Union for Reform Judaism to Host Record Number of Israelis at Summer Camps, Strengthening Israel-Diaspora Ties
The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) is set to host a record 570 Israelis across its 14 summer camps in North America, nearly doubling the number from 2024. This initiative includes 300 Israeli emissaries, known as shlichim, and 270 Israeli teens as campers. Melissa Frey, URJ's executive director of camps and immersive Israel experiences, emphasized the organization's commitment to fostering connections between Israeli and North American Jewish communities. The camps aim to create authentic relationships in Jewish spaces, providing a platform for cultural exchange and understanding. This effort comes at a time of strained relations between Israeli and Diaspora Jewish communities, with recent polling indicating complex views on Zionism among American Jews. 
