The IAUJC is delighted to announce our first ever Financial Awards to families in the Ithaca area who sent their children to Jewish camps this summer. Four children, ages 10 to 16, weny to camp. They learned new skills, made friends and had an opportunity to become deeply identified with the Jewish people. A total of $5,470 was made available to four families in the amounts of $500, $1000, $1000 and $2970 using a ‘need-based’ process. Only the relevant camp administrators knew each family’s financial information and they determined the level of need.
The awards program was formed in response to the community’s leadership indicating that this should be our Jewish Community’s high priority. The goal is that every child in the Ithaca area who would like to attend a Jewish Summer Camp or Teen Experience is able to do so. The Camp/Teen Experience Initiative focuses on several aspects, including raising awareness of the programs available, encouraging youth to attend and their families to consider sending their children, and providing financial awards when needed to help make that possible. This year’s grant cycle ended May 31, 2016.
Without financial support, this initiative would not be possible. We are indebted to the funds made available through the Robert and Marcia Ascher Endowment of the IAUJC and to Linda and Stephen Pope.
Thanks go to our Camp/Teen Initiative members: Vally Kovary and Naomi Wilensky, co-chairs; Rabbi Suzanne Brody, Howard Erlich, Marjorie Hoffman, Lauren Korfine, Jim Rothenberg and Chana Silberstein. The Camp Initiative needs and welcomes new members—please contact Naomi Wilensky and/or Rabbi Brody if you or someone you know would like to participate in any way. We also need additional financial support in order to continue this program and expand it as the years progress. To learn about the initiative go to Summer Programs for Youth. There you will find the current policies and application forms.
