Here, they share what they taught, what they learned and what they hope campers will remember long after summer ends.

Noa V.: Sharing Israel Beyond the Headlines

What does a Camp Shaliach do at Jewish summer camp?

At camp, Noa served as a specialist teaching Israeli culture and Hebrew to campers ranging in age from 4 through sixth graders. One of her favorite activities involved having campers draw their dreams on rocks, an activity she says they really enjoyed.

She also discovered that the best way to teach children about Israel is to make learning fun.

“I learned that if you make the lesson fun, they will be excited about what you’re teaching. And they will want to learn more about Israel.”

What do you hope campers take away from their time with you?

Noa hopes campers leave with a greater sense of connection to Israel and with the confidence to visit one day.

“I hope they learn that Israel is a place they can visit and feel safe, and that they leave knowing a little Hebrew and feeling more connected to Israel.”

Her summer in Baltimore has also reinforced a lesson that has taken on particular meaning since October 7, appreciating the moments we have.

“You learn to appreciate every moment because anything can happen. It reminds you to really appreciate life.”

Linoy Z.: Bringing Ashkelon and Baltimore Full Circle

What does a Camp Shaliach do at Jewish summer camp?

At the JCC camp, Linoy worked on the athletics team with campers ages 4 to 15, leading games and athletic activities. A fitness coach in Israel, she previously served in the Israeli army as a fitness trainer for officers.

She quickly learned that one game was a particular favorite among her campers – Gaga.

“I’ve never heard of that game before I came here,” Linoy says. While a similar game is played in Israel under a different name, the campers at J Camp were “obsessed” with Gaga.

What do you hope campers learn from their Camp Shaliach?

For Linoy, the most important lessons aren’t complicated. She wants campers to be kind to one another, communicate when they need help and understand that being different is okay.

The language barrier was one of her biggest challenges. English is Linoy’s third language. She speaks Russian and Hebrew, but over the summer, the campers became her partners in communication, sometimes filling in the words when she couldn’t remember them.

She also introduced campers to Hebrew words, which quickly became a favorite part of the experience.

Ultimately, though, Linoy says her biggest lesson is simple: “Just being a good person.”

Why is the Camp Shaliach program especially important right now?

For Linoy, being a Camp Shaliach is an opportunity to give American campers a chance to meet an Israeli person and learn about Israel through a personal relationship.

“I’m just here to show what an Israeli is,” she says.

As someone from Ashkelon, Linoy’s summer represents exactly the kind of person-to-person connection that makes these relationships meaningful.

Ofri K.: Taking a Chance on Something New

For Ofri K., 20, becoming a Camp Shaliach meant stepping far outside her comfort zone. Originally from Hadera, Israel, a city along Israel’s Mediterranean coast, Ofri had never been to the United States before this summer. She discovered the opportunity through a Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) post on Instagram and decided to try something different.

“I wanted to do something different, something life-changing,” Ofri says.

She came to Baltimore hoping to make new friends and build her confidence. But she also discovered something she hadn’t fully understood before, the size and reach of Jewish communities around the world.

What does a Camp Shaliach do?

At J Camp, Ofri worked with the youngest campers, ages 2 to 5, teaching Israeli culture.

For her, the experience was about more than teaching children about Israel. She wanted them to learn how to be part of a community.

“Before I’m teaching Israeli culture, I want to teach them how to be together with each other, how to be supportive, enjoy all the time,” she says.

Why is connecting Israeli and American Jewish communities important?

Ofri believes Camp Shlichim can help American Jewish children and families better understand how Israelis live and think, especially at a time when Israel and Jewish communities around the world are facing difficult circumstances.

“We want to do as much effort as we can to connect the community all over the world, especially now.”

That connection changed the way Ofri sees Jewish life in Baltimore. In Hadera, she says, community often centers around family. In Baltimore, she was struck by how the Jewish community can feel like one large family, connected by a shared love of Israel and Jewish identity.

What will you take home from your summer in Baltimore?

One of Ofri’s favorite parts of the summer was her host family. She was touched by their willingness to open their home and welcome her as part of their family, providing both a place to stay and emotional support while she was far from home.

And she hopes to take that experience with her into the future. Ofri is considering returning as a Camp Shaliach next year. She also plans to attend college in Israel, where she hopes to study criminal law at Tel Aviv University.

Her biggest piece of advice is simple: Do something that scares you.

“I was very scared to come here in the first place. I didn’t know what’s going to happen. And the fact that I decided to do it was the best thing that I did in my life and the most exciting.”

Adva E.: Showing Campers That Israel Is More Than the Headlines

Why did you become a Camp Shaliach?

After completing her military service, Adva wanted to experience Jewish life outside Israel and see how it felt to be part of a Jewish community without the stress she associates with everyday life in Israel.

“In Israel, you always feel stress,” she says. “I want to change the environment that I have and to see how I feel about it.”

What do you hope campers learn from you?

Adva’s primary role was teaching dance, and she found a simple way to connect with campers: help them find the joy in moving to music.

Her goal wasn’t to turn campers into dancers. She simply wanted them to hear a song they loved and want to dance. By the end of the summer, campers were practicing their favorite dance at home and showing their parents what they had learned.

During Israel Week, Adva also helped campers learn about places throughout Israel. She hoped that when they heard names like Jerusalem or the Kotel, they would recognize them and understand their significance.

Why is the Camp Shaliach program important?

For Adva, one of the most meaningful parts of the experience has been showing campers that Israel is much more than what they hear in the news.

She says campers are especially curious when they meet an Israeli. They ask questions and want to learn more, and those conversations aren’t necessarily about the war.

“It’s so important for the kids to experience some Israelis,” Adva says. “To know that Israel, it’s not a war. It’s much more than it. It’s a culture. It’s warm people.”

That personal connection is at the heart of the Camp Shaliach experience. Campers aren’t just learning about Israel. they are getting to know an Israeli person.

What did Adva discover about Jewish life in Baltimore?

One of the things Adva missed most from home was her family’s Friday night Shabbat dinners. During her time in Baltimore, several families welcomed her into their homes for Shabbat, giving her a familiar sense of family and connection far from home.

The experience also changed the way she thinks about her future. Before coming to Baltimore, Adva says she never imagined herself leaving Israel. After spending two months in the United States, she’s more open to the possibility.

“I never say never.”

For these four young Israelis, being a Camp Shaliach was about much more than leading activities or teaching campers about Israeli culture.

It was about relationships.

And for the campers, it was an opportunity to experience Israel not simply as a country on a map or a place they hear about in the news, but through the people who call it home.