125 Summers of Tradition: Celebrating Surprise Lake Camp’s 125th Anniversary

In 2027, Surprise Lake Camp will celebrate a milestone that no other Jewish sleepaway camp has ever reached: our 125th summer. We are proud to be one of the longest-running Jewish sleepaway camps in the United States and the longest-running Jewish sleepaway camp in its original location. Founded in 1902 as a summer camp for Jewish boys from Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Surprise Lake Camp began with six tents, 25 campers, and five counselors. Today, 125 years later, SLC remains rooted on the same beautiful campus in Cold Spring, New York, continuing a tradition of Jewish community and belonging that has spanned generations.

For 125 years, generations of children have come to the shores of Surprise Lake to experience the joy of camp—building friendships, discovering independence, connecting with nature, and becoming part of a Jewish community that stays with them long after they leave. But 125 years is more than a number. It is about trust, resilience, and staying true to a mission.

Over the past century and a quarter, Surprise Lake Camp has weathered a changing world—including two World Wars, periods of social and political uncertainty, economic challenges, and two global pandemics. Through every chapter, SLC has continued to evolve while remaining grounded in the values that have guided us since our founding: community, compassion, courage, gratitude, and grit.

That continuity matters—but so does growth.

While Surprise Lake Camp has remained true to its mission for 125 years, we have never stood still. Every generation of campers has helped shape the camp experience, and we continue to evolve to meet the needs of today’s children and families.

From expanding adventure programming and waterfront experiences to introducing new specialty activities, modernizing our facilities, investing in staff training, and creating innovative Jewish experiences, SLC has continually adapted while preserving the traditions that make camp feel like home. We believe the best camps honor their history without being defined by it.

In many ways, Surprise Lake Camp is the camp your grandparents remember—but it is also unmistakably a camp for today’s kids. Our values are timeless. The way we bring those values to life continues to evolve.

In a world where so much is changing, there is something meaningful about a place that remains constant. For generations of families, Surprise Lake Camp has been a place they can count on—a place where children can grow, form lifelong friendships, and experience the power of Jewish community.

As we look ahead to our 125th summer, we are especially grateful for the strength of our independent nonprofit model. Surprise Lake Camp is not owned by a corporation or guided by outside investors. Our future is shaped by the campers, families, alumni, donors, and community partners who believe in this mission and help sustain it.

Like all nonprofit organizations, we rely on the guidance of our board of directors and on the support of generous donors who make our work possible. That community commitment allows us to remain focused on what has mattered since day one: providing children with a transformative summer experience rooted in connection, belonging, and Jewish values.

Our 125th summer will be a celebration of where we have been and where we are going. We will honor the generations who built this community, celebrate the traditions that continue to bring us together, and invest in the future of Surprise Lake Camp for generations to come.

After 125 summers, one thing remains unchanged: Surprise Lake Camp is a place where YOU belong.

Here’s to 125 summers—and the many more still ahead.

Learn more about SLC’s 125th Anniversary Gala, March 21, 2027 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom: