Meet Vered Benchetrit
“Follow your passion. That’s the philosophy I live by. Make the most of the one life you have.”
Ever feel like you have something to say but just aren’t sure how to express it?
Vered Rose understood this feeling, and so set out to create an inclusive arts summer camp for young girls in Toronto who did not have an outlet for creative expression.
“The whole goal of the camp is to bring together girls from a wide range of Jewish backgrounds under the uniting factor among us: art. Artsy Girls provides the campers with the opportunity to shine on or behind the stage.”
The camp stemmed from Vered’s own creative passions, and it is fulfilling for her to see its annual success.
“Art is what is bringing them together. It is amazing to see girls who don’t usually have the opportunity to perform in a professionally-run environment shine.”
Artsy Girls was founded in 2011, and in its first summer, had 30 campers. Today, seven years later, 300 campers attend.
Running a successful summer camp wasn’t enough for Vered. Her entrepreneurial spirit motivated her to launch her own entertainment company called JCK. “We’re the only all-female professional entertainment team in Toronto.”
Running two businesses requires more hours than there are in a day, but Vered manages to do it all. She is focused on her goals and has found that passion and commitment is all it takes.
Vered advises those who have the same entrepreneurial spirit to start young. “Explore the ideas that you have. I started the whole thing when I was 18. Don’t be afraid to dive in. Even if you only end up starting later, put in the time now.”
An entrepreneur, Vered explains, doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel. “Use your passion to take something that already exists and make it your own. At the end of the day, I took a concept that has existed for years – summer camp – and catered it to a section of the Toronto Jewish community for whom the opportunity didn’t exist.”
Having a positive attitude is also key. “Don’t get discouraged. Challenges come up, especially early on. Just keep a positive mindset. One bad revenue or summer doesn’t mean that it’ll all be bad.”
Vered’s ultimate message is to follow your passion. “That’s the philosophy I live by. Make the most of the one life you have.”
Vered Rose was always interested in the arts. After high school, she got her personal training certification, and then started a summer camp for girls in Toronto who are artistically inclined. Since then, her camp has grown, and, in its seventh summer, has 300 campers. Vered, along with the co- founder of @jck_inc continues to work as manager of the camp and also has an entertainment business, where she DJs.
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Jumans of Toronto is a window into the lives and passion of Jewish young adults making their mark in the world. A 50-part series, Jumans is inspired by Humans of New York. If you’d like to recommend someone awesome to be highlighted, please send an email to adina@thehousetoronto.com.
Written by: Adina Samuels