Scaling New Heights Together

I’ve just returned from Foundation for Jewish Camp’s (FJC) record-breaking Leaders Assembly 2024 in Chicago, I am proud to share some very exciting news.  But first, a bit of context.

This week’s Torah portion, VaYishlach, tells the story of Yaakov wrestling with an angel until daybreak. Emerging with a new name—Yisrael, “one who wrestles with the divine”—Yaakov reshapes our people’s identity as B’nai Yisrael. From birth, Yaakov was a striver, a climber, but as Yisrael, he wrestled with—and overcame—immense challenges to reach even greater heights.

This week, during the Jewish Camp Summit, over 900 attendees gathered to celebrate significant achievements and to explore ways our field can continue scaling new heights in belonging, leadership, and Jewish joy.  As a community, we’ve wrestled with seemingly insurmountable challenges and yet achieved incredible triumphs – even through the pandemic, climate change, and the events of October 7th. In doing so, we’ve found renewed determination to embrace Jewish joy in a world that often seeks to silence it.

Our camps remain sanctuaries of healing, pride, and belonging – places where Jewish identity is nurtured unapologetically.  In our work at FJC, we prioritize this growth mindset innovating not only to refine what works, but also to imagine bold solutions that transform lives and shape the future of the Jewish people.

For summer 2024, we finally surpassed our pre-pandemic enrollment record, with 190,000 young people participating in over 300 Jewish day and overnight camps across North America!  Even more exciting, our annual camper and staff satisfaction surveys revealed increased levels of engagement, Jewish pride, and connection to Israel—among both campers and staff.

To meet this growing demand, we are thrilled to announce the single largest gift in FJC’s history: a new $15 million gift from The Gottesman Fund for Capacity Expansion Grants!  These grants will help both day and overnight camps modernize their facilities, enhance camper and staff experiences, and expand capacity to ensure that more children can benefit from transformative summers at Jewish camp. Additionally, these projects will prioritize sustainability, addressing climate change and minimizing environmental impact.

The excitement at this announcement was palpable, and our work has never felt more urgent. Now, more than ever, children need the positive, joyous Jewish camp experience that we offer. This new investment will allow us to expand our collective impact and ensure the future of Jewish camp for generations to come.

From FJC’s inception, co-founders Elisa and Rob Bildner instilled within us the value of collaboration and partnership. This week in Chicago, we came together as one – unified, galvanized, and inspired – to continue growing our collective impact and scaling new heights.

Jewish camp is, and always will be, a cornerstone of our community’s future – where identities are forged, leadership is nurtured, and joy is abundant. Together, we’re lighting the path forward for a brighter, more vibrant Jewish future.