Jewish Pride + Jewish Community = Strong Jewish Future

It has been a hard year for the Jewish community. Ever since the terrorist attack of October 7^th, our community has been on alert. Our thoughts have been with the people of Israel as we've worried about the ongoing war and prayed for the safe return of the hostages. In North America, our community has been dealing with rising levels of antisemitism and fears about being attacked for the crime of being Jewish.

There have been many difficult conversations in the past 10 months. Among the most challenging have been those with our children who are now concerned about being recognized as Jewish. Some of these young people talked about taking off their Magen David (stars of David) necklaces and any identifiable Jewish symbols. As a rabbi, it was my job to both validate their feelings and reassure them. It wasn't easy. In response to these conversations, I started wearing a Magen David necklace again; I wanted to be identified as Jewish and model Jewish pride for our young people by wearing one. Nevertheless, it is sad that our children do not always feel comfortable sharing their Jewish identity with their friends and those around them.

It was against this backdrop that I arrived in the safe haven that is URJ's Crane Lake Camp. I had served on the faculty there several times before and have talked about this being our family's "home away from home" (it is without a doubt our daughter's happiest place on earth). Though this year wasn't the first time that I drove through the gates, arriving felt different this year. At the time, I did not realize why.

There's always a sense of exhaling when I arrive at camp - it's something about the culture, the natural setting, and the people who make the place so special. That exhale is also about being in a special place where I know that everyone is valued, welcomed, included, and belongs.

But I noticed something during the first few days of camp. So many of the campers and counselors were wearing visible Magen David necklaces; a significant number also wore the dog tags that call for the return of the hostages from Gaza. In previous years, I am sure that many people wore necklaces with Jewish symbols on them, there were not nearly as many on display as there were this year. I think that people have started to wear the Magen David as a reminder and affirmation of their Jewish identity, and that Jewish summer camp is one of the few places where they feel completely comfortable having that star out and visible. As I sit writing this paragraph, two teenagers at another table are talking about the choice to start wearing a necklace with a Jewish Star.

I have written in the past about the importance of Jewish summer camp and why it is arguably the most powerful Jewish experience that our children can have; but this year, I have developed an even greater appreciation for this special, sacred space. In a world that can feel difficult and dangerous for the Jewish community, our summer camps are one place where young people can live within a "bubble." Summer camp gives young people a place where they do not have to explain, defend, or hide their Judaism. This has always been important, but it feels so much more important this year.

There is a Yiddish word, "mechayeh," related to the Hebrew word "chayim" (life). Mechayeh means something that is refreshing, rejuvenating, or revitalizing - essentially, bringing you back to life. That was the feeling when I arrived at camp. I had entered a Jewish bubble, and it was such a mechayeh. This didn't mean that the events of October 7^th or its effects were forgotten (they have been very present), but it did mean that there was finally some separation from the outside world and the challenges it currently presents. I was able to be in a Jewish space 24-7.

People at camp often talk about "living 10 for two," which essentially means living 10 months of the year to reach the two months they get to spend at camp. But this year, I think it might be a case of "two for 10." In the time that our children have at camp, they are being given Jewish experiences, community, and learning that will prepare them for when they're back home. When they drive out of the gates and return home, they will be taking with them a renewed sense of Jewish pride, revitalized confidence in their Jewish identity, and the knowledge that they are part of an amazing Jewish community.

These are the takeaways from camp every year. But this year, against the backdrop of rising antisemitism, the war, and the challenges of our post-October 7^th world, these takeaways feel much more significant. I hope that this year, camp will inspire more young people to wear their Magen David necklaces proudly, as a statement of their Jewish identity.

Thank you to all of the Jewish summer camps for providing a mechayeh for our children this summer; it is exactly what they needed.