Original Source (Times of Israel) August 2026
Author: Avishai Infeld
It is no secret that our communal institutions and leaders are grappling with the question: How do we ensure that the next generation understands what Zionism is and why does it matter? As the summer winds down and the new academic year begins, this question will once again intensify. For the last few decades, the answer often included family trips to Israel, Zionist youth movements, synagogue life, and educational programs that allowed young Jews to experience Israel firsthand. Today, that landscape has changed. The COVID-19 pandemic, followed by nearly three years of war, has created a reality in which many young American Jews have not been able to travel to Israel, missing out on key formative experiences. At the very moment when a strong connection to Israel is needed most, many young Jews are encountering Israel primarily through headlines, social media, and political debate.
That is why Jewish summer camps have become one of the most important institutions shaping the future of Zionism.
Growing up at Camp Solomon Schechter near Olympia, Washington, I experienced this firsthand. At Schechter, Israel was not a separate subject taught for an hour each day. It was woven naturally into camp life. Israeli shlichim (emissaries) shared their experiences, Hebrew songs echoed across camp, and Israel was part of our conversations, celebrations, and community. Zionism was never presented as a political slogan. It was understood as an expression of Jewish peoplehood and the enduring connection between the Jewish people and our ancestral homeland.
Looking back, I realize camp accomplished something few classrooms ever could. It made Israel real and tangible.
One of the most eye-opening aspects of camp for me, growing up in a strong Jewish community, was getting to meet peers who lived a very different life the rest of the year. Something I discovered was how for many Jewish children, summer camp is their only chance during the year to live in an intentionally Jewish environment. Israel is not an occasional topic but an integral part of this.
That matters because Zionism cannot simply be learned through headlines or social media. Those platforms often reduce Israel to the crisis of the moment, stripping away the history, culture, language, and peoplehood that lie at the heart of Zionism. A meaningful Zionist education teaches that Israel is not merely a current event, it is the historic homeland of the Jewish people and an essential part of our collective story.
Summer camp provides the ideal setting for that learning. For several weeks, campers step away from the distractions that dominate modern life. Phones disappear. Endless notifications fade away. Instead, they spend every day immersed in a Jewish community where Hebrew is spoken, Israeli music is sung, Shabbat is celebrated together, and Israel is experienced as a natural part of Jewish life.
The broader Jewish community recognizes just how important these experiences have become. Each summer, The Jewish Agency for Israel sends more than 2,000 Israeli shlichim to Jewish camps across North America, where they serve as counselors, educators, and role models. This summer, through its Campers2Gether initiative, more than 1,000 Israeli teens are participating in Jewish camps around the world, including more than 700 attending camps across North America after their lives were disrupted by war. These initiatives reflect a profound understanding: if we want the next generation to develop a lifelong connection to Israel, there are few places more impactful than Jewish summer camp.
One of the greatest strengths of the American Zionist Movement is that it brings together organizations representing a remarkable diversity of religious, political, and ideological perspectives, all united by a belief in the importance of Israel and the Jewish people’s right to self-determination. Among AZM’s 51 member organizations are 10 youth movements, representing a wide spectrum of the community, which participate in the American Zionist Youth Council. That diversity is reflected across summer camps operated by a number of AZM and AZYC member organizations including Bnei Akiva, Young Judaea, and Habonim Dror, among others.
At Bnei Akiva’s Moshava camps, Zionism is woven into the rhythm of daily life through Hebrew language, Yom Aliyah celebrations, and educational programming that makes Israel a living part of campers’ Jewish identity. At Young Judaea’s camps, hundreds of Israeli campers join their American peers each summer, helping create an authentic and contemporary connection to Israeli society. At Habonim Dror’s camps, campers explore both Israel’s extraordinary achievements and its complexities, learning that a deep commitment to Israel includes thoughtful engagement, responsibility, and a desire to help shape its future.
These camps differ in philosophy, religious outlook, and educational approach. Yet they all share something profoundly important: the belief that Zionism remains central to Jewish life and that every young Jew deserves the opportunity to build a meaningful relationship with Israel.
That diversity is one of Zionism’s greatest strengths.
Too often, public conversations portray Zionism as narrow or monolithic. The reality is exactly the opposite. The Zionist movement has always included a wide range of religious, political, and philosophical perspectives. Jewish summer camps reflect that richness. They teach young Jews that while we may disagree on policies or politics, we remain united by our shared history, our shared destiny, and our enduring connection to Israel.
The future of Zionism will not be secured solely through speeches, headlines, or debates on college campuses. It will be secured by raising a generation of young Jews who understand that Zionism is not simply an opinion about current events or a singular political opinion, but an enduring expression of Jewish identity, peoplehood, and responsibility.
Over the past few weeks, thousands of Jewish children left camp carrying memories of campfires, songs, and friendships on the surface. Deep down, they also leave with something greater – understanding of who they are, where they come from, and why Israel remains an indispensable part of the Jewish story.
If we want to ensure a vibrant Zionist future, we must continue investing in the places where that future is being shaped today. Few places are more important than Jewish summer camp.
