We are pleased to announce that Camp Rising Sun alumni, Elyem Chej and Justin Shin, have been appointed Program Directors at LAJF and CRS. Both Elyem and Justin have been involved with our organization for a number of years in various roles. They are passionate about our expanding roster of CRS programs and their leadership will help us to effectively execute our five-year strategic plan and continue our important mission.

Please read their statement below:

As long-time staff members and alumni of Camp Rising Sun, we are excited and humbled by the opportunity to lead the program team at LAJF. We recognize that we inherit a great responsibility to ensure that the quality of camp programming remains high and that our in-person and virtual programming continues to serve the young people who attend our programs.

As we step into this role, our immediate priority is the safe return of in-person programming for Camp Rising Sun after a two-year hiatus due to the ongoing pandemic. With increased safety measures in place, we will be resuming in-person camp in Summer 2022. This transition requires the support of the Camp Rising Sun network, and we are grateful to those who are working hard to make this happen, including local selectors.

In our vision for the future of programming at LAJF, we hope to reach more young people with thoughtfully created programs that further LAJF’s mission. New programs will allow us to both expand and deepen our reach. We hope that future alumni will attend several of our programs, thereby deepening connections with LAJF, maintaining relationships with other alumni, and offering more opportunities to welcome new young people to the Rising Sun community.

We are also working on making the camp program more inclusive. For example, we have worked on inclusive communication practices towards campers of different identities, expanded our outreach towards applicants from nations that have historically been underrepresented at CRS, and have revised our community expectations and guidelines to make our commitments to diversity, inclusion, and justice more explicit.

In general, we hope to continue the camper-led spirit of Camp Rising Sun Programming. In our camp programs, we aim to help each camper develop their own philosophy of living that supports compassionate and service-oriented leadership. As we serve a diverse camper-body, our goal is to meet each camper where they are, respect the experiences they bring with them, and serve as mentors, role models, and teachers as suits their unique needs.

With immense gratitude,

Elyem Chej and Justin Shin
LAJF Program Directors