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Original Article Published on The JNS

More than 300 day and overnight camps provide nearly 180,000 campers and young staff with a meaningful connection to Judaism each summer.

The Foundation for Jewish Camp’s (FJC) Leaders Assembly three-day conference in Atlanta furnished living proof that Jewish camping is alive and well and evolving to respond to a post-COVID reality.

Last week’s gathering offered 850 camp professionals from across the religious and communal spectrum, from the U.S., Canada, Israel and Europe (including Ukraine) as well as community lay leaders, advocates and funders, opportunities to learn from experts, share best practices, problem solve and offer support. Attendees also visited local institutions and museums, prayed, sang and socialized, and participated in affinity groups and breakout sessions on such topics as camper care, inclusion, business and operations.

The Foundation for Jewish Camp’s conference in Atlanta. Courtesy of the Foundation for Jewish Camp.

Throughout the gathering around the theme “Imagine What’s Possible,” participants had opportunities to visit the Kikar (marketplace), relax in the Restoration Station, enjoy a comedy show rich in camp humor, meet with experts during “office hours” and socialize over dessert and drinks—something not usually permitted on camp grounds.

Foundation for Jewish Camp CEO Jeremy Fingerman kicked off the ninth biennial gathering and introduced such field leaders as Tom Rosenberg, president and CEO of the American Camping Association (ACA).

While Fingerman is proud of the role FJC has played since its inception back in 1998, he is particularly pleased with how the organization has responded to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“FJC’s role as a central resource, convener, accelerator and catalyst has only been enhanced during the pandemic. And, rather than looking back, we challenged the field to come together to Atlanta with courage to dream big for our shared future,” he said.

Many field leaders stressed the ongoing importance of Jewish camping. Rabbi Avi Orlow, FJC’s vice president of program and innovation, noted, “Jewish camp is critical now more than ever. For many it is a home away from home. At Leaders Assembly, we had an amazing camp reunion for 850 people who make Jewish camp happen. After years apart due to the pandemic, coming together was a wonderful homecoming.”

Skip Vichness, chair of the Board of Directors of Hillel International, a former FJC board chair, and a director and investor in the summer camp industry for nearly 50 years, put it succinctly, “There is nothing more important than Jewish camping for giving Jewish kids a strong sense of Jewish identity. The fact that over 800 people are here, emerging from the pandemic, says something about Jewish identity!”

For many, the FJC Leaders Assembly was their first conference and first work travel since March 2020. 

Rosenberg was moved by the number of people committed to Jewish camping. “For the field to gather again after all of these years of challenge—with such momentum—to help all children tethered by challenges—is incredible. I get the chills when I think of it.”

Workshops and discussions addressed such topics as camper and community care, registration security, recruitment and Israel programming. There were sessions titled Fostering Resiliency, Supporting LGBTQ+ Campers, Camper Recruitment, Supervision, Day Camping, Empowering Boards, Lay Leaders and Communities to be Radically Welcoming, Israel at 75, Staff Training, Vocational Programs for People with Disabilities, Disaster Preparation, and Building and Renovating Camp with Your Core Values in Mind.

Accountability consultant Diana Bloom of Tampa presented a workshop for middle managers titled “Leading from the Middle.”

“It is geared to help people bridge the gap between intentions and actions. People often intend to do what they commit to but struggle to deliver,” she said.

Jennifer Phillips, CEO of Keshet in Chicago, presented on “Disabilities Inclusion” and “The Building Blocks of Inclusive Camping.”

“Leaders Assembly brought our Camp Community back together. It was inspiring to see a new generation of leaders committed to inclusion and making sure every camper has success. As we look towards the future of creating a community of belonging in our camp community, I know that we are moving in the right direction. I am excited about seeing where we are headed,” she said.

Lori Zlotoff, REDI (Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) and camper care manager at the Union for Reform Judaism’s Camp Harlam in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, added, “Being at Leaders Assembly was inspiring both professionally and personally. So much of our work as individual camps is done in a silo, so to be with 800 other Jewish camp professionals was galvanizing in more ways than one. One of the biggest inspirations was seeing how many camps the FJC has brought into the Inclusion world—and there were so many workshops around inclusion, mental health, disabilities, LGBTQ+, racial equity and diversity that I had to make some hard decisions about which session to do next.”

The conference featured 17 participants representing the Summer Camps Israel forum.

Shawna Goodman, originally from Montreal, has taken her love for Jewish camping to Israel, where she now lives.

Goodman reported, “Summer Camp Israel was initiated because of the absence of meaningful summer programming for Israeli kids during the chofesh hagadol [the long summer break] in July and August. It is simply not sustainable to export kids to North American camps. Israelis need to find affordable solutions to provide safe and nourishing environments for their youth during the dreaded summer holiday.

“As an olah, one feels the need to be additive and importing, in a highly adaptive form, the North American model of summer camps felt natural. It was what infused me with a love of community and provided me with a connection to Israel and a sense of belonging,” she continued.

“Extracting these elements and nourishing them with Israeli culture on the Land is our response. Working with licensed Israeli amutot [non-profits], we have provided this 10-night model to 15,000 Israeli kids between the ages of 11 and 16 whose Israeli parents entrust us during the school year. We are educating and providing capacity-building grants and scholarships to help them reach their potential in providing a 10-night immersive, content-rich experience,” Goodman said.

Indeed, Israel was very much on the agenda at the Leaders Assembly. On the final day of the conference, camp directors offered reflections on the impact of Israel delegations on camps and campers over the years, including welcoming soldiers to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin in 1967 direct from fighting in the Six-Day War. Others spoke of the importance of sending teenage campers to Israel and shared details of RootOne, the initiative to jump-start and subsidize teen travel to Israel.

The Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Leaders Assembly in Atlanta. Courtesy of the Foundation for Jewish Camp.

On Monday evening, the entire conference visited the Georgia Aquarium to mark “The Field at 75: A Celebration of Past, Present and Future.” Guests learned that a major donor to the $290 aquarium is Bernie Marcus, co-founder of The Home Depot. Marcus and the Marcus Foundation have been long-time supporters of the FJC.

The Yedid Nefesh initiative for mental health was launched in 2019 with a generous investment by the Marcus Foundation. The foundation recently awarded $60 million to RootOne in support of programs that enable American Jewish teenagers to travel to Israel. The evening paid tribute to founders of FJC as well as to camp professionals who stood to be recognized for years of service ranging from one year to over 40 years.

Elisa Spungen Bildner and Rob Bildner, FJC founders and current board co-chairs of the Board of Trustees, looked on with pride at the impressive organization they started.

“Rob and I started the FJC because we saw, more than 25 years ago, how little attention relatively the Jewish community paid to one of its most precious resources—camping—despite the fact that Jewish camping is one of the best ways, and a proven way, to get kids and their families to love and learn about Judaism,” Elisa Spungen Bildner said.

“Needless to say, the fact that 850 people who are invested in camping, from professionals to funders, flocked to Atlanta for the past Leaders Assembly is a testament to and affirmation of the key role Jewish camp plays in attracting young Jews to Judaism and keeping them involved—more than that—keeping them excited by Judaism,” she continued.

“But, let me be clear. Our work is not done, by a long shot. We need to attract even more Jewish kids and teens, from campers to counselors, to experience Jewish camp. And, the product we offer, Jewish camp and Jewish summer experiences, needs to continue to be better than what these same kids, teens and their families could choose among secular offerings,” Elisa Spungen Bildner said.

FJC strives to foster excellence and accelerate innovation at Jewish camps across North America by developing adaptive talent, deepening immersive learning experiences and catalyzing field growth. FJC also works to elevate Jewish camp on the cultural and philanthropic agenda, creating opportunities to engage even more young people in Jewish camp through groundbreaking programs such as One Happy Camper and FJC’s Specialty Camps Incubator. FJC advocates for more than 300 day and overnight camps that provide nearly 180,000 campers and young staff each summer with a meaningful, personal and lifelong connection to Judaism.

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original Article Published On The Jewish Times

Baltimore plays an important role in the American kosher-food landscape and is well-respected throughout the entire kosher world. According to Menachem Lubinsky, president and CEO of LUBICOM Marketing Consulting, publisher of Kosher Today and founder of Kosherfest — the trade show of the kosher-food industry, held this year from Nov. 8-9 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J. “Baltimore is part of the trend of the expansion of independent kosher stores. They were the forerunners of the trend. It is a great concept,” he declared at this year’s trade show.

The first Kosherfest, held in 1989, featured 69 booths and 700 visitors. In 2019, the show had grown to nearly 400 booths and well over 7,000 visitors. This year’s event, which took place last month as trade shows across many industries slowly return to large venues following two years of the coronavirus pandemic, featured 325 exhibitors, more than 6,000 industry professionals and tighter-than-usual security both inside and outside the show, given the current nationwide rise in antisemitism.

Kosher-food industry professionals from across the United States and Canada, and around the world — including buyers, distributors, caterers, restaurant and store owners, summer-camp directors and nursing-home operators, and kosher-certifying agencies, as well as reporters, bloggers and Instagrammers — returned home from the two-day event with fresh tastes of new foods and beverages; knowledge of new equipment and appliances; and new contacts in the industry for potential future collaboration and business deals.

This year’s show felt more relaxed, spread out and a bit smaller compared to past years. The far end of the hall was unoccupied except for clearly marked “Mincha Rooms,” in addition to tables and chairs set up for attendees to catch their breath from hours spent walking the long aisles and to enjoy one more pastry, slice of pizza or soft-shell taco with imitation meat.

It also offered a new networking opportunity with a Happy Hour and selection of kosher cocktails. The New Product Competition, which usually happens prior to the show, took place at the actual show. Apron Masters Kitchen, a family-oriented cooking school located in Woodmere, N.Y., hosted the competition. The 2022 “Best in Show” winner was 7th Heaven Chocolate Snack Bars. California Delight Balsamic Vinegar by DS Tayman Traders, LLC, was voted best in the sauces, marinates and dressings category. (Other awardees can be viewed online at: kosherfest.com.)

Attendees sampled new items, old favorites and updated products including wine, honey, pizza, Korean sauces and hydroponic vegetables. Signs identified food as dairy, meat or pareve, and encouraged people not to shy away from meat, even if it would require the traditional three- to six-hour waiting period before eating dairy.

At the large Kosher’US booth, which looked more like an expanded rectangle, visitors could sample five different meat dishes, including hamburgers. One person who did not want to eat meat early in the day (and render himself unable to eat dairy for the rest of his time at the show) asked if everything was meat. “Yes, we are fleishig. Come back at the end!” A sign at David Elliot Poultry Farm, Inc., which boasted, “Over 75 years of making good chicken better,” offered free samples of chicken soup in a “to go” cup complete with a sippy top. A sign challenged visitors: “Chicken broth so good it’s worth getting
fleishig for.”

Snapshots and products at Kosherfest 2022, which took place on Nov. 8-9, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J. (Photos by Howard Blas)

‘It’s a great opportunity to see people’

While the event felt at times like a family reunion (and a “Big Fat Kosher Wedding”) with people greeting old friends warmly, there were also business meetings and discussions taking place in various locations within the hall — from private VIP lounges for buyers to special tables and chairs near a company’s display booth. Kosher-certifying agencies from Australia, Canada, England and the United States were available for consultation. The Association of Kashrus Organizations held a special conference the day after Kosherfest at the new headquarters of the Orthodox Union at 40 Rector St. in New York City.

Star K director Avrom Pollak, who has both rabbinic ordination and a Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology, comes to the show from Baltimore each year. “Although our roots are in Baltimore and we take care of all of the locals, we are an international organization and need to be here to meet contacts and other certifying agencies,” he said. “It is a great opportunity to see people we wouldn’t see regularly.”

Lubinsky, who still actively walked the trade-show floor at age 73, continues to keep a close watch on the international kosher-food industry and reports on trends annually at his “State of the Kosher Industry” address. He seems to have an encyclopedic knowledge of all things kosher and firsthand intel about many communities in America and worldwide.

He shared additional observations about Baltimore: “Seven Mile Market and Seasons have done an incredible job of presenting kosher to the community.” He noted that large kosher-food markets have the space to showcase products so that customers can choose from many brands within a type of product.

At such stores, customers come for more than the purchasing of needed food items. “They are not only looking to shop. They are looking for an experience,” he stated.

Snapshots and products at Kosherfest 2022, which took place on Nov. 8-9, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J. (Photos by Howard Blas)

Indoor vertical farms and an emphasis on healthy eating

A good number of items on display at this year’s Kosherfest may soon find their way to stores, restaurants and caterers around the country. One restaurant owner enjoyed sampling pareve chocolate from award-winner 7th Heaven Chocolate Snack Bars. He seemed to be imagining the peanut-butter-cream bar and caramelized coconut snack on the tables of his restaurant, eaten by customers after a fleishig meal.

Many products appealed to consumers in search of healthier foods, and foods geared for special dietary needs such as gluten-free and Keto. Two companies — AeroFarms of Newark, N.J., and Bowery Indoor Vertical Firms — grow greens indoors using no soil. AeroFarms’ spokesperson at the festival, Rachel Golian, described the recent “huge interest” in kosher-certified greens. “The Torah says no pigs just one time, but it speaks of not eating bugs four times!”

She added that “we are here to show kosher consumers that you can open and eat these greens without washing; it saves money and time!” AeroFarms’ products, including leafy greens and micro-greens, are available in Whole Foods at Mount Washington in Baltimore.

Bowery Farming, with headquarters in New York City, has plants in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Nottingham, Md., outside of Baltimore. Elayne Dudley, vice president of new business development, and her team (notably pleased that their products are available in 1,400 grocery stores) related that they have partnered with Kayko for distribution, and that their leafy greens, herbs and strawberries grown indoors and without pesticides help address many issues facing the planet, including climate change and lack of arable land.

Snapshots and products at Kosherfest 2022, which took place on Nov. 8-9, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J. (Photos by Howard Blas)

Other healthy goods included date products and nuts from Green Valley in Israel; honey from Pure Southern Honey in Du Pont, Ga.; and HoneyGramz from New York. Amber Kinsey, owner of Pure Southern Honey, was asked at a food show in San Francisco if her honey was kosher. Though not Jewish, the fourth-generation beekeeper researched kosher and became kosher-certified this past spring.

Ruth Harrigan, a beekeeper and owner of HoneyGramz, offered tastes of 100 pure and raw creamed honey infused with organic cacao and pomegranate. As she explained: “There is a new trend in the food industry of people adding flavors to olive oil, vinegar and honey.” Her creamed-chocolate pomegranate honey was the 2022 SOFI new product winner.

MM Mania displayed a handy little product called “Just One Cookie” — individually wrapped keto-friendly chocolate-chip, double-chocolate-chip and cinnamon-chip cookies — along with sugar-free biscotti. PAS Ability gave out samples of low-carb wheat wraps, as well as the somewhat less healthy but tasty heat-and-serve cinnamon buns and Noshkins chocolate mini-doughnuts. Kind Preferred, which offers bakery mixes for such dessert treats as chocolate pound cake and banana pudding, became pareve this year. Owner La Tonya King of Elkhart, Ind., declared: “I bring Southern comfort food to the Jewish world.”

Other items on display catered to diverse and special-interest audiences, including those seeking convenience, super-specialized products or simply good-tasting items. Rambam sparkling wines offers wine in a can (of Italy — two sweet and two dry), which are great for picnics or traveling, as well as for home. Sababa CBD provides four types of edible gummies to help with anxiety and stress.

Misaki Tanida of Fukushima, Japan, from Horaiya Honten Co. LTD displayed amazake, soy sauce koji and miso under the supervision of the London Beit Din.

“Not many Japanese products are certified kosher,” reported Tanida. “It is our first time here in this environment.”

Snapshots and products at Kosherfest 2022, which took place on Nov. 8-9, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J. (Photos by Howard Blas)

Pamela Aflalo, CEO and founder of Nutty Bunny Delicious Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts, and her team offered samples of seven flavors of Nutty Bunny (DE-dairy equipment) treats and iced-tea flavors.

She started her company seven years ago when her daughter, now 18, grappled with allergies and needed to stop eating dairy. “She loved ice-cream, and I promised her we’d find an alternative,” recounted Aflalo.

Israel was represented at the show by many food and beverage items, and by the Government of Israel Economic Mission. Liraz Hayon, director of operations, said Israel has 49 missions that help companies grow in the United States.

Kosher magazines, Instagram and companies selling kosher vacation packages were all on hand. Kosher Karnivore Avigail Loloi, a kosher-food influencer with 60,000 Instagram followers, had a booth, noting “my husband and I love food. It started as a hobby!”

Elan Kornblum, publisher and president at Great Kosher Restaurants magazine, was there promoting a kosher tour to Mexico. He suggested that readers in Maryland follow the Great Kosher Restaurants Mid-Atlantic WhatsApp chats. Although he wasn’t able to offer any recommendations for dining in Baltimore (he said he hadn’t been to Charm City in quite a while), he got quiet for a moment, contemplating the idea before acknowledging: “I need to get back to Baltimore.”

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Original Article Published On the JNS

The Jordan River Village is the only free, year-round, medically safe, overnight camp in the Middle East for kids living with serious medical conditions and disabilities.

The applause from the audience of over 900 at the SeriousFun Children’s Network gala at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center was rivaled only by the smiles of the 22,000 children with serious illnesses and 5,000 families who have taken part in the activities of the Jordan River Village in Israel during the past 10 years.

The Jordan River Village camp in Givat Avni (15 minutes west of Tiberias and 40 minutes east of Haifa) is part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, the global organization of 30 camps and programs founded by the late actor and philanthropist Paul Newman. The Nov. 14 gala, which raised $2.2 million, honored Newman’s widow, Joanne Woodward, and brought together inspiring campers and celebrities such as actors Julia Roberts and Samuel L. Jackson, singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles and violinist Joshua Bell.

Roberts spoke of her personal connection to the camps. “I was a counselor for one summer at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps [founded by Newman in 1988 and part of the SeriousFun Network]. I witnessed some of the strongest and bravest people.”

The biggest stars of the evening were the campers from SeriousFun Children’s Network, including Logan, Taylor, Maddie, Serenity, Drew, Zippy and Sophia. The campers wowed the crowd with a number of musical performances, participated in segments with SeriousFun’s celebrity guests and shared personal stories of the impact of the camps. Drew said, “At camp, I feel safe and respected and loved all the time.”

Taylor’s mother, Natasha, spoke of her daughter’s 40 hospitalizations and transfusions. “Through it all, Taylor has been a trooper. She is strong, resilient and brave in the face of it all. Camp gets it. All of it. They think of everything. There is no need for drone moms. At camp, she found her second home. We are blessed with a village!”

Jackson and his wife, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, noted Woodward’s great impact on the children served by SeriousFun. “On top of her incredible career, we also want to honor her work over the years with the SeriousFun camps. She and Paul always recognized the real stars at the camps are the kids. And that’s the truth.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 14: John Mellencamp performs during the SeriousFun New York City Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall on November 14, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for SeriousFun Children’s Network)

Other performances came from singer/songwriter John Mellencamp; Bell, accompanied by pianist Peter Dugan; and the Martha Graham Dance Company.

Bell shared a moving story of flying with Newman on his personal plane to visit and perform at one of his camps. “I was looking for the place when all of a sudden, Joanne walks out—in jeans with her hair tied back with the warmest smile.” He recounted how she kept in touch with many camps “for a long time.”

The evening also featured personal video messages from Elton John, Meryl Streep and Channing Tatum. The showstopper, however, was the event finale of “Brave,” performed by Bareilles together with the campers.

The Jordan River Village, the only free, year-round, medically safe, overnight camp in the Middle East for kids living with serious medical conditions and disabilities, is one of SeriousFun’s 16 camps and programs serving children living with serious illnesses and their families around the world. Another 14 camps in South America, Africa and Asia make up the network’s 30 camps worldwide. The 60-acre camp in Israel features Jerusalem stone and is bright white; the materials used in the construction of the zipline and climbing structures take local weather conditions into consideration.

Campers at the Jordan River Village camp live with a wide range of serious and chronic illnesses (both visible and invisible) and represent the diversity of Israeli society—participants come from all over Israel, are rich and poor, Jewish and Arab, Hebrew and Arabic speakers, religious and secular. There are participants with 40 different medical conditions, including (but not limited to) spina bifida, arthritis and kidney, metabolic, neurological and skin disorders; some campers are ventilator-dependent. The camp aims to help participants gain confidence and a sense of independence.

The Jordan River Village was initially shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic and was then given permission to reopen in a limited capacity under certain conditions. The village created “JRV on Wheels” to bring the camp program to families.

The camp is in the process of starting a fully medically accessible mechina (post-high school, pre-army informal education) program as well as an accessible glamping option.

Newman and his impact are still very much felt at the camp. He “was part of the building of Jordan River Village, but he never made it here,” noted Gail Androphy, executive director of American Friends of Jordan River Village. Newman died in 2008, four years before the camp opened after raising $30 million from supporters in Israel, the U.S. and worldwide. Today, the village continues to receive support from the Newman’s Own Foundation. Its annual budget of $3.5 million supports a lean staff that is supplemented by thousands of volunteers a year.

Newman, who visited Israel in 1959, is known for his portrayal of Ari Ben Canaan in “Exodus,” the 1960 film based on the historical novel by Leon Uris about the famous Exodus ship and the founding of the State of Israel. The Jordan River Village was inspired by Newman and founded by the late Murray and Marilyn Grant, Chaim Topol, Michael Finkelstein, Sue Ann Friedman and many others. “I’ve heard from [Newman’s] daughter and his friends that he loved Israel,” said Androphy, who added, “He shaped Americans’ perceptions and love of Israel through his portrayal of Ari Ben Canaan in ‘Exodus.’ ”

Newman even had a sense that the camp would one day lead to peace in the Middle East. In 2000, Newman wrote to the Grants, founders of the village, “I share your hope that, in the future, this camp can reach children from throughout the eastern Mediterranean and serve to enhance the efforts toward peace in your region.”

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Original Article Published On The JNS

“The unique thing about Darkaynu is that there is no pomp and circumstance,” said Avi Ganz, director of the Darkaynu program for men in Efrat.

Thanks to Darkaynu, young men and women with disabilities can spend a gap year in Israel. Darkaynu programs in Jerusalem for women and in Efrat for men provide an opportunity to learn, work and grow in Israel in the year or years following high school—much like the experience afforded their nondisabled peers. Twenty-eight students from Jewish communities in the United States, Canada, England and Australia recently arrived in Israel to take part in the program.

The Elaine and Norm Brodsky Darkaynu Program, part of the extensive Ohr Torah Stone network of programs, was founded in 2003. “I started the program because a girl (with disabilities) who had been in a regular mainstream program wondered why she couldn’t go to Israel for a year like her siblings,” recounts Elana Goldscheider, Darkaynu’s director. “How do I tell a person they can’t go? It is a terrible thing. We stopped and said, ‘Wait, you are like everyone else. You can!’”

Spending a year in Israel is very common in the Orthodox world, where the majority of high school graduates spend a year learning in yeshivas and seminaries. While some in the non-Orthodox world opt to spend a post-high school year learning and volunteering in Israel, it is much less common.

According to Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, President and Rosh HaYeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone, “Torah study, personal growth, independence and a relationship to Israel are integral parts of our Jewish human identity, and they must be made accessible to everyone. Ohr Torah Stone is deeply proud to have developed the Darkaynu program, which is preparing young men and women with special needs with the ability to embrace and pursue meaningful futures as active and committed members of the Jewish community.”

Ohr Stone was founded in 1983 and currently consists of 30 educational institutions, social projects, outreach programs and leadership development initiatives for men and women.

Goldscheider offers her students with disabilities an experience similar to her students without disabilities. “I created a word—“sidestreaming” or parallel streaming. The students with disabilities are not with their typical peers for everything, but they are alongside—we have parallel streams.” She offers an example from a recent outing: “We went hiking, but it was a little different. We did what works for us, and that is okay. Our students have to recognize what they can and can’t do—one who walks with two crutches would not enjoy a hike in the same way as another person, but she may enjoy a walking tour instead.”

The students in Goldscheider’s program learn in Jewish studies classes, participate in volunteer jobs in the community and work in ganim (child care centers), where they serve as teaching assistants, data entry, catering, book and clothing stores and the offices of the Orthodox Union. Participants also enjoy tiyulim—short trips around Israel—cooking classes and time with their adopted families.

The students comprise a wide range of cognitive functioning and independence skills. “Some take the bus alone to work, some walk, some take a van and some take the bus with staff,” reports Goldscheider. Of the 16 young women in this year’s Darkaynu cohort, nine have returned for a second year. “In their first year in Israel, they figure it out by February or March—so they want to come back. This is home!” Their learning, jobs and time and distance away from families helps students develop life, interpersonal and independence skills.

Avi Ganz, director of the Darkaynu program for men in Efrat, reports that most of his 12 young men learn in a self-contained environment and work throughout Efrat. “Two work in a pizza store, one in a winery, one on an army base, one in an industrial kitchen, one in a makolet (small grocery store) and one in a bakery,” he says.

Another student, Isaac Anderson, 23, of Rochester, New York, works in Anak Stock, a store that sells housewares, kitchenware and games. “I price items, put them on the shelves, and do price checks,” he says. He is proud of the strides he is making in Hebrew, saying, “I am working on my Hebrew as much as I can and am trying to communicate as much as possible in Hebrew.” Anderson has returned for a third year in Darkaynu. “I didn’t know about it when I graduated high school,” he says. “I was in community college at the time and was doing very well. But I wanted to do something Jewish and expand my Jewish knowledge, to explore the Land of Israel and learn about Israel’s people and culture.”

Anderson reports that he learned of Darkaynu from Marc Fein, a NCSY regional director. “He put out my request on Facebook and friends responded and mentioned Darkaynu,” he recounts. “He contacted Avi Ganz and I enrolled in the Darkaynu program.”

For Anderson, the experience has been mostly positive: “I value the opportunity to make new friends in Darkaynu and in the host yeshiva, Har Etzion—the experience will last a lifetime!” He firmly believes that “Every Jewish adult should have the opportunity to travel to Israel—regardless of challenges or strengths or hurdles—and have the opportunity to experience the land of Israel because it is the Jewish homeland. It is where we walk in history and connect with our heritage.”

Anderson is considering his options for when he completes his third year at Darkaynu. He may return to the States or make aliyah. Ganz reports that some students return to the States to participate in Yeshiva University’s Makor College Program, a three-year non-degree program for young men with intellectual disabilities.

Ganz continues to attend “Israel nights” to spread news about Darkaynu. Like Goldscheider, Ganz does not want any member of the Jewish community to miss out on the experience of learning and living in Israel.

While Darkaynu offers a unique opportunity for young adults with disabilities, Ganz stresses the normalcy of the program: “The unique thing about Darkaynu is that there is no pomp and circumstance.”

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