Ruby Gelfand is a Canadian who was a student at the Trafalgar School for Girls in Montreal and then attended TAV College in the city.
Gelfand was featured in the Spring 2024 issue of The Atlantic Jewish Council’s Shalom magazine in an article about current and former staffers at Camp Kadimah, a Jewish summer camp in Nova Scotia. She began as a staff member in 2022, and discusses her experience growing up and how it helped lead her to join the Israeli military.
Gelfand states, “Camp has played a crucial role in my Jewish journey and my connection to Israel. Despite not attending a Jewish high school, I cultivated my Jewish identity primarily through home practices like Shabbat. However, it is at camp, in a hyper-Zionist environment surrounded by Jewish peers, where I feel most at ease and connected to my Jewish heritage. This is where I have built significant relationships and where I feel most comfortable expressing my Jewish identity without fear of judgment or negativity from others. The programming at camp, particularly the perspective provided by Israeli staff members, has enriched my understanding of Israel and strengthened my admiration for the country. I eagerly each year to reunite with my Israeli friends. Camp has not only provided me with a consistent and safe space, but has also instilled a sense of pride and confidence in my Jewish heritage.”
Responding to a question about what she plans to do after that summer, Gelfand states, “I have decided to make Aliyah and enlist in the IDF in August, following my summer at camp. This decision stems from my deep-seated desire to join the army, a dream of mine since I was younger. During my gap year program in Israel last year, I was surrounded by soldiers and people in uniform, which reinforced my sense of duty and obligation to protect and serve my country.”
She ends the interview by stating, “My days at Kadimah will live with me for the rest of my life, and I can only hope to come back after my army service!”
Gelfand’s Facebook profile states that she has been in the Israeli military since December 2024.
