From the Gaza Envelope to Georgia: A Summer of Healing
August 14, 2026
For 40 Israeli teens from communities in the Gaza Envelope, arriving at summer camp in Georgia meant far more than the start of another season. After months of living in communities forever changed by the events of October 7 and the ongoing war, camp offered something many hadn’t experienced in a long time: the chance to feel safe, build friendships, and simply be teenagers again.
Before these teens ever stepped onto the fields at Camp Barney Medintz or Camp Judaea, Jewish Atlanta had already been preparing to welcome them.
“We’re proud to help give teens from Israel the opportunity to experience Jewish overnight camp surrounded by friendship, community, and Jewish life,” said Leah Stinson, Federation’s Director of JTeen and JCamping. “That’s what makes this support so meaningful.”
Through a Federation JInnovate grant, donor support made it possible for Most Valuable Kids (MVK) to partner with volunteers across the community to create personalized welcome bags for every Israeli camper. Donors, Atlanta’s Israeli community, local businesses, camp alumni, and Federation ambassadors all contributed, filling each bag with camp essentials, toiletries, water bottles, games, and thoughtful extras.
“We wanted the kids to open those bags and immediately feel special and welcomed,” said Susan Banner, Executive Director of Most Valuable Kids. “We wanted them to know people cared about them before they even got to camp.”
The bags also served a practical purpose. Packing for camp means checking off pages of supplies. For families traveling halfway around the world, that list can feel even longer. By providing everything from shampoo and sunscreen to toothbrushes and water bottles, Federation donors helped remove one more worry so parents could focus on what mattered most: giving their children the opportunity to enjoy camp.
“We just wanted them to jump right in,” Susan said.
The teens came to Atlanta through The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Campers2Gether (C2G) initiative, created in response to October 7 to support Israeli children and teens affected by the war. By bringing Israeli and North American youth together through Jewish overnight camp experiences, the program provides healing, strengthens emotional well-being, and builds lasting connections across the global Jewish community. Early evaluations show Campers2Gether offers participants emotional respite while fostering a renewed sense of belonging.
By the end of the summer, those goals had become deeply personal.
In a letter to the Camp Judaea community, the Israeli teens wrote:
“Coming from Israel, we weren’t sure what to expect, but from the very first moment, you gave us the freedom to be 100% ourselves.”
“What you created for us here is incredibly rare and special. It does not just happen anywhere.”
“You made us feel like we belong to something so much bigger than just a summer camp.”
For Susan, those words captured the heart of the project.
“When you wrap your arms around something, it can get done in a beautiful way,” she said. “It really was just a special, heartwarming thing.”
Because of Federation donors, these 40 teens returned home with far more than camp memories. They returned with new friendships, renewed hope, and the knowledge that even thousands of miles from the Gaza Envelope, they are part of a global Jewish community that stands with them.