The History of Mosaic (Jewish) Outdoor Clubs of America

Chapter One: The First Mosaic Clubs

Steve Harris Millmond founded the first Mosaic club in Colorado under the name “Mosaic Outdoor Mountain Club.” It held its first event, a hike in the Colorado Rockies, in December 1988.

Mosaic, named for Moses, the original “outdoor Jew,” began after Mr. Millmond realized that modern Jews had lost touch with Judaism’s close connection to the outdoors and the environment. He was disturbed by the fact that so many of today’s Jews prefer dining out and shopping to hiking, camping, canoeing, and getting “in touch” with the natural environment that surrounds us. The few Jews who were involved in these activities tended to associate with the vast numbers of Gentiles who were normally actively involved, often leading to intermarriage. Steve’s vision to bring together Jews with a common interest in the outdoors, while also introducing outdoor activities to Jews who were not already involved, became a reality. Still today, when one mentions “Jewish Outdoor Club,” some say, “Isn’t that an oxymoron?” Not anymore. Mosaic Outdoor Club rapidly became a widely recognized name in the Jewish community in the United States, Canada, and abroad.

After creating the first Mosaic club, Steve helped form similar clubs in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Word of the concept spread quickly, and within a few years, Mosaic clubs formed in New York City, Connecticut, Atlanta, and Orlando, mostly by word of mouth.

Despite its humble beginnings, Mosaic clubs across the country began to recognize a “higher purpose.” Drawn by exciting, creative outdoor programming, these Jewish people realized it could do more than provide fun. Mosaic members started meeting through Mosaic and getting married, at a time when “Jewish continuity” was becoming increasingly important to American Jews. Clubs began organizing trail cleanups and other environmental efforts. Many clubs introduced environmental education, Judaic tradition, and leadership training into their activities. Mosaic quickly became a vast grassroots organization with many valuable contributions to society and the Jewish community.

Chapter Two: A New Member Takes the Reins

By 1993, the idea of an annual “Mosaic National Event,” to be hosted by a different Mosaic club and in a different part of the country each year, became a tradition. The first Mosaic National Event was held in Dillon, Colorado, on July Fourth weekend 1991, and the second was in Fairlee, Vermont (hosted by the Massachusetts club) on Labor Day weekend 1992. The Third Annual Mosaic National Event was held at Camp Barney Medintz in the North Georgia Mountains and was hosted by the Georgia Mosaic club in 1993; 83 people attended from across the country.

Rick Dronsky, of Miami, Florida, heard about the event and thought it would be an interesting way to spend Labor Day Weekend: hiking, biking, white water rafting, horseback riding, and rock climbing by day, while at night being part of Shabbat and Havdallah services, Israeli dancing, and group campfire programs, all with other Jews from across the country. Rick enjoyed the experience so much that he returned to Miami, where, under his leadership and guidance, he helped found and organize Mosaic Outdoor Club of South Florida, which became one of the largest and most active Mosaic clubs in the country. To get started, he sought guidance and advice from other club founders, since no national organization existed to assist.

Immediately, the South Florida club, with Rick Dronsky at the helm, volunteered to host the 1994 National Event on Columbus Day Weekend in, of all places, Hendersonville, North Carolina. This event became the largest National Event to date, with approximately 180 attendees, and held that record for about five years. In 1995, with no Mosaic club willing to take on the responsibility of the National Event, Rick organized a “National Event Committee,” made up of members from various clubs, to host the 1995 National Event at Camp Tel Yehudah in the Pocono Mountains near Barryville, New York.

Chapter Three: A National Mosaic Web Page and a National Organization

At the 1995 National Event, Myron Katz, Founder of the Louisiana Mosaic club, introduced the concept of a national Mosaic web page and a listserv to link all the Mosaic clubs together. At the same time, Rick Dronsky announced the creation of a National Organization of Mosaic, to be known as Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America (MOCA). The Articles of Incorporation named three Board members until an election could be held: Robin Levine, President; Steve Millmond, Vice President; and Rick Dronsky, Secretary. While Rick coordinated leaders nationwide to participate in this newly founded “National Organization,” this new web page allowed Mosaic clubs to link together and access each other’s web pages, email addresses, and leaders’ names and telephone numbers.

Once again, in 1996, with no Mosaic club stepping forward to host the National Event, Rick Dronsky, upon a suggestion by Steve Millmond, arranged to organize a joint event with Shomrei Adamah (Keepers of the Earth) on Labor Day Weekend, this time at Camp Sprout Lake in the Catskill Mountains, near Verbank, New York. It became clear that one of the new national organization’s primary roles would be to host or co-host the Annual National Event. In May 1996, Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America, the National Organization of Mosaic, was incorporated. The original Board of Directors, appointed by MOCA Founder Rick Dronsky, consisted of President Robin Levine; Vice President/Publicity Steve Millmond; and Executive Vice President Rick Dronsky. Later that year, the new national organization trademarked the name “Mosaic Outdoor Club.” Mosaic also registered the Internet domain name “mosaics.org” and established a national toll-free hotline at 1-888-MOSAICS. In the fall of 1996, Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America received national publicity in an eight-page color article about Mosaic in the B’nai B’rith Jewish Monthly Magazine entitled “Granola, Gusto, and God; For Outdoorsy Jews, Community is a Walk in the Park.” In April 1997, Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America was granted charitable status under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3).

Chapter Four: Enter Dr. Gabe Goldman, Jewish Environmental Educator

Dr. Gabe Goldman, a Jewish environmental educator, Program Director for Shomrei Adamah, and Director of the Teva Learning Center, organized much of the programming for the 1996 National Event. Gabe Goldman trained under Ray Rietze, a Master Maine Guide, who is Native American and whom he calls “Grandfather.” Gabe brought to Mosaic a unique blend of Native American philosophies and techniques, combined with Jewish spirituality and prayer. Dr. Goldman and Rick Dronsky immediately became friends, and each saw the enormous value and potential in what the other was attempting to accomplish. Gabe agreed to sit on the Community Advisory Board of Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America.

In the spring of 1997, a small group of Mosaic leaders attended an intensive retreat for Jewish outdoor leaders, led by Gabe Goldman. This strengthened Gabe’s bond with Mosaic. In the fall of 1997, Dr. Goldman was again retained to organize his unique programming for the Seventh Annual Mosaic National Event, held at Capital Camps on the Maryland/Pennsylvania border and co-hosted by the Maryland club and the National Organization. In February 1998, Gabe Goldman, along with Joe Browder, Father of Big Cypress National Preserve, came to Florida for a National Wilderness Leadership Retreat in Big Cypress.

Chapter Five: Affiliation with the National Organization

Until mid-1998, there was no means by which a local Mosaic club could officially “affiliate” with Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America. In June 1998, largely as a result of the combined efforts of Joel Judd, Steve Cohn, and Benjamin Felzer of the Colorado Mosaic club, Mark Schweber of the New York Mosaic club, Nancy Kaplan of the Massachusetts Mosaic club, and Rick Dronsky, a revision of the national by-laws was adopted which allowed for affiliation of the local clubs with the National Organization. By August 1998, twelve Mosaic clubs had affiliated, representing 1,500 members nationwide. As affiliates, these clubs became eligible for insurance coverage under the master policy of Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America, and obtained coverage previously unobtainable.

Chapter Six: A Nationally Elected Board

On September 5, 1998, delegates elected a new Board of Directors for Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America. Delegates from all but two of the twelve affiliated Mosaic clubs voted at the election, which was held at the Eighth Annual National Event in Estes Park, Colorado, and co-hosted by the Colorado Mosaic club and the National Organization. The newly elected Board included President Dr. Gabe Goldman, Executive Vice President Rick Dronsky, Secretary Joel Judd, and Treasurer Mark Schweber. The National Organization announced that the 1999 National Event would be held again in Georgia, co-hosted by the Georgia Mosaic club and the National Organization. Through the National Organization’s efforts, new Mosaic clubs were popping up all over the country.

Chapter Seven: Mosaic Enters Television Production

In late 1998, Mosaic Outdoor Club of South Florida, in conjunction with Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America and WLRN Public Television, produced a twelve-part television series for the Miami-Dade Community Access Cable Channel entitled “Florida Outdoor Adventures.” In addition to gaining exposure for Mosaic, this series introduced viewers to the outdoor and environmental activities and programs available within a short drive from home.

Chapter Eight: Mosaic Seeks Funding from Charitable Foundations

In 1998, since Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America had broad-based support, along with some 1,500 members nationwide, and a democratically elected Board of Directors, it began to seek funding from charitable foundations to further its efforts to publicize and promote Mosaic nationwide, to offer wilderness training and environmental education to its members and leaders, and to enhance Jewish awareness and connection amongst its members.

In 1999, Mosaic received its first two grants: $1,000 from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and $500 from Publix Supermarkets. With Mosaic still largely unable to pay salaries, Rick Dronsky continued as Executive Director on a small stipend.

Chapter Nine: Expansion of the National Board and the “Murray Dronsky Memorial Award”

During Labor Day Weekend 1999, at the National Event at Camp Barney Medintz in Georgia, the Board of Directors voted to expand the Board from four to nine positions. The expanded Board included the following individuals: President Dr. Gabe Goldman (Philadelphia); Executive Vice President Rick Dronsky (South Florida); and Treasurer Mark Schweber (Greater New York) remained, while Joel Judd’s term expired and Secretary Elisa Berger (Central Florida) filled it. New additional Board positions, which allow for the Board Member to define their own duties, included: Environmental, Ben Felzer (Colorado); Publicity, Jon Lyons (Tallahassee); National Event Coordinator, Marsha Zellner (Connecticut); Leadership, Gary Schwartz (Massachusetts); and Internet Operations, Barry Laves (Houston).

In June 1999, the “Murray Dronsky Memorial Award” was established and funded through donations “In Loving Memory of Murray Dronsky, Mosaic Member and Father of Rick Dronsky, Founder of Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America, who passed away Sunday, April 12, 1998. From all of us who’ve had the pleasure of spending time with him. We will all remember his spirit of adventure, great sense of humor, and zest for life.” At this national event, the first “Murray Dronsky Memorial Award,” presented as a plaque, was given to Mosaic Founder Steve Harris Millmond. In his absence, Gabe Goldman accepted it on his behalf.

Chapter Ten: National Events, Elections, and Leadership Training

In February 2000, Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America hosted its second “Leadership Training Retreat” in Everglades National Park, with over 55 people attending from across the United States and Canada.

By then, the organization had established that it would hold elections for Board Members at each national event to fill any positions created when terms ended. So, in 2000, at the National Event in Bridgeton, Maine, co-hosted by the Greater New York and Massachusetts Mosaic clubs along with the national organization, Matthew Shuchman (South Florida) replaced Ben Felzer. Matthew brought his business acumen and religious background, giving Mosaic the benefit of his expertise. Neil Leve (Maryland/DC/Virginia) replaced Mark Schweber as Treasurer. The sites of the next two national events were announced: the 2001 event was held in Morgantown, West Virginia, co-hosted by the NE Ohio Mosaic club and the national organization, and the 2002 event was scheduled for Toronto, Canada, co-hosted by Mosaic Outdoor Club of Southern Ontario and the national organization.

Chapter Eleven: National Jewish Outreach Program and National Jewish Ski Week

As part of its “National Jewish Outreach Program,” Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America hosted two “National Jewish Ski Weeks” at Club Med, Copper Mountain, Colorado, during the winter of 2000/2001. Over 140 Jewish skiers participated and were introduced to various outdoor and Jewish programming. The event was promoted in cooperation with Young Leadership Councils of various Jewish Federations across the country, as well as many other Jewish organizations. Plans included an annual “National Jewish Ski Week” as well as a canoe/camping trip on the Colorado River in April 2002.

Chapter Twelve: Future Administrations and Growing Pains

At the 2001 National Event, Mosaic Outdoor Clubs said goodbye to its Past President, Gabe Goldman, and ushered in a new era by electing a new President, Matthew Shuchman. Matthew claimed credit as a published author and Jewish philanthropist, and had worked as an economist with the Federal Reserve. Shortly thereafter, Rick resigned as Executive Director of Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America, leaving Matthew Shuchman at the helm.

Carol Dunitz of Michigan succeeded Shuchman as President but resigned after only a few months because of personal issues.

Upon her resignation, Vice President Gary Schwartz of Massachusetts moved into the position of President, where he served for over a year before resigning.

Chapter Thirteen: A New Era of Leadership

Following Gary’s resignation, long-term Mosaic member Elisa Towbis of Boca Raton became the sixth President of Mosaic Outdoor Clubs of America. During her first year, Elisa worked hard to heal the scars her predecessors left behind. Under her leadership, MOCA moved forward in a professional, businesslike, and cordial manner, attending to the business at hand and facilitating growth and communication within the world’s largest network of Jewish outdoor clubs.