L'Dor V'Dor: A Camp Shalom Tradition

Lindsay & Ava Tringali

Some places become part of who you are. For Lindsay Tringali, Camp Shalom is one of those places.

"It's impossible to think about my childhood without remembering my summers at Camp Shalom," she says.

From joining the Haifa Unit at age five to becoming a Counselor-in-Training and eventually serving as the camp's Tennis Specialist, Camp Shalom was more than just a summer camp—it was her home away from home. She remembers performing in talent shows, spending time at the boathouse and lakefront, and, most of all, countless hours on the tennis courts.

"I can still feel the ruach after meals and the energy at the flagpole like it was yesterday," she recalls.

Today, those memories have come full circle.

Her daughter, Ava, now serves as Camp Shalom's Tennis Specialist—the very same role Lindsay once held.

Hearing Ava talk about camp reminds Lindsay just how special those summers were.
"It feels like a true l'dor v'dor moment—one generation passing cherished memories and traditions to the next," she says. "I'm so grateful that she gets to experience Camp Shalom with her own circle of friends, and that it has become part of the way she will remember her childhood summers, just as it is for me."

For Ava, Camp Shalom has become every bit as meaningful.

"Camp Shalom makes me feel at home," she says. "It's a place I get to see my friends and spend all summer laughing and being a kid again."

When she interviewed for the Tennis Specialist position, Ava described herself as wanting to be what she called a "responsible camper." Now, she's doing exactly that—helping young campers build their tennis skills while creating the same kind of encouraging environment she experienced growing up.

"I love seeing the kids every day, being a kid with them at times, and seeing their skills grow knowing that I used to be in their position, trying to learn," she says.

For both Lindsay and Ava, Camp Shalom has been much more than a place to spend the summer. It's where lifelong friendships have been formed, confidence has grown, and traditions have been passed from one generation to the next.

"The other aspect that makes it special, of course," Ava says, "is that I am following in my mom's footsteps. She was on these courts doing the same thing, and it is comforting to know that we share this experience—l'dor v'dor."

Their story is a reminder that the impact of Camp Shalom doesn't end when summer is over. The friendships, memories, and traditions created here continue to shape families for generations, making the Mandell JCC not just a place to attend—but a place to belong.