About Us
As a full member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, JRV provides a safe and nurturing environment that helps children to thrive and achieve their full potential. Located on 64 acres in the Lower Galilee, Jordan River Village is purpose-built to accommodate the unique needs of its participants. It features state-of-the-art medical facilities, including a trauma room, pharmacy, and full-time medical staff, ensuring the highest safety standards. The camp’s design emphasizes accessibility, with wheelchair-friendly attractions, a swimming pool with independent access, accessible playgrounds, and art workshops.
“JRV strengthens and empowers campers, you’re not alone in this story, and there are others like you”
– Stav (15, diagnosed with epilepsy)
Our Mission
To transform the lives of all sick and disabled children in Israel by providing a sanctuary where joy, adventure, and the wonders of childhood are accessible to everyone, irrespective of their health challenges. JRV strives to create a nurturing environment where laughter heals, friendships thrive, and limitations are overcome through community support.
Our Vision
We envision a future where every child in Israel living with chronic illness, life-threatening disease, disability, or special needs has the support they need to thrive. Beyond medical care, we are committed to addressing their mental, emotional, and social well-being by fostering a community of belonging, independence, and growth. Through a holistic, family-centered approach, we strive to reach every child in need—ensuring that no diagnosis defines a child’s potential.
Our Impact
children served since opening in 2012.
volunteers and 200 medical professionals support us annually
children and 700 family members arrive at the camp annually
children participate annually in the camp sessions at the Village.
children participate each year in the “Village on Wheels” outreach program for children hospitalized in pediatric hospitals across the country.
family members participate annually in the family weekend retreats
of Village alumni reported improved social skills, self-confidence, and independence.
of Village alumni indicated that the camp experience played a role in establishing long-term success experiences.
reported adopting healthy habits introduced during the camp, including quality of life related to nutrition, self-advocacy, and their attitude toward their illness.
Our Story
The inspiration for Jordan River Village dates back to 1988, when legendary actor Paul Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut. His goal was simple yet profound: to give children with serious illnesses the opportunity to experience the joys of childhood, free from the burdens of hospital visits and medical treatments. As Newman famously said, “It’s not that the children say, ‘Thank you for a wonderful time…’ it’s that they say, ‘Thank you for changing my life.’”
In the early 2000s, Marilyn and Murray Grant (z”l), a couple from Connecticut, learned about the Hole in the Wall camp at a benefit concert and felt a deep calling. They resolved to bring this life-changing concept to Israel, where children receiving medical treatment could benefit from a similar haven. What began as a “retirement project” soon transformed into a mission.
With unshakable determination and the “Yes!” attitude that now defines the Village, the Grants partnered with Paul Newman and his SeriousFun Children’s Network. They rallied support from the Israeli government, mobilized donors from the United States and beyond, and enlisted the help of prominent figures like Israeli actor Chaim Topol (z”l). Together, they raised $30 million to turn their dream into a reality.
The journey was far from easy, requiring immense effort, collaboration, and perseverance. In a poignant twist, Murray Grant passed away on the flight home from Israel after the Village’s grand opening in June 2012, having witnessed the culmination of their shared vision. Marilyn passed away shortly after in December 2014.
Since its opening, Jordan River Village has welcomed thousands of campers from diverse backgrounds, offering them unforgettable experiences—all completely free of charge. The Village provides a sanctuary where children and their families can escape the challenges of chronic illness and embrace life with joy and creativity.
Campers take part in activities like swimming, rock climbing, theater performances, sports, horseback riding, and art—each designed to promote therapeutic healing and self-expression. The Village’s dedicated team of volunteers and staff ensure every child feels empowered and celebrated, creating memories that last a lifetime.
Jordan River Village is not just a camp; it’s a testament to the transformative power of compassion, community, and the belief that every child deserves a chance to just be a kid.
Our Founders’ Story
Our Team
Dr. Elena Itskovich
Board Chair
Dr. Elena Itskovich
Talia Berger
Talia Berger joined the board of directors of Jordan River Village in 2019 following several years that her eldest son, Oliver, attended the Village as a camper due to a challenging background of intractable epilepsy. The incredible impact those 5 days a year had on Oliver for the remaining 360 was substantial and Talia naturally wanted to share the magic of the Village with as many families as possible. Talia’s 20-year career path includes working for various organizations, of all sizes as well as business owner and most recently as a headhunter for Israeli startup and high-tech companies who are seeking talent outside of Israel. Talia is also a licensed coach. Talia, and her husband Eli, live in Herzliya with their 3 teenagers, Oliver, Andy and Emma.
Claude Bernstein
Claude grew up in NYC, attended Ithaca College and the Sorbonne for his BA, and then attended UCLA, U of Houston and NYU for an unfinished MBA. After living in France for a short time, he returned to NY in 1980 and joined Lehman Brothers and subsequently Oppenheimer and Co. In the 1990s Claude founded a long distance telephone company which was sold in 1999. In the non-profit arena Claude created several programs focused on strengthening the Jewish commitment of young Jews including the Outreach program “Traditions on Wheels” which was successfully duplicated in over 50 communities in North America. He has served as the Campaign Chair for the United Jewish Federation of Stamford, CT, worked on the UJF executive committee, and is currently on the board of Arts for Healing and the UConn Chapter of Hillel. Claude founded the Teen Tzedakah program in the greater Stamford area that had at one time 225 members. Claude’s biggest love is his work for Jordan River Village. Claude has been married to Melody for more than 30 years. They have 2 adult children Alex and Matthew and 3 grandchildren.
Linda Cedarbaum
Originally from Detroit, Linda Cedarbaum is a long time New Yorker and Connecticut resident with strong personal and family connections to Israel. Her career spans the worlds of early childhood and aging services, from early childhood mental health, education, toy invention, and picture book author to horticultural therapy with cognitively impaired elderly. She is currently active in innovative dementia services and community building as a program creator and non-profit board member with particular interest in organizational development and governance. This summer she is celebrating the birth of two grandsons in two months to add to her growing family coast to coast.
Lanie Etkind
Lanie has spent her entire career in the non-profit sector, holding development positions at the New York Philharmonic, Beth Israel Medical Center, United Hospice of Rockland and The New Jewish Home. In her current role as Executive Director of the Familial Dysautonomia Foundation, Lanie leads an organization that raises funds and awareness to support those impacted by this ultra-rare Jewish genetic neurological disorder. Born and raised in Iowa, Lanie has lived in New York for more than 30 years. She is married, has two grown children, and recently experienced the ultimate joy of becoming a grandmother. In her spare time, Lanie enjoys reading, cooking, adventure travel and walking on the beach.
Matthew Kayton
Matthew Kayton has over 25 years’ experience in real estate settlement services, mortgage servicing and P&C insurance industries. Throughout Matthew’s career he has served as operator, investor and consultant for a number of businesses in a variety of fields including title insurance, specialty lines of insurance, legal services, land surveying, mortgage services, telecom support, off-shore business services, home health care, HR services and BPM technology. Most recently, Matthew spent the better part of two years developing a new insurance product for a large publicly traded insurance carrier and was also instrumental in the formation of a national title insurance company for that organization. Matthew has sat on the Board of multiple public and private organizations. He resides in Southern California with his wife and children.
Ron Krudo
Ron Krudo, was born in New York to two Israeli parents and, after moving at a young age, has spent most of his life in Florida. He received his undergraduate and master's degrees from Florida State University. During his time on campus, Ron worked for the Hillel at FSU overseeing all programming and engagement initiatives. After graduating, he spent almost 5 years working in the Israel non-profit space for StandWithUs overseeing their campus department and assisting with nationwide initiatives and fundraising. He is currently the Co-Founder and President at Equiturn, a Fort Lauderdale-based Management Consulting, Capital Sourcing, and Mergers & Acquisitions firm. Ron is still very active in Jewish non-profit organizations by volunteering his time on boards and chairing events. Ron is extremely passionate about helping for-profit and nonprofit organizations increase their impact and results through scalable growth strategies and hands-on support!
Lance Levine
Lance is a graduate of The University of Pennsylvania and Columbia Law School, has been practicing commercial real estate law, with a focus on real estate finance, for more than twenty years, most recently at the international law firm O’Melveny & Myers. Lance has been deeply involved with several Jewish and Israeli organizations, including Columbia-Barnard Hillel, UJA and AIPAC. As a Type 1 diabetic and through his charitable work for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Lance has become intimately associated with the special difficulties that children suffering from medical issues and physical handicaps face on a daily basis. As a new AFJRV board member, he is looking forward to working on behalf of AFJRV in its ongoing efforts to alleviate those difficulties faced by Israeli youth. Lance lives with his wife and over exuberant puppy, Sammy, in Westchester County, New York. An avid physical fitness enthusiast, Lance has completed more than twenty marathons and several ultramarathons.
David Nevas
David Nevas is a General Partner at Rittenhouse Ventures, and has over 20 years of investing, operating and advisory experience with early and growth-stage software companies. He was previously a Partner at Edison Partners, venture capital and growth equity investment firm, where he was involved in over twenty financings during his 12-year tenure. While at Edison Partners, David sat on the board of 7 portfolio companies and generated a top-quartile investment track record. The Nevas Foundation has been supporting the Village from the very beginning, and has been instrumental in JRV’s war-response efforts. Furthermore, David’s grandfather, Leo, was Paul Newman’s nonprofit lawyer and was integral to the development of the Village and the SeriousFun Children’s Network.
Michelle J. Schwartz
Michelle (Mickey) Schwartz is a founding partner of Steve & Andy’s Organics, a food company using organic and gluten free ingredients. She is a Managing Director of Golden Seeds, an early-stage investment firm focusing on women-led businesses, and has owned a contemporary Israeli art business for over 20 years. Mickey has a BSN in Nursing from SUNY Binghamton, and an MPP/MPH in Health Policy from UC Berkeley. Michelle travels between New York and the San Francisco Bay Area where she has been deeply involved in the Jewish non-profit community. She currently chairs the advisory board of the Goldman School at UC Berkeley and has a current appointment on the board of the SUNY Binghamton School of Pharmacology. She has been involved with AFJRV since 2014 and before that was a donor at the beginning stages of JRV. She is the mother of four.
Jeffrey Serkes
Jeff is CEO of Clearview Management Partners, LLC, a family office. Previously, he was at Palisade Capital Management, an asset management firm, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and Partner and later, as Senior Advisor and Board Member. Prior to that, Jeff was the SVP & Chief Financial Officer at Allegheny Energy, Inc. and VP, Finance, Sales & Distribution and VP & Treasurer at IBM.
Currently Jeff is a member of the Board of Directors of Theta Power Systems International, LLC and eSat Global, Inc. He currently serves on the Boards of several non-profit organizations, including A Brighter Day and Summer Theatre of New Canaan.
David Sterling
David is a Senior Vice President and Financial Advisor with UBS Wealth Management. He has been involved with many charitable organizations including having been a wish making volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and a grant making volunteer for the United Way of Greenwich, CT. He is also an active supporter of the Freedoms Foundation, Helen Keller International, AFIM, and the Greenwich JCC. David and his family are members of Congregation B'nai Israel in Boca Raton, Florida, David visited Jordan River Village in early 2023 and the experience was so profound that he decided to join the board of AFJRV. As Chaim Topel used to say, Jordan River Village is about love, love, love. David is proud to be a supporter of an organization that does so much for children, and which has such a wonderful message for the world. David earned a B.A. in Economics from Vanderbilt University and an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management. He lives in Boca Raton, FL with his wife and three children.
David Trachten
David became president of the family business and eventually led the sale of most of the company in 1997. Shortly thereafter, he purchased the remaining kitchen cabinet distribution business where he has been ever since. David has sat on the boards of the former Jewish Home for the Aged, Ezra Academy, The Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, past Chair of University of Connecticut’s Trachten, Zachs Hillel House and Past Chair of The Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven.
Together with his siblings, David manages the Morris and Sylvia Trachten Family Foundation, supporting various initiatives primarily in Israel and here in the US.
Laura Visochek
Laura is a former Hole in the Wall Gang sibling camper. At 15, she began getting involved in the efforts to build Jordan River Village and shared her experiences as a camper and a sibling by raising awareness. Laura believes “Camp is a place where YOU can be normal, even if everything around you is not. Everything is possible at camp: imagination and ingenuity make dreams come true.” Laura lives in New York. She has an MBA with a concentration in finance from William & Mary and works in Corporate Social Responsibility.
William H. Weitzer
Dr. Weitzer retired in 2022 after ten years as the Executive Director of the Leo Baeck Institute. The Leo Baeck Institute is a research library and archive that documents the history and culture of German-speaking Jewry, primarily in the 19th and 20th centuries, but also including documents dating back to the Middle Ages. It was founded in 1955 as a repository for the books, papers, photos and documents that were salvaged from Central Europe after World War II. Dr. Weitzer also has over thirty years of experience in higher education at the University of Massachusetts, Wesleyan University, and Fairfield University. In addition to his professional accomplishments, community involvement has been a priority in Dr. Weitzer’s life. While at the University of Massachusetts, he served on its Hillel Board and later was active in addressing equity and diversity issues in the West Hartford (CT) public schools. He currently serves on the board of Kolot Chayeinu in Brooklyn and volunteers his time for causes in support of democracy in the U.S. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Rabbi Lisa D. Grant, professor at the Hebrew Union College, whose parents, Murray and Marilyn Grant founded the Jordan River Village. Billy and Lisa have two adult children, Hannah and Nate.
Gary Wolff
Gary is an executive leader with over 20+ years in both the non-profit and private sector experience. He is a tenured Chief Operating Officer, and Chief of Staff, with a demonstrated history of working in both the private and the non-profit sectors with successful records in organizational and people management. For more than 10 years, Gary worked for Hillel at several universities. In 2015, he left his role as executive director of Hillel at the University of Connecticut at Storrs to work for Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas as its new chief of staff and operations. Gary now works in the private sector as Vice President of Special Projects for Comm-Fit, a leader in innovative fitness facility solutions. Gary lives in Texas with his wife and children.
Ayelet Zurer
Ayelet Zurer is one of Israel’s most acclaimed actresses. She was born in Tel Aviv, and first garnered the attention of Hollywood when she was cast by Steven Spielberg in her first English-speaking role, as Eric Bana’s character’s wife in the Oscar nominated film Munich. Ayelet has starred in a number of films including Vantage Point, Angels and Demons, and Man of Steel. She has won several awards including an Israeli Film and TV Academy Award for her performance in Nina’s Tragedies and an Israeli Television Academy Award for her role in Hostages and for her performance in In Treatment. She won the Haifa International Film Festival critic award and was awarded a star on Haifa’s “film boulevard,” for her international and local achievements. She lives in California with her husband Gilad and their son Liad.
Prof. Kobi Ramon
Chairman
Prof. Kobi Ramon
Prof. Ramon is a Urologist at Asuta Tel Aviv Hospital and a member of the Faculty of Medicine Council at Tel Aviv University. He has been a member of Jordan River Village’s Executive Committee since 2007 and was appointed Chairman of the Executive Committee in January 2020.
Sara Lahat
Vice Chairman
Sara Lahat
Sara is the President of Lahat S. LTD, an art collector, and sits on the board of many charities. She is a member of the Board of Directors of SeriousFun Children’s Network. Sara has been involved with Jordan River Village since its inception.
Yoram Belizovsky
Yoram holds degrees in economics, statistics and business administration from the Hebrew University and Kinneret Academic College. He served in key positions in the public service, among them CEO of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and CEO of the Manufacturers Association. He is also a member of boards of directors in business, financial and public companies, and was the former chairman of the Biblical Zoo for 27 years and employer's representative at the National Labor Court in the past. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Jerusalem Foundation. Yoram has been a member of the managing committee of Jordan River Village since its establishment and chairman of the finance committee.
Aviva Peterburg
Aviva Petersburg is one of the founders of Jordan River Village and has been a Board Member since its establishment, actively involved in fundraising efforts. The Petersburg family donated the Petting Zoo at the Village in memory of their daughter, Sharon, who passed away from leukemia at the age of eight and a half. In addition to her work with JRV, Aviva volunteers with the IDF and is actively engaged in supporting children with illnesses and medical assistance initiatives.
Dr. Jacob Farbstein
Dr. Farbstein graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion, as was specialist in general surgery. From 1989 to 2013 director of the Puriya Medical Center. From 1995 to 2003, Dr. Farbstein served as the first chairman of hospital administrators. He also was a member of the board of Sharel, a medical supply company.
Sandra Shapira
Sandra has over 30 years of management experience in the fields of marketing and operations in industrial companies. Currently she serves as the Director of Corporate Communications and Social Responsibility at Amiad Water Systems Ltd. Sandra has been involved with Jordan River Village Active since 2002 and a member of the Board of Directors since 2012. Sandra considers her connection to the Village as a unique privilege, and of great importance and sees how the Village enables so many Israeli children, regardless of their health condition the opportunity to experience camp.
Shelly Ramon
Shelly is a lawyer at H. Stricks & Co. Law Firm in Tel-Aviv. She joined Jordan River Village at the invitation of the late Chaim Topol and has served as a Board Member since 2009. Her primary contributions include fundraising efforts, search committees, and assisting with residential facility improvements at the Village. She is also actively involved in social and philanthropic initiatives, particularly at the Faculty of Law at the College of Management Academic Studies in Rishon LeZion, where she was awarded an Honorary Degree in 2019.
Hava Bar-Shay Glass
Hava has held senior management roles in leading organizations, including Maccabi Health Services, Amdocs, and the Flying Cargo Group, and previously served as CEO of Domestic FedEx Israel. She currently serves as a board director at Maccabi Health Services and Mi Avivim and is the chairperson of the Fair Center. Additionally, she is a board member at Midot and an active advocate for social causes. Hava holds a bachelor’s degree in education and international relations from the Hebrew University and a master’s degree in health systems management from Ben-Gurion University.
Shmuel Friedman
Shmuel is a consultant and initiator of agricultural projects in developing countries, implementing innovative technologies. In the past, he served as a professional advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Minister Yair Shamir. From 2005-2013, he worked as the director of the open areas field and the director of the grazing authority, the planning authority at the Ministry of Agriculture. Between 2001 - 2013 he was an active member of the "Danida" project for regional cooperation on behalf of the Danish government. He has been a member of Jordan River Village’s executive committee since 2016.
Talia Berger
Talia joined the board of directors of Jordan River Village in 2019 following several years that her eldest son, Oliver, attended the Village as a camper due to a
challenging background of intractable epilepsy. The incredible impact those 5 days a year had on Oliver for the remaining 360 was substantial and Talia naturally wanted to share the magic of the Village with as many families as possible. Talia’s 20-year career path includes working for various organizations, of all sizes as well as business owner and most recently as a headhunter for Israeli startup and high-tech companies who are seeking talent outside of Israel. Talia is also a licensed coach. Talia, and her husband Eli, live in Herzliya with their 3 teenagers, Oliver, Andy and Emma.
David Ben-Zeev
David Ben Zeev is a lawyer, business entrepreneur and social activist. He worked for several years as a commercial attorney and as a director at various companies. He was one of the founders of the NICE company. David served as the chairman of the Beit Zinger Association, which operates various frameworks for the treatment of at-risk youth, primarily a boarding school in Kfar Yehezkel.
Prof. Moshe Papa
Professor Papa is an expert in oncological surgery and general surgery, has 4 different medical specialties, and conducted research over 34 years in the fields of
oncological and general surgery. He serves as an entrepreneur and consultant in several start-up companies. In addition, he is an evaluator of cutting edge technologies in various venture capital funds, and a member of the Supreme Amr Committee at the Ministry of Health. As part of his volunteer activities, he serves as the vice president of MDA where he is involved in the promotion of research and development and international cooperation and since 2020, he has been a member of the board of directors of Jordan River Village.
Nagham Abu Halpha
Nagham is a senior manager specializing in a wide variety of aspects in the worlds of promoting, encouraging and developing quality employment in Arab society. In recent years, among other things, Nagham developed a dashboard that maps the entire occupational continuum of Arab society in Israel, built, developed and implemented government programs on the subject, led steering committees, and was a central partner in building an active ecosystem, served and created over the years a network of senior partners from the public sector, the business and the community, working together in cooperation for the benefit of creating a better future for the Arab society in Israel through occupational advancement.
Tsahi Luft
Tsahi is a business entrepreneur and social activist, specializing in integrative management and business development, and a former member of the General Security Service. Since 2016, he has been engaged in volunteer social activity within the Israeli Spirit organization, as a mentor to at-risk youth within a one-on-one program and also acts as a chaperone, mentor and advisor to the head of the semi-annual pre-military preparatory school and a member of the leadership forum of Ben-Yakir Youth Village. Tsahi is married with 2 children.
Dr. Shirley Friedman
Dr. Friedman is an attending physician, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. "Dana-Dwek" Children's Hospital. Director of the point of care ultrasound service. Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv university, Israel
Gal Menaged
Gal is CEO of PRODAC Systems, an international software company, and a board member in several corporations and nonprofit organizations. He has extensive experience in senior management roles within international companies. Gal advises and supports startups and established companies in expanding into the European market, with a particular focus on Germany.
Ofer Ziv
Ofer previously served as Deputy CEO of Delek Real Estate, Head of the Residential Division at Solel Boneh, and Vice President of Assets at Azorim Properties. He has been serving as Deputy CEO since 2006 and as CEO since 2009. Ofer is a graduate of the Military Boarding School at the Reali School in Haifa and holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.
Yossi Amado
Married with three children, Yossi lives in Kibbutz Shamir. He holds a master’s degree in pharmacy and serves as the Head Pharmacist and Branch Manager of Super-Pharm in Kiryat Shmona. In addition to his professional role, he is a lecturer on management and leadership within the Super-Pharm network. Previously, he served as Chairman of the Galilee Panhandle Partnership with Jewish communities in Canada.
Etai Freedman
Executive Director
Etai Freedman
Etai Freedman is an experienced Executive Director with a demonstrated history of running and consulting non-profit organizations. Etai brings to Jordan River Village almost 20 years of nonprofit fundraising, management, and governance experience. Etai lives with his wife and daughter in Bend, Oregon.
Shira Leeds
Assistant Director
Shira Leeds
Shira Leeds has spent her entire career working in non-profit. Shira worked for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) in the capacity of Director of Development Support Services and Manager of Public Information. While at JDRF, she worked closely with the JDRF Israel affiliate, assisting them with fundraising events in the United States. Prior to her work at JDRF, Shira worked for the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) as their Communications Coordinator. She holds a BA from the University of Maryland in Jewish Studies, and a MA from Brandeis University in Near Eastern and Jewish Studies. Shira lives in New Jersey with her husband, Alan and her three children, Joshua, Shoshana and Danielle.
Shalom Ashkenazi
CEO
Shalom Ashkenazi
Shalom is an industrial and management engineer with a degree in management and human resources. He served as a Bnei Akiva emissary in Los Angeles and as the CEO of the Kibbutz Lavi Hotel. In January 2023, Shalom became the CEO of Jordan River Village with a sense of mission and a desire to engage in social action and spread goodness in Israeli society. He is married to Liat and they have seven children and live at Kibbutz Lavi.
Ris Even
Development Director
Ris Even
Director of Development and Fundraising at the Jordan River Village Association.
Returned to Israel 10 years ago after an extended community service mission in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has since worked in various social organizations in Israel.
Experienced in managing international partnerships and building connections between Jewish communities in Israel and the U.S.
Dr. Hisham Falah
Medical Director
Dr. Hisham Falah
Resident of the Bedouin village of Rumat al-Heib in the Lower Galilee. Specialist in family medicine and diabetes, working at Clalit Health Services. Instructor and mentor for medical students and interns. Medical Director at the Jordan River Village Association.
Gal Dobo Glikman
Camp Director
Gal Dobo Glikman
Gal started working at Jordan River Village in July 2015 as a volunteer coordinator. After that she moved to manage the training department, and since January 2022 she has been the Camp Director. Gal holds a bachelor's degree in communication from Sapir College, and a master's degree in organizational sociology from the University of Haifa. Gal Lives in Moshav Ma'ale Gamla in the Golan Heights and is married with one child.
Our Partners
Jordan River Village is proud to be a member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, a global community of independently operated camps and programs founded by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman. These camps provide children with serious illnesses—and their families—a chance to look beyond their medical challenges, find joy and confidence, and explore new possibilities, always free of charge.
About SeriousFun
The name “SeriousFun” embodies Paul Newman’s belief that fun should be taken seriously, especially for children facing serious illnesses. This philosophy combines the “serious” focus on health outcomes with the “fun” of childhood camp experiences, creating a unique blend of healing and joy.
Inclusive and Free for All
SeriousFun operates camps in the United States, Europe, Israel, Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean. Through the Global Partnership Program, SeriousFun works with international organizations to bring camp experiences to children in remote areas, ensuring that fun and healing are accessible to all.
We offering all programs free of charge to ensure no child is ever turned away due to socioeconomic, ethnic, religious, or national differences.
Global Reach
SeriousFun operates camps in the United States, Europe, Israel, Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean. Through the Global Partnership Program, SeriousFun works with international organizations to bring camp experiences to children in remote areas, ensuring that fun and healing are accessible to all.
Supporters & Partners in the US
Hyman N. Dubowy Charitable Foundation
Leo and Libby Nevas
Foundation
The Mike & Linda Fiterman
Family Foundation
Solomon J. and Edith Freedman
Charitable Foundation
