It’s winter camp time for the young ‘uns

ANT KATZ
While our northern hemisphere kin are sending their youngsters off to long summer camps, as we will ourselves in December, four of South Africa’s five Jewish youth movements are also offering winter camps this year.

Here is what’s happening, in alphabetic order…

BETAR: Hadley Shapiro is Rosh Betar, probably the fastest-growing youth movement in SA since its reintroduction in 2013. Hadley told Jewish Report that they will be holding their winter camp at Bella-Bella (the old Warmbaths) from 7 to 4 July. It is open to any Jewish child seven years or older. For more information email info@betar.co.za or visit them at www.betarsa.co.za. Shapiro says Betar still have space for more and also still have subsidy money available for those in need.

Betar will use the same venue for their summer camp as they did last year. Hadley says that the movement has booked the site for the entire month but has not yet set the exact camp dates. “WE are aiming for aiming for three weeks,” he says, with dates still to be confirmed.

BNEI AKIVA: Aharon Chemel, who is Rosh Bnei Akiva (as well as the current chair of the Zionist Youth Council), told Jewish Report that Bnei will hold their winter camp in Limpopo Province near the northern Drakensberg mountains from 6 to 12 July. All Jewish school-goers from Grades seven to nine can attend, says Aharon, but their available space “is running out quickly.” For more information on Bnei’s winter camp go to www.bnei.co.za or email wintercamp@bnei.co.za.

Chemel says that their summer camp, which has yet to be themed, will run from 9 to 28 December (Maddies will be there from 2 December) and for enquiries about summer camp send a mail to roshmach@bnei.co.za.

GAN YISRAEL: Chabad’s winter camp is a day camp, as usual. Rabbi Pini Pink from Chabad House says they will be running between 6 and 17 July, are open to any Jewish kids and will be operating from three venues. The three and four-year-olds, he says, will be at Torah Academy Nursery School, the five to 12-year-old girls will go to Torah Academy Primary while the five to 12-year-old boys will be at King David Linksfield’s High School.

For further information on Gan Yisrael’s winter day camps, go to www.cgijoburg.co.za or call Rabbi Pink at 011 440 6600. Rabbi Pink can also be approached for information on their summer camp, which will be held as usual at Yuvongo on the KZN south coast.

HABONIM DROR: Rosh Habonim, Micaela Browde, said while they are not holding a winter camp, there will be winter events:
CT
Bonim (Grade 7) and Amelim (Grade 8) Winter Getaway – 19 – 21 June
Mini Machaneh – 28 – 30 August
JHB
Eish (Matric) Winter Seminar – 12 – 14 July
Sollelim (Grade 9) Winter Getaway – 17- 19 July
Mini Machaneh- 28 – 30 August 
PE 
Winter Mini Machaneh – 26 – 29 June
National
Bogrim Seminar (Grade 12+) to the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown
South Africa Leadership tour : 10 days traveling around SA and learning about South African Civil Society- 6- 16 August
Israel Leadership tour: 10 days traveling Israel and learning about our beloved homeland- 30 July- 6 August 
Durban 
Durban Fun event in August- Dates TBC
Our summer Machaneh will be taking place on our magnificent Onrus campsite from the 9th to the 29th of December 2015!!

For information email micaela@habo.org.za.

NETZER: Kathryn Henning, Rosh Netzer, says that they will be at a campsite in the Magaliesburg from 27 June to 3 July. All Jewish pupils from Grades 8 to 12 are welcome to join them and they still have places available. Visit them at www.netzer.org.za and click on the “camp” tab, says Kathryn, where you can find all the information and even do an online signup.

Their summer camp will be at their usual campsite outside Cape Town from 13 to 29 December. Booking and information about the summer camp will also open shortly on their website.

The poster for the Betar winter camp gives all their details