Israeli emissaries — working at the JCC and the Union Y joined forces with Central federation emissary Miri Hasson, second from left, to provide a day of Israeli festivities at each site. The shlihim are, from left, Asaf Mendelovice, Hasson, Hilla Baruch, Shiran Sendak, Yael Greenblatt, Lital Cohen, Sivan Revivo, and Maya Aderet.
Photo by Elaine Durbach
Israeli counselors
The eight Israeli summer camp shlihim are:
Camp Yachad at the JCC of Central NJ, Scotch Plains
Maya Aderet
Yael Greenblatt
Gil Sofer Menashe
Asaf Mendelovice
YM-YWHA of Union County, Union
Lital Cohen
Shiran Sendak
Sivan Revivo
Hilla Baruch
August 7, 2008
There is none of the “on the other hand…” attitude from the eight young Israelis working as camp counselors in the Central New Jersey community this summer. Much as they may differ in personality, they are in wholehearted agreement about a number of things — including that there should be more of them.
Under the leadership of Miri Hasson, the Jewish Federation of Central NJ community shliha for 2007-08, the shlihim, or emissaries, have been seasoning the summer camps at the Jewish Community Center of Central NJ and the YM-YWHA of Union County with a taste of Israel. What they agreed on is the warmth and hospitality they have encountered from their host families, from the camp organizers, and from the young campers themselves. Another cross-the-board reaction has been their surprise and delight at how important Israel and all things Israeli are at the camps.
Building on a good thing, they all said that there should be more people like them coming to these summer programs in the future.
Sivan Revivo is perhaps the most emphatic in her views and for good reason: This is her second summer at the Union Y, and she helped select her fellow participants for the Central NJ contingent of the nationwide summer camp counselor program run by the Jewish Agency for Israel.
The 24-year-old from Nahariya was working for a cellular phone company before coming to the United States this summer, and when she goes back she will begin her studies in special education and working with high-risk children.
She said she chose to come because she had such a good time last year, the first time the Y had its own shlihim, but also because, she said, “I thought it was important that the kids see that we are not here just for the fun of it, that we are here so that they can have a connection with us.”
Every day is special, she said, working with the other counselors and seeing the kids learn Hebrew words like boker tov (good morning) and sababa (OK, cool), as well as Israeli songs and dances and traditions. Things have been particularly well organized this year, she said, and everyone has gone out of their way to make them feel at home.
Like the others, Revivo came with the intention to improve Israel’s image — not just with the Jewish kids but also with the non-Jewish campers. Now, she said, “if they read in the newspaper something about Israel, they will see my face and will feel connected to Israel, and they will have a smile.”
Israeli emissaries, from left, Lital Cohen, Sivan Revivo, Hilla Baruch, and Shiran Sendak have worked together at the Union Y’s summer camp.
Maya Aderet, 20, from Kibbutz Sarid, near Haifa, has been at the JCC’s Camp Yachad. She said the campers are a bit different from Israeli children, “but they like the same stuff: Pokemon cards, movies, games, songs. The kids are really great, and they are very interested in Israel.”
One thing surprised her — the weather. “I didn’t expect all the rain,” she said.
Dance student Yael Greenblatt, 22, from Jerusalem, has also been posted to the JCC. She said she has been delighted by the campers’ enthusiasm for Israel. “As soon as the kids hear we’re from Israel, they are always excited and tell us about family and relatives who live there or Hebrew words and songs they know from school.”
She was surprised by the number of traditions relating to Israel that have been part of the camp for years. “It’s awesome. I really didn’t expect that — like singing ‘Hatikva’ at Friday gatherings or using Hebrew words in the morning weather report.”
Two of the counselors, Gil Sofer Menashe, 22, and Hilla Baruch, 25, are from Rishon Letzion.
Menashe, who is at the JCC, finished the army service a year ago and then worked in a summer camp in Israel, traveled to Thailand, took the SATs, and worked — as a waitress and as secretary for her father.
The greenness of the area thrills her too and so do the people. “They are so amazing,” she said. “Counselors, parents, campers, and of course the families who opened their homes to host Israelis this summer. Everybody is so nice and generous.”
Her biggest surprise was to learn that Hebrew is taught in camp. “It’s lovely to see that,” Menashe said.
Baruch has been working at the Y. She is a student going into her third year in college, studying special-needs education. Coming on the program, she said, had been a dream of hers since she was 18.
“I believe it’s very important for us as Jews to reach even young children around the world,” she said. “It’s important to me that they know that Israel is a great and safe place to live in and not to be fed only by the media that can also give Israel a bad name.” Baruch said even the non-Jewish campers have welcomed them with love and have shown a great interest in learning about Israel.
If there was one thing she could change, it would be to have more of the emissaries, she said, so that “more and more children can enjoy and get to learn about Israel from different aspects and from different people.”
Her fellow Y counselor, Shiran Sendak, 20, from Netanya, brought — among other aspects — a fresh taste of Israeli army life. Just five months ago she finished her service in the army, where she worked as a company clerk and helped soldiers deal with their social problems.
“I came to New Jersey,” she said, “because I think that the kids need to know Israel better and that we, the shlihim, can do it in a fun way.”
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