Sep 4, 2024

Israeli Teens from Gaza Border Communities Attended US Camps, Thanks to Campers2Gether

This summer, hundreds of Israeli teens from Gaza border communities attended summer camp in the US, thanks to Campers2Gether, a program of Federation overseas partner The Jewish Agency for Israel. Many of the participants, which included 10 groups from the Eshkol region, one of the hardest-hit communities on October 7, are facing severe trauma and anxiety due to the war. Thus, the Israelis were placed in one of 30 Jewish summer camps together with their classmates. Each cohort also included a mental health professional from their region. The Campers2Gether program has two primary goals: to remove teens from the war zone and provide them with a happy summer, and to create a sense of peoplehood between Israeli and Diaspora teens, so both groups know they are not alone. “Spending time with these kids … was gratifying in a way that is almost indescribable,” said Michael Schlank, CEO of New Jersey Y Camps. “I’ll never forget sitting next to a young boy outside an event because the music was too loud. Tears streamed down his face … It’s both happy and sad at the same time.”