2025 Covenant Award Recipient
Sarah Atkins
2025 Covenant Award Recipient
Sarah Atkins
Director, Camp Kadimah,
Ontario and Nova Scotia, Canada
Sarah Atkins has served as Director of Camp Kadimah in Halifax, Nova Scotia, since 2017. In this role, Atkins is responsible for planning and implementing all camp programming and supervising all senior staff and specialists. Her most significant impact on the camp has been her infusion of Jewish learning and values into every aspect of the Camp Kadimah experience.
Because of Atkins’ focus on the educational experience of staff members, Camp Kadimah was chosen by Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Yedid Nefesh program, which provides support for camp to explore and implement additional learning opportunities for staff development in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In 2024, Atkins launched “Kadimah on Campus,” in which she and other senior camp leaders travel to university campuses across Canada to offer educational programs, gatherings and social-emotional support to young adults in the Kadimah community. In preparation to lead productive dialogues in the summer of 2024 about antisemitism and the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza, as well as to prepare to support many Israeli staff members and campers, Atkins completed the Conflicts of Interest program through The iCenter.
“Sarah is one of those rare individuals who can inspire learners, colleagues, and supervisors with authentic humility coupled with professional brilliance,” said Michael Soberman, Senior Educational Consultant, The iCenter for Israel Education and Board Co-Chair at Camp Kadimah, who nominated Atkins for the Award.
“She does not see her role as a job but rather as a mission to apply Jewish education to build community, ignite passion, and strive to change the world in a positive way. She is the role model I aspire to be, and I am a better educator because of being her mentor, her colleague, and, most importantly, her student.”
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude to those who have nominated me, supported me, and worked alongside me throughout my career,” Atkins said, as she reflected on what it means to receive a Covenant Award.
“I love my job at Camp Kadimah. I truly feel that the work we do is transformative for our staff and our campers. Jewish camp, in my opinion, is one of the most important avenues for our youth to form and solidify their Jewish identity and grow into our future leaders.”
