ABOVE CLOCKWISE: Bar Ashkenazi 
and Tomer Shalom El. Eden Nahmias 
and Maayan Cohen. Mylah Dorsey and 
Maor Levy slap each other high-fives. 
Eden Nahmias and Maayan Cohen take 
a break for the camera.

continued from page 9

OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER

10 | AUGUST 22 • 2024 J
N

entirely modified for the 2024 camp 
season. Each Shaliach is still paired 
up with a community host family, 
and while they may not be living with 
them, these families continue to sup-
port their journey and help integrate 
them into the Jewish community.
“They’ve been hosting them for 
Shabbat meals, taking them on out-
ings and adventures that are real-
ly unique to Detroit,” Frank says. 
“They’re helping them experience 
Jewish life in Detroit.”
In the Shlichim’s early days, their 
host families also helped them 
grocery shop and get adjusted to 
American life, as many Shlichim are 
traveling to the U.S., let alone Metro 
Detroit, for the very first time.
“We really wanted them to still 
have this connection and feel like 
they could go to these families if they 
needed anything,” Frank says.
Luckily, finding host families for the 
nine Shlichim was easy, even during 
Maccabi year. “This community is so 
incredible in terms of its willingness 
to help and jump in and say yes,” 
Frank continues. 
Lauren Marcus Johnson, of a host 
family from West Bloomfield, echoes 
that sentiment. “It was important 
to me to support The J, the Jewish 
Agency and the Shlichim themselves,” 
Johnson explains. “Being able to step 
in and provide a piece of home in 
these small ways through things like 
Shabbat dinner, grocery store runs 
and text check-ins feels like I could 
make a difference for the Shlichim, 
who are doing so much for the camp 
community.”
This summer, especially, the young 
Shlichim, who have been living 
through a war for nearly one year 
now, need more support than ever. “It 
has been a whole family experience, 
with my husband and adult children 
and me all benefiting from these new 
relationships,” Johnson says.

A TASTE OF ISRAEL
Shlichim working at The J this sum-
mer bring something unique to the 
table.

Maor Levy, 21 of Ashkelon, is 

a talented graffiti artist who also 
doubles as an outdoor cooking and 
nature specialist. He teaches camp-
ers how to cook classic camp foods 
over open flame, like hot dogs, but 
also Israeli specialties such as Israeli 
potatoes. He also educates campers 
on plants and wildlife native to Israel 
and steps the country takes to keep 
their environment clean.
Maayan Cohen, 20 of Bat Yam, 
and Eden Nahmias, 22, who lives 
in a small village next to the Sea 
of Galilee, serve as more tradition-
al camp counselors who are each 
assigned a “bunk,” or group of young 

campers they accompany through-
out the day. The campers’ favorite 
activities, they say, are swimming at 
The J’s pool or tackling its outdoor 
obstacle course.
This year’s Shlichim range in age 
from 19-22. Frank says they were 
assigned to their roles based on their 
interests. Each Shaliach met with the 
camp director and assistant direc-
tor to discuss their goals, passions 
and where they’d best fit the camp’s 
staffing needs. “It’s twofold,” Frank 
explains. “We want the cultural 
exchange to be meaningful for the 
Shlichim as well.”

continued on page 12

