Young Judaea
CYJ is home to about 200 campers every summer, but at least 50% percent of those campers need either a full or partial scholarship to attend camp. Please help us share the magic of camp with more children that can’t afford to come by donating to one of our three funds:
Diane Markowicz Scholarship Fund
Diane (Dina) Markowitz was a Young Judaean who inspired people of all ages to pursue social justice. The daughter of Polish Holocaust survivors who emigrated to the United States, she was widely recognized at her young age for her advocacy on behalf of human rights, particularly efforts to free imprisoned Jewish and political activists in the former Soviet Union. She was also a passionate defender of animal rights and vegetarianism.
In 1975, before she began college, she was selected to participate in Machon, a year-long program in Israel for young leaders from all over the world where she was with her fellow Young Judaeans. While in Israel she fell in love with Kibbutz Ketura and planned to make aliyah after college to join her friends and fellow idealists in the Negev. Donate to the fund here to honor Diane’s memory.
Gertrude & Louis Green Scholarship Fund
Gertrude & Louis Green were devoted to the causes of Hadassah and Young Judaea. They were extremely generous and giving of themselves in supporting both organizations. This scholarship was established by their nieces and nephews to continue to honor their memory. Donate to the fund here.
Irene Sidel Scholarship Fund
Irene grew up in Dearborn, Michigan. After graduating from the University of Michigan, she moved to New York where she operated electronic accounting machines and met her husband, Philip.
In 1969, the family moved to Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill area where she and Philip lived for 45 of their 50 years of marriage. Living in Squirrel Hill, Irene became increasingly involved in the Jewish community and joined the Zionist Women’s organization, Hadassah. She became Secretary to the Regional Director of Hadassah’s Youth Movement, Haschachar/Young Judaea, where she could work during the hours her children were in school and have them with her after school at her place of work. A few years later, she became the Regional Director and served as a guide and often “second mom” to cohorts of 3rd through 12th graders for more than a decade.
Miriam Soboroff-Dena Steinberg Scholarship Fund
Miriam Soboroff and Dena Steinberg were sisters who grew up in Aberdeen, South Dakota where their mother was the president of the Aberdeen Chapter of Hadassah. After Dena and Miriam graduated from college, Dena and her husband made their home in Elgin, IL, and Miriam and her husband in Chicago. Both Dena and Miriam were actively involved in Hadassah, taking on many leadership positions, including Dena being on the National Board and Miriam as president of what was then the Chicago Chapter. They were passionate in their love of Judaism and Israel and both strongly believed in Jewish camping. This led Miriam to becoming one of the founders of the current CYJ Midwest and to spend many years fundraising and advocating for camp and even storing camp equipment in her basement during the winters. Both Miriam and Dena’s grandchildren were campers at CYJ Midwest. Miriam established the Dena Steinberg Scholarship Fund in Dena’s memory and Miriam’s name was added to the fund when she died in 1986. The sisters were always a great team and they’d be very happy to know their names are linked in assisting young people to attend camp.
Ronald Harris Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Harris Family Scholarship fund was established to honor the memory of Ronald Harris, a long-time supporter of Camp Young Judaea Midwest from suburban Detroit. His affiliation with CYJ Midwest started in the early years of the camp, through the time his children attended in the 1980s and 1990s, and continued for many years beyond.
Throughout his tenure with Camp Young Judaea Midwest, Ronald Harris played a significant role in its administration, initially serving as one of the first male members of the camp committee and later taking on the role of camp Treasurer. His dedication to the camp’s mission and his belief in the value of its unique programming and activities were unwavering.
Camp Young Judaea Midwest’s focus on instilling a love for Israel and Judaism in its campers, as well as its peer leadership model, deeply resonated with Ronald. He recognized the camp’s potential to shape young leaders and foster a strong sense of Jewish identity
In memory of Ronald Harris, his wife Marcia and his children, Elana and Andrew, decided to establish the Harris Family Scholarship fund. This scholarship fund serves as a fitting way to honor his legacy and support the camp’s mission. Each year, two deserving campers from Michigan will be awarded scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each. These scholarships will not only commemorate Ronald Harris but also help ensure that more young individuals can benefit from the enriching experiences and opportunities provided by Camp Young Judaea Midwest.
CYJM Wellness Fund
In honor of Camp Young Judaea Midwest’s departing executive director, Robin Anderson, and thanks to the generosity of several camp families who provided initial support, we are thrilled to establish the CYJ Midwest Camper Wellness Fund.
Throughout her tenure at CYJ Midwest, Robin has devoted considerable energy to nurturing the mental, emotional, and social needs of campers. As Robin has often emphasized, when we say that CYJ Midwest is a family, we mean that we take care of each other, strengthening our campers’ minds and bodies, so they can thrive at camp and beyond.
To strengthen our tight-knit and inclusive community, we know it is important to think expansively about the wellness and health needs of all campers. This fund aims to provide our camp with the flexibility to meet our community’s mental, emotional, and social health needs each summer. Donate to the fund here.