While so many of our staff are hard at work with a full slate of summertime activities, I’d like to step away from the details of the day-to-day for just a moment and share two recent and important milestones from a season filled with so much buzz and excitement.

First, at EKC, we wished our 31 Staff-in-Training (SITs) and four colleagues from Camp Interlaken, the Milwaukee JCC’s overnight camp, a safe and meaningful trip as they departed yesterday for three weeks in Eastern Europe, including three days in our Partnership2Gether sister city of Warsaw, Poland. In today’s dynamic and sometimes turbulent world, and especially in the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, it is more crucial than ever for our Jewish teens to connect deeply with their heritage, understand their identity, and build bonds with Jewish communities globally. Since 2006, an endowment created by the trustees of the Philip Chosky Charitable and Educational Foundation and the Jewish Federation’s Israel scholarship fund have partially supported nearly 1,000 of our Staff-in-Training (SITs) who have travelled to Israel as a critical element of their leadership training and a cornerstone of their transition from teen campers to full-fledged members of our EKC summer staff team. However, in March of this year, we made the difficult decision to revise our SITs’ travel plans and intentionally created an entirely new (and powerful) experience that we believed would explore the vastness of their Jewish peoplehood and cultivate a lifelong connection with their Jewish roots. After one full session at camp gaining valuable experience across the multitude of staffing opportunities that await them next year, I could not be more excited for this incredible group of rising 11th graders to set out on their journey and to become the newest ambassadors of Jewish heritage, capable of fostering dialogue and promoting unity in an often-divided world.

And then closer to home, we lifted the curtain on another production of our Performing Arts Camp, Shrek Jr. Under the guidance of our dedicated and talented staff, our campers have not only learned the technical skills needed for the stage – everything from acting, singing and dancing – but they have also discovered the joy of self-expression and the power of collaboration. This camp is more than just a summer activity; it’s a vibrant, transformative experience that fosters creativity, confidence, and camaraderie among our young performers. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of growth we witness in our campers over four short weeks. They step out of their comfort zones, support one another, and work tirelessly to bring a show to life. The sense of accomplishment when they perform for an audience is truly magical, and it is a moment that stays with them long after the final bow. If you haven’t yet seen this year’s production, I hope you can make your way to the JCC for the final show this afternoon (Friday, July 12) at 1pm!

And so, the summer winds along at the JCC, where we build a lifetime of experiences well beyond just swim lessons and cookouts. Camp experiences of all flavors demonstrate our commitment to nurturing the whole child. They embody our values of inquiry, creativity, and personal growth. The energy, enthusiasm, talent, and interest in learning that our campers bring to their summertime pursuits uplift everyone involved and remind us all of what it takes to build a vibrant, supportive community.

Wishing you and your families a Shabbat shalom,
Jason