COURTESY/LEONARD PETLAKH
“A rabbinic colleague recently shared an insightful observation: ‘I was raised with a deep
love for Israel, but I’ve come to realize that my child’s connection will likely be more
about loving Israelis,’” writes Leonard Petlakh, CEO of the Kings Bay Y and JCC
Brooklyn in New York City, in an opinion piece for eJewishPhilanthropy.  
An impactful encounter: “This summer, we welcomed 26 remarkable young post-
army Israelis to our Kings Bay Y and JCC Brooklyn day camps through the Jewish
Agency for Israel’s Summer Camp Shlichim program. The immersive experience of
interacting with these young Israelis — through dance, music, activities, sports and arts
— imparted more about Israel than any formal educational setting could achieve…
Through daily activities, these emissaries brought a piece of Israel and a sense of
connection to Jewish peoplehood to children who otherwise might not encounter it.”
Insight into their lives: “As a father of an American lone soldier in an IDF combat
unit, I thought I had a firm grasp on the realities these young Israelis face. Yet on July
Fourth I was taken aback to find ‘our Israelis’ huddled together in a JCC space, seeking

comfort from the seemingly innocuous fireworks of Brooklyn’s Independence Day
celebrations. The sounds, reminiscent of their recent traumatic experiences, were a
stark reminder of the ongoing reality in Israel: Omer carries the memory of his close
friend Evyatar, lost in the tragic events of Oct. 7. Eitan’s family, their home in Northern
Israel destroyed by Hezbollah, remain displaced and have endured ongoing hardship
since October. Yossi traveled from Colombia to join his reserve unit in Gaza when the
war started, and he was diagnosed with PTSD after three months of intense service.”