Amid Rising Anti Semitism, Chestnut Hill Summer Camp Helps Jewish Kids

CHESTNUT HILL, MA– With rising antisemitism reported in Massachusetts and the United States, over 300 children from the greater Boston area are participating in Camp Gan Israel at Chestnut Hill’s curriculum designed to fight antisemitism.

“With rising antisemitism, I felt we needed to empower our kids and instill them with a love for being Jewish.” Rabbi Mendy Uminer, camp director and director of Chabad Center of Chestnut Hill, said in a statement.

In addition to regular activities like arts and crafts, wilderness survival, and theater week, for the first time this year, the camp will be having an additional Jewish pride day to build self confidence and a joy for being Jewish.

Situated just outside Boston, each week of camp combines a unique aspect of Judaism with a camp activity, allowing the children to reinforce their Jewish pride and heritage in an immersive, playful environment.

The camp offers campers from grades Pre-K through 4 opportunities to embody Jewish pride through indoor and outdoor engagement and exploration.

Despite the troubling uptick in antisemitic incidents, more and more parents are seeing Jewish day camps as the solution to antisemitism and a place to find inspiration in their Jewishness as evidenced by the record enrollment this year, according to Camp Gan Israel. The camp infuses Jewish pride by blending physical activities like sports and games with spiritual, mental and emotional learning.

Camp Gan Israel will be held from June 26 through August 4 at Solomon Schechter Day School, located at 60 Stein Circuit in Newton. For more information, visit www.campgan.org.