National Nageela Staff

Staff

At Camp Nageela we do our absolute best

to staff our camp with the most skilled, responsible, and enthusiastic educators, professionals, counselors, and athletes who will serve as a role model for every camper. We understand that a camp is only as good as its staff and we are so proud of the wonderful staff at Camp Nageela. Nageela staff members are passionate about life and about Judaism. Our staff practice Traditional Jewish observance and live by its values of caring, warmth, and joy of living.

While the cultural background of our staff differs from that of our campers, the atmosphere of joy and fulfillment in camp is contagious. The staff members are models of joyous living who frame Judaism for the campers in a most positive light and create an environment where each and every child is accepted. Campers connect with their staff and develop lifelong role models and friends. When our campers leave camp taking more responsibility for their own personal growth, development and maturity, we have achieved our goal.

Meet the directors

David Shenker

Rabbi Shenker has been at the helm of Camp Nageela since it’s inception in 1988. His vision of creating a top notch summer camp, staffed by young men and women who exude positive energy and a passion for Jewish life has blossomed into the three camps of the Nageela Jewish Experiences network that he currently guides.

Rabbi Shenker’s stated goal for camping is to strive for each camper to get the maximum enjoyment and benefit from camp. His recipe is for each day in camp to have generous amounts of physical fun, positive social relationships and intellectual stimulation. With degrees in engineering and rabbinics, combined with his expertise in informal Jewish education honed by years as director of Jewish Education Program (JEP) of Long Island, and thirty years of camping experience, he is particularly suited to lead this most innovative camp movement.

Nosson Factor

Nosson Factor of Chicago, Illinois is the Director of Camp Nageela Midwest. Nosson grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and went to school in Detroit, Michigan before moving to Chicago. Nosson first joined the Nageela team as a Division Head and quickly moved up the ranks to become Assistant Director and ultimately Director.

Nosson is well-known for his attention to every detail and his strive to know each and every camper individually. Nosson’s wife, Chavie, and their five children love spending their summers in Marshall, Indiana and joining Nageela events year-round!

Dani Locker

Dani Locker is both the brains and inspiration behind Camp Nageela West. After spending 11 awesome summers in the original Camp Nageela in New York, Dani decided to spread the Nageela excitement to the West coast of the USA. Dani and his wife Devorah and their five children now live in Las Vegas where they run Nageela programs year-round including NageeLatte, Hebrew School, Shabbatons and more!

Dani is famous for his innovative programming- the wackier and more unusual the better, and for creating a new Nageela logo each year, a spin on a current, popular trend. Dani loves the small camp environment that Nageela West provides... and the horses!

National Nageela: Joyfully Jewish Experiences