Our Staff

“Shwayder gives my kids their own sense of being Jewish and it makes it special and important to them.”

— Eliza, Parent

Shwayder Camp staff hail from around the world. With diverse backgrounds and years of camp experience, our staff will ensure that campers have a safe, fun, and meaningful time at camp. Our Directors are dedicated to creating a feeling of community at Shwayder. They build campers’ confidence and maintain a balanced lifestyle throughout the summer so that campers can flourish and develop long-lasting relationships. Temple Emanuel clergy also play a large role at Shwayder Camp by teaching Jewish values through activities and celebrations.

Shwayder Camp Leadership

Rose Savage Levenson, Director

Director Rose Savage Levenson standing on a porch smiling out from behind a large, sky blue cotton candy.

Hailing from the sweet town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, Rose Savage Levenson (she/her) is grateful to have worked in the Jewish communal space for the past decade. Rose’s love for Jewish camp began when she was a camper at URJ Camp Harlam. Since then, Rose has worked seasonally as a counselor and unit head, and full-time as an assistant, associate, and interim camp director for camps and programs across the country.

Prior to her most recent work at BaMidbar, Rose was the Associate Director of Camp Bob Waldorf in Glendale, CA. In this role, Rose cultivated her growing passion for creating healing spaces in the outdoors for all youth and families, regardless of socio-economic status. Rose received her BA from Mount Holyoke College in Psychology and Education as well as an MBA in Non-Profit Management and an MA in Jewish Professional Leadership as a Wexner Graduate Fellow / Davidson Scholar from Brandeis University.

When not at camp, Rose enjoys spending time outside backpacking, hiking, and playing pickleball all over Colorado. She also enjoys reading and learning to play new board games. Please reach out at any time; Rose can’t wait to meet you all!

Aliya Lerner-Sinsheimer, Assistant Director

A recent addition to the Shwayder community, Aliya (she/her) grew up in the little-known city of Los Angeles, California. She was raised with a bilingual Spanish education and spent her formative years attending Jewish summer camp, involved in international Jewish exchange programs, and as the head of her Jewish youth group. Aliya graduated from Tulane University with a dual B.S. in Psychology and Linguistics, diving deep into the exploration of people, language, and culture. During her high school gap year in South America and her many months of travel throughout college, she cultivated community in new spaces and recognized her talent for bringing people together across differences. Aliya’s professional background has been in strategic quality improvement work for government-funded clinics--assessing systems and implementing sustainable change.

In her free time you will absolutely catch her doing yoga, hiking, and cooking. Aliya’s favorite Sunday pastime is spending hours wandering through the farmers’ market or sitting outside with some tasty matcha and a good book.

Aliya is excited to share her knowledge of systems, people, and culture, bring new energy to camp, and help to pass down Shwayder traditions. She cannot wait to spend another summer up in the mountains, creating lifelong memories for generations of campers to come.

Temple Emanuel Clergy and Staff