Foundation for Jewish Camp
The event, hosted by the Foundation for Jewish Camp, will “celebrate and elevate camp’s integral role” in shaping a Jewish future.
“We recognize this summer will be unlike any other, even as many are looking for a sense of normalcy and opportunities to have fun,” says Jeremy Fingerman, CEO of the Foundation for Jewish Camp.
Julie Finkelstein of the Foundation for Jewish Camp says “there is lots of interest on the part of Israelis wanting to come, but they are still waiting,” due to the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.
More than 300 day and overnight camps provide nearly 180,000 campers and young staff with a meaningful connection to Judaism each summer.
At $1,000 per grant, One Happy Camper has meant the allocation of some $100 million in philanthropic funds to Jewish camps.
Many, if not most, summer camps that are part of the Foundation for Jewish Camp network were closed last year due to the pandemic.
“Camp isn’t only a place, it’s a philosophy,” says Carine Warsawski, founder of Trybal Gatherings.
The recipients, selected from more than 90 applicants, represent a diverse range of day and overnight camps, Jewish denominations, regions and camp movements.
Funding will be awarded to an estimated 60 camps in North America in an effort to increase services, capabilities and awareness in addressing the growing mental, emotional and social health needs.
The first of six planned regional centers across North America, it’s a key executional element of the organization’s new strategic plan.
The partnership of Foundation for Jewish Camp and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation provides critical funding for structural improvements and training to promote participation for all.
