Meet Our Team
Emma Davidson- Camp Director!
We are thrilled to announce that after an extensive search and interview process, our new Director for Camp Rodef Shalom is our very own Emma Davidson! In addition to being a former TRSTY Board President, Emma has a decade of experience at our very own Camp! Before being Camp Director, her last position at Camp was on the Leadership Team for two summers as the Supervisor of Travel Camp. Emma received her Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech and comes to us with professional experience in event planning. Her favorite camp traditions are Color War and Lip Sync. Emma had Best Summer Ever in 2019 and is hoping to make 2020 even better!
Ethan Gaba - Assistant Director
Ethan has been a part of Camp Rodef Shalom 12 of the past 14 summers, when he started as a Junior Counselor. Over the years, he has worked as an Assistant Counselor and Head Counselor, before joining the Leadership team as the Extended Day Supervisor and then becoming the 3rd-5th Grade Supervisor. While not working at camp, Ethan earned his Masters Degree in Elementary Education from George Mason in 2017. He is now a classroom teacher at Fox Mill Elementary. His favorite week at camp is Color War (something he was never able to win).
Sharon Soffer - Operations Manager
This will be Sharon's 15th summer at Camp Rodef Shalom! Before joining the Leadership Team at CRS, she spent time as an appellate criminal prosecutor, a semi-professional flutist, and a chocolatier. She loves cooking, baking, and Oxford commas. She has two daughters, Julia, an art major at VCU and Laura, a sophomore at JMU who has been a counselor at CRS for 8 years. Her Hogwarts House is Ravenclaw, and her favorite part of camp is the final Color War Showdown. And yes, her dog's name really is Draco Malfoy.
Hannah Piracha - Head Music Specialist
Hannah is enjoying her 3rd summer with Camp Rodef Shalom, but her 18th at Jewish summer camp! If there’s anything you need to know about Hannah, it’s that she LOVES camp! In summers past, she has worked as a camp counselor and songleader at URJ camps OSRUI and 6 Points Sports Academy; she grew up attending Habonim Dror’s Camp Tavor in rustic Three Rivers, Michigan. Before joining Camp Rodef Shalom, Hannah studied Music, Psychology, and Religious Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, earning a degree in Religious Studies. In 2017, she began at Temple Rodef Shalom as the Music Educator. Her favorite part of camp is Bonus Week Lipsync day!
Robin Williams - Clinic Aide
Robin currently works as the School Health Aide at Longfellow Middle School. Previously she has been Outdoor Classroom Coordinator and Extended Day Supervisor for City of Falls Church Public Schools. This is Robin's 2nd summer at Camp Rodef Shalom. We are pleased to have her back!
Camp Bunk Counselors, Specialists, and Extended Day Team
Our Head Counselors and Head Specialists are college students or above, some of whom work in the Nursery School during the school year. They are supported by Assistant and Junior Counselors, who are high school students from our community.
Many of our staff are former campers who have gone through our LIT (Leaders In Training) program during their camper years. It is our honor to continue shaping them into role models by teaching them maturity, patience, and responsibility, as well as resilience, levelheadedness, and resourcefulness. This is an on-going process.
Thank you, Danielle Heyman Feist!