BALTIC SUMMER CAMPS PREPARING JEWISH YOUTHS FOR LIFE IN ISRAEL

BY ESTER HEINZMANN, ICEJ-GERMANY

As the war in Ukraine rages on, the ICEJ is helping several hundred Russian-speaking Jewish youths prepare to move to Israel by sponsoring Aliyah summer camps in the nearby Baltic states.

The summer camps are run by the Jewish Agency For Israel with ICEJ support. One Aliyah camp opened in late June in Latvia with 101 Jewish participants from ages 7 to 17. Among them were 30 young Ukrainian Jews dislocated by the war, with the rest coming from the Baltic states.

Another summer camp convened in Vilnius, Lithuania, with 141 Jewish youths taking part, including 133 Ukrainian Jews. A third camp was held back in Latvia in August.

In these summer camps, the youngsters are not only learning more about Israel and the Aliyah process, they also are reconnecting to their Jewish faith, which was supressed in Soviet times.

There also is a lot of fun for the children and teenagers, including swimming, volleyball, folk dances and foam parties. This all produces lots of smiles and laughter. In addition, the children take part in traditional Shabbat observances on Friday evenings, like candle lighting and kiddush.

At the recent Aliyah camp in the Latvia, the Jewish youngsters stayed in an idyllic vacation complex and everyone quickly made new friends. Located at the edge of an impressive nature reserve, the camp offered a variety of outdoor programs, including a refreshing dip in the Baltic Sea.

The camp counsellors shared insights about Israel, the Start-Up Nation and haven of refuge for the Jewish people. As the Russia-Ukraine war drags on not so far away, the youngsters had ample reason to consider what a move to Israel will mean for them.

The young campers also learn about Aliyah youth programs run by JAFI which allow them to complete their high school or university educations in Israel. JAFI’s investment in these SELA and NAALE programs has borne great fruit, as more than 30,000 Jewish teenagers have graduated from these programs over the past 30 years. Most then choose to remain in Israel for good, with their parents and siblings soon to follow.

Currently, there are 1400 Jewish youths expected to enter either the SELA or NAALE programs over the coming year. Many make the decision to join at these Aliyah summer camps, proving how valuable they are.

The Christian Embassy also is currently sponsoring Aliyah flights from the Baltic states and the numbers along this route are strong at 178 Jewish newcomers so far this year. This includes not only Jews from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, but also Russian and Ukrainian Jews using this route to reach Israel.

Overall, more than 86,000 Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet republics have arrived in Israel since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the ICEJ is sponsoring Aliyah flights along these additional routes as well.

Every one of these newcomers bring huge potential to the nation of Israel. And God has not lost sight of a single one: “Then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.” (Ezekiel 39:28)

So, please help support these Aliyah youth camps and all our other efforts to bring Jews home to Israel. Donate today at: give.icej.org/aliyah