As the Vietnam and Yom Kippur wars, inflation, and the political upheaval of Watergate tore through the mid-1970s, Jeremy Fingerman found a reprieve by the tall white pine trees on the shores of Lake Buckatabon. When he recalls his summers at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin, you can see him transport himself back to those halcyon days.
He speaks of Shabbat services amid golden sunsets and of whispers, laughs, and tears exchanged with bunk confidants — some of whom he has remained friends with to this day.
“Camp is where I began to forge my Jewish identity, where I learned what it means to be part of a Jewish community,” Fingerman says. “And even though much has changed in the five decades since I was a camper, young Jews today continue to experience the same magic I did.”
Fingerman, 64, announced last month that he was stepping away from the intensity of his role as CEO of Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC), a public charitable organization that supports over 300 non-profit day and overnight camps across North America. He took the reins in 2010, as smartphones began to burrow their way into young people’s pockets, and now concludes a tenure in which Jewish camps have grappled with everything from rising mental health needs to the pandemic to the aftermath of October 7th.
Researchers largely align that anxiety, depression, and mental health issues among adolescents are rising, though they continue to debate the extent to which smartphones are responsible. Even before October 7th, surveys pointed to young Jews’ increasingly complex relationship with Israel. And Jewish communities of all sizes are confronting a dearth of participation in communal life by younger generations, wondering how they can successfully boost engagement.
Fingerman sees camp as a cornerstone of the Jewish community’s response to these issues. A recent study from Leading Edge, an organization that supports the Jewish non-profit sector, discovered that camp is the most common experience that Jewish communal leaders share. FJC data from last summer shows that 96% of families of overnight campers report that camp creates an environment where their child is proud to be Jewish. Fingerman describes emotional encounters and deep friendships between North American and Israeli Jews at camp, and Jewish camp’s broader success in forging strong connections to Israel.
“To me, these data points reinforce what we know: Jewish camp works. The question for the field and for FJC moving forward is: How can we expand access to as many young people as possible? In answering that question, the resources camps need continue to shift and evolve. We’ve done our best to be responsive in this rapidly changing environment,” says Fingerman.
Fingerman cites efforts during his tenure to help camps hire additional mental health professionals as well as renovate bunks and program spaces to better accommodate campers with disabilities. He emphasizes the value of partnerships, such as with Jewish Federations across North America, that have enabled FJC to provide 125,000 One Happy Camper incentive grants to first-time campers that make camp more accessible. Overall, Fingerman says FJC raised $250 million to support Jewish camps over the past 15 years.
Still, there’s a lot more work to be done, he suggests: “Last summer’s record attendance at Jewish camps — nearly 190,000 young people — is an encouraging sign of post-pandemic recovery. But high demand poses its own challenge, even if it’s a good one.”
Fingerman sees three main areas where Jewish camps need more support: capital projects, talent pipelines, and Israel education. He argues that camps will need to invest in physical infrastructure such as bunks and program spaces, human infrastructure such as retaining counselors, and cultural infrastructure such as increased Israel education.
Jamie Simon, FJC’s Chief Program and Strategy Officer, will assume the role of interim CEO as FJC’s Board conducts a search to permanently fill the position. Simon previously spent 17 years at the Camp Tawonga Jewish Community Corporation, including six years as CEO, and speaks of the power of Jewish camp with a similar reverence to Fingerman.
“I’m very excited about all the things FJC has lined up for this summer and beyond, from placing Israel educators at dozens of camps to new capital expansion projects. Especially now, as young Jews confront myriad challenges, we want to make sure camp continues to be a place where they can have fun, feel safe, and explore their Jewish identity,” she says.
In early December 2024, a record-breaking nearly 950 Jewish camp leaders, funders, educators, professionals, investors, and more gathered in Chicago for Leaders Assembly, FJC’s 10th biennial conference. The vibrancy of the gathering reassured Fingerman that even after the pandemic and October 7th, Jewish camp was stronger than ever. It also boosted his confidence that he could transition away during a period of momentum.
Two weeks later, a trip to Israel crystallized for Fingerman where he wanted to spend more time.
“My wife and I were in Jerusalem lighting the Chanukah Menorah with our two kids, son-in-law, and one-year-old grandson. I felt a special radiance of L’dor v’dor with the younger generations of my family living in the State of Israel,” he says.
Fingerman will remain a senior advisor to FJC. But most of all, he’s ready to slow down, much as he did during Shabbat services by Lake Buckatabon all those years ago.