring her energy, creativity and love for camp to this new role.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so excited to join the team as the new camp director of Camp Solomon Schechter!\u201d said Niehaus. \u201cSchechter has always been such a meaningful part of my life. I spent years as a camper (including my Oded summer in 2010), then returned as a counselor and art director. I also came back during grad school to support the camper care team, focusing on the social and emotional well-being of campers and staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cI met my husband at camp (Josh Niehaus, longtime CSS music director, assistant director and director of innovation), and now our two kids \u2013 our eldest, Jaylan, and his younger brother, Shaya \u2013 both share our love for Schechter, asking almost every time we get in the car, \u2018Are we going to Camp Solomon Schechter?\u2019 They\u2019ve been crawling around the hill, splashing in the lake and singing around the campfire with their dad on guitar since they were babies. Jaylan even attended his first family camp at just three weeks old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI also come from a proud multigenerational Schechter family,\u201d Niehaus added. \u201cMy dad and uncles were campers long before me, and served on the board during my years as a camper. Our family was honoured last year at Schechter Spark in Seattle.\u201d<\/p>\n Niehaus has more than a decade of experience in education and community leadership, along with a master\u2019s in education and a board certification in applied behaviour analysis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy work has always centred on creating spaces where kids feel safe, seen and celebrated as they grow into confident, compassionate leaders,\u201d she said. \u201cIn recent years, I\u2019ve become especially passionate about ensuring the future pipeline of Jewish leadership, something that feels more important than ever. I truly believe Jewish camp plays a critical role in that. Camp gave me a place to explore who I am, to build Jewish pride and belonging, and to find my voice as a leader.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m honoured to help carry that legacy forward, to make sure every camper and staff member feels the same magic, joy and connection that shaped me, and to help build the next generation of strong, proud Jewish leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease join us in wishing Karli a baruch hab<\/i>a \u2013 welcome!\u201d said Zach Duitch, executive director of Camp Solomon Schechter. \u201cWe also express our deepest gratitude for outgoing camp director Manda Graizel. We wish her nothing but success in all her future endeavours.\u201d<\/p>\n