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.

