Healing through connection: Helping Israeli teens cope as the war nears two years
For Israeli teens, camps offered both respite from trauma and validation of their stories. For North American campers, it brought Israel closer to home.
When Ella from Moshav Yesha boarded her flight to North America this summer, she carried with her the weight of unimaginable loss—her father was killed in the October 7 terrorist attacks. What awaited her at camp, however, was a chance to breathe again.
“I feel really calm here—I’m here, fully here; not half there and half in the chaos back home,” she said while at camp. “I feel relaxed and unplugged. I love the people, and I feel like I’m opening up more and have made friends.”
Ella’s words capture the essence of Campers2Gether, The Jewish Agency for Israel’s groundbreaking initiative that brought more than 770 Israeli teens from 107 communities who were directly affected by the Swords of Iron War to Jewish summer camps across North America in 2025. Supported by 34 camps across 16 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, and backed by Jewish Federations, private donors, and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation, the program offered more than just a break—it offered healing, belonging, and the chance to grow.
Campers2Gether integrated robust emotional support: 88 counselors and 32 mental health professionals were embedded in the program, providing both formal and informal care. Workshops, group dialogues, and check-ins formed part of a framework that allowed healing to be a natural part of the summer—not an add-on.
The camp experience—through sports, creative arts, music, and late-night bunk conversations—resulted in profound bonds. For Israeli teens, camps offered both respite from trauma and validation of their stories. For North American campers, it brought Israel closer to home.
To see the program in action, hear from campers and staff, and feel the energy of these shared moments, watch The Jewish Agency’s official video: Campers2Gether – Bringing Israeli teens to summer camp.
Guy, age 14, from the Eshkol region—evacuated following October 7—called camp “one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had.” He emphasized that being able to share his story directly with American teens was profoundly meaningful, rather than only through the media.
“That camp was a gift,” he said. “Beyond the fun, it’s an amazing experience that connects Jews from Israel and the U.S. At its core, it’s about love and giving, and I think a lot more Israeli teens should get the chance to be part of it.”
Ofer, 14, from Merhavim, recalled that he was initially “nervous about the distance and the unknown. But my mom convinced me to try [Campers2Gether], and in the end, I was glad I did. Every day, there was something even better than the day before. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.”
“I’m so grateful for this program and to all those who made it possible,” said Ofer. “Without Campers2Gether, I wouldn’t have been exposed to the world of Jewish summer camps – a world that connects people, cultures, and values. It strengthened my connection to Judaism and opened my eyes to a different kind of Jewish culture.”
An Unexpected Reunion
Cousins Ofri and Dor, both 14, lived in Metula until the war broke out in Israel. Their families each left for safer locations, causing the teens to go through several periods of transition, creating upheaval in their academic and social lives, and taking a mental toll on them as well.
In June, Dor moved back to Metula with his dad, while his mom stayed behind in HaGoshrim. Meanwhile, Ofri remained displaced. Yet Dor and Ofri both heard about the Campers2Gether program through the community center in Metula.
“We’re cousins born on the exact same day, just 20 hours apart. We were used to spending every single day together. And during the war, we only saw each other three times,” explained Ofri. “This camp? It brought us back together.”
Dor said, “I was hoping to meet new friends and discover a new environment, to have an opportunity to get a little breather from Israel. Before coming, I thought maybe the Jewish community here didn’t really know what’s going on in Israel. But I was wrong—they care. They really do follow what’s happening and want to stay connected.”
‘Ensuring Our Future as One People’
Summer 2025 arrived as the world held its breath: Conflict with Iran erupted, border alarms persisted, and many Israeli teens still had family members displaced or mourning. Yet logistical hurdles—flights, security, shifting conditions—were overwhelmingly met and overcome. Every teen arrived safely.
Jewish Agency Board of Governors Chairman Mark Wilf, reflecting on the broader significance of Campers2Gether and related programs, wrote, “The Jewish Agency is not just a global organization. It’s about people—in this case, about Israelis who, for a couple of precious summer months, get a break from the fog of war, and about North American Jews who discover that Israeli teens are not so different from themselves. Together, they share meals. They talk about sports. They sing together. They laugh. They rebuild Jewish peoplehood and ensure our future as one people.”
As planning begins for Summer 2026, Campers2Gether’s footprints promise to continue to grow deeper. The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation’s three-year, $2.5 million annual matching commitment to the program ensures that thousands of Israeli and North American teens will have the opportunity to connect in an authentic and lasting way.
The Foundation’s President and CEO, Dr. Jehuda Reinharz, said, “Campers2Gether leverages the power of the immersive Jewish summer camp experience to ensure that members of the young generation in our community—representing our next generation of leaders—form meaningful relationships that will last a lifetime.”
“Campers2Gether is the ultimate mifgash (cultural exchange), taking place in the most natural setting possible—Jewish summer camp,” added Yehuda Setton, CEO and Director General of The Jewish Agency. “Simultaneously, the continuation of this program means that it is poised to make a deep and enduring impact on Israeli society. With more than 2,000 Israeli teenagers expected to participate during the next three years, Campers2Gether will play a major role in building the Israeli people’s long-term resilience.”