In the last issue of Community, there was a story with information about scholarships available for children and young adults to help make overnight Jewish summer camp experiences, Israel trips and other intensive Jewish experiences affordable.
As these are among the strongest positive influences on Jewish identity and often result in friendships last a lifetime, they are also expensive and often put a strain on family resources, which might prevent children from attending.
One Happy Camper Scholarships
Since last issue, there has been an update in the One Happy Camper Scholarships program.
Once again, Louisville Jewish campers can participate in the One Happy Camper program. In conjunction with Foundation for Jewish Camp, your children may be eligible for an incentive grant of up to $1,000 if your child has never before attended Jewish overnight camp program of 19 days or more. To qualify, your child must be registered for a Jewish overnight camp program that lasts 19 days or more at an approved camp. Approved camps are listed on www.onehappycamper.org. Children currently enrolled in a daily immersive Jewish experience like a Jewish Day School are not eligible for this program.
For the first time this year, a $700 scholarship is available for first-time campers who attend a Jewish overnight camps for 12-day sessions.
Please visit www.onehappycamper.org for more information and to confirm eligibility. Incentive grants are limited to available funds so don’t wait! These scholarships will be awarded on a rolling basis while funding lasts, with priority given to those who apply by December 31.
For more information, contact Mary Jean Timmel, 238-2722 or mtimmel@jewishlouisville.org.
Ellen and Milton Cantor Israel Scholarship Fund
The Ellen and Milton Cantor Israel Scholarship Fund provides an annual scholarship to a high school junior or senior from the greater Louisville area to help defray the cost of an Israel trip and enable that individual to participate in an approved month-long educational opportunity in Israel.
The Cantor Scholarship was originally established by Milton Cantor in 1997 in memory of his wife, Ellen. When he passed away in 2002, the fund was renamed in memory of them both.
Written applications must be submitted to the Ellen and Milton Cantor Israel Scholarship Fund by December 31. Each candidate must also include the recommendation of his/her rabbi or an appropriate Jewish communal professional. Scholarship recipients must commit to participate in voluntary community activities upon their return from Israel. Applications can be downloaded from www.jewishlouisville.org or you may contact Kristy Benefield, kbenefield@jewishlouisville.org or 238-2739 for more information.
Summer Camp Scholarships
The Laura K. Cohen Camp Scholarship, the Miriam and Dennis Fine Beber Camp Memorial Scholarship and the Frankenthal Family Camp Ramah Scholarship are need-based grants that provide assistance for families to send their children to summer overnight camp. The deadline for application for these scholarships is December 31.
Written applications must be submitted to the Laura K. Cohen Camp Scholarship Fund, the Miriam and Dennis Fine Beber Camp Memorial Scholarship Fund or the Frankenthal Family Camp Ramah Scholarship at the Jewish Foundation of Louisville. Each candidate must also include the recommendation of a Jewish communal professional (rabbi, youth group leader, religious school principal, etc.). Applicants demonstrating financial need will be given preference, but other criteria will be considered as well.
Receipt of the scholarships is contingent upon enrollment/acceptance at an eligible Jewish camp. By accepting the scholarship, the applicant agrees to participate in appropriate publicity before and/or after camp in the Community paper.
Laura K. Cohen partial-tuition camp scholarships are for youngsters interested in attending Jewish overnight summer camps that observe kosher dietary laws, are Zionistic in approach (provide an Israeli element in orientation and/or programming), and observe Shabbat.
The Miriam and Dennis Fine Beber Camp Memorial Scholarship are for youngsters interested in attending Beber Camp in Wisconsin.
The Frankenthal Family Camp Ramah Scholarships are need-based scholarships to help youngsters from the Louisville area attend Camp Ramah in Wisconsin.
Specific information about each scholarship is available online at jewishlouisville.org. Additional scholarships for Israel trips and Jewish summer camp may be available from different sources through the Jewish Foundation of Louisville. Applications can be downloaded from www.jewishlouisville.org or you may contact Kristy Benefield, kbenefield@jewishlouisville.org or 238-2739 for more information.
March of the Living Scholarship
The March of the Living is a program that takes teens to Auschwitz/Birkenau, Dachau, Majdanek and other Holocaust sites in Poland, accompanied by a Holocaust survivor, and then to Israel. Participants visit Auschwitz on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, and are in Israel to celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel Independence Day. The March of the Living Scholarship was established by Natania Lipp.
Written applications must be submitted to the March of the Living Fund by December 31. Applications can be downloaded from www.jewishlouisville.org or you may contact Kristy Benefield, kbenefield@jewishlouisville.org or 238-2739 for more information. Additional information about the March of the Living can also be found at http://motl.org/.