Jewish Agency, Mosaic United to bring 1,500 Israeli teens to US summer camps

The Jewish Agency for Israel, Mosaic United, the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism announced on Tuesday a joint initiative that will bring over 1,500 Israeli teenagers who have been displaced or otherwise affected by the Israel-Hamas War to Jewish supper camps in North America and across the Jewish world in the summer of 2024.

The initiative, named “Campers2Gether,” responds to today’s stark realities for Jewish youth both in Israel and in Jewish communities across the globe. Teenagers in Israel, particularly youth evacuated from the Gaza Envelope and northern Israel, are dealing with loss and uncertainty. 

While the situation in the Jewish homeland is dire, diaspora Jewry is dealing with antisemitism and disinformation campaigns about the situation in Israel. Campers2Gether allows both sides to grow solidarity amongst one another and remember that the Jewish nation is united as one.

"We have long believed in the transformational power of mifgashim between Israeli and Diaspora teens," shares Alana Ebin, Director of Mosaic Teens.  "Amidst a summer fraught with challenges, Campers2gether offers a unique solution: if teens can't travel to Israel, then Israel will travel to them."

Campers2Gether 2024

Campers2Gether will provide Israeli campers with a respite from the current upheaval in their lives – enabling them to reinforce their resilience, revive their social connections, and regain confidence and self-esteem. Campers will be immersed in Jewish values, culture, and traditions that are hallmarks of the Jewish summer camp setting – helping them connect to their own identities and the larger Jewish community.

“For so many of us in the Jewish community, some of our fondest memories come from summer camp — a thoughtful, safe environment where we were able to practice independence, make new friendships, and learn about ourselves,” said Mark Wilf, Chairman of The Jewish Agency’s Board of Governors. “Campers2Gether now takes the transformative power of the Jewish summer camp setting to the next level at a time of unprecedented need for the Jewish people.”

Campers2Gether begins with pre-camp cohort activities and concludes with post-camp cohort meetings. Supplementing the experience are therapeutic activities and counseling sessions facilitated by professionals. Campers ages 14-16 will be grouped in cohorts of up to 20 and some Israeli participants will be joined by staff members who are from their home communities, providing a sense of comfort and familiarity. 

Camp staff, including camp directors in North America and educational leaders in Israel, are trained in trauma-informed care and familiar with Campers2Gether participants’ backgrounds post-October 7. Renowned trauma expert, Prof. Mooli Lahad, founder of the International Community Stress Prevention Center, is working with Campers2Gether to assess participants’ mental health and provide staff guidance on meeting the teens’ emotional needs. 

“The future of the Jewish people depends on the investment we make in the next generation. Campers2Gether not only provides a reprieve for Israeli teens who experienced tragedy on October 7th and need to heal but also nurtures the bonds that unite us as a people,” Avi Cohen-Scali, Director-General of the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, declared.