Meet Our Directors

Raised in Montreal, Quebec, Jeff Braverman is the co-founder of Camp Nesher, serving as its sole Director since its second season in 1997.

Under Jeff’s leadership, Camp Nesher has grown exponentially and includes Yachad B’Nesher, a pioneer inclusion program for which he received the National Jewish Council for Disabilities’ Community Leadership award in 2003. On the artistic side, Jeff has recorded four albums of original Jewish music as part of the duo, Shoresh, and has been a featured artist on numerous other recordings. Additionally, he has and continues to perform on wedding bandstands nationally.

Jeff has been active in the New Jersey Jewish community, serving both as a Board member at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston as well as President of Congregation Ahawas Achim B’nai Jacob and David, in West Orange.

Jeff is super-proud of all of his “camp” kids, but none more so than his three, real-life, amazing children (and Camp Nesher graduates!)

Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Johnny Shlagbaum first joined Camp Nesher in 1998 as a camper and, over the ensuing eight years, climbed the ranks to become Assistant Athletics Director. He made a lasting impression on everyone at camp, but none more so than fellow staff member Alana Rosenbaum, whom he met at camp and, after moving on, married shortly thereafter.

Prior to his triumphant return to camp as Assistant (now Associate) Director in 2017, Johnny first worked in property management and then served as Vice President of Marketing at Cox Target Media. Feeding off the unparalleled spirit and energy developed during his earlier years at camp, Johnny cultivated his talents as a singer and has since become a highly sought-after performer in the Jewish music scene, featured on bandstands worldwide.

Johnny, together with Alana, lives in Teaneck, NJ along with their three beautiful children (and Camp Nesher campers), Rebecca, Gabriella, and Jonah.

After growing up in San Francisco, CA, Adina Jaffe Lipson received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA, followed by a master’s degree in education from Hunter College. Adina has enjoyed a lengthy and esteemed career as both a schoolteacher and administrator, including serving as Director at the Time Warner Children’s Center in New York City and Manager of PJ Library Toronto, in conjunction with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Currently, Adina enjoys her dual position as an early childhood teacher and Gan Jewish Studies lead at Netivot HaTorah Day School in Toronto, where she resides with husband, Les, and family.

Adina has been at Camp Nesher since 2013 where, prior to becoming Girls Head Counselor in 2021, she held the position of Early Childhood Director, in a cooperative program with Camp Shoshanim.

Moshe “Mo” Sanders grew up in Passaic, NJ, receiving first a bachelor’s degree from Yeshiva University followed by a graduate degree in Special Education, from William Patterson University. Prior to joining Camp Nesher as Boys Head Counselor in 2017, Moshe spent eleven summers at the Neil Klatskin Day Camp at the JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly NJ, where he served in various roles including several years as Program Director.

When not in camp, Moshe is a Special Education teacher and Middle School girls basketball coach at Yavneh Academy in Paramus NJ where, in 2015, he received Northern New Jersey’s coveted Harold Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. During his free time, Moshe loves going to the beach, barbequing, and making s’mores with his kids.

Moshe and wife Jen (Camp Nesher’s esteemed Athletics Director) live in Bergenfield, NJ, together with their 3 children (and Camp Nesher attendees) Mati, Bella, and Ari.