SLC’s 125th Anniversary Gala
On Sunday, March 21, 2027, Surprise Lake Camp will celebrate a remarkable milestone: 125 years of camp! We’ll gather together at Ziegfeld Ballroom in the heart of New York City to honor our past, celebrate our present, and look ahead to building our future.
As part of our Gala Celebration, we are proud to honor the Goldwasser, Wyler, and Messinger Family, as well as Harold Grinspoon, Founder, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Their longstanding commitment to Surprise Lake Camp and to Jewish camping has helped shape our history and strengthen our future. We are deeply grateful for their leadership, generosity, and lasting impact on generations of SLC campers and families.
The Goldwasser-Wyler-Messinger Family
Surprise Lake Camp is proud to honor the Goldwasser, Wyler, and Messinger family. This family’s connection to SLC spans five generations, beginning with I. Edwin Goldwasser, one of the camp’s earliest champions, who served as SLC’s first Board Chair. A prominent leader in Jewish philanthropy, Edwin also served in leadership roles with the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and other Jewish charitable organizations. His commitment to Jewish communal life extended to SLC, where he was the first to recognize the property’s potential as a place where children could experience the joys and lasting benefits of summer camp.
His daughter, Marjorie Wyler, continued that legacy as SLC’s first female Board President, followed by her daughter, Ruth Messinger, who also served as a third-generation Board President. Ruth’s children and grandchildren have attended Surprise Lake Camp, as well. Their family’s enduring commitment to SLC reflects a remarkable legacy of leadership, service, and devotion to Jewish camping.
Harold Grinspoon, Founder, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation
Surprise Lake Camp is proud to honor Harold Grinspoon, a Jewish philanthropist whose generosity and vision have made a lasting impact on Jewish life and Jewish camping. Through the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, he has helped expand access to Jewish camp and strengthen Jewish communities for the future. He also founded PJ Library, which inspires Jewish joy, confidence, and curiosity through the distribution of free books and resources for children and families. Through these efforts, he has helped support the vibrancy of Jewish communities across North America and around the world. We are deeply grateful to Harold Grinspoon and The Harold Grinspoon Foundation for these extraordinary contributions.
Ticket and sponsorship form can be emailed to 125anniversary@surpriselake.org
Please direct any questions to this email address, as well.
