Bringing Israel to Camp—And Camp to Israel

Campers2Gether Group Photo at Camp Barney Medintz

“After October 7, these kids were impacted. Their homes, their lives were uprooted and changed,” said Danny Herz, Executive Director of Camp Barney Medintz. “To me, what a wonderful opportunity to not only hopefully give these kids some joy, some happiness, some Jewish experiences in America, but also…it just aligned so well with our mission of bringing Israel to camp.”

Danny explained that, “though a partnership between the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and Federation, we’ve been able to bring young Israelis to American summer camps to give them a break from the awful setting they were experiencing in Israel right after October 7.” Each summer, Camp Barney welcomes between 40 and 45 Israeli staff members, so when the chance arose to host Israeli campers, Danny saw it as “a great complement” to this tradition.

The Campers2Gether program, run by JAFI, brought 20 Israeli campers to Camp Barney Medintz thanks to a grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. 

“The Federation said, ‘Yeah, how can we help?’ We obviously have some families that are deeply committed to doing anything that would further our path of Jewish love, but more importantly, in this case, love of Israel and education about Israel,” Danny said.

Danny recalled one moment that captured the power of the experience. “Right around Hanukkah 2024, I get a call from one of our American families. The father says, ‘I’m in Israel and I’m so happy. Would you be OK if I put you on the phone with my daughter? She has something to say to you.’”

“She says to me, ‘I just want to thank you, because I’m in Israel and I’m with one of my closest friends, and I met her this summer when she came to Camp Barney Medintz. I wanted to come to Israel to visit her, just like she came to America to visit me.’” Danny added. “It brought Israel to camp, and then it brought camp to Israel. It combined the two most powerful Jewish identity experiences—a Jewish camp and a trip to Israel.”

Before the 20 Israeli teens departed, they read a letter to the entire camp: 

“Over the last two weeks, we’ve had the opportunity to meet new friends from different cultures, share amazing experiences together as a group and with others, step out of our comfort zones, and most of all, have an incredible time… We’ve made friendships that will carry with us for life.”

Danny still keeps that letter in his office. “That’s pretty cool,” he said.

He added, “The impact was felt on the American campers, the Israelis who joined us, the staff—and it continues with relationships that are built at camp. The Federation allowed all of that to happen.”

This grant that brought these teens to Camp Barney Medintz was made possible by donors who give to Federation’s Annual Campaign, ensuring that every dollar helps build Jewish life, learning, and connection—both here in Atlanta and across the globe. Their generosity turned a vision of healing and togetherness into a summer of shared joy and new friendships. 

Families eager to explore Jewish summer camps can attend the Jewish Camp Fair on Sunday, November 16 hosted by the Federation’s JCamping program. 

The fair will feature five regional overnight camps—Camp Barney Medintz, Camp Ramah Darom, Camp Judaea, URJ Camp Coleman, and URJ 6 Points Sports Academy—along with local day camps such as MJCCA Day Camps, In the City Camp, and Chabad’s Camp Gan Izzy. Families can meet camp directors, enjoy games, and learn what makes each camp unique. 

New this year at the fair is the Camp Gear Shuk, where families can receive gently used duffel bags and many other different types of donated camp gear to help future campers prepare for their adventures. Staff from PJ Library, Foundation for Jewish Camp, L’Dor V’Dor, and JIFLA will also be there showcasing our different partnerships. Come and learn about many different scholarship and incentive opportunities as well.

The Camp Fair showcases Federation’s leadership in Jewish education—connecting families, camps, and community to nurture Jewish identity that lasts a lifetime. 

You can register for the 2025 Camp Fair here.

Campers2Gether Silly Group Photo of Boy Campers at Camp Barney Medintz