The Aaron Family Jewish Community Center hosted Camp Unity Day Tuesday, June 27. The afternoon was spearheaded by Rabbi Sholom Block, of Camp Gan Israel Plano and Rabbi Moshe Naparstek of Camp Gan Izzy Dallas. Block told the TJP that last year, the local Chabad camps which are known as Camp Gan Izzy held a Camp Unity Day and as they thought about this year’s event, they wanted to include camps from the larger Jewish community. They reached out to other Jewish day camps and found partners in the Jewish Community Center and Summer at Levine, camps that have similarly aged elementary school campers as the Gan Izzy Camps.

In all about 900 campers and staff from across the Metroplex were in attendance in the JCC’s large gym.

The campers were treated to a concert by Rabbi Yossi Rodel, a performer and songwriter. Rodel was born in Italy but now makes his home in San Diego, where he heads up Friendship Circle. He brought his special sense of ruach to the crowd performing his well-known song, “Proud Jew,” other original songs as well as Matisyahu’s “One Day,” all of which inspired Jewish pride.

Camps in attendance were Camp Gan Izzy Dallas, Camp Gan Izzy Plano, Camp Gan Izzy Southlake, JCC Summer Camps and Summer at Levine.

To hear more of Rabbi Yossi Rodel’s music, go to YouTube or Spotify. For a Camp Gan Izzy Plano playlist of Jewish music, checkout the TJP’s Instagram, @tjp_news.