It’s summer camp time again!

ANT KATZ

Each camp offers something different, but all movements allow non-movement members, or members of other youth movements, to join in. 

Jewish Report has endeavoured to put together as much detail as possible and where we were not able to get all information, we are including contact details for the heads of the various youth movements, or the rosh machaneh, for all of the camps.

We have given the costs where they were made available to us. In some cases they are already subsidised. In others, deserving campers may be entitled to subsidies – sometimes even a full subsidy for movement members.

Many of the camps are fully subscribed while some still have places.

Betar: 

Guy Hadad is the man to deal with here. “Betar South Africa has decided to revolutionise the camp experience,” Hadad told Jewish Report. This December Betar is hosting a locally-based seminar called Betar Loves Jozi – Summer Edition. “This flexible summer programme allows our chanichim to explore and sightsee the many wonders of Gauteng, while still catering to parents’ needs,” he says.

Some of the highlights of their camp include visits to Sun City, Warmbaths (Bela Bela), Gold Reef City and various tochniot at the Betar bayit with a focus on Zionism, Betar ideology, team building skills and Israel advocacy, says Hadad. The camp runs from December 8 – 19 and costs R3 000 to attend.

Betar madrichim will also be travelling to Israel at the end of December to attend a Hadrachah seminar, hosted by Betar Olami. They will have the opportunity to explore Israel while experiencing the spirit of Jewish life in the land. Some highlights include: Jerusalem and the Kotel, Yad Vashem, The Menachem Begin Centre and The Etzel Museum.

December 2016 sounds like it will be action packed for Betar SA. “We can’t wait to show South Africa what 2017 will bring!” says Hadad.

Contact Hadad on 082-851-3963 or e-mail him at guyha@jafi.org. For more information go to info@betar.co.za or visit them at www.betarsa.co.za

Bnei Akiva:

Bnei Akiva’s rosh machaneh, Jordy Sank, was preparing to take off with his sold-out campers when he spoke to Jewish Report this week. Camp Orot Yisrael will be held at their south Cape campsite between December 7 and 26.

One of the highlights of the Bnei camp will be popular entertainer Mathew Mole, who will be spending some time with the campers, and, of course, performing for them.

Contact Sank on 072-955-0046 or e-mail him at roshmach@bnei.co.za or, for more information, go to www.bnei.co.za or e-mail wintercamp@bnei.co.za.

Gan Yisrael Cape Town:

Chabad’s Cape Town Gan Yisrael Day Camp is a household name among Cape Town’s Jewish community and part of the largest and fastest growing networks of Jewish day camps in the world.

“Many of our campers wait all year to come back to Gan Yisrael!” Rabbi Mendel Popack told Jewish Report. “For 40 years, our camp has satisfied parents and delighted children from all walks of Judaism. Between our exciting outings, activity-packed schedule, great food, amazing spirit and dedicated counsellors, ‘Gan Izzy’ guarantees a wonderful experience for all,” he says. Rabbi Popack can be contacted – but only for 2017’s camp – at popack@gmail.com

Gan Yisrael Johannesburg:

A few spaces available! Rabbi Pini Pink has been the director of Camp Gan Yisrael at Chabad House since 2010 and has formulated a variety of camps to suit all, starting with day camps and ending with a sleep-over camp.

From December 12 to 23, they will be holding day camps for either one week or two. The (unsubsidised) cost is R675 for one week or R1 200 for two weeks.

Youngsters and girls will be accommodated at Torah Academy, while the boys will be at Yeshiva College. The kids and girls are fully booked, but there are a few places open for the boys’ day camp. Rabbi Pink expects between 650 and 675 to attend the day camps.

This will be followed with an overnight camp at their Uvongo campsite in KwaZulu-Natal between December 27 and January 8. This costs R5 000 including transport. The camp accommodates about 60, says Rabbi Pink, and there may be a few places still open by the time Jewish Report hits the streets.

“In true Chabad spirit,” says Rabbi Pink, “we pride ourselves on being all-inclusive – we are happy to accept kids from non-Jewish schools.” He says he finds it wonderful to see children and teens from different backgrounds interacting.

Contact Rabbi Pini Pink at Chabad House on (011) 440-6600 or 082-341-7485. Their website is www.cgijoburg.co.za

Habonim Dror:

From December 8 to 28, Habonim will be holding their summer camp at their campsite on the Onrus beach in the Western Cape (see their video on JR Online). They are fully subscribed, even though they had slightly fewer vacancies than last year, says David Schwartz, s’gan rosh machaneh of the summer camp.  

Habonim chose to have fewer people, says Schwartz, because it “provides for a more intimate and inspiring three-week experience.” There is an open day on Sunday December 18 when friends and family may visit the campers.

The cost of camp varied, explained Schwartz, “depending on what merchandise one ordered and what travel arrangements they needed, but the cost is around R9 000.”

Schwartz says that Habonim Dror machaneh is a time for hundreds of Jewish youth from all over South Africa to come together to experience a fun and enriching time on what he maintains is the most beautiful campsite in South Africa.

He believes Habonim is the only machaneh that provides Jewish youth with ways to connect to their Jewish identities “in ways that they all find meaningful and that challenge them to live their lives by Jewish values and morals.

“Our chanichim are always busy from their peulot where they learn about Judaism, Zionism, and other Habonim values, to Havdallah parties, and of course our world-famous beach that is a 30-second walk from their tents.”

“Habonim Machaneh is a place for all Jewish kids, and we have no doubt that “Machaneh16” is going to be a resounding success,” he told Jewish Report.

Schwartz is available on 082-883-0871 or e-mail david@habo.org.za

Netzer:

Netzer is the Progressive youth movement and they will be holding their summer camp in Grabouw near Cape Town between December 12 and 26. Parents may visit on December 18 between 11:00 and 14:00.

All meals served are kosher and there are still a few slots open, or at least there were when Jewish Report spoke to Daniel Norris earlier in the week. The unsubsidised cost is R9 000 with flights or R7 000 without.

For more information, e-mail camp@netzer.org.za or phone them on 078-647-1285. Visit their website at www.netzer.org.za