Jewish Community Partners

Mollie Wexler, daughter of Kathy and Michael Wexler is a rising senior at St. Mary’s Episcopal School. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided her with a Teen Israel Experience grant to offset the costs of her Dor L’Dor Cohen Camps Israel program. All rising juniors and seniors are eligible for grants of up to $3,000 to attend a recognized teen summer or semester program in Israel. Teen Israel Experience applications for Summer 2025 will be open in November.

During the summer of 2023, on my trip to Israel my view as a Jewish teen was altered regarding Israel and overall. I learned a lot about myself and Jewish history. I found a community in a place where I knew few people and created bonds with those I barely knew at the beginning of the summer.

As I watched the oldest campers from my camp, Camp Pembroke, head to Israel for each of the previous six summers that I had been a camper, I greatly anticipated and patiently waited for my turn to go. I went to Israel with Dor L’ Dor (meaning from Generation to Generation), a trip organized by the Cohen Camps, a family of three Jewish sleepaway camps in Massachusetts, of which Camp Pembroke is one.

While in Israel, I was able to learn about the many different backgrounds of Jewish people, including Yemenite and Ethiopian Jews. In fact, I learned more about Ethiopian Jews as someone on my bus identified as such. In Israel, I gained a new perspective on people who I did not know well at first, but to whom I grew closer as we experienced Israel together.

While traveling around Israel, it was very meaningful to see the many sites where religious and historical figures from decades to hundreds or even thousands of years ago had walked. For example, going to the Negev and camping there for two nights was absolutely amazing. It was especially meaningful knowing that I was in the same place many of my ancestors had been thousands of years ago. It was very peaceful, and a time of reflection on the amazing trip I had had so far. Also, being able to see the Western Wall in person was one of the highlights of my trip! The pictures I had seen my whole life could not have captured the energy I felt being physically at The Wall – touching it and praying at it. It was truly a life-changing experience.

Growing closer with Jewish people from both Israel and different parts of the United States was also a great part of my trip! Starting with a few things in common and then seeing how the common thread of Judaism helped transform our relationships into those of best friends in just one month, was unforgettable. That was just another one of the life-changing experiences of this trip. I would not change this summer or my experience in Israel for anything and cannot wait to go back. I also look forward to reconnecting with the friends I made while there in the months and years to come.

Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping make my Dor L’Dor Cohen Camp Israel journey possible for me.