This summer at Camp Gesher, tucked away in California’s San Bernardino Mountains, a story that could rival Hollywood’s “The Parent Trap,” unfolded as something pretty unexpected happened—a small family reunion that no one saw coming, as campers from three different continents discovered they were second cousins.
During one of the camp sessions, two siblings from Israel, who were part of The Jewish Agency’s Campers2Gether program, ended up meeting their second cousin from Barcelona, who now lives in San Diego. None of the families knew the others would be at the same camp.
“The connection was made when one of the parents saw something on Instagram and recognized the kids,” said Lena Geller, Camp Gesher’s Director. “After a few messages back and forth, they realized the campers were actually related.”
The families involved were reportedly “over the moon” about the discovery, which has transformed what was already a meaningful camp experience into an unforgettable family milestone. The story is a great example of how connected the global Jewish community really is, where families scattered across continents can find themselves reunited in the most unexpected places.
The Camp Gesher discovery involved Russian-speaking Jewish families who had settled in different corners of the world – Israel, Spain, and California – yet found their children sharing the same summer camp experience in the U.S. And to make the coincidence even more incredible, a set of twins at the camp also turned out to be second cousins with the other kids, adding another layer to the reunion.
Camp Gesher has always focused on building a strong sense of community, often calling itself a “camp family.” This summer, that idea took on a new and literal meaning when actual family members discovered each other among the campers. And that sense of connection is also what The Jewish Agency’s Campers2Gether program seeks to foster. Launched by The Jewish Agency in 2024, the program provides young Israelis living in the shadow of the conflict a healing respite like no other as they form powerful bonds at Jewish overnight camps around the world and get a chance to truly be kids again.
