A fixture on the local Jewish summer camping scene for decades, Neil Samuel Berlin, director of operations for Camps Airy and Louise in Western Maryland, died on Friday, Feb. 25, after a long bout with cancer. The Owings Mills resident was 44.
“All of us who knew and worked with Neil will miss him terribly,” wrote Jonathan Gerstl, executive director of Camps Airy and Louise, to the community. “Neil was always a positive force, and he bravely fought cancer with the same approach he took to everything else; a smile on his face, a positive attitude, and a commitment to doing whatever it took to get the job done. His spirit and energy will be impossible to replace.”
Berlin began his tenure at Camp Airy as a camper and remained for years as a counselor and unit head. Over the years, he served in a variety of leadership positions at Airy and Louise. His wife, Alicia Block Berlin, is the director of Camp Louise. They met in 2003 at Airy and Louise while serving as unit leaders for counselors-in-training.
“Many of us still remember him as an outgoing camper, eager to make friends and extend a hand to anyone new,” Gerstl wrote. “As he grew into adulthood, his welcoming approach to camp never changed.”
In the summer of 2015, Berlin began working fulltime as director of operations for Airy and Louise, responsible for business process enhancements, summer staff human resources, technology, accreditation/compliance and other areas of focus.
Prior to that, he worked for 15 years in business process and technology consulting with IBM, including 11 years in the hospitality industry at Marriott International.
Berlin served as co-chair of the Maryland Youth Camp Safety Advisory Council, a governor-appointed position charged with advising the Maryland Department of Health on camp matters. He was also the government relations chair for American Camp Association Chesapeake and the founding member of the Maryland Camp Coalition.
On the memorial page of the website of Sol Levinson & Bros. funeral home, Baltimore resident and Jewish communal professional David Golaner wrote, “When you’re a kid, there’s always someone older that you look up to because he seems to make everything look easy. For me, that was Neil. He was the best student at Hebrew School, model camper, got the lead in every camp play, was the best bar mitzvah tutor, and on and on. And the rest of his life wasn’t too shabby either — a great family, great job running the camps he loved. … Though cut entirely too short, Neil’s life was one to emulate, and was a blessing to all of us who knew him.”
Former Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and his wife, Jaki, posted, “We are so unbelievably saddened to hear this news. Neil has had a tremendous impact on our daughters, Maddie and Lily, for he was a major part of their Camp Louise experience. Sending so much love to Alicia, to their girls, to his family, and to the entire Camp Louise family.”
Besides his wife, Berlin is survived by his children, Hannah, Marissa and Ellie Berlin; his parents, Dr. Steven Berlin and Sherry Berlin; his father-in-law, Robert Block; his sister, Beth (Matt) Cohen; his sister-in-law, Nadine (Henry) Rosendale; and his nieces and nephew, Avery, Micah and Harper. Berlin was predeceased by his mother-in-law, Joan Block.
Services will be held at Sol Levinson and Bros., 8900 Reisterstown Rd., on Sunday, Feb. 27, at noon. Interment will be at Beth El Memorial Park in Randallstown. Masks are required at the funeral service. The family will not receive guests prior to the funeral service.
Contributions in Berlin’s memory may be sent to Camps Airy & Louise, c/o Development Office, 5750 Park Heights Ave., Suite 306, Baltimore, Maryland 21215.
The family will be in mourning at 9 Circuit Court, Owings Mills, Maryland 21117, on Sunday following interment until 8:30 p.m., with services at 6:30 p.m., and Monday and Tuesday from 1-4 p.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m., with services at 6:30 p.m. Shiva attendees must wear masks if unvaccinated.
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