Shlichim bring a little bit of Israel to J-Camp

PROVIDENCE – Summer at J-Camp has all the fun activities you’d expect, from swimming to arts and crafts, but the campers also learn about Israel, thanks to our community’s shlichim, or Israeli emissaries.

This summer, campers are spending time with a familiar shaliach and a new one. Elihay Skital, who has been the Rhode Island community shaliach since September 2022, is spending the summer working at J-Camp, mostly supervising CITs, or counselors in training, who are in grades 7-10.

Skital, 23, is from Ashkelon. He’s no stranger to American camps since he has spent two summers working at Camp Havaya, in the Poconos.

You might know Skital from programs at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center, or your temple, or even from his cooking stories and recipes in Jewish Rhode Island. (Check out his latest on Moroccan Fish here.)

The new shlichah is Adi Horowitz, 21, who arrived in Providence in mid-June and will spend the summer working with the kids at J-Camp. This is her first time in the U.S. She will live with different families in the community during her summer in Rhode Island before taking off to travel. She’s hoping to see the West Coast, Florida and New York before returning to Israel.

Horowitz recently finished her army service, where she was a commander, helping immigrants adjust to life in the military.

“We had soldiers from all over the world, including one from China,” she said.

During this part of their service, these new Israelis go through Ulpan (Hebrew language course) and are taught about Israel, Horowitz said.

At J-Camp, she will use these skills in fun daily programs to teach campers about Israel.

Skital describes the camp experience for the shlichim:  “It is such a pleasure to be with the kids and answer all their questions. The kids are so curious to learn about Israel and about the culture, food, and Hebrew and it is so meaningful to be the ones who help them learn more and connect more to their Jewish identity and to Israel.”

FRAN OSTENDORF (fostendorf@jewishallianceri.org) is the editor of Jewish Rhode Island.