HERZL CAMP RECEIVES NATIONAL GRANT TO LAUNCH JEWISH TEEN
FOUNDATION THIS SUMMER
Minneapolis, MN – March 6, 2012 – Herzl Camp was selected as one of twenty
North American summer camps to participate in the 2012 Camping Pilot Program
of the Jewish Teen Funders Network (JTFN), a youth philanthropy project of
the Jewish Funders Network. Through the JTFN Camping Pilot Program, [camp
name] will create a Jewish teen foundation, in which campers will work together
as a “foundation board,” giving away real money to non-profit organizations of
their choosing.
“We are so excited to be part of this national movement to develop the next
generation of philanthropists,” said Anne Hope, Herzl Camp Director. “This
program is the perfect complement to our extensive community service
curriculum. Herzl Camp will be providing a thorough, well-rounded program that
will give our youth the skills and knowledge to be smart givers.”
Recognizing the potential of Jewish youth
philanthropy programs to empower and educate
teens about effective philanthropy and Jewish
values, JTFN awarded twenty grants to Jewish
summer camps committed to creating high quality
Jewish teen philanthropy programs. In addition to
a grant of $1,500, JTFN will work closely with
grantees on program development and staff
training. Summer camps demonstrated
overwhelming interest in the pilot program, with
twice as many applications as slots available.
The teen philanthropy program will be
implemented and supervised by Elana Goldberg
of Kansas City. This will be Elana’s third year as
a staff person at Herzl Camp. Beyond her role in
developing this exciting pilot project, Elana will
play an active role on the Jewish education team
at Herzl.
Elana Goldberg & Max Silverman
Throughout the grantmaking process, in which the participants will review grant
proposals from non-profit organizations, make site visits to potential grantees,
and determine which organizations to support, the philanthropists-in-training will
examine Jewish texts, traditions, and values related to giving. The pilot program
encourages campers to “learn by giving” and will generate at least $20,000 in
grants, with each teen foundation awarding a minimum of $1,000 in grants. The
pilot program is generously supported by the Maimonides Fund.
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Jeremy J. Fingerman, CEO, Foundation for Jewish Camp sees the pilot program
as a valuable contribution to the field of Jewish summer camping. “The basis of
JTFN’s program aligns well with our goal of teaching campers about Jewish
values and being a contributing member of a community. I believe the teen
philanthropy model offers camps an innovative way to engage our oldest
campers with lessons that extend well beyond the summer,” Fingerman said.
“We are confident that the foundation provided by Jewish teen philanthropy
programs will strengthen the teens’ insight and commitment to philanthropy, and
that the alumni of these programs will engage in lifelong giving within the
framework of Jewish values,” said Ricky Shechtel, JTFN co-founder.
About Herzl Camp
Herzl Camp is an independent, trans-denominational Jewish camp that serves
the Midwest and beyond. About 750 campers and 125 staff spend their summer
immersed in a Jewish community of their own making at Herzl Camp. Kansas
City is second only to the Minneapolis area in the number of staff and campers it
sends to Herzl each summer.
About Jewish Teen Funders Network
The mission of the Jewish Teen Funders Network (JTFN) is to provide Jewish
teens with hands-on opportunities to engage in collective philanthropic giving
with their peers, guided by Jewish values. A program of the Jewish Funders
Network, JTFN is committed to increasing the number of Jewish youth
philanthropy programs around the country, and the number of teens involved in
these programs. JTFN also aims to enhance the Jewish educational value of
these programs by providing curricular and programmatic resources on Jewish
values and philanthropy.
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