Early Years
Originally known as Kinderland, it was established as a children's camp in 1925 when the Jewish Women's Labour League (the women's auxiliary of the Jewish Labour League Mutual Benefit Society). The Women's League was described as a "pro-Bolshevik" labour group, made up primarily of garment workers. They leased some property at Eldorado Mills, along the Credit River. The Canadian National Railway (CNR) owned the land in the early years, at the south west edge of Brampton in the Credit River valley.
In 1936 the League attempted to purchase about 103 acres (0.42 km2) of the property. The CNR was openly resistant to selling to Jewish organizations and even posted vicious anti-Semitic signs at the entrance, warning "No Jews or Dogs Allowed" to discourage the land purchase. However, the property was acquired through an individual not directly linked to the League, then transferred to them.
The United Jewish Peoples' Order (UJPO) was founded in 1945 through a merger of the Labour League and other radical Jewish organizations and has operated and managed the camp ever since.
The children's camp remained in operation as an overnight camp until 1962 and as a day camp until 1971 serving up to 300 children each summer. A family-oriented adult campground that was used mostly on weekends and holidays developed adjacent to the children's camp that, at its peak, contained 90 cottages as well as room for tents. It is in this form that the camp continues to the present day.
Read more about this topic: Camp Naivelt
Famous quotes related to early years:
“I believe that if we are to survive as a planet, we must teach this next generation to handle their own conflicts assertively and nonviolently. If in their early years our children learn to listen to all sides of the story, use their heads and then their mouths, and come up with a plan and share, then, when they become our leaders, and some of them will, they will have the tools to handle global problems and conflict.”
—Barbara Coloroso (20th century)