IFCJ Canada Helps Send Israeli Youth to Summer Camp

TORONTO, Aug. 3, 2023 /CNW/ -- Doubling their support for Summer Camps Israel, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews of Canada (IFCJ Canada) has contributed over 600,000 CAD towards scholarships for campers this summer. These scholarships will benefit youth aged 10-18 who would not have otherwise been able to enroll without the financial aid and subsidies. This initiative aims to provide life-changing experiences and opportunities for these youngsters to partake in over 40 diverse summer camps across the country.

This year, thanks to additional funding from the Canadian based, Morris and Rosalind Goodman Family Foundation, IFCJ Canada has doubled its support for the Summer Camps Israel "Matan" program. This increased contribution will enable 1,000 Israeli boys and girls from underprivileged families to participate and benefit from this valuable experience.

Among the programs are camps that integrate children and youth at risk with children who have special needs, one that brings religious and secular youth together to do volunteer work, and a camp that focuses on volunteering for the community together with youth from all religious sectors – Muslims, Jews, Christians, and others. All the camps, which include accommodations for the ten or more days, are 'phone free', enabling the children to connect with and experience others more naturally and less distractedly, increasing their sense of capability and self-esteem.

Shawna Goodman Sone, Founder of Summer Camps Israel and Chair of the Morris and Rosalind Goodman Foundation (MRGFF) expressed her thoughts on IFCJ Canada's decision to partner with the MRGFF. "Our summer camps enable Israeli youth to meet others who are different from themselves while removing them from an environment where they are more likely to engage in risky behaviour during the "empty" summer vacation. From the research we do at the camps, we see that participating in the camps raises the level of acceptance for each other, creates a dialogue that brings them closer and gives tools and skills for life. Especially nowadays, when the Israeli society is increasingly polarized, alongside the normative challenges that youth experience in Israel, we see great importance in 'disconnecting' from the day-to-day routine and 'connecting' to life itself."

Yael Eckstein, President of IFCJ Canada, stated, "Particularly during the summer months, the challenges for families confronting poverty and other social struggles become that much more challenging when children are out of school. Our hope in funding these programs is to give these children a sense that they are being cared for and not being forgotten, and to just be kids. Thank you to all those who were instrumental in making this happen, especially our Canadian supporters."

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews of Canada (IFCJ Canada) was founded in 2003 to promote better understanding and cooperation between Christians and Jews and to build broad support for Israel. IFCJ Canada is a registered Canadian charity governed by an independent Board of Directors and led by President Yael Eckstein. For over 20 years, IFCJ Canada has worked alongside a network of Fellowship offices worldwide, including in the United States, Israel, and Korea. Today, The Fellowship is one of the largest providers of humanitarian aid in Israel and is a leading force helping Jews in need worldwide. For more information, visit www.ifcj.ca.

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Jackie Gotwalt
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SOURCE International Fellowship of Christians and Jews of Canada