Whippany—Applications are now being accepted for The Greater MetroWest Jewish Overnight Camp Scholarship Program, which seeks to enable children from lower-income families to enjoy the camp experience with their peers. In its second year, the program has more than tripled the funds available, thanks to the expanded support of the Rocker family and other generous donors.
Eligible first-time campers can attend a session of 12 days or more at one of the following participating camps: Camp JRF, Camp Moshava, Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake, Camp Zeke, Eden Village Camp, NJY Camps, URJ Camp Harlam and URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy. Applicants must either live, or belong to a synagogue, in Greater MetroWest, which encompasses Essex, Union, Morris and parts of Sussex counties.
“This program matches two of our passions: a commitment to offering children opportunities that their families might not otherwise be able to afford, along with our commitment to building a strong Jewish future,” said David and Marian Rocker of Short Hills, who, together with their sons, Daniel and Joshua, lead the Rocker Family Foundation of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ. The Rockers renewed their contribution to the program this year and offered a significant match to other donors, who quickly met the challenge.
David Rocker noted that the Rocker Foundation also seeks to promote a sense of “shared responsibility,” thus the program requires all scholarship recipient families to give back of themselves by volunteering in the Jewish community. The Rocker Family Foundation supports many causes in the U.S. and Israel and is primarily committed to education, particularly among the less privileged; public health; making the arts accessible to a broad section of society; and the preservation of the Jewish community.
In addition to this needs-based scholarship, Federation also offers grants of up to $1,000 through the One Happy Camper program, as well as free guidance on choosing the right camp for any child.
“Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ believes that investing in Jewish summer camp experiences is an investment in the future of our community,” said Federation Executive Vice President and CEO Dov Ben-Shimon. “We are committed to making sure that any family that wants to send its children to camp can do so by removing any barriers, financial or otherwise, and we are grateful to the generous donors who are enabling us to make so many kids’ dreams come true.”
For more information on the Camp Scholarship Program contact Gerri Russo at [email protected] or 973-929-2972. For more information on One Happy Camper or for camp advice contact Tracy Levine at [email protected] or 973-929-2970.
In addition to the Rockers, other donors supporting the Jewish Overnight Camp Scholarship Program, in addition to the Greater MetroWest UJA Campaign, are Evan and Susan Ratner, Diane and Richard Ross and the Francis Davis Foundation, Richard and Robin Pzena, Jonathan Mann, Scott and Wendy Newman, Peter and Dana Langerman, the Bruce J. Heim Foundation and George and Trudy Mazin.
