I will once again be participating in the 12th Annual Tour de Summer Camps ride. This will be my 8th time riding to raise money to send more kids to Jewish summer camp. My daughters have been active in LA Jewish summer camps and have attended JCA, Camp Ramah, and Gindling Hilltop Camp.

Unfortunately, here we are nearly a year later, and antisemitism continues its rise on college campuses and in our city centers. The need for a safe space for our Jewish youth is more important than ever. Please support the thousands of kids that attend Jewish summer camp each year and help create a brighter Jewish future for our children.

I will also be riding to honor the memory of two people to whom Jewish summer camp meant a great deal-- Hillary Moss (z"l) and David Oberman (z"l).

Hillary spent many summers at Camp Alonim as a camper, though I had known her since she was born having met her parents at Orange County Hillel. She had been a CIT at the camp and now has a bench dedicated there in her honor. She was bright, kind, and certainly had a great future ahead of her with her interests in theatre, Jewish life, and — of course— cupcakes. It means so much to be riding in her memory so more Jewish kids can have the camp experience she did.

I am also riding in memory of David Oberman (z”l) who our family had known for twenty years from the time that our daughters attended preschool together and our time at Kehillat Ma'arav. He was thoughtful, caring, and always had insightful remarks on the parashah each week (as well as some top-notch whisky). We have both participated together in this ride several times where David was the captain of the Kehillat Ma'arav team.

In memory of these two phenomenal people please join me in supporting Jewish summer camps.

Thank you,
Robert