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

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.

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.”

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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This article was originally published by The Jerusalem Post by author Howard Blas. Read the full article.

Originally published on ejewishphilanphohy.com – 12.12.2024

The temperature in Chicago may have been well below freezing, but summer was on the minds of the hundreds of Jewish professionals who came to the Windy City this week for a first-of-its-kind Jewish camp summit hosted by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s JCamp 180 and the Foundation for Jewish Camp, writes eJewishPhilanthropy Managing Editor Judah Ari Gross.

The summit — really two conferences crammed together — offered discussions, panels and networking opportunities for both sides of the Jewish camp industry, from the practitioners to the funders who support them. Bringing together the two events, which are normally held at different times of the year, apparently maximized the number of attendees, with record high numbers for each.

This all comes as Jewish sumer camps have seen significant growth, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers — driven perhaps by the precipitous drop in Israel travel this past summer, as well as “The Surge” in Jewish engagement post-Oct. 7.

For the camp directors, board members and other staff, the summit provided an opportunity to discuss the nitty-gritty details of running a Jewish summer camp, from better cooperation with a board and more effective fundraising to responding to the practical effects of climate change and how to use artificial intelligence and data collection, as well as more far-reaching topics like how to cultivate leadership and deepen Israel education. 

For philanthropists, bringing hundreds of Jewish camp professionals under one roof allowed them to more easily understand the field and find ways to support it. (Read more about this below.)

For the other stakeholders, it was an opportunity to consider the role of Jewish summer camps in the context of the North American Jewish community and the Jewish people more generally. On Tuesday, for instance, Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee; Eric Fingerhut, CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America; and Rabbi Elka Abrahamson, president of the Wexner Foundation, discussed the role of Jewish summer camps in developing Jewish leadership.

Julie Platt, JFNA board chair and immediate past board chair of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, held an onstage discussion with her son, actor and podcast host, Jonah Platt, about the role that Jewish camp has played in their lives.

JCamp 180 and Foundation for Jewish Camp partner for Jewish Camp Summit, leading to record attendance

Originally published on ejewishphilanphohy.com – 12.12.2024

For the first time, the two organizations held their normally separate gatherings together, as Jewish camps take on outsized significance with growing attendance.

More than 900 Jewish camp professionals joined together on Monday to say Shehecheyanu.

The prayer, signifying special occasions, marked a historical partnership between the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) and Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s JCamp 180 as the organizations partnered for a joint, four-day gathering, the Jewish Camp Summit, which ended on Wednesday.

In previous years, JCamp 180 held its annual conference in the fall, while FJC held a biannual conference in late winter or early spring. This year, to both save expenses and make it easier for attendees, many of whom journey to both, the organizations opted to hold a joint gathering with a common theme: scaling new heights.

The conferences still have separate identities. The JCamp 180 Summit, which focuses on fundraising, board engagement and strategic planning, ran first, from Sunday to Monday. It was followed immediately by FJC’s Leaders Assembly, emphasizing professional development, the Jewish/Israel experience at camps and growth. But there is plenty of overlap, with presenters from JCamp 180 presenting at Leaders Assembly and vice versa.

The joint summit led to both conferences clocking record attendance, with over 500 attending the JCamp 180 Summit and over 950 attending the Leaders Assembly (some 400 attendees overlap).

“I’ve been trying to push for this for the last 10 years,” Jeremy Fingerman, CEO of FJC told eJewishPhilanthropy. “Making it easier for the field.”

A larger summit also means more exposure for attendees to philanthropists, Andrea Wasserman, the founder and president of ABW Partners, who presented at the JCamp 180 Summit and whose firm leads the strategic planning process for FJC, told eJP.

These philanthropists are hungry to invest in initiatives that allow Jews to “wear their Judaism proudly” and “move the needle on ensuring a vibrant, vital, cohesive Jewish community,” she said, especially spanning Israel and the Diaspora.  

The future of the partnership between JCamp 180 and FJC is currently being fleshed out, Sarah Eisinger, JCamp 180’s director, said. “We’re just getting started… We will be back in Massachusetts on our own next year. And I don’t know what will happen in two years,” she said. 

The summit is held after a year of rising camp attendance, surging past the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Last summer, nearly 190,000 attended an American day or overnight camp. There’s also been an increase in camp counselors, Fingerman said. “After being on the front line of the fight on campus, [counselors] decided they wanted to be in a positive, safe, Jewish bubble.”

While welcome, this increase of staff and attendees is straining camps, with FJC estimating that a quarter of camps are at or near full capacity. As demand jumps, “the long-term prospects and the challenges that are affecting the field are really the same, they just get more and more complex,” Eisinger told eJP.

Topics discussed at the summit included emergency preparedness, working with boards, building endowments, discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at camp, cultivating an inclusive experience and how camps can use artificial intelligence. There were also sessions allowing attendees to sing favorite camp songs, create arts and crafts, and participate in a massive game of “Who Knows One,” led by Micah Hart, the host of the “Campfires and Color Wars”podcast.

Camp is one of the last tech-free places for kids, yet there is plenty of potential for AI, Fingerman said, whether it be for parent communication or organizing photos. AI can also help campers stay bonded over the year, which he said is vital, because camp is not just a summer connection, it can build lifelong relationships.

One of the themes of this past summer was the relationships cultivated between American campers and Israelis. On a typical summer, 1,500 Israeli teens visit American camps, but this year saw an additional 1,500 coming from displaced communities. Twenty representatives from Israeli summer camps attended this year’s summit to discuss North American Jews having a reverse exchange, with American teens staying at Israeli camps in future years. 

“There was a lot of anxiety going into [last] summer,” Eisinger said. “How we’re we going to get all these divergent populations together after this terrible year? And it was just much better than anyone had anticipated.”

This success led to FJC announcing a $1.475 million Teaching Israel at Camp grant on Wednesday, allowing 60 camps to hire an Israeli educator to create additional Israel programming. The grant is funded by Crown Family Philanthropies, UJA-Federation of New York, One8 Foundation, the Einstein Astrof Foundation and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation.

Camp is the perfect safe place for attendees to hold tough conversations about Israel, Fingerman said. “You’re away from family. You have the ability to have one on one conversations or group conversations in a way that maybe you can’t do in other venues,” he said.

With increased attendance comes increased needs, including for updated infrastructure, whether it be for more bunks, a larger infirmary or to adapt to a changing climate. At the Leaders Assembly on Tuesday, FJC announced a $15 million grant, funded by Ruth and David Gottesman’s family foundation, to help over 300 camps expand their capacity and modernize their facilities.

Now is the time to invest in camps, Eisinger said. “I want to look back on this moment, this period since Oct. 7, in 50 or 100 years, and say it was a watershed moment for the camps. The camps welcomed Israelis. There was an incredible cross-cultural connection this summer at the camps, and it was a hugely healing experience for the Israelis [and] also the Americans, these young people who had experienced terrible antisemitism at their college campuses.”

Now, more than ever, camp is needed, Lee Trempeck, the CEO of Tamarack Camps, told eJP. It was a message laced throughout the summit, which was especially resonant because it brought together so many across lay leadership and professional staff.  

“Just being together allows people the opportunity to share the emotion that we’re all feeling from the weight of the world,” he said. 

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Read the entire article, “JCamp 180 and Foundation for Jewish Camp partner for Jewish Camp Summit, leading to record attendance”, on ejewishphilanthropy.com.

Funding will support capital expansion projects for Jewish camps

CHICAGO — At its 10th biennial Leaders Assembly in Chicago featuring a record of nearly 950 attendees, Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) announced $15 million in new funding for its network of over 300 day and overnight camps from The Gottesman Fund to support capital expansion projects and field growth.

“For decades, Jewish camps have helped young people explore their Jewish identity, learn about Israel, develop their character, and make lifelong friends,” said Jeremy J. Fingerman, CEO of Foundation for Jewish Camp. “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. We’re incredibly grateful to The Gottesman Fund for their generosity.”

Enrollment this past summer exceeded pre-pandemic highs, with nearly 190,000 young people attending a day or overnight camp across North America. While serving as a testament to the field’s recovery, high enrollment is stretching camps’ current infrastructure. FJC estimates that 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 additional support will be essential in helping them carry out these plans.  

“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,” said Diane Eidman, Director at The Gottesman Fund. “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.” 

With the generous support of The Gottesman Fund, FJC will be able to offer $15 million in 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 where day and overnight camps have expressed their most pressing needs: approximately $5 million for staff and family housing to increase staff retention, approximately $7 million for program spaces to modernize infrastructure and bolster climate resilience, and approximately $3 million for camper bunks and home bases to increase capacity. 

“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,” said Jamie Simon, FJC’s Chief Program and Strategy Officer. “We’re excited to share this opportunity from The Gottesman Fund for new staff housing, program spaces, and camper bunks with such a large group of diverse leaders at this year’s Leaders Assembly.”

About Foundation for Jewish Camp 

FJC advocates for over 300 day and overnight camps that provide nearly 190,000 campers and counselors each summer with a meaningful, personal, and lifelong connection to Judaism. FJC is the only public 501(c)(3) charitable organization solely focused on Jewish camp. jewishcamp.org

About The Gottesman Fund 

Founded in 1965, The Gottesman Fund is managed by members of the Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman family and is dedicated to enhancing and perpetuating Jewish life in the United States, providing significant support to domestic medical, educational, and cultural institutions, and supporting projects in Israel which improve the quality of life for its visitors and residents.

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Media Contact: Alex Goldstein, 90 West
agoldstein@ninetywest.com