Rosh Sports: Aryeh Joseph Pollack

Aryeh grew up in Vero Beach, FL and now studies advertising at the University of Florida, where he is the Membership Vice President of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, and a Captain for UF’s famously successful Dance Marathon.

This will be Aryeh’s second summer as a CJ Staff member. For him, one summer was not enough; he loved every minute of being an in bunk madrich, and knew he had to come back. He looks forward to expanding his CJ horizon and doing something that will give him the chance to spend time with campers from every age group while also utilizing his leadership skills to provide the best summer for the campers. As a camper, the sports activities were some of his favorite times at CJ, so he plans on helping to develop the program and to continue to make camp even more awesome!

“I do not remember a time where CJ wasn’t a part of my life. As a double legacy (shout out Mom and Dad), going to camp could not come soon enough for me. I attended CJ from Nitzanim(Taste of CJ/Rishonim equivalent) through Bogrim and was finally able to return as a staff member last summer (shout out to Kesher 2015). Summers at CJ have shaped my life in ways that I could not even explain. Working for a place that gave me so much is the most rewarding thing. I’d like to thank my counselors when I was a camper for being the best role models and showing me how to love camp.”

As a child, Aryeh played soccer, basketball, tennis and baseball, but once he reached middle school and discovered lacrosse, he was hooked. He played throughout high school, earning three varsity letters and was named the All-District and All-Area Goalie of the Year as a Junior. He has worked as a defensive/goalie coach at various lacrosse camps. Currently he keeps up his love of competition through playing basketball intramural.

“I am a huge Fantasy Football junkie and have also recently gotten into Fantasy Basketball, so if you need help setting your line-up next season, you know who to call. As a life-long Gator fan and a current UF student, if you see me not wearing some form of orange and blue, take me straight to the HCC! My first words as baby were “Go Gators”, “Fins Up” and “Let’s Go Heat!”

An avid sports fan and athlete, Aryeh has always been frustrated when people claimed that Jews could not be athletes. Noting that Israel has produced some of the best athletes in the world, he plans on incorporating more Jewish and Israeli sports facts, statistics, and stories into peulot to encourage campers to follow their dreams and to not let this common stereotype keep them from their athletic goals.

Among his other athletic abilities, Aryeh can wiggle his nose and make other strange facial expressions. He promises to impress you with these skills this summer!