Jordan River Village is a vacation village in

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

for children with life-limiting conditions (serious illnesses, chronic illnesses, genetic diseases, special needs). The facility is located near Giv'at Avni in the

Lower Galilee The Lower Galilee (; ) is a region within the Northern District of Israel. The Lower Galilee is bordered by the Jezreel Valley to the south; the Upper Galilee to the north, from which it is separated by the Beit HaKerem Valley; the Jordan Rift ...

History

The goal of the village is "to enrich the lives of Jewish and Arab children, in Israel and in the neighboring countries, suffering from serious illnesses and life-threatening conditions by creating free, fun-filled, memorable, empowering, medically sound and safe camping experiences". After more than 10 years of planning, raising funds, working with the Israeli government, and building relationships around the world Jordan River Village began operations in August 2011. The Village is part of Paul Newman's

SeriousFun Children's Network SeriousFun Children's Network is a global community of 30 camps and programs for seriously ill children. All camps and programs offer free recreational experiences to children with serious illnesses and their family members. The first SeriousF ...

, formerly the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, a global community of 30 camps and programs for seriously ill children. The Village is modeled after the

Hole in the Wall Gang Camp The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, based in Ashford, Connecticut, is a nonprofit 501(c) organization, 501(c)(3) organization, residential summer camp, and year-round center serving children and their families coping with chronic illnesses such as ca ...

, founded in 1988 in Connecticut by

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...

. Newman played Ari Ben Canaan in the 1960 film ''

Exodus Exodus or the Exodus may refer to: Religion * Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible * The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan Historical events * Ex ...

'', filmed in the same region of Israel as the camp is located. The Israeli government contributed 20% of its budget. Israeli actor

Chaim Topol Chaim Topol (; 9 September 1935 – 8 March 2023), mononymously known as Topol, was an Israeli actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Tevye, the lead role in the stage musical ''Fiddler on the Roof'' and the Fiddler on the Roof ...

served as chairman of the board. He described it as the philanthropic project to which he was most connected. The Village covers an area of , and includes an indoor swimming pool equipped for hydrotherapy, sports facilities, a gymnasium, a theater, an art and crafts center, a camping area, an adventure tower and a state-of-the-art medical center.

References

External links

* * * * {{SeriousFun Children's Network Camps Children's charities based in Israel Summer camps for children with disabilities Disability organizations based in Israel

History

See also

References

External links