Alumni Spotlight – Barry Gudelsky

by Alex Rotman on December 13, 2022

We are so proud of Barry and his many accomplishments. He was recently awarded the Bender JCC Maccabi Legacy Award and we wanted to share our pride with the Caribou community. Barry is a longtime Caribou guy, a camper for many years and then a counselor, he’s even earned his own Caribou “ghost rock”. These rocks are commemorative stones, lining the pathway to campfire, with the names of many Caribou alums that have made an impact on our community through their time spent at camp. Barry has been a passionate and dedicated alumnus and we are so excited to have him attending our Alumni Reunion Centennial Event this summer! Please find Barry’s Alumni Spotlight below:

My favorite camp memory:

Being 13 with the best bunkmates and being able to compete in 13 and under sports.

Any Canoe or hiking trip with Billy L. You never knew what was going to happen or what you would see.  A bald eagle on the St. Croix in ’75 (only 50 pair at the time according to Wild Bill).

Beating our rival camp on their home field 7-1, in 16U soccer and our goal keepers were Andy Tietelbaum and Hank Friedman. Honing my soccer skills on the old slanted soccer field and having Jimmy Young teach me how to bend a ball into the net from a corner kick.

Scoring 15 points vs Camp Neyati in the old gym (now the art studio).

What Caribou values or lessons have you brought into your life after camp?

The value and appreciation of TRUE FRIENDSHIP-CARIBOU GAVE ME A VOICE AND CONFIDENCE THROUGH MY ENTIRE LIFE.

Favorite piece of life advice?

“Muckle onto life and do everything, even the challenging things.”

“You don’t know sh!t from Shinola.”

30th Dinner of Champions

Supporting Inclusion at Lessans Camp JCC

BENDER JCC MACCABI LEGACY AWARD

Barry Gudelsky

Barry Gudelsky has had a long career in soccer as a player, coach and volunteer.

Playing varsity soccer for Woodward High School, Barry’s team won a State title his Junior year and advanced to the Regional finals his Senior year. He played Varsity soccer 3 years as a starter at Springfield College.

Barry began volunteer coaching for MSI at age 16. He continued coaching at summer camps for the next 16 years, during which he also coached at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School.

As a founding member of the JCC Maccabi Games, in 1986 he coached the boys’ soccer team, and remained active with the program until 2006. In 1993, Barry served as Assistant Coach for the Junior boys in the World Maccabi Games. In 2006 he coached, co-chaired and played on the open team in the Australian Maccabi Games.

In 2007 Barry was Assistant Coach for the men’s open team that competed in Italy at the European Maccabi Games and volunteered as assistant player/coach for the men’s 45 team that won a bronze medal in the 2019 Pan American Games, and in 2022 as Assistant Coach for the 45 team competing in the World Maccabi Games.

In 2003, Barry played on the first Masters over-35 soccer team for the USA in the Pan American Maccabi Games. In 2005 he helped the team earn a silver medal in the World Maccabi Games.

Barry served on the Bender JCC Board for 10 years and has served on both the MS and Maccabi USA boards. Barry established the Maccabi USA Masters Soccer scholarship fund.

Barry resides with his wife, Seena, in Rockville, MD and is the proud father of daughters Bryce and Ayla and step-sons Joe and Daniel.

Barry GU