As I reflect on the summer of 2026, I am filled with pride and gratitude for what we created through USY Summer Programs. This summer, teens participated in three distinct immersive experiences: Wheels, Impact DR, and Yuval Yisrael, including a meaningful week in Poland before the Israel experience. While each program offered something different, they all shared a common purpose: to create transformative Jewish experiences where teens could build community, explore the world, grow as individuals, and strengthen their connection to Judaism and the broader Jewish community.
This summer was a reminder of the incredible power of immersive experiences. When we give teens the opportunity to step outside of their everyday environments, travel with their peers, experience Judaism in new ways, and navigate new experiences together, something special happens. Friendships deepen, confidence grows, and teens begin to see themselves as an important part of a larger Jewish community.
Wheels continued to be one of USY’s most unique and recognizable summer experiences. This year, we offered both a 3.5 week option and our full 6.5 week Wheels experience, creating additional flexibility for families while preserving the heart and tradition of the program.
One of the highlights of this summer was seeing the continued growth of Wheels. Participation increased by 24 percent, demonstrating that there is still a strong desire among teens for an immersive, traveling Jewish experience. The return of Wheels Classic, alongside our shorter 3.5 week option, gave more teens the opportunity to experience what makes Wheels so special.
Of course, the magic of Wheels is not simply about the places we visit. It is about the community created along the way. It is the conversations on the bus, Shabbat together, service projects, late night laughter, dancing, games, shared experiences, and the countless small moments that turn a group of teens into a community.
Watching teens who may have arrived not knowing many people develop friendships and a sense of belonging was one of the most rewarding parts of the summer. Wheels continues to prove that some of the most meaningful Jewish experiences happen when we give teens the space to be together, explore, and grow.
Impact DR provided teens with a completely different kind of immersive experience. Through travel, service, cultural experiences, and Jewish community, teens were encouraged to look beyond their own experiences and engage with a different community and culture.
The service component was particularly meaningful because it challenged teens to think about what it means to make an impact. They were not simply visiting a new place. They were participating, learning, listening, and reflecting on their role in a larger world.
Impact DR also created opportunities for teens to grow in independence and confidence. Traveling internationally, navigating new experiences, and living in a close knit community encouraged teens to step outside of their comfort zones in positive ways.
I am excited about the continued potential of Impact DR as part of the USY Summer Programs lineup. It provides an important and unique option for teens looking for an experience that combines adventure, service, culture, and Jewish connection.
Yuval Yisrael offered teens the opportunity to experience Israel in a deeply meaningful and immersive way. This year, the experience was further enriched by beginning with a week in Poland, creating a powerful journey through Jewish history before arriving in Israel.
The Poland experience provided an important opportunity for teens to learn, reflect, and connect with the history of the Jewish people. Visiting places connected to Jewish life and history allowed teens to encounter stories that they have learned about in classrooms in a much more tangible way. Beginning the summer this way created a meaningful foundation for the transition to Israel and encouraged teens to think about the continuity of Jewish life, from our history to the present and into the future.
From Poland, the journey continued to Israel, where teens explored Jerusalem, the Galil, the Negev, and other parts of the country. Yuval gave teens the opportunity to experience Israel through travel, community, learning, adventure, and Jewish identity.
One of the most powerful aspects of an Israel experience is that there is no single way for a teen to connect with Israel. Some connect through the land, some through history, some through the people they meet, and others through their growing understanding of their own Jewish identity. Yuval Yisrael creates space for all of those connections.
When I look at all three programs together, I am struck by how beautifully they complement one another.
Wheels creates an incredible traveling Jewish community and gives teens the opportunity to build friendships, develop independence, and experience Judaism together.
Impact DR encourages teens to engage with the world around them through service, culture, travel, and Jewish values.
Poland and Yuval Yisrael provides an opportunity to connect deeply with Jewish history, Israel, Jewish peoplehood, and personal identity.
Three different experiences. Three different journeys. One shared goal: to help teens discover what it means to be part of a vibrant Jewish community.
The success of our summer programs is ultimately about much more than where teens traveled or what activities they participated in. It is about the person they become along the way. It is seeing a teen become more confident, watching a new friendship develop, hearing a teen lead a prayer or activity, seeing someone try something they were initially nervous about, or listening to a teen return home and talk about their summer with excitement and pride.
Those are the moments that make the work meaningful.
There will always be things we can learn from and opportunities to make our programs even stronger. We will take those lessons with us as we plan for the future. But first, I want to celebrate what this summer represented: hundreds of moments of connection, friendship, growth, Jewish joy, and community.
I am incredibly grateful to our amazing summer staff, community partners, families, and especially our teens. Our staff put their hearts into creating meaningful experiences, and our teens brought the energy, curiosity, humor, and spirit that made each program what it was.
And now, we do what USY does best. We start looking ahead!
Summer 2027 is officially open, and we cannot wait to welcome the next group of teens to USY Summer Programs.
Whether your teen wants to travel across the country on Wheels, make an impact through Impact DR, or explore Jewish history and Israel through Poland and Yuval Yisrael, there is a place for them in our summer community.
We are ready for another summer of adventure, friendship, Jewish connection, personal growth, and memories that will last a lifetime.
Summer 2027 is waiting. We cannot wait to welcome you!
Sign up to receive communications and news from USY
