By David Siskin
Camp J Director
Camp J and Shlichim (Jewish emissaries) have been linked together for years. Shlichim are are Israelis who have just completed their national years of service in the Israel Defense Forces who are hired by summer camps all over the world to share their stories, culture and love for Israel with campers across the globe.
Each year, JAFI (Jewish Agency for Israel) provides a weeklong training course for the Shlichim and camp professionals in Israel. For months I’d been debating whether to attend, asking myself: Would it be safe? Is there a benefit to sending a Camp J representative? What would my wife and family think? Is it worth it? These questions and many more ran through my head, but in the end, I booked my flight and decided to travel to Israel.
Looking back at it now while it’s still so fresh in my mind, I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity and happy I chose to go. The relationships built with colleagues – and the time spent with Aviv and Roni (our 2025 Camp J Shlichim) — were unimaginable. And speaking of something “unimaginable,” I was able to tour Kfar Aza, located less than four miles from the Gaza Strip and one of the sites infiltrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023. We met with survivors and relatives of lost soldiers, and the feeling was surreal. Here I was, looking at buildings in Gaza, hearing gunfire from a distance, but at the same time listening to these heroic stories from the people at Kfar Aza. I didn’t have time to feel scared, nervous, or question why JAFI had decided to take a group of camp directors there. We saw homes that were destroyed, bullet holes covering every wall and door, homes that were burnt down, sections of homes destroyed by grenades – even places Hamas paragliders had landed on that terrible day. Yet there is hope and strength amid those dark places. Residents are rebuilding. They are looking ahead, and they want to share their stories.
Leaving Kfar Aza, I felt a renewed connection to Israel, and to my Jewish community here in Louisville, coupled with an obligation to share their stories. I also felt the spirit that endures even during these tough times.
The tour was enlightening, sad, dark, and challenging to walk through. A day later, I was standing on a big lawn at Hotel Kfar Maccabi, welcoming 1,800-plus Shlichim who will be attending Jewish day and overnight camps across the U.S. and beyond. This large group of mainly post-IDF soldiers was high spirited, always smiling, dancing, and singing from Thursday to Saturday night. I remember sending a video to our marketing director that showed a large group of Shlichim dancing and singing, and I thought to myself: The spirit continues to thrive. That in itself was “unimaginable” — to be able to visit a site decimated by those wanting to bring pain to Israelis and Jews from around the world — and then being overcome with joy witnessing a group of Israel teens and young adults once again singing and dancing.
During this JAFI training course, we as camp representatives shed light on our respective camp programs and cities. We explained the importance of hosting Shlichim; we discussed life in America, and mentioned some of the cultural differences they might encounter. For Camp J specifically, it’s vitally important to share Israeli culture with the entire camp community. For me personally, I want to recapture the vibes, energy and passion Israelis bring each and every day. I want Aviv and Roni to dance, sing, and tell their Israeli stories to every single camper this coming summer.
As I said earlier, Camp J and Shlichim have been linked for years, for reasons that go beyond the fact that we’re a Jewish day camp in Louisville. We’re an inclusive place in many ways, opening our doors to campers from throughout the community. Camp J and our Shlichim program provide a unique opportunity to bring people together, to learn from one another, and have fun doing it.
As the conference training in Israel shifted into Shabbat, we gathered once more. I remember being embraced by hundreds of Israelis, arms around each other, saying the Shabbat prayers, and thinking how lucky I was to represent Camp J and Louisville, KY.
I now appreciate the reasoning behind touring Kfar Aza: to ensure that the stories of heroic moments inside darkness are never forgotten. Time will tell if the experience was worth the accompanying risks, but my gut feeling is that Aviv and Roni — as they anticipate their coming time in Louisville – will feel a sense of calm, security, and the promise of collective joy.