Camp Yeka: It’s All About the Kids

Over 120 Jewish Children came from 15 different cities and villages across Ukraine to have the summer of their lives in Camp Yeka, many of them hailing from orphanages. Yeka’s group of dedicated volunteer staff from all across the western hemisphere raised the cost of their flights and the funds to make camp a reality for these children.

Here’s one counselor’s report on Camp Yeka’s first two weeks:

It’s been a hectic two weeks here in Yeka Land. In addition to the daily schedule filled with learning, fun, and our very competitive Yeka sports leagues. There were disco nights led by our in-house DJ Sirota, trips to the luna park, arcades, ice skating and paintball shooting, fun, fun, fun!

As part of our hands on educational programming the boys made their very own tye-dye Tzitis, decorated their own Yarmulkas, baked and designed their own challahs each Friday and learned all about Shchita by our very talented counselor/Shochet, Kasriel Kay.

This year our “Starshee”/Masmidim program has grown to 26 campers ages 14-18. Two summers ago we launched a unique program where we empowered our Masmidim to not just be older campers in camp but to be leaders to the younger campers and be their learning teachers. We have B”H been seeing amazing success from this program as the entire camp is involved in the learning together each on their own level.

Our “Starshee” program also has also been having a rocking start with nightly BBQ (“Shashleek”) Fabrengens and special learning classes by the local Shluchim as well as special trips. They just got back from a two day hiking trip to the Carpathian Mountains where they also camped out and went white water rafting.

Please help us make the next half of camp even better than the first. Donate today at yeka.rallybound.com.