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Jewish summer camps ramping up security measures amid rising antisemitism — and parents are footing the bill

Published

2 months ago

March 28, 2026

As antisemitism rises across the U.S., Jewish summer camps are ramping up security, with some introducing additional charges while working to combat threats before they arise.

FBI crime data shows that between March 2025 and March 2026, the U.S. recorded 2,421 religion-based hate crime incidents, 1,395 of which targeted Jews. There are hundreds of Jewish summer camps across North America serving tens of thousands of children each year.

A recent attack on a Michigan synagogue highlighted the dangers facing Jewish institutions and the people who rely on them, including children.

On March 12, Ayman Muhammad Ghazali, a 41-year-old Lebanon-born American, allegedly rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel, a large reform synagogue in West Bloomfield, at approximately 12:30 p.m. before exiting the vehicle with a rifle and exchanging gunfire with a security guard, who shot and killed him. Preschool students and staff were forced to evacuate for their safety.

AFTER MICHIGAN ATTACK, JEWISH TEENS SHOW ANTISEMITISM WON’T DEFINE THEM

In the wake of the attack, police departments across the country increased patrols at houses of worship, Jewish institutions and other vulnerable sites. With summer approaching, camps across the country are preparing themselves so they can give children a fun and safe summer.

Secure Community Network (SCN) National Director and CEO Michael Masters told Fox News Digital that the response to the attack in Michigan was the product of “years of preparedness” and investments in security.

“That investment paid off in lives saved,” Masters said.

SCN, which works with Jewish institutions across North America, launched an initiative focused on summer camps in April 2024. The organization told Fox News Digital that since the initiative’s launch, it has trained over 5,000 camp-related individuals, conducted over 100 facility assessments and walkthroughs and secured $2.2 million in federal funding.

Masters also spoke about SCN’s recently-released list of 10 questions to ask camps before sending children off for the summer and encouraged parents to “be persistent” when asking about safety. The questions cover a variety of topics, such as missing camper procedures, availability of first aid kits and tourniquets and how the camp controls access to its facility, among others.

“Parents should ask, ‘was your camp one of those that got an assessment?’ ‘Was your camp, one of the those that got trained?’ ‘Do your counselors know what to do?’ And the camp should be able to answer that question,” Masters said. He added that SCN provides its trainings to institutions for free.

“At the end of the day, a summer camp is still the most vulnerable space that we need to provide security for consultation and guidance,” SCN Director of National Programs Jim Tarasca told Fox News Digital.

Tarasca, who worked in the FBI for over 25 years and served as the Special Agent in Charge of the bureau’s Detroit Field Office, noted that many camps are located in rural areas, presenting challenges such as communications barriers, including bad cellphone service. He also underscored the importance of empowering staff to see safety as “everyone’s responsibility,” rather than the job of designated security workers.

JEWISH SECURITY ORGANIZATION WORKING TO KEEP ITS COMMUNITY SAFE AMID ELEVATED TERROR THREAT

While some camps have included security fees in their tuition, others make it a separate line in their lists of session dates and costs. Some camps that list the security fee separately note that the additional charge is meant to offset rising costs of protecting the campers and staff. While security fees vary widely based on several factors, such as session length and whether it is a day or overnight camp, the charges reviewed by Fox News Digital went as high as $250, highlighting the growing costs.

National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) Summer Director Elliot Tanzman told Fox News Digital that while the organization has always had security protocols, it has become “much more of a focus” in recent years, with the group adding new measures.

As part of its safety measures, NCSY has made changes to its apparel and giveaways because “we’re trying not to scream that we are a Jewish group,” according to Tanzman. While he acknowledged that the dress codes could be signals to some that the participants are Jewish, Tanzman also said that they are making an effort to “not be extra identifiable.”

“It hurts to say something like that where instead of having the word ‘Israel’ on some of our T-shirts, which we’ve had in the past because it’s part of the program name, we’ve shortened it just to say ‘NCSY’ or ‘JSU’ or one of our other brands in order to not bring up any forms of antisemitism that we wouldn’t want to experience over the summer,” Tanzman said.

Jamie Simon, CEO of Foundation for Jewish Camp, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital that safety and security were a top priority for summer camps. The foundation, according to Simon, can provide guidance from security partners, crisis communications resources and more to help camps continue to operate while keeping kids and staff safe.

“As new challenges emerge, the field is not starting from scratch: camps are experienced, prepared, and deeply committed to the well-being of every young person in their care,” Simon said. “This is a pivotal moment for Jewish life, and Jewish camp offers a joyful, immersive, and proven space where young people develop pride in their Jewish identity, deep friendships, and a sense of belonging that lasts a lifetime.”

Summer camp has played a large role in Jewish American life for more than 120 years. Sunrise Lake Camp, which was founded in 1902, is one of the oldest in the country. The Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York noted that Sunrise Lake Camp was initially founded to give boys in urban areas the chance to experience nature and escape the city heat. Sunrise Lake Camp alumni includes several celebrities, such as Neil Diamond, Jerry Stiller and Gene Simmons.

Fox News Digital’s Eric Mack contributed to this report.

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Tech entrepreneur flees Washington due to companies being ‘villainized’

Published

12 minutes ago

May 14, 2026

Addison Blake

A prominent Washington tech entrepreneur is joining the growing exodus of business leaders fleeing the Evergreen State, citing a “dramatic” shift in the state’s tax climate following the passage of a controversial new “millionaire tax.”

Jesse Proudman, the founder and CTO of the privacy-focused generative AI platform Venice.ai, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that the state he once called a “startup sanctuary” has become increasingly hostile to the very people who fuel its economy.

“I started three companies here in the state. I have been an entrepreneur my whole life here,” Proudman said. “The business climate when I started my first company was very entrepreneurial-friendly, and the startup community was looked upon as a contributing member of the city. Over the last number of years, that has changed dramatically.”

Proudman, who previously founded the private cloud company Blue Box and the crypto-investing platform Makara, is now serving as a spokesperson for Let’s Go Washington. The political committee is currently spearheading a massive signature-gathering effort to repeal the tax measure before it can take root.

STARBUCKS CUTS JOBS IN SEATTLE AS FORMER CEO HOWARD SCHULTZ BLASTS ‘SOCIALIST’ MAYOR

The tax, pushed through by the Democratic-controlled legislature during the 2026 session and signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson in March, imposes a 9.9% levy on annual income exceeding $1 million. While it is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2028—with the first payments due in 2029—the mere threat of its implementation is already shifting the state’s demographics.

“We have until July 2nd to gather about 325,000 signatures to put this on the November ballot,” said Hallie Herzberg, Director of Communications for Let’s Go Washington. “The people deserve the right to vote on this. It’s already driving businesses, employers, and families out of the state.”

The move marks a seismic shift for Washington, which has historically been one of only a handful of states with no personal income tax. However, the legal ground shifted in 2023 when the state’s Supreme Court upheld a 7% capital gains tax, effectively opening the door for broader income-based levies that critics argue violate the state constitution’s requirement that property (which includes income) be taxed at a uniform rate.

GOV ABBOTT EXTENDS OFF-RAMP FOR NY BILLIONAIRES FLEEING MAMDANI’S POLICIES

State Sen. Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle), the Senate Majority Leader and the bill’s primary sponsor, has dismissed concerns of “tax flight.”

“The reality is the millionaire tax is not likely to result in businesses leaving,” Pedersen told a local FOX affiliate following the bill’s signing. He later told Fox News Digital that there is “no evidence” that high earners will migrate to lower-tax jurisdictions like Florida or Texas.

Data from the Association of Washington Business (AWB) suggests otherwise. A recent survey reported by The Center Square found that 44% of business leaders in the state are considering moving their personal residences elsewhere. Furthermore, Washington businesses reported they are now more than twice as likely to expand outside the state than within it.

For Proudman, the decision has already been made. He plans to relocate his life and business interests to Austin, Texas.

“It’s no longer a friendly place to conduct business,” Proudman said. “Startup companies are being villainized. With the passing of this tax, we have looked at alternative places to move, and we’ll probably end up in Austin.”

SIX DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PROVE THE WEALTHY PAY A LOT MORE THAN THEIR ‘FAIR SHARE’

Proudman warned that while the tax is currently branded as a “millionaire’s tax” to gain public favor, the long-term economic consequences will eventually hit middle-class residents as the tax base shrinks.

“They are targeting a very highly mobile cohort of the population,” Proudman argued. “When those folks leave, this will become a tax on everybody. The voters are unwittingly creating an incredibly worse tax situation for themselves. Washington is already the 45th worst state from a tax point of view. This is a constitutionally illegal tax that ultimately will apply to everyone.”

Sen. Pedersen’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s latest request for comment.

Latest

CIA Seized JFK, MKUltra Files From Tulsi Gabbard’s Office: Sources

Published

12 minutes ago

May 14, 2026

Addison Blake

These documents were taken from Gabbard’s office, according to two intelligence sources, despite DNI’s seniority over the CIA.

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First clade I mpox case confirmed in Connecticut after patient traveled to Western Europe

Published

12 minutes ago

May 14, 2026

Addison Blake

A case of clade I mpox — a more virulent version of the virus that causes monkeypox, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — has been confirmed in the U.S., as global health officials also monitor newly reported hantavirus cases in Europe.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CDPH) said Wednesday that the state’s first identified case of clade I mpox was detected in a person who recently traveled to Western Europe, where officials continue to monitor infectious disease activity.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also reported new hantavirus cases in Spain and France, drawing attention to the rare but potentially severe disease, which can cause serious respiratory complications in humans.

Hantavirus is typically spread through contact with infected rodents and can lead to severe respiratory illness, though cases remain rare, according to the WHO.

While health officials said the mpox case “does not pose a risk to the general public,” they still encourage those who may be at risk to receive the JYNNEOS vaccine.

NEW MPOX STRAIN CONFIRMED IN US STATE FOR FIRST TIME

Mpox symptoms can include fever, swollen lymph nodes and a characteristic rash, according to CDC.

“Mpox hasn’t gone away, and we want people to be protected, especially as many in our community prepare for travel, festivals, and gatherings this summer,” CDPH Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani said in the release.

“The vaccine is safe, effective and widely available. Completing the two-dose series is the best way to protect yourself and your partners.”

HANTAVIRUS DEATHS ON CRUISE SHIP HIGHLIGHT DANGERS OF RODENT-BORNE DISEASE

Clade I and clade II mpox are genetically distinct forms of the virus with key differences in severity and geographic origin, according to the CDC and the WHO.

Clade I, historically identified in Central Africa, has been linked to more severe illness and higher mortality rates, with cases often involving more widespread rashes and complications.

Clade II, which has circulated primarily in West Africa, is generally associated with milder disease and drove the global outbreak beginning in 2022, when most patients experienced less severe symptoms and lower hospitalization and death rates, according to the WHO.

The CDC and WHO say distinguishing between the two clades helps guide risk assessments, particularly as international travel increases.