A recent campaign has tried to get provincial camping associations in Canada to stop accrediting Jewish summer camps. “These camps are not problematic because they encourage connection to Jewish identity,” the campaign pitch states. “Rather, they pose a problem because they encourage support for a genocidal, settler-colonial State.” How? They employ IDF veterans, honor Yom HaZikaron and feature signage with messages like “I ?? IDF.” 

Seriously, these are their talking points.

It seems that bullying is acceptable to this very small number of ignorant people, which is strange considering that bullying has no place in summer camping.

Enough is enough already — these are words that I personally have been saying for the last 20-plus years. Whatever the attack, we have declared it to be enough already. Why are we not there yet? 

The campaign touts the social and emotional benefits of summer camp, including but not limited to collaboration, growth, self-discovery, emotional intelligence, creative expression, independence and resilience. Summer camps also help foster a greater sense of belonging. Our camps help strengthen Jewish identity, as the campaign suggests, and help campers, staff and their families further connect to the Jewish People. 

But this campaign’s sponsors attempt to define what Jewish identity is for our community. What right do they have to define any other group? Who are they to tell me who I am? Enough! I demand to be treated like all other Canadians. I would never have the gall to tell one of my Greek friends what it means to be Greek. 

My identity includes being part of the Jewish People. We have a shared language (Hebrew), a shared belief system (monotheism/Judaism), a shared history, a shared culture andm yes, even a shared land (Israel). These shared aspects of Jewish nationality date back more than 3,500 years. That is what being Jewish is. We are a family of almost 16 million, less than 0.2% of the worldwide population. As I wrote in this publication in November 2015, “the Jewish People are connected to each other, not limited by any geographical boundaries. When one is in pain, we all feel it. And when one is happy, we all smile.”

So let me just clear up any misconceptions. 

The Jewish identity that we are helping to foster very much includes Israel, the country that has the largest Jewish population in the world. Over the summer, we mourn collectively about the destruction of the Jewish Temple that was in Jerusalem over 2,100 years ago. Our camps use Hebrew words to help strengthen the connection to worldwide Jewry; some of us sing Hebrew and Israeli songs as well. We convey that just like any other nationality that shares language, history, religion and culture, we have the right to self-determination. And just like any other people that is indigenous to a land, we have the right to our own liberation movement in that land. 

We celebrate our connectivity and the collective. We are appreciative of community, even if supposed progressive groups like the sponsoring organizations of this campaign, who have a history of anti-Jewish rhetoric, deny us the same dignity that they would afford other peoples. It is unfortunate, but we have no choice but to let the haters hate.

There has been a lot of talk recently about the notion of investing in Jewish identity-formation rather than investing in the fight against antisemitism. Looking at this Jewish camp situation, the solution seems obvious to me. We still need to focus on allyship and sensitize others to the realities of Jew-hatred. We need to continue standing up to hatred and calling out the prejudice levied against the Jewish People. We also need to know that we are not the only ones responding to these attacks. We do not need allies to validate our feelings or reactions to hate, but for their voices to amplify ours. 

At the same time, we need to foster a greater sense of self. Jewish pride is not something that we need to apologize for; it is something that we should celebrate. Heavy investment in Jewish identity-formation helps foster the resilience that we need. Concentrating on Jewish life, culture, traditions and religious practice, memories, values and independence — the Jewish State of Israel — enables our people to thrive among the brotherhood of nations. It will give more of us the courage to stop apologizing for who we are. 

Permit me to also share some gratitude at this time. I am thankful for Jewish Peoplehood. I am grateful to those who have taught me to love myself, my community, my people and my Israel over the years. Not only do I not apologize for those ties, but I promise to be louder and more energized. Audacious Jewishness is a real thing. Let’s do more of it, bravely and together. 

And if you have a child of camp age, consider sending them to a Jewish summer camp this year.

Jeff Bicher is the president and CEO of the Sylvan Adams Young Men and Young Women’s Hebrew Association, the JCC in Montreal. He is a former CEO of Hillel Montreal, a former director of Camp Massad and a former director of national leadership development for the Canadian federation system.