Kadimah, a program of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), provides enhanced training to shlichim and to the Israeli heads of shlichim contingents. Shlichim are Israelis who work as counselors and activity specialists at Jewish overnight and day camps in North America during the summer, Shlichim in the Kadimah program will return to camp for a second or more summers. Kadima expands on the prior Achva training program to include not just the needs of the summer camps but the professional and personal Jewish growth of the shlichim as well. Returning shlichim earn a $1,000 salary supplement for their participation in the program.
Kadimah is one of many programs of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) to recruit and train more than 1,300 shlichim. They are matched, based on their skills and personality, according to each camp’s needs. They bring to camp expertise in a range of areas including Israeli culture, music, arts and crafts, sports, Hebrew, Israeli folk dance, and nature. The AVI CHAI Foundation began funding training programs in 2003 to enable the camps, shlichim and their peers to create stronger camper and staff connections to Israel and weave Israel education throughout the summer camp experience.
AVI CHAI concluded its general grant making on December 31, 2019.