Until recently, little was known about the camp experiences of Eastern European Jews. Drawing from data collected by the JDC-ICCD during 2008-2009 in five Eastern European countries, Prof. Erik H. Cohen (z’’l) looked at the impact of Jewish camping experience among young adults.

By comparing sub-groups of those who attended Jewish summer camps in their youth and those who didn’t, the study analyzes current attitudes and behaviors related to Jewish identity.

The report demonstrates that the impact of the Jewish summer camp experience is most clear among those who had a relatively weak Jewish background, thus justifying efforts to reach the periphery of the community.