10 | JULY 27 • 2023
I
have to admit I took a double take
when I first learned of a nonprofit
program that is helping send Jewish
Ukrainian kids to summer camp in
Ukraine.
At first glance, I thought I had
misunderstood the mission — they must
be talking about sending
the kids to a summer camp
outside of the war-torn
country, right?
No, as we speak, as many
as 2,000 children, ages 5-12,
are actually enjoying the
same fun and festivities in
their home country that
some child you probably
know is currently having at Michigan’s
Camp Tamarack in Ortonville, Tanuga
in Kalkaska or Willoway Day Camp in
Milford.
Heading up this effort is the Jewish
Relief Network Ukraine (JRNU), with
offices in Ukraine, the U.S. and Israel. As
their website describes, “JRNU is unique
among the aid organizations in Ukraine,
with virtually no bureaucracy and
minimal overhead, every dollar having a
direct impact.”
Thousands of people are currently
relying on them for basic needs
including food, medicine and shelter,
as well as education and other critical
services, and that includes summer
camps. And there’s still time this summer
to help.
LOCAL CONNECTION
I learned about JRNU’s Jewish Ukrainian
community camp initiative through
Ethan Gross of West Bloomfield, one of
the newer members of the Jewish War
Veterans Dept. of Michigan.
Ethan was an infantry officer who
ended up serving stateside in the
Michigan National Guard from 1986-
Ethan Gross is raising funds for Jewish
Relief Network Ukraine’s program.
Send A Ukrainian
Kid to Camp
Alan
Muskovitz
Contributing
Writer
OUR COMMUNITY
Ukrainian campers enjoyed
some time on horseback.
Campers make challah at camp,
despite the war and strife their
country is suffering.