Dear Rising Sun Community,

One common sentiment we hear from alumni is that after Camp, the reading and watching of news feels so much more personal. The stories are not about some far-off place or unknown people. Those affected have a name and a face. We are in a position of empathy and caring, not just that of passively observing.

As I sit in the comfort and safety of my home and my privilege, I have been wrought with feelings of powerlessness. What can I do? What can we, LAJF do in the face of all that is going on for our brothers and sisters? Whether that be those who are suffering from COVID 19 or on the front lines. For those who live in fear of violence and who pay the price for systematic racism and injustice. For those who live in communities with failing infrastructure, corruption, who have been forgotten about by their governments. And especially for communities where all of these dovetails into an oppressive vice.

While I know these matters are beyond the scope of what we, as a Camp Rising Sun community, can “solve” I am left with a desire to do what we can. We each have a responsibility to act in ways within our control to improve these situations in the world. I invite everyone to also help us as an organization to improve and do better than what we are seeing on the news.

I am drawn back to our core value “to develop in promising young people from diverse backgrounds a lifelong commitment to sensitive and responsible leadership for the betterment of their communities and the world.” So I am reaching out to you today, both as a single alum and as the leader of LAJF, to invite you to discuss what does “lifelong commitment” look like in light of what is happening?

Please reach out to me if you would like to participate in conversations on how to support our community members being most affected and how to work towards assuring that our program does not inadvertently reflect injustice. I am certain we can improve and I am asking for your help.

In gratitude,
Helene Mattera
LAJF Executive Director
hmattera@lajf.org
646-586-3165