WE  
  Cultivate a  
  Jewish Future  

Each year, Jewish summer camp experiences shape the identity and values of countless Jews. Campers go on to become leaders in their communities, and share a love and commitment to Jewish life. Szarvas, our flagship JDC-Lauder international Jewish summer camp in Hungary — along with a network of local camps and retreats in places like Poland, the Baltics, Bulgaria, and Romania, India, and Turkey — have been transformational in catalyzing thousands of grassroots Jewish activists, leaders, and professionals focused on building their communities’ future. In 2023 alone, Szarvas hosted more than 1,400 campers and madrichim (counselors) from 25 countries at its newly-renovated facilities.

We develop programs fostering Jewish identity and responsibility around the world, including Active Jewish Teens (AJT), a partnership with BBYO, which provides thousands of Jewish teens in the former Soviet Union with a platform to strengthen their identities and serve their communities, as well as AJT Junior, a program for Jewish youth ages 8-12. In Europe, we coordinate Jewish leadership programs like Junction, the JDC pan-European initiative supported by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies that empowers young Jews through networking, training, and creative grants for grassroots initiatives that bolster European Jewish life and community. The Junction Annual — a yearly gathering of rising Jewish leaders from across Europe — is a key part of this mission.

JDC Entwine, JDC’s platform for young Jewish professionals, inspires tens of thousands of young Jews in North America and beyond to embrace global Jewish responsibility. Participants engage in global Jewish service and immersive travel experiences, innovative Jewish educational programs, and tailored leadership development opportunities through which young Jews can explore, find meaning, and take action on Jewish and global issues. Additionally, Entwine’s DIY Toolkits and partnerships enable new paths for celebrating Jewish holidays and Shabbat, and for young Jewish giving to diverse needs.

Across the world, our expansive volunteer networks cultivate Jewish life, connect families to lifesaving services, and distribute food, medicine, and other essentials to the people who need it most. We see the spirit of volunteerism in programs in the former Soviet Union that promote community responsibility and a culture of care and commitment to vulnerable elderly Jews and others in need. Since the start of the Ukraine crisis, tens of thousands of Jewish volunteers have mobilized to distribute aid and provide human connection to Jews and others enduring daily uncertainty.

Strong community is a safeguard against isolation and as a source of knowledge, resources, meaning, and Jewish culture and traditions. Jewish institutions, like JDC-supported Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) are the bedrock of our communities, and they’ve found innovative ways to support and engage members. Equally important are programs like Yesod and the Kaplan Leadership Initiative, which provide seminars and resources, as well as leadership training and Jewish learning, to cultivate the next generation of Jewish professionals. Last year, the Kaplan Leadership Initiative engaged 48 young Jewish leaders from Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Latin America — a global cohort that will strengthen Jewish life around the world.

Each year, Jewish summer camp experiences shape the identity and values of countless Jews. Campers go on to become leaders in their communities, and share a love and commitment to Jewish life. Szarvas, our flagship JDC-Lauder international Jewish summer camp in Hungary — along with a network of local camps and retreats in places like Poland, the Baltics, Bulgaria, and Romania, India, and Turkey — have been transformational in catalyzing thousands of grassroots Jewish activists, leaders, and professionals focused on building their communities’ future. In 2023 alone, Szarvas hosted more than 1,400 campers and madrichim (counselors) from 25 countries at its newly-renovated facilities.