The View from the Mountains

For the first time in a few years we had a new kid in camp. Though, she's been going up to this camp since she's three years old, it hardly seemed like it would be hard for her. That and three sisters and three cousins n camp with her, made for a smooth transition into one of the overnight campers. (It helps that her oldest sister is a JC in the bunkhouse right next door).

Because one of the girls is now staff our day changed a bit. We waited around on campus until she could leave. The only problem was, we've been there so many times that there is very little left to "see." We managed to just sit around and shmooze, with nieces and and aunts and uncles, and as a great surprise to my family...grandmother!!! MY kids were quite excited that she had come up, and were happy that she got to see the camp (thrilled with the cookies as well).

This year we did some more research and found a place not far from camp called Irving Cliff. IT was named after Washington Irving:

In 1841 a group of prominent New York City businessmen, its mayor Philip Hone, and author Washington Irving traveled by canal boat from Rondout, New York, to Honesdale. The large rock cliff 300 feet above the town so impressed Washington Irving that he deemed it necessary to climb to its summit. Later Philip Hone named the Cliff after his friend.

In 1883 John Alden Wood began constructing a summer hotel on the summit of Irving Cliff. The four-story high, castellated-style building included elevator service. All 125 bedrooms had private bathrooms. Construction was completed in 1885. The Irving Cliff Hotel was scheduled to open on June 22. 1889, but burned to the ground the evening of May 28, 1889. The cause of the fire was never determined.

After enjoying the views, we came back down, traversed a small footbridge over the Lackawanna River, fed some ducks, and made our way over to a small shul that was established in 1849. Unfortunately what was started as an Orthodox (yekkish!) shul is now a reform congregation, but I peeked inside a window, and it seemed like there was an upstairs balcony:

The Hebrew congregation was first formed in 1849 by ten German immigrant families, with services being held in the home of Mr. Waller, which was located on Upper Main Street. In 1856, the Delaware & Hudson Co., through the intercession of Russell F. Lord, donated the present riverbank site as a building lot. In addition, Mr. Lord donated money for the construction of a place of worship. The Temple was dedicated on September 10, 1856 and has the unique distinction of being the smallest synagogue in the United States. During the flood of 1942, when most of the riverbank structures were swept away, the little Temple stood, "It fell not for it was founded on a Rock."

(it's not a great picture, in that the shul was built in the "church" style and has a small steeple on top, which apparently I missed in this shot, most likely due to the slamming of the car door, as one of the girls threatened to walk back to camp-(15 miles?)and I needed to stop taking pictures a referee ten days of pent up non-fighting!)

Then a quick supermarket run to replenish some stock, back to camp, another loooooong goodbye, and off we went, with minimal traffic.

It was a really nice day.