By Dani Kohanzadeh [This is the final of a four-part series from the Leadership Commons of The William Davidson School of JTS, in partnership with OneTable, a national nonprofit whose mission is to empower people age 21-39ish who don’t have a consistent Shabbat dinner practice, to build one that feels authentic, sustainable, and valuable. JTS and its alumni who work at OneTable are taking a “deep dive” into what it means to approach Jewish … [Read more...] about Bringing It Home: Thriving Jewish Education as a Social and Familial Experience
summer camp
Why You Don’t Have to Age Out of Camp
By Danya Axelrad-Hausman When a transformational chapter in life - like summer camp - comes to an end, it can feel like a big loss. As campers and staff members, we forge the deepest of friendships, explore our identities and find a sense of true belonging unlike anywhere else. While most of us eventually “age out” of camp, Tawonga alumni don’t see their final summer as an ending, but instead, as a launching pad. On Friday, November 3, … [Read more...] about Why You Don’t Have to Age Out of Camp
Thinking Inclusion: First Steps to Launching a Successful Inclusion Program
By Jennifer Lieb The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) developed its Inclusion program within MJCCA Day Camps, to ensure our stellar camp activities were accessible to all children in the community, regardless of ability. Our Inclusion program allows for children with special needs to participate in our camp programs alongside their typically developing peers. Offering an inclusive camp experience not only takes the desire … [Read more...] about Thinking Inclusion: First Steps to Launching a Successful Inclusion Program
Summer Camp Isn’t a Break from the Real World … It’s Preparation for It
By Rabbi Isaac Saposnik Over the weeks leading up to election day here in the United States, and especially in these last days since the heartbreaking shooting in Pittsburgh, I’ve found myself thinking more-and-more about the increasingly divisive climate in this country. And I’ve been thinking about the role all of us - including those of us on the progressive end of the spectrum - play in creating that climate. I run immersive summer … [Read more...] about Summer Camp Isn’t a Break from the Real World … It’s Preparation for It
From Camp Counselor to Full Time Youth Professional:
What We are Learning About Millennials in the Field
By Michelle Shapiro Abraham and Rabbi Ana Bonnheim
Young Jewish professionals are a growing cohort of just-out-of-college professionals who are eager for Jewish living and learning. Their jobs in the Jewish world are often their first jobs out of school and often in synagogues, where they are charged with being the “pied-pipers” of youth engagement in their communities.
The Union for Reform Judaism has increased our support of these new … [Read more...] about From Camp Counselor to Full Time Youth Professional:
What We are Learning About Millennials in the Field