FEBRUARY 9 • 2023 | 29
relatives in Israel. And it’s the
idea that when you meet for the
first time through this program,
you continue a relationship over
the years, and it’s not the last
time you’re going to see or hear
from them,
” Gutman said. “This
relationship continues to evolve.
And when your family goes to
Israel, you have an extended
family member there. It makes
the country and its people real
for you.
”
Israeli Camper Program
co-chair Shayna Levine has host-
ed campers once, the last time it
was available in 2019.
“We had such a great expe-
rience to the point where I was
crying at the bus taking the
campers back because I was
so sad that they were leaving,
”
Levine said. “It was two days, but
you really felt like they were part
of your family all summer. We
connected with these girls who
we’ve stayed in touch with after
the fact.
”
One of those girls came back
this past summer as a junior
counselor. “It was really exciting
that my kids got to reunite with
her,
” Levine said.
Levine received an email at
the beginning of the summer
last year inquiring about a family
to host a ShinShin. The Levines
ended up hosting one for five
months. Their one experience
being a host family in 2019 great-
ly helped make their decision.
“I think the only reason we
even contemplated it is because
we had such a great experience
in this one, compact short week-
end, but we really felt how you
can become family with these
Israeli campers, help support
their experience and make it
more meaningful to them.
”
Israeli Camper Program
co-chair Michelle Wolfe’s first
experience as a host family was
about eight years ago — hosting
two boy campers and loving the
experience.
Years later, when Wolfe’s kids
went on a teen mission to Israel,
the parents of the kids they host-
ed tracked them down and met
them in Israel. When Wolfe and
her husband traveled to Israel
with staff from Hillel, they also
met up.
One of the campers Wolfe
hosted also came back as a junior
counselor and the Wolfe’s host-
ed her again. And just this past
summer, that camper was trav-
eling in the U.S. and stayed with
them another time.
Having hosted for three or
four summers now, Wolfe’s
passion led her to become even
more involved, serving on the
board and now as a co-chair.
“The bonds you form with the
campers and their families are
lifelong bonds you’ll be able to
build and grow from. It extends
far beyond just a summer expe-
rience,
” Wolfe said. “
And it’s a
great way for children to have
a connection with someone in
Israel, like a pen pal or a big
sister or brother who they can
stay in touch with. It’s a priceless
experience.
”
Birmingham’s Andrea Belen
had her first experience as an
Israeli host family when her
father hosted ShinShinim.
“We still keep in touch with
them,
” Belen said. “Then when
we went to Israel, all the people
my dad had hosted, we went to
dinner at their houses.
”
After getting married and
having kids, Belen began host-
ing Israeli campers, now having
hosted four times. One camper
has come back and stayed with
them twice. Belen was also pre-
viously on the program’s com-
mittee.
“I can tell you every time
they leave, I cry, because you
get attached to them and they
become part of your family,
”
Belen said. “It stays with them,
and it stays with you, you never
forget. It’s really special.
”
While some host families take
their “Israeli kids” to a sports
game, some of them are more
than happy taking part in the
simple things.
“They’re happy just going to
Target,
” Belen said. “When we
had girls, we took them to get
their nails done. They like to go
to the mall; they like to shop. It
can be anything.
“They always bring gifts from
Israel, they teach you games,
we’ll talk about their families and
their experience at home,
” Belen
added. “It’s such a great thing to
be able to hang out with people
from totally another side of the
world.
”
Want to know more or get involved?
Contact Allison Gutman at agutman@
jfmd.org or (248) 205-2534 and visit
https://jewishdetroit.org/get-involved/
israel-and-overseas.
CLOCKWISE: The Levine family with their Israeli campers, Smadar Engler
and Yuval. Israeli campers Amit Halevi and Idan Efraim meeting NBA play-
er Boban Marjanović at the ice cream shop. Marni Levine, Cailey Levine,
Mia Levine, with their Israeli camper siblings Smadar Engler and Yuval. The
Wolfe family (Leigh, Merrick, Zachary, Andrew, Michelle and Hannah) with
their Israeli campers Yarden Nahmani and Roni Granov.