When Kahal, 14, arrived at Camp Zeke in the Poconos in New York as an Israeli participant in The Jewish Agency’s Campers2Gether program, the biggest difference he immediately noticed was the quiet.
Living in Ein Zivan in the Northern Golan Heights, he’s experienced the stressful and threatening realities of war, being in close proximity to Lebanon.
“It’s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of pressure and very intense because of the sirens and missile alerts, planes flying overhead. It was endless stress,” explained Kahal. “But now at camp, there’s so much quiet here. I can hear the birds and nature. And I can just spend time here without missiles flying overhead or worrying about them. Camp is giving me peace of mind.”
Now in its third summer, Campers2Gether was launched by The Jewish Agency in 2024 to bring hundreds of Israeli teens affected by October 7 and the ensuing war to Jewish summer camps primarily in North America. Over the course of their weeks together, both Israeli and non-Israeli campers strengthen their resilience, exchange perspectives and foster genuine bonds that extend far beyond the summer, all while discovering the power of Jewish peoplehood.
“I wanted to be part of Campers2Gether to have new experiences, meet Jewish people from around the world and make new friends. And I’ve made a lot of friends here who are also from the north of Israel, and also from the United States,” shared Kahal. “With the Americans, we exchange things with each other: our customs and traditions, what they have here and what we have back home. We give them a different perspective, sharing our what our lives are like. It’s kind of a mutual brotherhood, a Jewish-to-Jewish brotherhood.”
“The moments we jump and dance and sing, it gives good vibes, everyone together; it’s fun and moving to feel this Israeli-Jewish atmosphere,” Kahal added. “And it’s very empowering and gives me a lot of pride in being Jewish. Having this time together through Campers2Gether is really good for all Jewish people and for Israel.”
