By Ariel Stein

I have always loved social media and blogs as a place of inspiration. Around the time my older daughter was born, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed, looking for Jewish parenting and lifestyle ideas and I realized that I was hardly following any Jewish mom accounts on social media. Then I realized that there really weren’t many Jewish moms on social media putting out that kind of content and it inspired me to start sharing my own Jewish motherhood journey. It began with posts about my daily life with kids, Shabbat, and Jewish holiday celebrations. Now it’s been almost 5 years since I started my blog, and it has evolved into an amazing place where I have connected with thousands of people. It has been so nice to have this online space where we can share each other’s homes and family traditions to get inspiration and a sense of community, especially during the last year and a half.

Shortly after the pandemic began, my older daughter’s preschool closed and my husband began working from home. I found myself taking care of a 1-year-old and homeschooling a 3-year-old full-time from our modest 2-bedroom Brooklyn apartment, while my husband worked remotely out of our bedroom. This time forced me to get more creative with practicing Judaism at home. Without the regular programming of our local synagogues or typical family gatherings, I realized it was up to me to make the Jewish holidays and Shabbat feel meaningful for my family. Despite the fact that we had a virtual seder over Zoom for Passover 2020, I made sure to cook special recipes and teach my daughters about the holiday through fun crafts and activities. The same was true for the high holidays and Hanukkah later that year. For the first time in my adult life, the responsibility of making the Jewish holidays “happen” for my kids fell on me and not my parents or the greater community.

I was inspired to share my experiences of raising kids with a strong love for Jewish traditions more on social media and I got an overwhelming amount of positive feedback. And thus, Jewish Family Magic was born! It is an online platform that supports parents with resources to bring Judaism to life in their homes and a community where parents raising Jewish children can come connect and collaborate.

My experiences growing up in Young Judaea have influenced me as a person and in the way that I parent. I was a camper and staff member at Sprout Lake and Tel Yehudah for 7 years and was an active member of my local YJ club and region throughout high school. My time serving on my club, regional, and national Young Judaea mazkirut taught me invaluable leadership skills that I still use today. My experiences on Machon and Year Course also played a huge role in fostering my love of Israel. I majored in Judaic Studies as an undergraduate at The George Washington University, staffed a YJ Israel summer program in college and went on to earn my MA in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Later on, I served as the Director of Israel Programs at Northeastern University Hillel in Boston, MA for three years and got to work with hundreds of students to help strengthen their Jewish identities and their connection to Israel.

To this day, I still use the pillars I learned in Young Judaea to guide me in life –  Jewish identity, Israel, pluralism, leadership and social action. One of Judaism’s principal beliefs is that all humans are created “B’tzelem Elohim” – in the image of God, and therefore of inherent dignity and value. Every person on this earth – regardless of race, gender, religion, orientation, age, or anything else – contains Godliness within them. Now more than ever, I am thinking about what actions I can take to uphold the value of B’tzelem Elohim and being an example and teacher to my daughters. I’m committed to practicing empathy, compassion, and set a personal example for my children everyday. The Jewish value of “Tikun Olam” is the idea that the world is broken and it’s up to each of us to repair it. Our world is hurting and my prayer is that we all continue to do our part to heal it together.

“You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” -Pirkei Avot 2:21

The pillar of social justice is always at the top of my mind and heart. At times, I have felt overwhelmed with the amount of work I still need to do personally and how far we still have to go as a global community. But I’m reminded from my upbringing in Young Judaea that big, systemic change doesn’t happen overnight and we can all make small changes in our own lives everyday.

Today as a mother, online content creator and Jewish activist, I often think about my time in YJ in the work I do. I am incredibly grateful for the lessons I learned and skills I developed in YJ, which still impact me today. I hope to raise my daughters with a love of Israel, Jewish values, and to be proud of their Jewish identities and to inspire other Jewish millennials to do the same.

Named one of the New York Jewish Week’s 36 Under 36 Jewish change makers in 2021, Ariel Stein is the founder of Jewish Family Magic, an online platform designed to make Jewish living fun and accessible for the whole family. Ariel is the founder of the motherhood blog ‘Ariel Loves,’ where she shares Jewish living inspiration. Ariel is a former Camp Sprout Lake (2001-2003) and Tel Yehudah (2002-2004) camper and attended Machon (2005) and Year Course (2006-2007). She served on the Tel Yehudah Board of Directors from 2012-2016. Keep up with Ariel on instagram @Ariel.Loves, @JewishFamilyMagic, and visit JewishFamilyMagic.com.

Written by Nicole Perez, Camp Judaea and Camp Tel Yehudah Alum 87-98

I always knew that Camp Judaea was a magical place, but after what transpired this summer, I am convinced that someone spread magical pixie dust all over the campground. This is the only way I can explain how a rustic campground in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains holds so much meaning and touches so many people across the continent year after year, and one generation after another.

At Camp Judaea, it doesn’t matter if doesn’t matter if you are coming to camp for the first or second session, or if you are from Puerto Rico or Atlanta, because the moment you receive two new Camp Judaea laundry bags, you are officially part of the CJ family. From then on, the Adon Olam will be sung while playing imaginary musical instruments, you will find yourself making up silly bagel songs, and before you know it, you are already starting the countdown for the following summer to do it all over again.

This year, after months of uncertainty, Summer 2021 arrived and the gates of 48 Camp Judaea Lane opened to parents and campers full of anticipation, excitement, and smiling faces. Unfortunately, a few weeks in, sadness, heartache, and unimaginable loss flooded the gates with the collapse of Champlain Towers South. Campers of all ages, staff, and alumni were faced with a mix of emotions. Coming together was the only next logical step, because truth be told, that is what Young Judaea had taught us. Wasn’t that the meaning of Tikkun Olam? It was our turn to try to heal, and it was our own community that needed mending.

In typical Young Judaea manner, we did not waste any time and got to work. Private messages were exchanged to check on the families and friends that were personally affected by the tragedy. Messages were sent to the families offering clothing, food, and even temporary homes, anything that they needed to get back on their feet. CJ families were posting on social media messages of hope, strength, and support. Old camp pictures were posted to remind us of all the good times we had shared. Campers left camp for just one day so that they could be a shoulder to cry on for their CJ friends who were victims of the collapse.

This tragic accident has also personally brought me a mix of emotions, especially in the case of the children who lost their father in the Surfside tragedy. In the very near future, my two children will be losing their father to ALS. Every summer I see the pictures of my two beautiful kids either dancing Rikkud, screaming with excitement during Bikkurim, or playing sports, all with huge smiles on their faces surrounded by their camp friends. How will those pictures change once they lose their father? Will I see them dance again? Will they lose their beautiful smiles? Will they want to be embraced? How resilient will they really be? But after witnessing CJ’s involvement in the Surfside tragedy, I think I can take a step back, take a deep breath, and thank my lucky stars that my family belongs to the Young Judaea movement. It gave me a sense of gratitude.

This summer while in CJ, three long-time Judaeans decided to return to camp after losing loved ones to this horrific tragedy. They could have chosen to be anywhere in the world, a vast array of places to choose from to try make sense of this nightmare, but they decided camp was where they wanted to be. It was so comforting to know they had a place where they could go to be surrounded with so much love, a place their loved ones probably would have wanted them to be.

Their decision to go back to CJ also served a much higher purpose for my family and for that I will forever be grateful because it taught us one of life’s most valuable lessons, and one day, maybe not now, they will be able to fully understand what I am talking about. The three that returned to camp did not know my children prior to this summer, even though as life would have it, I went to camp with their parents. But it was destiny for them to meet, to spend time together, and to learn from one another.

In one specific situation one of them walked right next to my daughter with a big smile on their face. My daughter noticed it immediately and it made such an impact on her that she wrote to me about it. She wrote that she was so amazed that a person who had just been through such loss would have such a huge smile on their face and look so happy all because they were back at “home.”

While reading this from my daughter, I could not stop the tears from pouring out. First, I was in awe that of all the smiles she had seen in her lifetime this one had resonated with her.  I also felt a sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. These three teens had just suffered an incomprehensible loss and they chose to be at camp with their friends, a place where they felt at peace and surrounded with such an immense amount of love from their CJ community. In the end, what happened was that we all learned one of life’s most valuable lessons and that is: whatever you think you can’t handle, you actually can, and that we have more strength than we give ourselves credit for.

I think I finally got the answers to my prayers. Yes, my children will be resilient; yes, the smiles will return; yes, they will have many shoulders to lean on when they will need it; and no, my kids will not go through life’s challenges alone. Their camp family goes beyond their eda (age group), it will be any person that at one point or another was part of the Young Judaea movement. They will be surrounded by love because that is what we do as a CJ family. And every year, from June to August, my kids will be at 48 Camp Judaea Lane, scurrying on those awesome white rocks, and wearing a big smile on their face, and who knows, maybe someone else might be watching them and need that smile on that day.

Young Judaea thank you for providing us with the most beautiful, supportive family anyone can ever ask for. And more importantly, thank you to the person that decided to spread their magical pixie dust over camp 60 years ago because now we all have a place, we can call home.

By Raffi Schieir

During my time with Young Judaea I participated in summer camps, went on Year Course in Israel and continued as a Peer Leadership Educator with Young Judaea in my early 20s. At Young Judaea we were empowered with skills to truly make a difference in our communities and my life’s mission, to prevent ocean plastic pollution at scale, no doubt stems from these critical experiences.

Research shows, if we continue on our current trajectory, the annual flow of plastic entering the ocean will triple by 2040, to 29 million metric tons. I was convinced there must be a plastic packaging solution that prevented damage to the world’s oceans and ultimately, I have made this my career.

Originally from Canada, I have lived in the UK for the past ten years. I founded Bantam Materials over a decade ago and established the Prevented Ocean Plastic program in December 2019. Our Prevented Ocean Plastic program diverts plastic away from our oceans and supports coastal communities in developing countries by assisting bottle collectors, collection centers and local recyclers based there, by paying for the collection of waste bottles and other plastic.  I am proud to say it is currently the largest ocean plastic prevention program in the world.

My work has taken me all over the world pushing for and structuring initiatives for ethics of Tikkun Olam and I have been lucky enough to meet people from every walk of life. I’ve even met with government ministers and industry leaders about national recycling policies to advise them on what needs to change based on what I have seen first-hand.

The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated to all of us how interconnected we all are. This is something I have given a lot of thought to, particularly in an environmental sense. Waste plastic from the west litters coastlines of developing countries causing pollution and harming the communities who make their livelihoods from the ocean.

95% of plastic packaging loses its material value, equivalent to $80-120 billion annually, after one time use. With programs like Prevented Ocean Plastic in place collection of these waste plastics can help support people living in poverty, by providing a reliable income, while helping clean up the natural environment and protect oceans from plastic pollution.

By Adina Frydman, CEO Young Judaea Global

As I land from my maiden voyage to Israel as the CEO of Young Judaea Global, I feel exhilarated and proud. As 2D turned to 3D, from Zoom to panim el panim, face to face, what felt like the dream of the past 8 months now came into focus as a technicolor reality. I was acutely aware of how lucky I was to be able to make my pilgrimage to Israel while many are not able to do so, given the current restrictions. From that very first cab ride, my Hebrew came flooding back. There I was having a full-on conversation with my driver about the new government, the Delta variant rearing its head in Israel, and the extreme summer heat. I am convinced that cab rides make for the best Ulpan.

Here I share a few highlights:

Once I got through the necessary testing and brief, quarantine with family, I made my way to Kibbutz Keturah. I was immediately taken by the mountains of desert and rows of date palms. I met with haverim, members, of the kibbutz and learned just how intertwined Young Judaea and Kibbutz Keturah are, starting with the first Young Judaea garin, pod, that moved there in 1974, to today when all of our Israel groups integrate a visit to Keturah as part of their experience. But what I found the most inspiring was seeing how this kibbutz, one of only 30 remaining collective kibbutzim in Israel, has adapted over time to thrive. With the enduring spirit of chalutzim, pioneers, the kibbutz is involved in several entrepreneurial and profitable ventures. The core values of pluralism, Judaism, and social activism are infused into their daily living, just as they learned as youth in Young Judaea.

Over the next few days, I met with our Israel team and used the opportunity to thank them for their extraordinary work this past year. There is little respite for this team as they are currently running Amirim, Onward Israel trips, and Gesher, while preparing for the next shichva of Year Course and Israel Pro participants to arrive. From operations to logistics, finance, and programming, this team works together to ensure the excellence of our Israel experiences.

I then had the opportunity to meet several inspirational Young Judaea Haverim who are living in Israel. In addition to spending quality time with several board members, I met with Gil Troy, professor and writer, Alon Tal, member of the Knesset and environmental activist, and Danny Chamovitz, president of Ben Gurion University, each of whom is making a significant contribution to advancing Zionism and social activism today, and who attribute “everything they ever learned” to Young Judaea.

Finally, I joined our Gesher program, generously funded by Root One, for one of their final days in Jerusalem. For some of the teens it is their first time in Israel, for others, the next step in their Young Judaea journey. The group, despite coming out of a challenging year of quarantines and Zoom, emitted a positive energy and youthful enthusiasm that was contagious. These teens are growing up in an increasingly polarized society where the word “Zionist” is often heated and contested. Our team of mechanchim, educators, and madrichim, counselors, are there to hold and guide them through the growing experience of shaping their personal relationship with Israel and what it means to be a Zionist today.

As I boarded the plane to return to the United States, I reflected on my experiences that week, each proving Young Judaea’s unique imprint on Israel. Young Judaea’s history is inextricably linked with that of Israel’s, from a Kibbutz founded by Judaean’s in 1973, to the alumni that have made Israel their home and work tirelessly to achieve what some may call ‘aspirational Zionism’, and to the teens today who are exploring the country through a modern lens. I look forward to many future trips to see how we can further strengthen our alumni and participants’ connection with Israel.

Written by Yael Berezdivin for the Year Course 20-21 Graduation Ceremony

I grew up watching all my cousins go on Year Course. One by one they left for the land of milk and honey, and one by one they returned, speaking of “the best year of their lives,” and how they had learned so much about themselves, about their Jewish identity, and created their own special relationship with Israel. I didn’t really know what that meant at the time, but I anxiously awaited my turn, although it seemed like a lifetime away. Well, one uncle, an aunt, a father, seven cousins, and a sister later, my time finally came: it was time for Young Judaea Year Course 2020-2021 and I was signed up. That thing that seemed like a lifetime away, wasn’t so far anymore… one year, one month, a week, a day, and then BOOM I was put in an eight by ten room with three of my best friends for fourteen days straight, but it didn’t matter, I was in Israel, I was on Year Course. Mission Accomplished.

And what a mission it has been. Nine months packed with crazy adventures, friends, and non-stop laughter. I have been stuck in a sand storm (all because I wanted to pet a kangaroo), touched a sea cucumber (it was gross), had an incredible, seven-hour Passover seder, learned the entire super trouper dance from Mamma Mia, and even found out the Hila is my fourth cousin, crazy right? And that doesn’t even begin to cover it. All of those moments, as incredible and unforgettable as they were, are not what have made this year magical. A jar is not filled only by big rocks. To fill it, and I mean really fill it, you also have to pour in the pebbles, and then the sand, and then even a bit of water. It’s the little things, the inside jokes here and there, the tea times and the sunsets, the cooking and the having nothing to cook with, the late-night dance parties and the neighbors calling the cops on us within five seconds that give Year Course its magic. The little things help fill up the jar all the way to the top so that we can seal it up and take it home. A capsule full of the memories from the best year of our lives.

To feel a sense of belonging is also not this one moment where it all clicks into place, it’s all the moments. However, for me, there are four moments that stick out the most…

There was one time in Jerusalem when I decided to go on a walk before class. At the time I was reading a book set in Israel that followed two families through the creation of the state. They spoke about all the landmarks: the golden dome, the old city, the Jaffa port, kibbutzim, and Tel Aviv. And as I walked, I looked out onto the promenade, and as I breathed in that amazing view, full of all the places they mentioned in the book, only one thought crossed my mind, “Wow, I really live here.”

Months later, while walking the streets of Tel Aviv one night I ran into a man at the bus stop. I heard him speaking Spanish and he looked terribly confused so I approached him and asked if he needed any help. It turns out he had just made Aliyah from Argentina, it was his first day out of quarantine, and he was incredibly lost. So, I told him to download Moovit, explained how to use it, and gave him directions to where he wanted to go. Again, all I could think was, “Wow, I really live here!”

Now, a couple of days ago everyone at Beit Hillel had to run down to the bomb shelter as sirens went off all over Tel Aviv. We huddled together, most of us experiencing this for the first time, anxious and scared. One after another the sirens kept coming on as we heard the loud boom of the iron dome fighting to protect us. While sitting in that shelter, texting my friends to make sure they were ok, sharing my experience to educate others, and watching videos of rockets flying overhead one thought crossed my mind, “Wow, I really live here.” But it wasn’t a sad or resigned remark, it was one full of pride and passion. This year has embedded in me a paramount responsibility to advocate for Israel, and these past few days have only made that fire burn brighter.

And lastly, on Sunday night, I walked with stars beneath my feet and above my head. In the middle of the desert, on the Milky Way path, I let all my time here wash over me and I felt a sense of calm in knowing it is ok to be sad that Year Course is ending, but having a deep knowledge that it would never be over. Our friends are just like the stars: we cannot always see them, but they are always there.

Now think back to your capsule of memory. I’m sure they all look different, each individual experience adding its own personal flair, but before you seal the lid, I want to give you some more things to remember…

Remember that we are a family. Year Course ends, but our friendship never does. Wherever life may take us, through the ups and downs we are sure to encounter, we will always have each other. We have been through quarantines, lockdowns, corona scares, an open country, rockets flying overhead, and an impromptu trip to the desert, and we have done it together, as a family. In your jar, there are a million memories attached to 200 names that make up this amazing program.

About a year ago, each of us sat in front of a computer waiting for our Year Course interview. They asked us what we hoped to gain from the program, and most of us said we wanted to find ourselves, not really knowing what that meant. Well, I found myself in the beautiful beaches of Tel Aviv and the spiritual energy of Jerusalem. I found little pieces of me in every hike, every Siyur. On lazy days and crazy days, hidden behind intense laughter and eye-opening conversations, through new friendships and old ones. Every time I ate way too much Anitas or missed the bus, slept through my alarm, or ran into my friends on the street I learned even more about myself.

I may still not know exactly who I am or what my purpose is in life but I can guarantee that this year has definitely led me closer to finding out.  Plus, some things it has taught me for certain are that wherever I go in the world, I have a friend to call. I know that I am capable of living independently (kind of), of finding my way in a foreign country, that I can throw an amazing party, organize a Maccabiah, and that I love Israel.

But the greatest thing I learned on Year Course is how to turn strangers into family.

We are proud to announce the 2021-2022 National Mazkirut (National Teen Leadership Board)!

These teens were elected at this year’s Virtual National Convention April 22nd-25th, 2021. The National Mazkirut is the principal leadership body of Yehudah Hatzair. They will plan and implement exciting programs throughout the year to engage existing Judaean’s and recruit new ones! We can’t wait to see what this group has in store for Year-Round Programming 21-22!

Hi! I’m Nadav Gilboa, and I’m from Pittsburgh, PA. I spent 7 years at CYJ Midwest and one at Camp Tel Yehudah (thanks, pandemic). This summer I’ll be a CIT at Camp Sprout Lake. Last year I was AVP Logistics Midwest YJ and have been involved in year-round YJ for 10 years! I like pretty much any game I can play with my friends, from Ultimate to soccer to basketball, as well as board games, and just chilling out with some Netflix. I ran for National Mazkirut with the goal of reinvigorating our movement after a hard pandemic, as well as redefining the roles of our most senior teen leadership in year-round planning of our events, and I am really looking forward to seeing many of my fellow young Judeans at upcoming conventions. I am excited to help Young Judaea make this next year the absolute best it can be, and I can’t wait to get started!

Shalom YJ! My name is Natalie Sabrsula and I’m from LaGrangeville, NY. I love playing tennis, making friendship bracelets, and traveling. I’ve been a part of Young Judaea for about 8 years now, attending Camp Sprout Lake, Camp Tel Yehudah, and participating in Year-Round YJ. I was on the Empire Mazkirut for the last 2 years, first as the Ofarim-Tsofim Programmer, and then as the Administrative Vice President (AVP). Now I’m super excited to be the National AVP this coming year where I am hoping to implement a new outreach program to get new teens involved in YJ! I look forward to working with my fellow National Mazkirut members and the regional Mazkiruyot to continue to connect with other Judaeans through our zoom events, and hopefully in-person events soon too! 

Hi! I’m Melanie Rutherford, the 2021-2022 National Bogrim Programmer! I’ve been going to Young Judaea camps since the summer of 2015 and this summer I’ll be going on the Gesher Complete trip. I have met some of my absolute best friends through Young Judaea, and it’s what got me involved in Mazkirut. I’ve been on maz for the last 2 years, first as Empire’s Social Action Programmer and again as Empire’s Bogrim Programmer. In my spare time I love to dance, listen to music, and do art projects. I’m so excited to bring my past experiences to the national stage and continue planning and running YJ events for everyone to enjoy. I hope to see you all back in person!

Hello! I’m Sara Tilem and I am a junior from Brooklyn, New York. I have been involved with Young Judaea since I was 11 years old at my first summer at Sprout Lake. I never knew going to a summer camp would change my life the way it has. In my free time, you can find me shopping, babysitting, hanging out with friends, or going to a concert. I am so excited to be the National Ofarim-Tsofim Programmer and inspire kids to be the future leaders of Young Judaea! 

Howdy y’all I’m Reeve Dolan, I’m from Cleburne, Texas and I’m currently a Senior at The Oakridge school in Arlington Texas. YJ has always been an outlet for me to express myself in the Jewish world. Whether it’s discussing pressing issues in today’s world that has to do with my religion, or just being able to meet other Jewish teens who are just like me from around the world. This movement has transformed me into a more confident and proud Jew and it’s equipped me with the knowledge to better my understanding of the Jewish religion and Israel. This is my first time sitting on a National or regional board within Young Judaea, but that does not make me any less eager to be an outstanding Social action program for the National Mazkirut of 2021-2022. Besides being active within YJ I also like to wrestle and watch football, always rooting on the Packers. I can’t wait for YJ to be back in session and hopefully we can all return in person to attend every and all events this upcoming year!

Shalom! I’m Rayna Schlossberg and I am this coming year’s National Pirsum and I am from Rockland County New York. I have spent eight summers with Young Judaea and couldn’t imagine being a part of a closer and more welcoming community. I love drawing flowers and taking hikes in the woods as well as hanging out with my friends. I am thrilled to aid in the transition from zoom to in-person events this coming year!

Written by Fanny Korman, Tel Yehudah Board Chair

Combined, my husband Roger, our three kids and I have spent at least 44 years at Young Judaea camps, specifically Sprout Lake, CJ and Tel Yehudah. When I was asked to summarize why it is a good idea to send kids and teens to Jewish camp, in particular a Young Judaea camp, I took the instinctive approach – no scientific data, only my emotional and experiential impression. This has been the beacon lighting the way throughout my life and guiding me as I work to make sure that Camp Tel Yehudah remains strong and magical for generations to come! 

Mind you, I consider myself an expert on this subject having been a camper and staff member at Tel Yehudah. It only takes one summer at TY to understand at a very deep level why going to a Young Judaea camp is so crucial to a Jewish child’s life and our combined 44 years YJ camping experience might just make me an expert. To me, the simple answer to the question of why to send your kids to Young Judaea camps would be, “send a kid to Tel Yehudah  camp for a summer and you have a committed member of the Jewish community for life!”. 

That being said, I didn’t want to go on and on about one of my favorite topics without talking to some of my “resident maivens”. After consulting my husband Roger, I went to my personal source of all important information – our children. 

So, with the help of my mavens, here are the Top 10 reasons to send your children, grandchildren and any Jewish child and teen to a Young Judaea camp (in no particular order):

There are, of course, many more reasons why one should send kids and teens to Young Judaea camps, so consider this a starting point for the top 100 reasons! What’s on your list?

Young Judaea summer programs are worth our support. Think of the impact they will have on our children’s lives and the future of Israel and the Jewish community. Forward Together!

Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA), recently announced the 2021 winners of their Leaders of Tomorrow Award for Young Women – Liberty Lebos of Savannah, Ga. and Sabrina Skolnick of Atlanta, Ga.! Each will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel to participate in Young Judaea’s summer Israel program Gesher!

The Leaders of Tomorrow scholarships are awarded following a merit-based competition. They are given to young women who, because of the leadership roles they have taken on as students, have demonstrated their potential to assume even greater leadership roles as adults.

Get to know the 2021 winners:

Liberty Lebos, 17, is finishing her junior year at Savannah Arts Academy in Georgia. She attended Camp Judaea in Hendersonville, N.C., for seven years. An experience as a navigation leader in an Outward Bound program at camp gave Liberty her first true test as a leader as she safely led her group down the mountain to safety after an incident on the trail. Liberty is the Fundraiser Ambassador for the Rape Crisis Center in Savannah and has volunteered with the local special-needs organization “UTime.” In her free time, she locates clothing at thrift stores to combine with her grandmother’s hand-me-downs to create new designs.

“I am so honored to receive the Leaders of Tomorrow award, and that I am able to share my Jewish experience with my peers and other women my age. Especially during such hostile times, I am proud to represent my identity to people who may not know while educating myself on this incredibly complex conflict.” -Liberty Lebos

Sabrina Skolnick, 16, is completing her junior year at Midtown International School in Atlanta and, like Liberty, attended Camp Judaea. Sabrina’s grandparents are Holocaust survivors, and she grew up knowing that her life and the life of her family are miracles. Sabrina competed in the National History Day (NHD) international competition for three years and volunteered with the “Friendship Circle,” an Atlanta organization providing Jewish programming for children with special needs, and the Atlanta chapter of “Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution,” a national outreach program with a mission to end human trafficking. She plans to major in Biomedical Engineering.

“I humbly thank Hadassah for this heartfelt honor. With this incredible experience and with all that I have written, I so look forward to making the most out of my Gesher experience and continuing to be actively involved in Young Judea. I want to be an exemplary model of a young adult woman and continue to feel proud of as a young jewess, to carry the torch “midor l’dor,” and make my parents and the jewish identify proud.” – Sabrina Skolnick

Gesher is an exciting, three and a half week summer Israel trip for rising 11th and 12th graders. The winners will learn about the rich culture and history of Israel, have the opportunity to hone their leadership skills, and give back to local communities.

“We look forward to seeing Liberty Lebos and Sabrina Skolnick continue to grow as young leaders and ultimately become leaders of the next generation of Hadassah members.” – Lynn Davidson, Hadassah National Chair, Young Judaea

Mazel Tov Liberty and Sabrina!

Humans of Young Judaea Spotlight: Dan Elbaum

“Your name is Jacob Kotsis and you are a Greek Jew. You lost your entire family in the Holocaust. Tonight, you are going to sneak into Palestine.”

I was actually a fairly pampered 11-year-old and from a northern suburb of Chicago, but I nodded solemnly and took my little cardboard identity card.

I was at Camp Young Judaea-Midwest. My fellow campers and I were participating in an activity that would make Jewish history come alive. We hid in the mud from our “British” counselors’ patrol, we joined the Haganah, and we ended the day singing Hatikvah and dancing. As we returned to our cabins, we were a lot dirtier, a little smarter, but most importantly, we had had an amazing time.

Today, as the CEO of The Jewish Agency for Israel in North America, I am sometimes asked what inspired me to dedicate my professional life to the cause of building connections between Jews and Israel. Perhaps not surprisingly, there is more than one factor. Yet I do know that it was at Camp Young Judaea where Judaism and Zionism came alive for me for the first time in a way they had not before. Israel was no longer just a country that my parents talked about every night; it was exciting and fun, and I had a personal connection to it.

I often think about my time at CYJ as I work with my colleagues at The Jewish Agency to deepen the bonds that Jews feel to the state of Israel and each other. Through our many programs, including providing Shlichim (Israeli emissaries) who serve as counselors at CYJ and other camps, and immersive experiences, we touch over 1.2 million Jews a year.

The Jewish Agency is on the ground in over 60 countries finding innovative new ways to strengthen the relationships between Israelis and world Jewry, ensuring our shared heritage unites us and that the Jewish story continues. We also facilitate Aliyah, helping any Jew who wishes to move to Israel to do so while simultaneously working to ensure that Jews around the world are safe and secure in their home countries. We make sure there is no need for other Jacob Kotsises to try to sneak into Israel.

The work The Jewish Agency does is meaningful and makes a difference. But CYJ taught me that it must also be fun. I am incredibly grateful to CYJ for teaching me that lesson. And this summer my daughter will go to CYJ for the first time. I can’t wait to hear about her experiences and the lessons she learns there. I know they’ll have a huge impact on her too.

Dan Elbaum is a former CYJ Midwest camper (1986-89). He is currently the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Head of North America and President and CEO of Jewish Agency International Development (JAID).