Mount Hermon is Israel’s highest peak. Crowning the far north of the country, it rises majestically, as if watching over God’s domain.
Our Katzir Summer Youth Camp took place here, in the foothills of Mt. Hermon. Hosting almost 90 teens from around Israel, and another 30 young adult counselors and volunteers, we had six amazing days of fellowship—investing in the next generation, and seeing God move once again in the hearts of Israel’s future witnesses for Messiah.
A Vital Key: Preparing the Team
Our heart is not only to reach the teens. We are committed to investing in our young adult volunteers. Their leadership is a key to touching the lives of their younger brothers and sisters.
So the camp really began before the youth arrived. The first step was getting to know each other, introducing first time leaders and volunteers by having quality time for fellowship. Then, through worship and prayer our hearts were prepared for what the Lord wanted to do. Knowing the kids would arrive on Sunday, we devoted all day Saturday to fun team-building activities.
Opportunities to relax and interact with fellow young adult Israeli believers are few and far between. We not only want to receive their valuable time serving the youth, but to bless them. This included an off road ATV (all terrain vehicle) ride through the Hermon river and northern slopes of the Golan heights! Afterward we gave them tools and vision for leadership throughout the camp and with their small groups.
Teens Filled with Energy & Expectation
The teens arrived on Sunday filled with energy and expectation. During the camp they experienced a multitude of activities. For recreation there were fun-filled games and challenging hikes. For spiritual growth and discovery they were guided in small group discussions and devotionals based on the biblical theme of “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). Spiritually, they entered into Spirit-filled worship and receiving the word of God brought by different speakers each evening.
One of the highlights of the camp was volunteering in a local farmer’s fields, helping clear out weeds and bushes that had overgrown and spread after two years of war—untended, do to the demand for reserve soldiers. The farmer and our team leaders were amazed at the progress our group made in just 3 hours of volunteer work. Because of the extreme heat (we were under a health advisory at the time) the available time to work was limited. So, our teens worked hard to do as much as they could in a very short time. After the grueling work in such temperatures, we took the whole camp for a few hours of refreshing “rafting” in the cooling waters of the Hermon River.
Personal journey and sharing my heart
On a more personal note, something unexpected happened on the first day of the camp. I got a phone call from my mom on Sunday morning (even before the youth arrived) telling me that my father passed away the previous night. I have a long, complicated and pain-filled story with my dad. I won’t go into all the details, but his passing wasn’t a big surprise. I knew he wasn’t doing well. He had been struggling with his health for a few years, but refused to allow anyone to help. I wasn’t in touch with him for several years, after trying and giving up a few years back. For me, my main disappointment was that now there would never be a chance of restoration or change. No tangible redemption. Whatever hope I had that maybe one day something would chance, was now gone. My kids wouldn’t know him, and I would never be able to see my relationship with him restored.
We were able to have a small funeral for him in the north, not far from the camp location. Eitan and some of the leaders of the Katzir camp came to be with us, to be a source of comfort and bring words of encouragement in the midst of our grief. Eitan knew my dad from our shared history in Haifa in the 90’s, and he has known our family for decades. Half of my family was also serving at the camp with me. So we took Sunday to grieve and to share our hearts as a family. Then, we went right back to the camp to continue serving the youth.
I’m so grateful for the amazing Katzir team, especially Ruby. They were able to take over and continue running the camp smoothly so that my family and I could take off for an entire, unexpected and essential day without the camp being impacted at all.
From Bitterness and Pain to Forgiveness and Freedom
On Wednesday, I shared with the teens very openly about some of my story with my dad—my journey from hatred and bitterness to the freedom God brought into my own heart (at a Katzir camp when I was a teen). I wanted them to know how it’s been to walk out forgiveness, even when there isn’t change or repentance on the other side of the relationship. I know from the feedback of the teens and leaders that many teens were really touched by my testimony and it helped them with their own challenging life experiences. If there is one bright side to any of this, it is to see God take some of my own story of brokenness and pain, and use it to bring freedom to others who need it.
What Got did — In the Teens’ own words
On that note, please be encouraged by the following testimonies at the end of camp:
D – One of our first time small group counselors, who leads a small youth group in northern Israel, shared how she was so deeply impacted by how God moved in the hearts of her teens, that she definitely plans to come back. She said she had never seen the teens from her group open up so deeply and share what they did with her, and see them so touched and challenged in their faith.
E – “I was able to forgive someone who had hurt me over a yearn ago; and I also gave my life to Yeshua in last spring’s Passover camp”
L – “I come from a Messianic family but never really lived it myself. I didn’t think God could forgive me, and I was far from any faith in Yeshua. I wanted to change, and I was desperate for God. When someone at my congregation told me about the Katzir summer camp, I knew I needed to go, since my friends that I knew who had been there had changed after going to the camp. On the very first day, I experienced God in a deep way and finally understood he could forgive me. It felt like each message the speaker was talking about what I felt and experienced. I gave my life to the Lord at the camp and made new friends who are believers.”
L – “I chose to follow Yeshua and be baptized after the camp.”
A – “I felt far from God, and during the camp I felt His presence during the worship in a very meaningful way. On the last evening of the camp I surrendered my life to Yeshua.”
O – “I felt far from God and in bondage. During one of the prayer times, two leaders prayed for me and I cried like I never have. I felt like I was experiencing real freedom and something burning inside of me.”
Even now as I re-read these powerful, touching words from our youth, I want to thank you for all your prayers for our camp. The fruit that we see in camp after camp, year after year, has much to do with your faithful prayers and financial gifts on behalf of these young people. Truly, we couldn’t do any of it without you!
