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Month: June 2025

“ARE YOU READY?!” What the First Week of Camp Feels Like as a Director 

Posted on by Greg Feitel

The first week of camp is one of my favorite times of year. 

It’s where all the planning, dreaming, and problem-solving that’s happened behind the scenes for months finally takes shape—in the most beautiful, chaotic, joy-filled way. 

It starts with sound. 

I hear the crackle of walkie-talkies as staff relay updates and ask for help. I hear kids laughing nonstop, Israeli dance music blasting, water coolers being filled, and inflatable slides coming to life. 

But the true signal that Camp Achva has officially begun is when Maayan, our beloved dance specialist, stands before the camp and shouts: 

“Camp Achva, ARE YOU READY?!” 

That’s the sound of summer starting. 

And the sights? They’re endless and full of heart. 

There are water bottles lifted high—our signature move to keep campers hydrated and accounted for. Campers and counselors move through hallways in every shape but a straight line (because this is camp, after all). Red and blue streamers float from the ceilings. Balls fly, kids cheer, and smiles show up by the hundreds. 

There’s nothing quite like watching the energy of our community in motion—200 people moving in coordinated chaos toward friendship, discovery, and fun. It’s incredible. 

But the real magic? It’s watching ideas turn into reality. 

This week, I watched Ruach, our weekly group showcase, come alive in a new way. Sydney and Riley—unit leaders who grew up at Camp Achva—stepped into the role of MCs for the first time. The comedy, the crowd’s energy, the sheer enthusiasm—it was a full-circle moment I’ll never forget. 

I also watched our new specialists take on beloved activities with their own unique spin, reminding me just how lucky we are. Year after year, we keep growing—because the people who choose to work here bring passion and creativity to everything they touch. 

And I see our mission in action, everywhere I turn. 

– A camper using a saw for the first time in woodworking: Connection to new ideas. 
– A group cheering each other on in bonding games: Connection to people. 
– Dancing together at Shabbat: Connection to Judaism. 
– Maayan teaching Hebrew words during Israeli dance: Connection to Israel. 

I saw one of our CITs, just 12 years old, laugh alongside a five-year-old camper while helping them craft a friendship bracelet. That moment held something so big: the next generation of Camp Achva forming right in front of me. 

And me? 

I know camp has truly begun when the last car pulls away from morning carpool. I pause, take a breath, and look around. The carpool music is still playing to an empty driveway. Our staff walks into the building, already working as one. 

And I smile—because I know what’s ahead. 
Because I know we’re building something real. 
Because there is no better feeling in the world. 

A Turning Point Summer at Sunrise Day Camp

Posted on by Joellen Broubalow

On Monday, June 23rd, Sunrise Day Camp—Greater Washington will welcome 70 or more children with cancer and their siblings to summer camp. For the 29 BEST days of summer, we’ll sing, laugh, play, create, and build the bonds that only summer camp can foster. I live all year long for these 29 days, and know I’m not alone.

I could speak to you for hours, days, and months about how important summer camp is for kids with cancer and those affected by their cancer. I have seen with my own eyes for 10 summers of my life how important this experience is to our campers. But I would really like to speak with you about a group that we don’t usually center in this conversation: their camp counselors.

I have 58 staff members this summer. 20 of them are returning for another summer of Sunrise (with five founding staff members who began with us in 2022). I am so thankful to these returning staff members, who bring with them so much love and institutional knowledge about our growing camp. I’m nearly buzzing with excitement for the 38 brand new staff members I have at camp who are about to embark on a life-changing experience. I know it’s life changing, because the experience they are about to have changed my life 20 summers ago.

In 2006, I had the opportunity to join the first ever staff of Sunrise Day Camp on Long Island, the flagship camp of the Sunrise Association. So many of the traditions we started that summer continue as the Sunrise Association enters its 20th summer offering free summer camp to children with cancer and their siblings. I spent 6 summers at Sunrise, during which I realized that my journey in life was to work with children. No one told me that there were summer camp jobs that lasted all year long, and so I became a teacher. This year, I completed my 15th year of teaching and though it hasn’t always been easy, I can’t imagine my life any other way. At this point, not even 40 years old, I have touched the lives of 1,500 kids, having the fortune to have been a small part of their story. I have been able to laugh with them, teach them, play with them, cry with them, and grow with them. It also allows me the freedom in the summertime to run Sunrise Day Camp (along with a few of my former 7th grade students!) There is no better job than the one I have.

So each summer I tell my new staff how excited I am to be part of their summer at Sunrise, because I know it will be a turning point in their lives. I tell them that from this point, there will always be “before I worked at Sunrise Day Camp, and after I worked at Sunrise Day Camp.” I am so excited for them to meet their campers tomorrow and make summer camp magic for the 29 best days of camp.

Learn more about Sunrise Day Camp – Greater Washington.

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Finding Common Ground: Juneteenth through the Lens of Jewish Values

Posted on by Ivanna Washington

As a Black woman in America, Juneteenth holds deep meaning for me. It’s a celebration of freedom, and a reminder of the resilience my ancestors carried through centuries of bondage, pain, and perseverance. It’s also a day that calls for reflection—on progress, on justice, and on the shared humanity that binds us all.

In the past year, I’ve found many connections between the story of Juneteenth and the values upheld in Jewish tradition. Though I’m not Jewish, I have the privilege of working closely with the Jewish community, and I’ve seen firsthand how deeply rooted the values of justice, freedom, and remembrance are in Jewish culture.

Repairing the World

One concept that resonates with me is tikkun olam—the Jewish call to “repair the world.” It’s a value that doesn’t just call for kindness; it demands action. It reminds me that true freedom isn’t just about breaking physical chains—it’s about building a world where dignity, safety, and opportunity are accessible to everyone.

Never Forget

Both Black and Jewish communities carry the weight of memory—of trauma, loss, and survival. 

“Never forget” is a phrase that echoes in both cultures, urging us to learn from history and to speak out against injustice. Juneteenth is more than a historical marker; it’s a call to keep moving forward, together.

Standing Together

As we honor Juneteenth, I hope more communities—Jewish and beyond—will continue to stand with us, not only in celebration but in commitment. We all have a role to play in creating a better, more just society. And when we come together with open hearts and shared values, I truly believe that healing, change, and freedom are possible.

More Than Summer: How Camp Kesher Builds Life Skills That Last

Posted on by Dionna Dash

Camp Kesher is filling a gap that’s all too common for neurodiverse youth: a lack of accessible, joyful, age-appropriate summer experiences.

A day camp that celebrates and embraces differences, Kesher blends adventure, skill-building, and real-world learning to help participants thrive, all in a safe, inclusive environment.

Each morning, campers meet at the J before setting off on a field trip.

“Whether it’s paddle boating, yoga, or creating their own ice cream flavor at a shop that employs people with disabilities, every activity is designed to be both meaningful and fun,” says Zina Segal, Senior Director of Community Impact and Engagement.

These carefully planned, fun-filled experiences also help campers practice life skills, like ordering food and navigating social situations, all in a supportive, low-pressure environment. Camp Kesher offers different sessions for high school and young adult participants, ensuring age-appropriate programming for every camper.

“They’re learning to move through the world more independently,” Zina adds. “And they’re doing it with peers, not parents, which builds their confidence. So many programs are centered around the disability, but Kesher is centered around the person. It’s about joy, friendship, and discovering what’s possible when you’re surrounded by people who see your strengths.”

Susan Clay, whose daughter Sara attends the young adult session, says that Kesher has been life-changing for her family.

“We plan our whole year around it,” she says. “At this age, especially in their twenties, young adults with disabilities still want to be active. They still want to make friends. Without Kesher, those opportunities just don’t exist.”

Sara found her love for yoga at camp and now attends a weekly adaptive yoga class.

“She’s also made real friends who she stays in touch with all year,” Susan adds. “It would be so easy for somebody like Sara to settle into isolated routines, but when she can engage in socialization for those two weeks during summer, that really encourages her to keep being social throughout the year.”

This kind of excitement is a sign of success, says Alison Pasternak, who serves as the J’s Inclusion and Disability Services Program Coordinator.

“If they’re having fun and forming friendships, we’ve done our job,” she says.

Campers also get to hone their communication and social skills through experiences like turn-taking at lunch or expressing preferences to a server, Alison says. Camp Kesher provides the prime, low-stress place to do so while having a good time.

“A lot of services for teens and young adults are focused on job readiness or therapy, which are important, but fun and recreation matter too,” she says. “Our campers need a space where they can just be themselves and enjoy their summer.”

The sense of belonging at Camp Kesher is why Rachel Berger and her son Ben return summer after summer. 

“Ben has the chance to go out into the community and do the kinds of things that most teens do with their friends,” Rachel explains. “If not for Camp Kesher, he wouldn’t have had the support and supervision to enjoy those experiences without his parents.”

Ben, who’s ready to enter his third summer at Kesher, looks forward to camp every day. He even researches upcoming field trips on YouTube to prepare for the fun ahead.

“As Ben moves from a high school student to a young adult, his experiences at Kesher are helping him in his internships and as he engages in the community,” Rachel says.

Even former campers remember and credit the program with helping them become more confident in social settings. Graham Sage, now 18, is one of them. 

After two years at Kesher in 2022-2023, he’s returning this summer to the J as a shadow counselor for elementary school campers, ready to support other neurodiverse children in the same way he was once supported.

“Kesher means ‘connection’ in Hebrew, and that’s what this was about: developing deeper bonds through travel and field trips,” he says.

Camp Kesher is bringing summer fun to neurodiverse high schoolers and young adults — the kind of fun they need and deserve.

“It’s reassuring to know these kids can enjoy fun activities for a couple of weeks during summer in a safe environment with caring staff,” says Caroline Pak, whose son Ryan has been attending Kesher for three summers. “It’s hard for working parents to find something for older kids with special needs to do that’s not just video games.”

Diagnosed early with ASD and ADHD, Ryan struggled to fit into traditional camp models. He eventually started attending Kesher at the J, a place he already spent so much of his time, starting when he was a preschooler.

“At Camp Kesher, Ryan has learned to cooperate with others in group settings and has become more confident reaching out to neurotypical peers at school,” Caroline shares. 

For Ryan, and so many others, Kesher is a place where they can navigate the world on their own terms, and have fun doing so. Because at Kesher, summer is more than a season. It’s a launching pad for what’s possible.

Learn more about Camp Kesher.