Mental Health Graduate Student Fellowship
ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP
As part of Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Yedid Nefesh mental health initiative, the Mental Health Graduate Student Fellowship supports building a pipeline of mental health professionals working at Jewish camp to expand qualified mental health support by embedding it into camp teams. Develop your skills and passions in your professional and academic interest areas, all through the lens of Jewish camp!
This program is intended for current students who will have completed at least one full year in a master’s degree program by the time of starting the program, as well as recent graduates who will have completed their graduate degree within the past year. Fellowship applicants should already have a connection and tentative position with a camp in FJC’s network.
“Participating in the mental health graduate student fellowship gave me such an amazing peer support network throughout my first summer as a camper care specialist at JCamp. It allowed me to learn more about how other camps approach mental health and wellness and broadened my perception on MESSH at camp in general. It inspired me to continue to stay connected to JCamp after I graduated from my social work program, which has allowed me to come back to camp this summer as a mental health graduate student fellowship supervisor.”
— Liora Bernstein
View Past Fellowship Alumni
Summer 2022
Madeline Starkenburg, Camp Alonim
Kerry Honan, Camp Ramah in the Rockies
Rachel Semple, Camp Tawonga
Leia Withee, Camp Wise
Joshua Levy, Camp Wise
Greg Feitel, J Camps – Camp Achva – JCCNV
Liora Bernstein, JCamp – Los Angeles, CA
Lucie Waldman, URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy
Summer 2023
Ari Meller, Island Quest Day Camp
Elissa Bamberger, Ramah in the Rockies
Emma Feldhake, Camp Zeke
Gabe Segar, Camp Havaya
Hannah Stoller, Capital Camps
Leila Clavijo, Camp Settoga
Nina Deer, Camp Interlaken JCC
Olivia Perez, Camp JCA Shalom
Robin Fern, URJ Camp Kalsman
Summer 2024
Adira Levine, Camp Moshava Wild Rose
Alex Reisser, URJ 6 Points Creative Arts Academy
Alison Metzinger, JCamp – Los Angeles, CA
Benny (Binyamin) Klein, Camp Nesher (New Jersey Y Camp)
Daniel Warshawsky, Camp Ramah in Wisconsin
Halle Michel, Camp Ramah in the Rockies
Isabel Namath, URJ Camp Harlam
Jessica Pink, Camp Massad Montreal
Laura Cruz, Camp Kehilla – East Hills, NY
Marnie Hackman, Capital Camps
Max Richardson, Eden Village Camp
Morgan Morris, Beber Camp
Nicole Schorr, Camp Kehilla – East Hills, NY
Nathan Yaeger, URJ Camp Coleman
Rachel Goetz, Camp Wise
Shelby Martindale, Camp Shalom
Stephanie Silberman, Island Quest Day Camp
Victor Montejo, Camp Zeke
PROGRAM GOALS
This fellowship aims to:
- Build a pipeline of mental health professionals to work at Jewish Camps.
- Support Jewish camps in recruiting and retaining staff with specialized skills.
- Create additional staff capacity for supporting mental health in camp, proactively and to address crises.
- Provide learning and networking opportunities to Jewish camp staff at the intersection of mental health and Jewish camp.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Please download this PDF flyer for more information or to share this opportunity with your community.
PROGRAM DATES
April 23rd, 1-2pm ET: Zoom Session
May 7th, 1-2pm ET: Zoom Session for Fellows with their supervisor/camp leadership
May 14th, 1-2pm ET: Zoom Session
May 28th, 2:30-3:30pm ET: Zoom Session
June – August: Fellows have a weekly one-hour weekday cohort gathering via Zoom (offered twice weekly, fellows opt-in to one based on their schedule)
June – August: Camp supervisor participates in one 30-minute check-in with program faculty
August: Fellows’ cohort closing, one-hour via Zoom
HOW TO APPLY
Applications are Now Closed for 2025. Please email Jill@jewishcamp.org to express interest in future cohorts of the program.