Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Top Ten Accomplishments 2022-2025

Remarks by outgoing Board Chair, Jim Heeger.

West Palm Beach, FL – When asked, many of you will quietly tell others that “FJC is the best board I have been on” or say, “this the most fun board ever”.  Well, why is that so? These answers captured the essence –  

• All of us have a love and appreciation for Jewish camp. 

• We each have a deep “why” and deeply understand why camp is important to us. 

• We represent a diverse group of very sharp and committed leaders with a broad range of experience. 

• We get important work done that supports an entire field, rather than a single organization or set of users. 

• And… We genuinely like each other and have fun together.  

While I can only speak to the last 14 years, our Board culture really goes all the way back 25 years to the beginning. We can start by thanking Elisa and Rob for their vision and then recognizing a list of outstanding CEOs including Ramie Arian, Jerry Silverman, Jeremy Fingerman, and now Jamie. Paired with an equally outstanding group of Chairs including Skip Vichness, Peter Weidhorn, and Julie Platt, you see a pattern of consistent strong leadership. It has been my privilege to serve and be a small part of this legacy.  

When thinking about how much FJC has achieved over the last four years under extraordinarily difficult global circumstances while also going through a top-level leadership change, the list of accomplishments is long and outstanding. Tonight, I selected a Top Ten List to celebrate with you…so here’s my 

“FJC’s Top Ten Accomplishments 2022-2025 That Made Me Proud, Grateful and/or Just Plain Happy” 

Number 10 – Record-breaking field convenings. Leaders Assembly 2022 in Atlanta not only set a new attendance record, but the energy was palpable as camp professionals came together for the first time as a group post-COVID restrictions. Topping that success was 2024’s Camp Summit in Chicago with the first opportunity for the field to publicly convene as part of a combined FJC and JCamp180 event. 

Number 9 – The pivot on Israel post October 7, 2023. Post-10/7 Jeremy quickly pivoted the organization to focus on four areas to meet the challenge: mental health for camp professionals, Israel education, security at camps, and respite opportunities for Israeli kids to come to North American camps. Jeremy quickly raised another $2.5M to support these special efforts. 

Number 8 – Celebrating Jeremy’s service as CEO. After 15 dedicated years, Jeremy stepped away and we got to celebrate the legacy of our longest-serving CEO. Over his tenure, Jeremy raised over $250 million for the camping world, opened 20 new specialty camps, and brought the system through an existential crisis during COVID. 

Number 7 – Achieved all-time record camp attendance post-COVID. Four years after the COVID crisis, we broke the all-time attendance record for camps in our FJC system. More than 200,000 campers and seasonal staff attended residential and day camps last summer. 

Number 6 – Broke fundraising records not once, but twice in back-to-back years 2024 and 2025. 2024 marked our largest fundraising year ever at $26 million and then in 2025 we hit $39 million, another 50% higher. In addition, over the last four years we have initiated AND completed our $18 million Elevating Excellence Campaign that delivered on our goal to increase individual giving dramatically. 

Number 5 – A new strategic plan for the first time in 7 years. Jamie initiated the year-long process with ABW Partners that resulted in our new dynamic plan with audacious goals for the field, clear priorities for scaling them, and a new organizational paradigm for getting work done. 

Number 4 – Attracted great new board members and cultivated new board leadership.  Nine of you on this board are new since 2022 and you bring experience and perspectives that will enable the organization to scale dramatically. Our new executive committee, an exciting mix of old and new leaders, is positioned to lead FJC to a new level.  

Number 3 – Participated in four great summer board trips.  We learned on the ground from an outstanding group of camps in Colorado, Washington state, the Berkshires and Texas while bringing the magic of camp to the Jewish communities in Denver, Seattle, Lenox and Austin. Not to mention having so much fun doing it!  

Number 2 – Selected Jeff Solomon to be our next board chair. Nothing is more important for a Board Chair than to line up a successor, and I am super excited that Jeff will be our next leader. He brings energy, enthusiasm, and connections to the role.  He will also be an excellent partner for the management team as they tackle our new strategy. Jeff, I look forward to all you will accomplish and am prepared to help in any way I can.  

And the Number 1 Accomplishment from the last four years That Makes Me Proud, Grateful and/or Just Plain Happy – Selected Jamie Simon to be our new CEO! When leadership changed in 2022, Jeremy recognized the importance of recruiting a seasoned camp leader to be his #2 and he was able to land one of the best in Jamie. In a short period of time, she made a huge impact on FJC, the field, and our strategy. I have been fortunate to be a partner of hers for the last three years, having been infused with her sense of urgency, her optimism, and her deep sense of dedication. I am deeply appreciative that our Search Committee saw her amazing qualities and saw fit to recommend her as our CEO. She has already raised the profile of Jewish camping with our funder community, and I see only more opportunity ahead. Jamie, it has been a privilege to work alongside you. 

Finally, to each and every one of you, thank you for your dedication, participation, and commitment to FJC. Each of you, in your own way, has brought your personal skills, talents, and treasures to our work, and the field is better for it. Thank you for your support of me for the last four years. Here’s to an even bigger and brighter future for Jewish Camp. Let’s make sure every Jewish child has an opportunity to experience it!