Noa Okanin

Camp was the best experience I've had in my life, many thanks to the amazing people who surrounded us and the staff who were so kind and supportive towards us. I learned about myself that I can navigate anywhere and in any situation…I shared the story of Sderot every day in the camp with anyone who wanted to listen, and I shared my personal story on the serious night, where I talked about my friend who I lost and how I got through October 7. I want to thank everyone who made this magic happen; you guys are amazing. Thank you very much for the opportunity.  I really hope to see you guys in Israel soon 🇮🇱”

Arad Kdoshim

“I was at oldest boys and I had the best two weeks of my life. Every day was interesting…On Serious Night we talked about October 7th. All of my friends from the cabin and even from younger groups came to me and hugged me and asked if I'm ok. It just made me so happy to know that other people care about us, even though they're not from Israel.”

Orel Shoshani

“Hi, my name is Orel. My experience at the camp was an amazing experience!  I made so many friends for life!  I enjoyed every moment at the camp, there was such a positive and fun energy there. My favorite thing was when we lit candles and made a bonfire on the last day of the camp, there was a feeling of connection with everyone…I learned about myself that despite my difficulty with connecting with people, I was able to make many connections and friendships. I told my story about October 7th by telling people what it was like, what we went through, what emotions we experienced that day and what it was like to be so far from home for so long.”

Roi Abecasis

“The time in the camp was so good. I met a lot of people, saw counselors from the past and loved the lake and the boats. I was happy to meet new friends in a new place, not just in Israel …I learned that I am independent…”

Dan Bodea

“...I had so much fun being there and I wish I could be there more or even next year if I could. I really loved every moment in the camp except the moments when we had to sleep and we had to wait for tomorrow every day…I learned about myself that I need to experience every moment in camp. I learned that you can always meet new friends and how to wake up every morning with a desire to get up because there is something that is waiting for you later that day. I told my stories more personally to those who asked when we were in the cabins at night but there were some I sat down to talk about it with during the day. I want to say that my visit to camp was one of the best things that happened to me and I really enjoyed it and I hope I can continue to be with all of them again and visit.”

Liora Digilov

“Hi, I'm Liora and I want to talk about my Camp RSM experience. During the camp I met amazing people with whom I will always keep in contact with…I was so happy seeing familiar faces from last year and to meet them again but in their home country now…I loved the diversity of activities you can choose. I learned how to play tennis really well and learned how to paddle in a kayak. If there’s one thing I learned about myself is that I'm really competitive. During our evening activities, I tried my best to bring victory to my team and it’s definitely a side that I never knew I had as I'm used to being quiet. My favorite part of the camp was feeling so wonderful to have a family like these people.”

Ido Nakan

“Hi, I’m Ido Nackan I’m 17…My experience and memory from the camp is all the love and the warm that the people give us. I felt like I'm part of a big family. The kids are very funny and nice and I enjoyed sharing what it’s means to live in Sderot”

Elia Okanin

Hey, my name is Elia and my experience in camp was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I had so much fun, excitement and made deep connections. I’ve met a lot of great friends that I will always cherish and love. My favorite activity was the skit night! I played the leading role, and in that specific moment I felt like I belonged. I’ve learned about myself that I can manage difficult situations. I shared my story by talking about it with anyone who came and asked me about the things I’ve been through. I told them about October 7th and how I didn’t know what was going to happen and all feelings that on that day. To sum up, camp was filled of so much good and I loved every little thing there!

Inbar Chen

“My experience at the camp was amazing, meeting new people and learning about their culture and customs…I am happy that I had this once in a lifetime opportunity….The children and the people at the camp are unbelievable and they brought me a lot of good energy and it was the best summer in the world!!!”

Natanel Podobedov

“This year's camp was amazing for me. I met lifelong friends, and experienced the real camp that for the past 5 years, I knew only in Israel…I met good friends there and I'm still in touch with them, and also plan on meeting them next year. I shared my story when people I met asked me about my life… I told them about what happened and shared my story.”

Arsen Ismakov

“...My experience at camp was very good, I enjoyed every second and every experience I remember. What I liked the most in camp was the day of climbing the mountain. I learned about America that everything there was different reality and that it is never boring. I only have one-on-one conversations with people at night but it was good conversations. I really enjoyed my time there and it was pretty amazing and I wish it could happen again.”

Yael Yakovlev

Hello, my name is Yael…I learned that I adjust really quickly to new people and feel comfortable in big groups. I also discovered that America is much bigger than I imagined and much more progressive…I shared my message and my story by talking to the kids during our free time…Overall, this experience taught me a lot about myself and the world around me, and I look forward to applying these lessons in the future.”

Ori Maimon

The overall camp experience was just crazy! It was fun, I learned a lot, met a lot of people and gained a lot of experiences. My favorite thing from the camp was the CIT HIKE. The least favorite was the Zaratka, or morning exercise.I learned about America which is an amazing place and especially different from Israel. Different mentality and different atmosphere but overall a good and beautiful place. I shared my experiences from America with photos to friends and family.