A camp tries to reinvent the Hebrew language, so transgender kids can fit in

Sam Newman starts a cheer after lunch at Habonim Dror Camp Moshava on Monday in Street, Md. The campers rewrote their cheers this summer to use special gender-neutral Hebrew plural nouns. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

When Zev Shofar, a 14-year-old from Takoma Park, started going to Jewish summer camp seven years ago, the children all learned the Hebrew words to introduce themselves. “Chanich” means a male camper; “chanichah” means a female camper.

But what if Zev didn’t feel male or female — neither a chanich nor a chanichah? Read more ….

An evolving experience

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Friday 22nd, January 2016 Written by Mira Sucharov

On a little corner of Gabriola Island lies an enclave of old-style Jewish utopianism. Modeled after a kibbutz, campers (chanichim) and counselors (madrichim) talk about heady topics like radical justice, equal worth, unionization, socialism and Labor Zionism.

They learn Hebrew, engage in physical labor and debate topics like whether O Canada adequately addresses the reality of First Nations, the fate of the Palestinians, and how to make a radically inclusive society within Israel. It’s Camp Miriam, part of the network of Habonim-Dror camps across North America. Among the founders of the camp was my grandmother, Marian Margolis, and I spent one memorable summer there as a counselor in 1990. Read more …

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Hike, swim, fix the world: Kids mix it up at Gilboa camp

by dan pine, j. staff

Summer camp for Eliza Smith includes more than the typical swimming and s’mores around a campfire. It also includes discussion of Middle East peace and cleanup duty in the bathrooms.

That’s how they roll at Camp Gilboa, a Jewish summer camp in Southern California to which the 15-year old Berkeley High School junior has returned every year since she was 8.

Located in the San Bernardino Mountains, Gilboa encompasses 40 forested acres where campers age 8 to 17 — many from the Bay Area — can hike, make artsy crafts and engage in other typical summer camp activities. Read more ….

Mentoring and Grants Helps Camp Gesher Thrive

Gesher

Lila Sarick, Staff Reporter, Wednesday, June 10, 2015

JCamp180, a philanthropic organization based in Massachusetts, is the reason why Ontario’s Camp Gesher has brand-new cabins and a much more sophisticated board of directors. Read more ….

More about Camp Gesher

Six North American Summer Camps

Machanot Kayitz — מחנות קיץ

Habonim Dror machanot (summer camps) provide children ages 8 – 17 with a unique camping experience. Based on the model of a kibbutz, each machaneh (camp) creates a close-knit community based on Jewish ideals of collective responsibility, respect, equality and friendship. A wealth of activities, programs and scouting events are offered at each machaneh: from arts and crafts to Hebrew songs and rikud (Israeli dancing); a full sports program to nature study. Campers will grow physically, emotionally and intellectually in a creative, open and caring environment. Habonim Dror has been providing a machaneh experience since 1932.

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Camp is Time Off for Technology

KRISTEN MOTT CJN Staff Reporter
February 28, 2014 10:30 am

With cellphones, iPads and computers, children are constantly plugged in to technology. But when it comes time to attend an overnight summer camp, unplugging from technology is crucial. “The whole idea is socialization and actually talking to people face-to-face and not texting or ignoring them, so we can build community,” said Shelley Goldwater, the executive director of Habonim Dror Camp Tavor, a Jewish overnight camp in southwest Michigan. “They’re so addicted to being on computers and such that they don’t even know what to do with themselves.”

Camp Tavor has always had a “no technology” policy in place for campers. Camp staff have access to computers to plan activities and are allowed to bring their personal cellphones to camp, but are not allowed to use their phones around the campers. Read more ….

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