Today, in this cynical and bitter world, many people do not believe in magic. However, what takes place at Eisner Camp is most assuredly magic. The legacy and lessons of Eisner created a chain of events, leading alumnus Samantha Kaplan Zantopp to her upcoming Aliya on September 12, 2011. As she puts it, “Eisner has put the spark in my heart to love Israel as much as I do. Eisner has played a huge and significant role in who and what I am today.”
Faces of Israel at URJ Camp Coleman
By Amy Beth Oppenheimer, Director of Faces of Israel
I spent the past two days presenting Faces of Israel at URJ Camp Coleman in Cleveland, Georgia and I have never seen a more engaged group. During my visit, I ran meaningful and content-rich sessions for campers going into the 9th, 10th and 12th grades. The sessions focused on the importance of having a Jewish state, and the predicament of religion and state issues in the Jewish homeland.
Special Message from a Special Guest
This summer, Maya Kadosh, Deputy Consul General of Israel (Southwest region) visited URJ Greene Family Camp. She spent several days getting to know the staff, interacting with campers, and speaking with Israelis about their camp experience. Read her thoughts from the visit!
Israel, Up Close and Personal
By Rabbi Richard Jacobs, URJ President-Elect
Shortly after arriving in Israel a few weeks back, I had the privilege of welcoming a few busloads of our NFTY in Israel teens to Jerusalem. They were not mere tourists, but rather young Jews on a sacred journey of discovery and connection, and I asked them, when they returned home, to be ambassadors of understanding for our Jewish State among our congregations and in the broader public.
Hebrew Language, Israeli Culture, and Advocacy at Kutz Camp
By Roey Shiff and Miri Shaaltiel
Intensive Israel Education, happening in the safe and welcoming environment of Kutz, enables participants to develop a unique connection with the Hebrew language and the state of Israel. A connection which is also a way to express their own identities as Jews and as teenagers in today’s world.
“The conditions were harsh and the rules were strict”
By Talia Cuddeback, NFTY in Israel Participant ( Group 8 )
Gadna taught me that even in the military creating peace is one of the most important values. It is said that the army uses such strict rules to break down the individuality of each person in order to have the soldiers work together as a unit. However for me, it was the opposite because of Gadna I was able to individually find my connection to Israel and truly feel the connection to the land that so many are risking their lives for today.
Keeping the connection strong between Eisner Camp and Israel
Google Maps says Great Barrington, Massachusetts is 5,700 miles from Jerusalem. That physical distance may be far, but it can’t stop our NFTY in Israel participants from URJ Eisner Camp (Group 14) from keeping a strong connection alive with their peers back home. Here’s a great dialogue between the camp and their group on the ground in Israel.
Follow us on Twitter
NFTY President, Forrest Yesnes has been invited to the Jewish American Heritage Month reception at the White House! http://t.co/5kRvyUmb2 days ago from Facebook
NFTY President, Forrest Yesnes has been invited to the Jewish American Heritage Month reception at the White House! http://t.co/U6YqzVN72 days ago from Facebook
URJ Chairman Stephen Sacks shares the words of one of EIE's alumni - Elise Oshlag - in his article in this... http://t.co/O5myJmoZ2 days ago from Facebook
Are you following our participants' blogs? They're writing amazing stories about their time in Israel! Check out... http://t.co/9tHgu0p03 days ago from Facebook