A Summer That Begins with Courage: From Ceasefire to Campfires in 60 Minutes

Sonja Gershaft
Jul 3
2 min read

Just one hour after the announcement of an imminent ceasefire with Iran, the phones began to ring.

Nitzan Rosenwaks, a Dror Israel educator and Executive Director of NOAL, Dror's associated youth movement, recalls:

“We’re going to the campsite tomorrow!”

"The response was immediate. A flood of calls and messages poured in. She tried to slow the momentum, but it was unstoppable.

“But there haven’t been any instructions yet,” Nitzan recalls explaining. “How will we move from fear and uncertainty at home to creativity and play at the campsite? Will the Ministry of Education back us? Will the parents? Will the campers even want to come?”

But the coordinators and counselors of NOAL's Teen Leadership Institute couldn’t be stopped.

Teens from all over the country come together for quality leadership training.

Nitzan explains how that morning had begun with heartbreak; news of the fallen soldiers in Gaza weighed heavily on Dror's educators. And yet, in every conversation she had with the teen leadership training staff, one message rang clear:

"At this difficult time, there is nothing Israeli society needs more than a generation of young educators ready to take responsibility for making things right."

Within hours, they had secured all necessary approvals. The Ministry of Education backed the initiative, offering both support and urgency. NOAL's technical teams kicked into gear, working around the clock to make the campsite safe, comfortable, and welcoming for thousands of campers and their parents, who, to our relief, embraced the return to routine and joy with open arms.

This summer was meant to be a return to normalcy. Instead, it has become a mission of national importance.

The summer began with a wave of unprecedented missile attacks from Iran, affecting communities across the country and deepening the trauma Israeli children have endured since October 7th. In response, Dror Israel quickly expanded and adapted its summer programming, reaching more children, in more places, under more challenging conditions than ever before.

New friendships, games and relatable role models make for an unforgettable experience.

This summer, tens of thousands of Jewish, Arab, and Druze children will find safety, structure, and joy through Dror Israel's summer programs.

Children across the country will participate in day camps and overnight hikes, offering fun, friendship, and a much-needed return to childhood. At our Teen Leadership Institute, youth will attend an intensive seminar where they will be trained to run weekly activities for younger children in their communities, restoring routine, purpose, and connection throughout the year.

In eight evacuee centers, where families displaced by Iranian missile attacks are sheltering, our staff will provide trauma-informed care, creative play, and emotional relief for both children and parents. In cities, towns, and villages affected by recent violence, community-based mentorship programs will meet local needs through emergency support, youth engagement, and healing-centered education.

Amidst a tragic reality, kids get to be kids.

Now, all that remains is for Dror Israel educators and counselors, who have been preparing for months, to create the magic,to build a world of imagination, safety, and community in the middle of so much uncertainty. A world where teens can be teens again, where kids can play, and where healing can begin.