30 July 25 • 2019
jn

jews d
in 
the

ORT Brings to Life Israeli Innovation
at Jewish Summer Camps 

This summer, ORT once again is 
introducing campers at six Jewish 
summer camps in the U.S. to the 
vibrancy of Israeli innovation. 
More than 700 campers between 
the ages of 9-13 will take part in 
ORT’
s Start-up Challenge, which 
includes interactive educational 
activities focused on science, 
technology, engineering, art and 
math (STEAM) that embrace the 
entrepreneurial spirit of Israel’
s 
Start-up Nation. 
Participating camps included 
Tamarack Camps in Ortonville, 
which took its Start-up Challenge 
July 8, allowing campers to 
delve into science, experience 
cutting-edge technology and 
discover Israeli culture in a fun 
and interactive setting. Through 
problem-solving, creative thinking, 

teamwork and tournaments, ORT 
taught critical 21st-century skills as 
campers built robots, experienced 
virtual reality, integrated coding 
to help their robots overcome 
obstacles and captured all of the 
action through the creation of their 
own digitally designed videos. 
 “Israel is a world leader 
in the field of technological 
entrepreneurship and innovation, 
and as Israel’
s largest leading 
provider of informal experiential 
science and technological 
education, ORT is shaping the 
next generation of scientists and 
entrepreneurs. We are delighted to 
be able to bring this experience to 
Jewish summer camps throughout 
the U.S.,” said Howard Lanznar, 
Chairman of ORT America.

Resources for New Parents & Teens

National Council of Jewish 
Women, Michigan has created a 
resource directory for expectant 
and new parents in Detroit. It’
s 
a small bright orange booklet 
called 313 Baby (313baby.org) 
and has contact information in 
one handy source for everything 
from breastfeeding, counseling, 
homeless and adoption services to 
information on organizations like 
Metro Detroit Midwives of Color 
and Metropolitan Detroit Diaper 
Bank. 
 The booklet has been out for 
around a year but has proved so 
popular (it’
s free and available in 
doctors’
 offices, churches, social 

services, etc.) that it is about to be 
reprinted. New parents appreciate 
having all the information they 
could need (or might not have even 
thought of) all together.
In addition, Teen Yellow Pages 
(teenyellowpages.net) a resource 
directory for teens in Oakland 
County, which has been produced 
by NCJW|MI for 20 years, is also 
being reprinted. This directory 
is distributed through Oakland 
Schools as well as community 
centers. This directory contains 
information on where teens can 
get help on anything from dating 
abuse and eating disorders to STDs, 
coping with loss and LGBTQ issues. 

Camp Tamarack campers 

took the Start-up Challenge 

July 8.