Foundation for Jewish Camp

More than 950 camp professionals, board members and funders gathered in Chicago for the Foundation for Jewish Camps’ three-day Jewish Camp Summit earlier this month.(photo credit: HOWARD BLAS)

DIASPORA AFFAIRS: Bringing Israeli campers and staff to Jewish summer camps created opportunities for North Americans to have ongoing, meaningful relationships with Israel.

By HOWARD BLASDECEMBER 20, 2024 12:48

You can view the original post at The Jerusalem Post

When more than 950 day and overnight camp professionals, board members, and funders gathered in Chicago for the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s three-day Jewish camp summit earlier this month, it had the feel of a camp reunion, academic conference, and trade show all in one.

There were plenary sessions featuring such Jewish community notables as Julie Beren Platt, chairwoman of the board of trustees of the Jewish Federations of North America and immediate past chairwoman of FJC, in dialogue with one of her famous sons, podcaster Jonah Platt, on the topic of “Scaling Jewish Joy and Identity.” Another plenary included two former congressmen – Ted Deutch (current CEO of the American Jewish Committee) and Eric Fingerhut (CEO of JFNA).

The conference included sessions extolling the benefits of Jewish summer camping and its commitment to and deep connection with Israel and Israelis (over 3,000 Israelis worked at nearly 200 Jewish day and overnight camps this summer), and others addressing a smorgasbord of camp-related topics, including building connections between North American and Israeli staff, year-round camper care, emergency preparedness, inclusion, character development, parents as partners, gender dynamics, and mental health.Top ArticlesRead More

More Diaspora Jews interested in immigrating to Israel post-Oct. 7

Participants at the 10th biennial Leaders Assembly enjoyed a welcome reception on Monday (with a band paying tunes of David Broza and other camp favorites), Tuesday on-site intensives (including sessions on “Engaging the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict at Camp: Exploring Challenges and Opportunities”) and off-site trips, and Wednesday’s “Wear Your Camp Swag” day – though attire for the conference was officially listed as “camp business casual.”

Conference attendees came together for meals, had the option to pray in a variety of styles, and had ample time to schmooze with or friend or walk through the “shuk” to gather pens, bags, candy, stickers, brochures, and other free stuff while learning about climbing equipment, luggage shipping (from Door-Va-Door Tucking), various Israel programs and Camp Medical Services. When vendors were on break, their tables featured such playful campy signs as “Preparing for the talent show – be right back,” “Tie-dyeing my socks – be right back,” and “Roasting marshmallows – be right back.”

There were plenary sessions on topics such as “Scaling Jewish Joy and Identity,” and “Scaling Leadership.'' (credit: HOWARD BLAS)
There were plenary sessions on topics such as “Scaling Jewish Joy and Identity,” and “Scaling Leadership.” (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

FJC advocates for over 300 day and overnight camps which provide nearly 190,000 campers and counselors each summer with a meaningful, personal, and lifelong connection to Judaism. They regularly bring stakeholders in the camping world together to learn of trends, new initiatives, and funding for Jewish camping.

At the conference, Jeremy J. Fingerman, CEO of the organization, founded in 1998, shared data on the importance, success, and growth of Jewish camping.

According to surveys of the 2024 camp season:

• Nine in 10 families reported that camp created an environment that supported their children’s social and emotional health and well-being.

• 85% of camp staff felt that camp connected them to feeling a part of the worldwide Jewish community.

• 94% of parents shared that camp connected their child to the global Jewish community

• 80% of North American overnight camp staff said camp helped them to connect to Israel and Israeli staff.

Fingerman and members of the FJC team reported on camping’s recovery from the recent pandemic, as evidenced by the impressive numbers of campers and staff attending and working at Jewish day and overnight camps in North America this past summer.

They noted that high enrollment is stretching camps’ current infrastructure, and at least a quarter of its camps are operating at or near full capacity. Many have been developing plans to increase their ability to serve more young people – and will surely benefit from a $15 million gift from the Gottesman Fund which Fingerman announced at the conference.

“This new funding will facilitate field growth and enable camps to boost enrollment at a time when so many are seeking positive Jewish experiences and Jewish camp is playing an even more important role,” Fingerman reported.

Diane Eidman, director at the Gottesman Fund, added, “We’re thrilled to partner with Foundation for Jewish Camp to offer funding for capital improvement projects so that camps can enroll more campers, hire more staff, and deliver higher-quality experiences to every member of the community.

“One of our top priorities is enhancing and perpetuating Jewish life in the United States – and it’s hard to think of an experience that’s more formative for young Jews than camp.”

With the generous support of The Gottesman Fund, FJC will be able to offer the funding for capital expansion projects through 2027, with individual grants of up to $750,000 per camp to cover up to 50% of the total project cost. The funding will focus on three areas: $5m. for staff and family housing to increase staff retention, $7m. for program spaces to modernize infrastructure and bolster climate resilience, and $3m. for camper bunks to help increase capacity.

Jamie Simon, FJC’s chief program and strategy officer, offered, “This summer and beyond, we’re committed to ensuring that every camp has the resources they need to provide fun, safe, and meaningful experiences for tens of thousands of young Jews.”

THIS PAST summer, 3,000 Israelis worked at over 200 Jewish camps in North America, and campers from the Gaza border communities and evacuees from northern towns also participated in summer camping.

FJC’s commitment to enhancing personal connections between Diaspora and Israeli Jews was apparent at many conference sessions.

In a session titled “Building Connections Between North American and Israeli Staff,” Or Pode of Kibbutz Zikim and director of youth for the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, said, “The relationship between Israel and the Diaspora works. We are from the same womb and nurtured on the same values. When I was in pain, you were hurting; with antisemitism, we are here for you, building bridges.”

Pode helped bring 200 campers to six different camps as part of Campers2Gether, a new initiative of the Jewish Agency and Mosaic Teens, a division of Mosaic United, in partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Camp. The program sought to bring 1,500 Israeli teenagers who have been displaced or otherwise affected by the war to Jewish camps in North America and across the Jewish world in the summer of 2024.

At Tuesday morning’s “Summer Camp in Israel and Jewish Agency Campers2Gether” breakfast, Carly Weinstock, director of Camp Tamarack in Michigan, shared the artwork created in an art elective by Israeli campers who came to her camp from Gevim and Be’eri.

She noted that the camp social worker found the first week to be particularly challenging, and added that camp was extremely beneficial and therapeutic. “It was interesting to see the transformation in the children from the first week to the last,” she observed, and added that, for the Israelis who lived through October 7, “five days in camp was like five years in therapy.”

Bringing Israeli campers and staff to Jewish summer camps this summer in particular created opportunities for North Americans to have ongoing, meaningful relationships with Israel and Israelis and to more closely connect to the war and to the plight of the hostages.

Hanoch Greenberg, director of the Summer Shlichut Program for North America at the Jewish Agency, and Dan Tatar, director of engagement and strategic partnerships at the iCenter, shared a nuanced presentation on the emissary experience this summer.

While most camps enthusiastically brought emissaries to their camps and carefully and thoughtfully prepared them for the unique summer ahead, Greenberg acknowledged that at least one camp “had a vocal donor opposed to emissaries” and refused to bring emissaries to camp this summer. In contrast, he noted, “Some camps said, ‘now more than ever we need them.’” Greenberg and Tatar noted that this was a summer where the discussion partially moved from the “how” of bringing emissaries to the “why.”

Greenberg reported on the experiences of emissaries this summer as compared to past summers, noting, “Israeli staff were grieving over the ongoing crisis. The continuation of the war put the emissaries in a tough place.” To help them, some camps had Hebrew-speaking social workers on-site, which Greenberg noted was “a tremendous act of support,” along with a Jewish Agency hotline offering help and support for the emissaries.

The FJC audience was somewhat surprised to learn that some emissaries were nervous about coming to camps after following the rise in reports of antisemitism in North America.

“Parents of some of the emissaries – even of those who just returned from fighting in Gaza – were nervous and called me to say they were not letting their children come,” Greenberg shared. “I had never before heard this concern about antisemitism.”

Greenberg and Tatar noted the importance of a pre-camp connection between emissaries and the camps. This relationship begins in February with emissaries training in Israel and often continues beyond the summer as meaningful, caring relationships form between Israelis and North Americans.

Greenberg shared stories of Americans reaching out to emissaries post-camp to ask “Is there anything I can do?” when they heard that sirens went off in their hometowns. He reported on emissaries who returned home feeling that “someone cares about me” and feeling “part of a larger family.”

Greenberg and Tatar encouraged camps to carefully plan for the summer by anticipating potential issues and problems that might emerge around the topic of Israel. “They should consider, if there is a clash, who handles it?” The two said unsurprisingly, “Those camps with plans in place had fewer clashes.” Greenberg noted that camps tended to “fall into three categories: those who plan for the summer; those who say ‘let’s not talk about Israel – it is too controversial’; and those who have no plan.”

Greenberg, who spent 19 summers at Union for Reform Judaism’s Camp Coleman in Georgia, is pleased with this past summer’s emissary program “despite all the challenges.” He added, “We can’t ignore all the great things the emissaries achieved.” He stressed how the emissary experience is “mutually beneficial” and that “each side benefits – both the Israelis and the North Americans.”

FINGERMAN is proud of FJC’s initiatives to promote and teach about Israel, and reported that FJC has already awarded $370,000 in Israel education grants to 72 day and overnight camps. At the conference, Fingerman announced several new opportunities designed to elevate Israel education, programming, and resources at Jewish camp for summer 2025 and beyond.

They include the Teaching Israel at Camp initiative, where FJC will provide grants to 60 camps to fund the salary and programmatic efforts of a dedicated head of Israel education. This represents an extraordinary investment of over $1.5m. in Israel education.

Shalom Bayit will offer workshops and coaching to provide camp leaders with the tools to create communities of trust and mutual understanding.

Elevate Israel, a collaboration with the Spertus Institute, will offer seminars and virtual sessions to camp professionals to deepen their knowledge of Israel and its history.

Jewish Camp Israel Trip Incubator will provide 10 overnight camps that do not currently run an Israel trip with the know-how to create trips that align with their values and goals.

Expanding North American-style Jewish summer camping

Meanwhile, back in Israel, Shawna Goodman is working to expand North American-style Jewish summer camping. She created Summer Camps Israel and brought 17 Israel camp directors who operate a wide variety of programs to experience the FJC conference in Chicago.

Goodman, a chef by training, playfully noted that she is a “bridger and a blender,” and offered that her camps have five key components: They are immersive; they mix populations together for “tikkun” (repair); they have a volunteer component; they feature “joyful Judaism”; and they are device-free.” This summer, they provided camping experience to 14,000 Israelis, including over 1,000 evacuees. She hopes to offer camping to over 18,000 children next summer.

Jewish summer camping is alive, growing, and evolving, as camps provide meaningful Jewish and Israel experiences to children and young adults in both North America and Israel.

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Original article was published on The Jerusalem Post

The Foundation for Jewish Camp CEO , noted, “Camp Ramah Sasson embodies the best of Jewish camp: leaning on community, ritual, and fun as a way to help families create treasured memories and bond.”

As Jewish summer camps wind down for the season, Camp Ramah New England (in Palmer, Massachusetts) is already gearing up for two very special off-season family camping sessions.

The programs, known as Camp Ramah Sasson (“sasson” is Hebrew for “joy”), include the inaugural family weekend for bereaved children. November 1-3, 2024, and the second year of a program for Jewish families facing the challenges of pediatric cancer, taking place April 25-27, 2025. Both programs are free of charge.

According to Riki Wiederhorn, director of year-round programming at Camp Ramah New England and a longtime member of its Camper Care team, the idea for Ramah Sasson “came about when a bunch of us were sitting around one Shabbat at camp, talking.”

She credits Rabbi Ed Gelb, the camp’s CEO, with the idea. “It was always Rabbi Gelb’s pipe dream to have a camp for kids with cancer.”

Wiederhorn is proud of the camp’s mission to serve a wide range of campers and needs. “‘Ramah for All’ is one of our mottoes – we take it seriously.” She concedes that “we are not there yet, but we continue to strive.” The camp plans to seek out populations it has not yet accessed, welcome them to the community, and expand the populations to be served.

ACTIVITIES OFFERED at the camp include drumming circles, tai chi, singing, art projects, and “space to just take a walk.” (credit: Courtesy Camp Ramah Sasson)

When the first Ramah Sasson program, which ran April 12-14, 2024, was announced, the camp was unsure how many families would attend. “People are in flux and can’t always come,” notes Wiederhorn, pointing out that medical and personal situations often change abruptly.

Finding such families was also difficult. “Our biggest challenge was reaching families and recruiting them to come,” Wiederhorn reports. Reaching out to children’s hospitals treating children with cancer and nurturing relationships with the treatment teams proved effective.

In addition to the family member with cancer, their parent(s) and sibling(s) were also invited to participate. Twelve families registered, and eight families attended. They were joined by a large group of volunteer staff, including mental health professionals, clergy, college students, and veteran camp staff members. While there was no specialized infirmary at camp, the families were comfortable knowing there is a children’s hospital reasonably close camp – and that they are able to reach their doctors if necessary.

David Rhodes of Newton, Massachusetts, attended the weekend with his wife, Jeni, and children Nadav (11), Anya (nine) and Seyla (six).

He was impressed with the way Ramah created a safe space for families in similar situations, facilitated discussions, and provided high-quality programming. He appreciated Ramah “bringing people together to connect during a difficult time” and describes the experience as “something unique.” He was impressed with the thoughtfulness and careful planning, which at times “had all of us around a campfire singing, and other times had adults only in a circle, sharing.”

Rhodes describes the range of activities offered, including drumming circles, tai chi, singing, art projects, and “space to just take a walk.” The weekend offered “a really great mix of adult conversation time, which was well-facilitated and had icebreakers and a chance to ‘go deep,’” he says.

CAMP RAMAH SASSON is offering a family weekend for bereaved children, November 1-3, 2024, and the second year of a program for families facing pediatric cancer, taking place April 25-27, 2025. (credit: Courtesy Ramah Sasson)

Anya, who received her cancer diagnosis at age seven, has attended Camp Simcha, a camp for children with cancer, and is now two years post-treatment. She knew another girl who had cancer from her home community who attended the weekend with her family.

Rhodes is pleased that all of his children “really enjoyed it” and are “excited to go back.”

Rhodes and his wife report that they learned about Ramah Sasson in multiple ways, including from their synagogue and various friends. They are excited to return as well. “There is a recognition that we have a story that has impacted our family. We may have different lenses, but we are all navigating – and sharing the experience.”

Josh Danoff of Boston attended Ramah Sasson with his wife, Clare Storck, and daughters Matilda “Tilly” (five) and Josephine (10). He grew up proud of his Judaism and says of Sasson, “It was nice to have this place where Judaism, which is a big part of my life, intersected with pediatric cancer – and that was really cool.”

Danoff speaks openly, movingly, and passionately of his family’s experience with Tilly’s cancer course. He shares about the sense of community among the families of children with cancer, families from diverse backgrounds, that the Danoffs encountered as Tilly was undergoing treatment at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Danoff, owner of Union Square Donuts, enjoyed brining donuts to share with the other families on Wednesdays, which were treatment days.

He notes, “The common denominator is that you are there because something has gone awry.” Danoff felt that same sense of “shared experience” at Ramah Sasson. “We all know what it is like.”

A particularly meaningful program at Ramah Sasson

Danoff describes a particularly meaningful program at Ramah Sasson. “There was an activity where each adult brought in an object/picture that could help tell everyone something about themselves and/or their journey with pediatric cancer. I held up my phone and said ‘music.’ I explained how I had an ever growing playlist of songs that we’d listen to in the car on the way to appointments, treatment, etc. and how we are able to track so much of this journey through music – how it feels like music has both informed the medical journey we are on, as well as the journey informing the music.”

Cecily Marbach of Riverdale, New York, attended with her oncologist husband, Eli, and three of their five daughters, including Evy (10), who was diagnosed with cancer at age 7. The family learned of the weekend from friends in Boston who encouraged them to come. “We thought maybe we would help other people since we had been through it. And we know it affects the whole family.”

Marbach was unsure what to expect. She was a bit surprised – and pleased – when the children were separated from their parents early in the weekend to enjoy their own peer experience. She enjoyed seeing all of the children interacting. “We didn’t know whose kids were whose – they were all playing, and happy hanging out.”

Marbach overheard a moving comment from a girl who said to another girl, “I didn’t even know you had cancer!” “That was phenomenal!”

Marbach adds, “The camp rabbis and social workers anticipated everything! We had a diverse, safe space to speak without kids around – it was so moving and powerful. As parents, we are always trying to do for our kids. I didn’t know how powerful and comforting it would be to be with and hear from others about what they had been through.”

She also appreciated that her oncologist husband, “whose whole life is cancer,” had an opportunity to share and hear from other parents of children with cancer.

Marbach enjoyed the programs and activities as much as the conversations. “The icebreakers they chose were perfect and thoughtfully done. It was so warm and nice. We had lovely evening events, including art for parents. They worked to make it nice.”

Wiederhorn observed many touching moments over the course of the weekend. “One woman shared that, three years out, it was the first time she had seen her spouse cry.”

She is pleased with how the first Ramah Sasson program went and that it reached a wide range of Jewish families. “People came from all walks of life. It added a lot to the program.”

RAMAH SASSON will again be offered to families facing the challenges of pediatric cancer (April 25-27, 2025), and will be expanded to the area of bereavement. The November 1-3, 2024, Ramah Sasson is for families where a child is grieving for a parent who has died.

Jeremy Fingerman, CEO of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, is pleased with Ramah’s programs and with Jewish camps continuing to meet the needs of families.

He notes, “Camp Ramah Sasson embodies the best of Jewish camp: leaning on community, ritual, and fun as a way to help families create treasured memories and bond.

“From Camp Sasson and Camp Simcha’s work with families and campers facing illness to Camp Yofi’s work with children on the autism spectrum, there’s a Jewish camp for every person of every background.

“At Foundation for Jewish Camp, we’re committed to reducing barriers to entry and raising awareness so that more families and campers can access the transformative experience of camp. FJC’s JFAM, Jewish Family Camp initiative engages young families, our Yashar initiative has invested over $12 million to increase accessibility for campers and staff with disabilities, and our One Happy Camper incentive grants help reduce costs for first-time campers.”

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The original article is published at JPost.com

What can Israeli educators learn from a visit to the memorial for the victims of 9/11?

Since October 7, Israelis have been grappling with the question of what commemorations and memorials would be most appropriate to mark this painful period in Israeli and Jewish history.

Twenty-three educational consultants from Israeli schools working with Schechter Institute’s TALI program recently spent a week in New York City, where they turned to Ground Zero and its 9/11 Memorial for inspiration and guidance.

Through this visit, meetings, and programs with Jewish leaders, institutions, and members of the Jewish community, they also deepened their knowledge of and relationship with the American Jewish community. The delegation returned to Israel on Tuesday with new ideas and insights.

The insights the delegation came back with 

The diverse participants work in youth villages (boarding schools) throughout Israel’s periphery, striving to empower teens and build their leadership skills. The consultants are part of TALI, the Hebrew acronym for “Enhanced Jewish Studies,” Israel’s largest pluralistic in-school Jewish studies program, which provides educational programs and resources to 65,000 children in diverse communities throughout Israel.

The consultants began planning their trip to New York before October 7. At the time, the visit was intended to be the culmination of six months of study, during which they explored issues of Jewish and Israeli identity. Through readings and discussions of Zionist literature, Israeli culture, and a visit to a major world Diaspora community, the participants would be better equipped to serve their students.

THE TWIN Towers burn (credit: Brad Rickerby/File/Reuters)

Then, after October 7, the trip’s viability was uncertain.

“The trip itself is a little bit of a miracle,” reported Dr. Peri Sinclair, the Susan and Scott Shay TALI director-general of the Schechter Institute. “We started planning the trip before Sukkot, and it was a big question mark!”

In a conversation just hours after arriving in New York, Sinclair noted that she hoped the trip would “expose participants to the vitality and creativity” of the Diaspora Jewish community, help them see “common ties,” and “see what inspiration they could bring home.”

Sinclair described the trip as “a bit of a reverse solidarity mission.” She observed, “The international hug Israel has felt after 10/7 has been very powerful. Everyone realized we need to put more into our relationships worldwide.”

Sinclair hoped the group – many of whom were in the United States for the first time – would experience firsthand the pluralism TALI holds as a core value, and that they would come back to Israel “with action steps.”

The visit to Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial would be an important part of the process of considering the role of memorials and monuments in Israel post-10/7. Sinclair pointed out that “lots of Israelis see 10/7 as Israel’s 9/11. They realize how horrendous 9/11 was, and want to bridge from their experience to ours.”

Sinclair, an Israeli who earned her doctorate in the US and has previously visited Ground Zero, was hopeful about the impact and meaning of the group’s visit. Yet she acknowledged, “I don’t know what to expect. Going after our 10/7 will be different. It is not just paying respects. It is part of our processing what happened to us.”

Rivka Greenfield, TALI’s director of pedagogy research and development, hoped the group would “see how Americans dealt with 9/11 and how they educate children.”

She noted that “for the past six months, we have been feeling it in our flesh, and we want to go [to New York] because [what we are experiencing] is part of an international war.”

The visit to Ground Zero, on a busy day for the delegation, as it took place between visits to the Lower East Side and the UJA-Federation of New York, began with a ceremony organized by two group members. Each participant received both a yellow ribbon pin, which in Israel has become a symbol of identification with those held in captivity, and a white 9/11 Memorial bracelet.

Together, the group members engaged in a text study and discussed the roles memorials and monuments play in the US and in Israel.

Sinclair later recounted powerful discussions the group had engaged in. Some of the group members were struggling with “not wanting their children [who live near the Gaza border area] to have to drive daily to school through a monument.” Others noted the need “to make space and fill a void with positive actions, by not being victims, and yet remember that there is evil in the world.”

THE VISIT to Ground Zero and the US had a strong impact on the participants, who are still processing the experience and figuring out what to incorporate into their teaching back home.Dotan Levi, head of education at Derech Kfar near Atlit, movingly described his journey from Israel to Ground Zero.

“We left family and friends in a bloody Israeli reality and set out to discover our people and, to a large extent, to meet ourselves with questions of identity, belonging, and meaning.

“When we arrived at Ground Zero, the intensity of the memory of the terrible deaths came to life. Wearing yellow pins to remember that 186 days have passed and the hostages are still in Gaza, and a white bracelet bearing the memory of those who perished in the Twin Towers disaster, we wondered about the relationship between the Jewish people and the world and what is the right thing to do: to continue to increase the light and to concentrate the Jewish and world effort, or is it right to fight the darkness and remember that there is evil in the world and we need to fight it?

“Antisemitism and terrorism are not a danger to the Jewish people; they are a danger to hope, a danger to the world. Anyone who strives for good should stand on the side of good, on the side of Israel.”

Morit Agmor-Avraham, head of professional development for Derech Kfar, reflected on her visit with many people and institutions in the New York Jewish community. “American Jewry provides us with a hall of mirrors for ourselves, for who we are as individuals, as family members, and as a nation,” she noted.

The impressive and thoughtful group was well received by Jewish educators in New York, who were impressed and moved by their visit.

Dr. David Bryfman, CEO of The Jewish Education Project, noted their curiosity. “What an absolute privilege to be able to interact with a cross section of some of the very best of Israeli society. These educators are so committed to their profession and education that they really offer hope for a brighter future in a post-October 7 world.”

On Friday, April 12, just before Shabbat, the delegation met with Rabbi Avi Orlow, vice president of innovation and education at the Foundation for Jewish Camp.

Instead of a well-deserved restful Shabbat, group members prepared for a range of Shabbat programs and experiences, before a final day of touring on Sunday and departure from New York on Monday night.

What will the delegation bring back to Israel? “I don’t think they know yet,” Sinclair noted honestly. “Most are still processing.”

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The original article is published at JNS.org

Julie Finkelstein of the Foundation for Jewish Camp says “there is lots of interest on the part of Israelis wanting to come, but they are still waiting,” due to the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.

When Jacob Cytryn, executive director of Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, was asked to share a story of the camp’s strong connections to Israel with the hundreds of delegates at the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Leaders Assembly in Atlanta in December 2022, he recounted an emotional night in June 1967, just days after Israel’s stunning victory in the Six-Day War.

“Around midnight, the group of Israeli shlichim (‘emissaries’) descended from their rickety bus in the still, pitch-black Northwoods of Wisconsin after a trip that must have taken nearly 10 hours from the airport in Chicago and over a day since they departed from Israel. Exhausted, they walked into the auditorium, and the lights flicked on, and the entire camp erupted in cheers, song and dance. That June of 1967 changed the Jewish world. Many campers of that generation made aliyah and others felt forever connected to the promise of the modern Jewish state. And, 50 years later, their descendants in this room—in leadership and Jewish identity-building—still grapple with the miracle of Israel’s stunning victory and the thorny, complex and unresolved political and military morass it left in its wake.”

This summer, nearly 60 years after that war in Israel, Jewish summer-camp directors across North America are hoping that Israeli shlichim—an important source of inspiration, Israel education and experience, and labor—will show up this summer. If and when they do, the campers and counselors will be ready for them. After all, they, too, have had a challenging year. All three groups will arrive seeking the solace and sense of community that American Jewish summer camping has offered for generations.

Cytryn and fellow camp directors are hard at work preparing for a summer they hope will have Israelis on staff, as they have for decades.

Still, uncertainties remain due to Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, “Operation Swords of Iron,” which started on Oct. 7—Shabbat and Simchat Torah morning—after the infiltration of Hamas terrorists across the border and into southern Jewish communities, murdering 1,200 men, women and children, and taking some 250 hostages (134 who still remain captive, with 32 confirmed dead).

At a summer camp run by the Union for Reform Judaism. Credit: URJ Camps.

And given the current realities in both Israel and North America, planning for this summer involves much more than recruiting Israelis, planning programs and outings, and purchasing food, basketballs and life jackets. Camps are also investing a great deal of time on staff training, camper and staff care, and security.

According to Julie Finkelstein, senior director of program strategy and innovation at the Foundation for Jewish Camp, “camps are moving full-steam ahead and want to hire Israelis, but they know the new shlichim are still up in the air due to the army/miluim [reservist service] and school. There is lots of interest on the part of Israelis wanting to come, but they are still waiting.”

The camps remain both optimistic and realistic, focusing on staffing since these issues affect operations.

“The camps are discussing how we responsibly tell the story of the past year with or without shlichim,” acknowledges Finkelstein.

The facilities are also bringing in security personnel to make sure that the grounds are as safe and secure as possible, and also working on an initiative with the Jewish Agency for Israel to bring 750 campers from areas near Gaza—along with staff and mental-health professionals—to Jewish camps this summer.

Still, Finkelstein notes, “there is less panic than you may think.”

FJC sees these unusual times as an opportunity. “It’s been a while since we’ve had to focus not on health and safety, but on what we are about—mission, vision and values.” As part of this process, FJC has planned two Israel trips for camp professionals so they can “bear witness and understand what is happening,” as well as show solidarity and help them “better talk about Israel at camp.”

Kids at Camp Ramah in the Rockies. Credit: Camp Ramah in the Rockies.

‘Grow, develop and not worry’

For some camps, talking about Israel will be natural and close to home.

Alan Silverman, who lives in Alon Shvut—a Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria—and has been serving as director of Camp Moshava in Honesdale, Pa., for 38 years, reports that his camp is filled with Israeli staff and kids, including families who live in Israel. This summer, he is also expecting to include two groups of 40 campers displaced from the communities near Gaza, accompanied by Israeli staff members.

They will naturally be able to share firsthand stories of the current realities of Israel; nonetheless, Silverman faces many uncertainties as he plans for June, July and August. “The adults who made aliyah and are not army-eligible, and their young kids who are too young to serve, they will come. For the others, we don’t know,” he says. “I have some excellent staff from the woodworking, education and ropes programs who were all called up for army service. And we started doing interviews—out of 50, 45 were women—most men are in the army now.”

Counselors at Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, N.Y. Credit: Ramah Day Camp in Nyack.

Silverman, who usually expects staff members to honor their commitments to camp, is prepared to be especially flexible this season: “Everybody has family, friends and boyfriends in the army. They may not want to come, or they may need to go back.”

He has a number of mental-health professionals on staff, including many who live and work in Israel, and “understand the Israeli psyche and speak Hebrew.” They include psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers and those who have experience working with the army and with people grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Silverman, who expects to have 1,600 people in camp for the first session—noting in the same breath that he almost never leaves camp during the summer—will also be concentrating on the Jewish state. “I have three boys in the army. If things heat up, I may have to fly back and forth. Luckily, I have wonderful staff.”

For now, he is focused on all things camp-related. He is recruiting staff, reviewing security protocols and shifting educational curricula. While educational programming usually follows a five-year cycle, this year they will move to their “Shevet Achim” curriculum, which incorporates knowledge of Israel and antisemitism.

Silverman and other camp directors have not lost sight of the goals and importance of camp, saying kids need it now more than ever. Still, he said, “we need it to be a safe environment so campers can learn about and practice Judaism, have a great time, grow, develop and not worry.”

Celebrating “Israel Day” at Camp Ramah in California. Credit: Camp Ramah in California.

‘Coming to get away from it all’

Helene Drobenare-Horwitz, executive director of the Young Judea Sprout Camps, agrees and is already planning a week where staff both “own” the current realities and put them aside so they can create a strong, sound environment for their campers.

“There’s never been a year like this,” she attests. “There has never been an Oct. 7 or a year like this in the United States with such an uptick in antisemitism.” While Drobenare-Horwitz is sensitive to and preparing for the needs of her Israeli staff and campers, she points out that “we are preparing to support all staff—not just Israelis. There has been trauma on both sides of the ocean.”

At camp, one full day will be devoted to MESH (Mental, Emotional and Social Health) training. Drobenare-Horwitz  is working closely with trauma specialists to help create a “space for staff to unpack it and actively work on how to move forward.”

She feels strongly about stating that “we, as a Jewish people, have been through trauma.”

Once staff members begin to understand that trauma and work through it, they will be prepared to offer campers the experience they are coming for. After all, “camp is a place for kids. Lots will happen over the summer. We don’t want staff stopping every 10 minutes to check the news. Parents are not sending their kids to camp for that. They are coming to get away from it all.”

Havdalah at a summer camp run by the Union for Reform Judaism. Credit: URJ Camps.

Drobenare-Horwitz shares the expectation that staff be “fully present” at the interview. “I tell them, ‘If you can’t do that, this may not be the camp for you.” In interviewing Israelis to work at camp, she asks more questions than in past years so she has a better understanding of where they have been this year and how they have been impacted by the situation in Israel. “Did they serve? If not, did they volunteer? How was their family affected?” And she is conducting all interviews in person.

She remains keenly aware of the responsibilities that she and her team face this summer—much different than in other years. Namely, she states, the issue is how do we take care of the Jewish people?

“There are lots of different traumas coming to camp this summer—Israeli kids coming to camp, Americans who spent the year in Israel and (American) kids with stories of antisemitism,” she notes.

In the Reform movement, Ruben Arquilevich, vice president for Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) camps, National Federation of Temple Youth (NIFTY) and Immersives is proud that thousands of Israeli participants have cultivated deep friendships, community and sacred Jewish learning at our camps over the decades.

“These connections are year-round and lifelong,” he says.

In preparing for the summer, Arquilevich expects that the numbers of shlichim will be lower than in past years due to army reserve duty but points to “the great interest in Israeli teens joining Jewish camps across North America this summer.”

Celebrating Israel pride at Camp Ramah in the Poconos. Credit: Courtesy of the Foundation for Jewish Camp.

‘Boundaries, guidelines, tools, resources’

He explains that Campers2Gether (C2G)—a new partnership between the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC), the Jewish Agency for Israel and Mosaic United—aims to bring 75 groups of 20 Israeli teens (a total of 1,500) entering grades nine and 10, along with two group leaders and one MESSH support specialist per group, into second-session or post-camp environments for two-week visits to Jewish overnight camps across North America.

This program is designed specifically for teens who have been displaced from the Gaza Envelope in Israel’s south and the border with Lebanon in the north. In addition, the URJ Camps are continuing their longstanding partnership with the Israel Movement for Progressive and Reform Judaism (IMPJ), thanks to a generous anonymous donor, Reform and Progressive communities and congregations across Israel to URJ Camps for four-week camp experiences.

Passing around challah at a summer camp run by the Union for Reform Judaism Credit: URJ Camps.

Arquilevich says that “in preparation for the summer, we are developing culture and skills-building opportunities to create communities of belonging, including safety around diverse perspectives.” He stresses the need to provide a safe, educational environment for discussing Israel “while also setting clear boundaries, guidelines, tools, resources for staff in the camp environment.”

Back at Ramah Wisconsin, 57 years after those Israeli heroes of the Six-Day War arrived at camp, Jacob Cytryn is preparing for his Israeli delegation. Like his colleagues across the Jewish camping world, he acknowledges that he may not know until just before camp starts just how many Israelis will arrive.

Cytryn and his team are also preparing their “curricular response” to recent events in both Israel and North America. “I know cabin-age staff may want a break from the onslaught of the year, but I feel as an educator, we have a mandate to our parents to respond educationally.” While the details have not been fully worked out, he is clear about one thing: “We will adopt the theme of Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bah zeh—“All Jews are responsible for each other!”

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