Thirty-two Israeli youngsters, whose parents or siblings were among the 674 Israel Defense Forces soldiers killed on Oct. 7 or during the ongoing war in Gaza, recently arrived in the United States for the Friends of the IDF’s Legacy Summer Camp program.
The group — 23 campers and nine counselors — is one of six delegations totaling more than 340 participants visiting the U.S. this summer. From July 1-14, the group was based at Capital Camps in southern Pennsylvania and hosted by the FIDF Maryland chapter.
“We have become hosts for Legacy Camp as an extension of the mission of FIDF, as our job is to also look after the families of the IDF soldiers,” said Pikesville resident Sherry Mauer, president of the FIDF Maryland chapter. “These families have made the ultimate sacrifice, and our hope is to bring joy to these kids, if only for the time they are here.
“They bring so much meaning and fulfillment to us as well,” Mauer said. “We love seeing these kids and the young soldiers connecting with Jews in the U.S. who care so much about them. … Going to Capital Camps this year was such a deeper emotional visit as the kids and IDF commanders opened up sharing their personal stories of loss. These attendees had lost a family member on or post-Oct 7. I would have thought it was too raw to share. However, they were even more open in sharing than other years when the losses for further in the past.”
FIDF’s Legacy Camp Program brings Israeli children or siblings of fallen soldiers to the U.S. for a 10-day summer experience, either immersed in a traditional American summer camp or traveling on a road trip. This program provides the opportunity for these children to find joy, friendship and support from fellow campers and counselors who have experienced similar losses and struggles. Officers from the IDF’s Casualty Unit accompany the campers throughout the program
Due to the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas and ongoing war, this year’s initiative is significantly larger than ever before, with more children suffering the traumatic loss of a loved one. Some of these children have lost multiple family members. Some are from the kibbutzim where massacres took place, having witnessed the horrors themselves and lost their community, homes and possessions.
The program was previously designed for b’nai mitzvah-age children. This year for the first time, the program has added three road trips for 15–16-year-olds on top of the three camp delegations.
While at Capital Camps, the participants visited Washington, D.C., and enjoyed Shabbat with members of the Jewish community in the nation’s capital. They also spent a day at Six Flags amusement park in Bowie and traveled to New York City to sightsee and enjoy a Broadway show.
“It is a sacred honor for us to offer support and open our homes and hearts to the Legacy campers,” said Steve Weil, FIDF’s chief executive officer. “The program provides these youth with a transformative opportunity to bond with peers who understand their loss. They’ll make friends with other bereaved children, finding joy and support amidst shared experiences of grief. For the children and siblings of fallen soldiers, carrying such grief can be incredibly isolating. But through camp activities and travel, participants find solace and moments of normalcy in their journeys of healing.”
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