1,500 Ukrainian Children Enjoy Summer Getaway in Hungary

Chabad of Ukraine organized summer camps for over a thousand war-weary children to get a break and escape the stress and dangers of their current situation with some healthy fun and Torah learning in a beautiful campground.

At the start of this week, 1,500 Jewish children from Ukraine began arriving at specialized summer camps held at the Chabad refugee camp on the shores of Lake Balaton in Hungary. These camps aim to provide the children respite and healing from the horrors they have faced since the onset of the war Russia imposed on Ukraine about two and a half years ago.

Since the outbreak of the war, the Chabad refugee camp has been operational continuously on one of the lake’s southern shores. This camp was established through a collaboration between the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine (FJCU) and the Association of Communities of Torah Observant Jews in Hungary (EMIH).

To date, over 12,000 Jewish refugees from Ukraine have passed through the camp, which can accommodate up to 650 people at a time. It is located on 50-acres and includes a private beach, expansive lawns, and large groves. The area, formerly a government guesthouse hosting Hungarian prime ministers and their ministers during summer vacations, was made available to the Jewish community by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, thanks to the efforts of Rabbi Shlomo Koves, Chief Rabbi of EMIH.

The story behind the camp’s transfer to Jewish use is intriguing. Ferenc Gyurcsány, then Hungarian Prime Minister from the Socialist Party, was recorded at the camp delivering a speech during an annual retreat for his party members. In the recording, he admitted, “It is clear that we lied to the Hungarian people in the past year and a half or two.” This admission led to public outrage, protests, and eventually the downfall of Gyurcsány’s government, which became known for corruption and dishonesty. With Gyurcsány’s departure, an era of leftist control in Hungary ended, and Viktor Orbán was elected as Prime Minister, a position he continues to hold today. Due to the controversial recording, the site was long considered “cursed” by many Hungarians and remained abandoned for years. With the outbreak of the war, Jewish communities from Ukraine and Hungary invested significant resources to restore and repurpose it for refugee accommodation.

Rabbi Meir Stambler, a shliach and the chairman of the federation, explains, “Three types of Jewish people are staying here: Ukrainian Jews fleeing the country due to the advancing Russians or bombings near their homes, Jews who have relocated to Europe and seek to connect with fellow Ukrainian Jews and experience the community warmth they once knew, and Jews who remain in Ukraine—currently only women, older men, children, and youth—seeking a peaceful refuge away from the shadow of war.”

In the past year, about 60 leaders of small Jewish communities in Ukraine have spent a week at the camp for bonding and study sessions. This year, similar retreats are planned for community leaders, shluchim, city rabbis, and numerous volunteers from the federation. Additionally, around 200 Israeli refugees found shelter at the camp after the war broke out—some from the Gaza border area seeking escape from traumatic experiences, and others stranded in Europe due to canceled flights and lack of funds for hotel stays.

The camp serves as a sanctuary for exhausted Ukrainian Jews and provides a vital opportunity for children and youth to rejuvenate. They are divided into four different summer camps over six weeks, with many arriving with their mothers or guides directly from Ukraine and returning afterward, while some are children of refugee families living in Europe who wish to connect their kids with fellow Ukrainian Jewish children, reminiscent of their disrupted childhoods.

At these summer camps operated by Chabad shluchim in Ukraine, children enjoy a range of challenging and engaging activities alongside Jewish education and traditions. According to a senior member of the Jewish community in Ukraine, “The camp offers a safe haven and enriching experiences for children and families, focusing on joy and mutual support. We are confident that the weeks spent here will help them recover from their traumatic experiences and start the next school year successfully and positively.”