15 Jewish Camps Awarded Funding to Improve Ability to Include Disabled Campers

Photo Credit: Marissa Becker

Fifteen Jewish camps across North America have been awarded funding in the next round of the Yashar Initiative of the Foundation for Jewish Camp and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation for projects to increase inclusion for disabled campers and staff.

The initiative, named “Yashar” – the Hebrew word for “level” and “integrity” — aspires to significantly improve accessibility, providing funds for capital improvements, professional development, staff training, research, and evaluation. Yashar is intended to support a wide range of campers and staff, including individuals with autism spectrum disorder, as well as those with intellectual, developmental, physical, and sensory disabilities.

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Those who were awarded the grants reflect a diverse mix of nine overnight and six day camps across a broad range of affiliations and geographical areas. Four are from the New York area:
● Camp Kehilla, New York
● Camp Simcha, New York
● Camp Twelve Trails, New York, and
● Eden Village Camp, New York.

Funded projects include accessibility upgrades to common areas, installation of an art sensory room, construction of an adaptive outdoor climbing tower to be used 1:1 by disabled campers with a staff member, and a zero-entry swimming pool. In addition, camps will receive program grants totally more than $300,000 to help support staff training, program development and evaluation.

Each grant recipient has made a commitment to increasing its population of campers with disabilities to at least five percent of the total camper population.

“In order to serve the needs of the entire Jewish community, Jewish summer camps continue to find more and better ways to serve all members, regardless of ability,” said Jeremy J. Fingerman, FJC CEO. “FJC is proud to be facilitating the funding, training, and innovation needed to realize that goal.”