Articles & Press Releases

Instead of hanging around bored next summer, adolescents and teens can be creating friendships and Jewish connections that can last a lifetime.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, released today its first-ever index of inclusion within a faith-based community. The Jewish Organization Equality Index (JOEI) provides benchmarks for gauging, and resources for improving, LGBT inclusivity policies and practices of North American Jewish communal organizations.

In some ways, newly hired educators Jordan Magidson, Jessica Shimberg, and Zac Johnson each fit the expected profile for a Jewish educator. Magidson, who started work as a Nadiv Educator at URJ Camp Kalsman and Temple de Hirsch Sinai, completed a Master’s in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. Rabbi Shimberg, currently Associate Director for Jewish Life and Learning at University of Maryland Hillel, received rabbinic ordination at Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Rabbi Johnson, currently a Director of Jewish Enrichment in BBYO’s Western regions, is an alumnus of the Shalom Hartman Institute and Yeshivat Hadar’s summer program.

Camp Inc.’s Chief Camp Officer (CCO), Josh Pierce shares news from the road as Camp Inc. is officially inaugurated into the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s [FJC] Incubator II program in New York. Camp Inc. is the Boulder JCC’s new Jewish specialty overnight camp for 7th – 12th graders interested in business and entrepreneurship set to start serving campers in summer 2014. The FJC Incubator II is supported by the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Avi Chai Foundation.

Thanks to a $1.16 million grant, Camp Zeke will open its doors in the summer of 2014. Camp Zeke is a new pluralistic Jewish overnight camp that provides a rejuvenating summer experience focused on pure foods, energizing fitness activities, and culinary arts.

The Milwaukee Jewish Federation announced the launch of the One Happy Camper program in partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Camp.