If you’ve ever been or sent a child to Jewish sleepaway camp, you know it’s where friendships are forged, Jewish identity deepens, and lifelong memories are made. But for many families, not only the cost of camp itself, but the extra cost of camp supplies, can be a real struggle.
Ryan Traub and Taylor Murnick are jumping in to change that.
Both Ryan and Taylor celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs this past year. And instead of just focusing on the party, they each took on a mitzvah project* with a mission; helping other kids get to camp feeling fully prepared, cared for, and ready to thrive.
Together with Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, Ryan and Taylor participated in a duffle bag packing event where volunteers filled 38 bags with the cozy essentials every camper dreams of—from sleeping bags and comforters, to shower caddies and squishies, fans, sunscreen, and even stationary to write home. These duffles are being provided to first-time campers who are receiving scholarships through the Rocker Family Camp Scholarship Program toward their upcoming summer at Jewish overnight camp.
“I’ve been going to camp for seven years,” said Taylor, who attends a JCC camp in Georgia. I love my school friends, but camp gives me something different. I have friends all over the country now,” Taylor said. “It’s amazing to connect with people who share your values and traditions, and that makes camp really special.”
For Taylor, giving other kids the chance to experience that magic was a no-brainer. “I just wanted to give other kids that same experience.”
Ryan, who goes to camp in upstate New York, agrees. “I love camp, and I wanted other kids to have the chance to love it as much as I do. Camp makes life so much better,” he said. “You make new friends, play sports, explore Jewish life, and just have a lot of fun.”
When it came to packing the duffle bags, Ryan had a favorite item: sunscreen. “I got so sunburned last year,” he laughed. “It’s seriously important.”
What made this mitzvah project especially meaningful was how hands-on Ryan and Taylor were—from picking out items on Amazon and locally at Camp Stuff 4 Less to helping pack the duffle bags. As seasoned campers themselves, they knew exactly what a first-timer would need to feel at home.
“I’ve always had people looking out for me at camp, like my older sister, who was a counselor and introduced me to her friends and made everything feel easier,” Taylor said. “Now I get to do that for someone else, even if we’ve never met.”
Thanks to Ryan and Taylor, the generosity of the Weissman family, and 12 other volunteers who helped with the packing, 38 kids will show up to camp feeling fully prepared for the weeks ahead—bags packed, nerves eased, and a whole lot of excitement in tow.
And for Ryan and Taylor, this mitzvah project marked the beginning of their next chapter into Jewish young adulthood. Not just with speeches and celebrations, but with action.
*Mitzvah students interested in supporting the camp packing initiative for their mitzvah project should contact Gerri Russo at [email protected]. For additional mitzvah project ideas visit Mitzvot of Greater MetroWest.