Source: Jewish Agency Voices
Roman Polonsky, Director of The Jewish Agency for Israel's Russian-Speaking Jewry Unit, noted that the organization is expanding its summer camp activities in Ukraine this year and will be dispatching more Israeli counselors to the camps than in previous years. "It is important that we reach as many children and young people across the country as possible, in order to provide them with a meaningful experience and a break from the goings-on in the country," said Polonsky.
Recently, some 40 senior Jewish educators from across the former Soviet Union—including ten summer camp directors from Ukraine—arrived in Israel to participate in a professional seminar held by The Jewish Agency's Russian-Speaking Jewry Unit ahead of the launch of this year's summer camps. Some 120 young Israeli emissaries who will be serving as counselors at Jewish Agency summer camps—including some 50 bound for camps in Ukraine—have also participated in the seminar.
The brings together summer camp directors from several different organizations in order to discuss topics pertaining to Jewish education and connections to Israel across the former Soviet Union, including the development of innovative programs and educational initiatives, the role of Israel in summer camp programming, partnerships, and so on.
Jewish summer camps in the former Soviet Union are run by The Jewish Agency and other organizations in partnership with local Jewish communities. The camps, which are meant for children and young people between the ages of 7 and 27, are ten days in length and include experiential education activities aimed at strengthening campers' Jewish identities and deepen their connections to Israel. The summer camps will open in June and be held in several rotations until August. In total, some 20 summer camps will take place across the former Soviet Union, and some 6,000 Jewish children and young people are expected to participate.
Read more at Jewish Agency Voices.