It sometimes feels as though Jewish life is dominated by bad news. We worry about rising antisemitism, security concerns, political tensions and the challenges facing our institutions. Open a newspaper, scroll through social media or listen to many communal conversations and it is easy to conclude that the future looks uncertain.
But spend a few hours watching the annual summer camp exodus, with coach after coach pulling away, and you come away with a very different perspective. The truth is, that our community has an extraordinary story to tell. At a time when so much feels doom and gloom, our young people have never been more engaged, more connected and more committed to Jewish life. I know this not just from statistics, but from personal experience.
I grew up attending Bnei Akiva Machane. It is no exaggeration to say that if it were not for Bnei Akiva, I would not be doing the job I do today. Camp gave me a network of Jewish friends that has lasted a lifetime. It deepened my Jewish literacy, strengthened my Jewish identity and instilled a passion for serving the Jewish community. Many of the values and relationships that have shaped my life were forged on camp.
Years later, in 2007, I was privileged to be one of the founders of Tribe Camp. At the time, we had just 14 participants. We had a vision and plenty of enthusiasm, but I do not think any of us could have imagined what it would grow into. Today, as COO of the United Synagogue, I am more removed from the day-to-day operation of Tribe. This summer, however, I was asked to help out at the coach departure point.
The request sounded simple enough: turn up, help direct traffic and make sure the young people got onto the right coaches. What I witnessed over the next three hours was profoundly uplifting.
When we arrived, we discovered that Tribe and Bnei Akiva were departing from the same location at the same time. One by one, coach after coach pulled away, packed with excited young people heading off for the summer adventure ahead.
By the time the morning was over, fifteen coaches had departed. That is around 750 young people. And that figure only tells part of the story.
When you add the other departures taking place elsewhere, including additional Tribe and Bnei Akiva camps, Holland, Israel Tour and New York programmes, the total comfortably exceeds 1,000 young people heading off on meaningful Jewish summer experiences. If you add on other groups across our community that are supported by UJIA this number exceeds 4,700.
The experience resonated even more deeply because I had also spent time visiting three of the Tribe camps over the summer. What struck me was not just the numbers but the atmosphere. Across different age groups and programmes, I saw young people proudly engaging with Jewish life, building friendships, learning, leading and creating memories that will stay with them for years. The energy, commitment and enthusiasm on display were remarkable and left me more optimistic about the future of our community than I have been in a long time.
Just pause for a moment and think about what that means. More than a thousand young Jews willingly choosing to spend part of their summer immersed in Jewish life. More than a thousand young people building friendships rooted in shared values and experiences. More than a thousand young people learning, debating, singing, leading, growing and discovering what Judaism means to them.
That is not a community in decline. That is a community investing in its future.
Summer camps are far more than holidays. They are among the most effective engines of Jewish continuity we possess. They create social networks that often last decades. They build confidence and leadership skills. They give young people positive Jewish experiences at precisely the age when identity is being formed. They help transform Judaism from something that is merely inherited into something that is personally owned.
Of course, anyone who has spent time on a Jewish camp knows that not every life-changing moment happens in a classroom or an educational session. Some of the most powerful memories are made standing arm in arm with friends, debating late into the night, laughing together or, in the uniquely Jewish tradition that somehow never gets old, standing on chairs and singing at the top of your lungs.
Those moments matter. They create belonging. And belonging creates commitment.
The future of our community is not something we need to worry about. It is already there, sitting on those coaches, singing around campfires, building friendships, strengthening its Jewish identity and preparing to lead. And if you want a reason to be optimistic about the future of British Jewry, that is a very good place to start.
David Collins is the Chief Operating Officer of United Synagogue
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