Between us we have almost 50 summers of experience at Jewish summer camps, as campers, and staff and board members. Yet we have never had a summer camp experience like we had this summer.
Neither of us could have imagined being at a Jewish summer camp, surrounded by excited, engaged, passionate teenagers in the Russian countryside outside of Moscow. Yes — at a Jewish summer camp outside of Moscow, Russia.
We were privileged to represent Milwaukee on the 2011/2012 Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) Campaign Chairs and Directors Mission, July 11-17.
Along with approximately 120 other campaign chairs and directors from throughout North America, we spent eight extraordinary days in Moscow and Jerusalem, seeing first-hand the work of our overseas partners, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), and World ORT.
Perhaps the most remarkable part about the camp and its campers and staff was how unremarkable it was. As we arrived there on July 13, we were welcomed by a 20-something counselor with a big bushy beard and mirrored sunglasses (who could have been David Papermaster from the 1980s).
Immediately we were pulled into a circle and were joining the campers and staff in dancing to a rocked-out version of “Cotton-Eyed Joe.” Yep, we had arrived at camp and a pretty cool one at that.
Run by JAFI, the camp brings together kids from around Russia and the other former Soviet republics for 10 days of typical Jewish summer camping. At first glance, we could have been at any Jewish summer camp in Wisconsin.
However, if you scratched the surface, you discovered one big difference. For most of the campers, this camp was their first exposure to being Jewish. In fact, some of the campers told us that their parents first told them they were Jewish by sending them to this camp.
Let us tell you about one camper and his story. Steve (we don’t recall his last name) is tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed, and spoke impeccable English (unlike the other campers). If you were casting for the Russian spy in any 1980s movie, Steve would be your guy.
He lives with his Jewish mother, who is a translator and taught him English from birth. His non-Jewish father is “not in the picture.”
Steve was inquisitive and started to pepper us both with questions. They were not the questions of a typical teenager.
He asked Eric, “If American Jews have so much freedom and can fully embrace their Judaism and Jewish heritage and practice fully and knowledgably, why don’t they?” So much for “easy” questions; good thing Eric went to rabbinical school.
He conversed with Mitch about where he should live after high school. Should he move to the U.S., Israel, or stay in Russia?
Eventually, he concluded that perhaps Israel was the best place. After all, he had already lived in Russia and “I’m not sure America really needs someone like me, but I’m pretty sure Israel does.”
If you don’t believe that summer camp can shape Jewish identity and a love for Israel, you need to spend some time with a kid like Steve.
Steve and his fellow campers weren’t the only ones we met in Moscow. We also had the chance on July 12 to be welcomed into the home of Israel and Vladimir Livshits.
Israel is 93 and his son Vladimir is 65. Both are highly educated; Israel was an aircraft engineer and Vladimir a mathematician. Israel retired at 73 after a distinguished career designing engines for fighter aircraft. A back injury forced Vladimir onto disability.
Despite their education and success, they now are unable to afford basic necessities of life. With the fall of the Soviet Union, their pensions were slashed.
However, living by the dictum that kol Yisrael aravim zeh ba’zeh – all Israel is responsible for one another – the JDC provides food debit cards and a home health worker who shops for them, visits with them, and ensures they are safe.
Despite the elevator in their building, Israel and Vladimir are unable to navigate the four steps from the landing of their building to the front door. Thus, they cannot leave the apartment. Our gifts to the Federation annual campaign ensure that despite their challenges, they aren’t alone and can live with dignity.
We met so many other people on our trip; we could never introduce them all to you. But we want to mention Knesset Member Shlomo Molla (Kadima), who told us of his harrowing (and often hilarious) journey as one of the first 17 Ethiopian Jews to arrive in Israel. He said he at first couldn’t believe the people he met were Jewish — he’d never seen a white Jew before.
Some Russian interns participating in a MASA (long-term Israel program) shared their passion. An Orthodox family with a differentially abled father worked with us to build and fly a kite. A cerebral palsy sufferer welcomed us into her apartment and showed us how a JDC “neighborhood father” ensures that she can live safely and securely.
We all say it’s nice to put a name with a face. From now on, we won’t be able to make a Federation gift without seeing the faces of Steve, Vladimir, Israel, Shlomo, and all the rest. We hope you won’t either.
Mitch Moser is 2012 campaign chair, Rabbi Eric Stark is campaign director for the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
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