Jewish summer camps are hosting a one-day, three-on-three basketball tournament to raise money for charity and to raise the camps’ profile among school-aged youngsters.

The Inter-Camp Charity Basketball Tournament will take place from 1 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 1, at the Pavilion Fitness Centre.

Sponsored by Young Judaea and Camp Gesher, the event is expected to attract 120 teens from grades 8 through 12. Each team of up to five players is being asked to raise $60 ($20 for individual players). The money will support charities selected by the teams from a list of pre-approved agencies in the Jewish community, said Daniel Sourani, program director for Canadian Young Judaea.

“It’s an opportunity for Jewish camps in and around Toronto to get kids together for a good cause.” Half the teams will likely consist of players affiliated with one of the Young Judaea camps, with many of them public school students, he said.

“We initiated this tournament as a result of the popularity of basketball at the camp and in order to enable the youth to have the opportunity to take responsibility for a charity event in a tikkun olam project,” said Camp Gesher spokesperson Oren Sukenik.

Canadian Young Judaea manages seven summer camps in Canada, three of them in Ontario, including JSummer Camp, Camp Solelim and Camp Shalom. The camps are Zionist in orientation and offer programs that enhance Jewish education and identity, Sourani said.

Camp Gesher is a community and family-oriented camp that’s part of the Habonim Dror youth movement.