metro >> on the cover

These Israeli teens from the Central Galileter

- :-

are excited to head to Tamarack Camps

this summet as part of Federation's Israeli

Camper Program. '

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M ng) er

t

r

,
a magical mix of Israeli an

Federate

W

n's camper prograro P

hen 13-year-old Dor Ben
Yeshai left her home in Israel
in 2009 and came for the sum-
mer to Camp Maas at Tamarack Camps
in Ortonville, she made friends, had an
incredible amount of fun and under-
stood, more than ever, what it meant to be
Jewish.
"It was',' she said then, "the summer of
my life. I felt more Jewish than I have ever
felt"
In 2002, the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit partnered with
Tamarack Camps to bring Israeli teens to
the community to attend camp, allowing
them a few weeks with no worries about
"suspicious objects" or terrorist threats. It
also would give Israeli and American teens

8 June 9 2011

l .°\116es

_
Olt • t
De Qi troit
ee/is

Elizabeth Applebaum I Special to the Jewish News

the chance to get to know one another not
just as an idea — "the Israelis" and "the
Americans" — but as people.
In short, it contained all the elements of
something that could have been dreadful:
a lot of boys and girls, ages 12-14, from
two different countries, kids who had
never met, all together for weeks in a rus-
tic environment.
Instead, it was magic.
Not only did the Israelis enjoy what
many describe as the most incredible
time of their lives, but the program also
has been an unforgettable experience for
thousands of Detroiters.
"The Israeli Camper Program enriched
my camp experience with everlasting
friendships and cultural connections that

I wouldn't be able to find anywhere else,"
says Jacob Allen, 19, of Southfield. "The
campers brought a piece of their country
and shared it with me. In doing so, they
strengthened my ties not just to the land
of Israel, but to the people as well."
This month the program turns 10 and
can boast more than 1,000 participants
to date. Celebrations were recently held
in both Detroit and Israel, including a
reunion of campers from the entire decade
and their families in the Central Galilee.
About 30 Detroiters, including Tamarack
staff in Israel on programs, attended the
reunion.

Meet The Family
Organizing the Israeli Camper Program

begins at the Federation offices and
in the Central Galilee, Metro Detroit's
Partnership 2000 region, where staff
spend countless hours planning and
scheduling.
The process begins a good seven
months before summer arrives. More than
700 boys and girls apply for the 80 open
spots. In Israel, interviews are conducted
with the teens, their teachers and princi-
pals. Among the qualifications necessary
to even be considered: a solid knowledge
of English, proven leadership abilities and
outstanding social skills.
A single donor generously and anony-
mously supports the program each year.
Federation fundraising efforts also con-
tribute, and Israeli families pay a portion

