Galil Establishes Israel Programs Scholarship Fund

Habonim Dror Camp Galil is thrilled to announce that it has received a transformational gift establishing a scholarship fund for Camp Galil campers who wish to attend Habonim Dror North America’s Israel programs.

The $50,000 gift, from an anonymous Galil family, establishes the Galil Shachar Israel Program Scholarship Fund. The gift will be

invested and proceeds will be used to support need-based scholarships for Camp Galil chaverimot attending HDNA’s MBI and Workshop programs. Shachar, which means “sunrise” in Hebrew, holds personal significance for the donor family.

The Galil Shachar Israel Program Scholarship Fund will enable more Camp Galil teens to have meaningful experiences in Israel, strengthen their Jewish identity and deepen their connection to Israel and the Jewish people. With this gift the Galil community will have the ability to support chaverimot throughout their entire Galil/Habonim Dror journeys. The family shares that they were inspired to make this gift when “We saw what a huge impact Galil had on the lives of our children and grandchildren and how their experience in Israel cemented their ties to the country and their Jewish identity. We want to make sure that every Galil family can participate in this impactful experience.”

Galil expects to begin supporting chaverimot attending MBI and Workshop with Shachar funding later this year. Todah rabah to the donor family, and kol hakavod to everyone in the Galil community who helped make this happen.

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MBI 2022 – Now Open For Registration!

We are happy to announce that registration for MBI opened on December 3rd, 2021. While last year we joined the NFTY Mitzvah Corps for a trip shared with NFTY staff and teens, this year we are creating a trip that is tailored specifically for HDNA chanichimot.

*Please note that we are still working with NFTY to confirm our tailored itinerary. The language on the NFTY website linked above is the generic trip description and does not yet reflect our unique HDNA itinerary.

We’ve partnered with NFTY to create a 4-week trip for anyone interested in engaging with Israel through a Habonim Dror lens. Teens can expect the iconic Israel experiences, from hiking Masada to exploring Jerusalem, with an emphasis on values-based education and deep engagement with dilemmas of modern Israel. This trip gives our post grade-10 chanichimot the opportunity to connect with Israel and its complexities, to meet their national kvutza, share their camp traditions and make friendships that will last a lifetime. See more details below:

WHEN: June 30th-July 27th (4 weeks). We specifically selected these dates to give as much time as possible for chanichimot to participate in programming at their machaneh after MBI, as we know machaneh retention is a top tier priority!

TUITION: Thanks to our partnership with NFTY and RootOne, participants are eligible for a $3,000 tuition voucher that brings the cost of the trip down to $5,425 USD.

STAFF: The staff for this trip will be a combination of North American madrichimot from HDNA & Israeli madrichimot from our sister movement Hanoar HaOved VeHalomed. Having HDNA tzevet helps us to offer an authentic Habonim experience while in Israel!Continue reading→

HDCA Newsletter – November 2021

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HDCA Newsletter – Fall 2021

Summer Mifgash!

We hope you will join us for the 2021 Covid version of HDCA Summer Mifgash. Unlike in other years, mifgash this year doesn’t involve plane tickets, hotel rooms or lots of time away from family and work. But as in other years, mifgash offers the Habonim Dror family the chance to connect with board members of other machanot, see other Habonim Dror camps, process challenges together, and have fun!

Please join us on September 19th! Simply complete this registration form.

Introduction

by Erica Kushner, Mazkirol HDNA

It is safe to say no other Mazkirut Artzit has ever had to deal with the physical restraints, aftershocks, and emotional toll of a global pandemic. Jenna, Kaela, and I signed onto these tafkidim when the word Corona was barely more than a rumor. We had to rapidly shift our expectations of what working for HDNA would be like, including being in a different place or even country, no office, no travel to Israel, eizorim, or the machanot, reduced salary, and knowing we wouldn’t be able to run anything in person. Corona has created many, many issues and we have worked through them, coming up with innovative solutions to running engaging seminars or remaining connected to the wider movement.Continue reading→

Hello and welcome to Habonim Dror Camp Association’s first newsletter!

Since becoming co-chairs of HDCA last December, we have listened intently to camp committee This newsletter is part of our commitment to enhance communication among our HD family in response to these concerns. As you’ll see, we are offering short articles about what’s going on in different parts of the movement – with news from the mazkirut, tzevet higui, machanot and our partner organizations Habonim Dror Foundation and Ameinu. We conclude with links to “Habonim Dror in the News” where you’ll see the impact our movement is having on the wider Jewish community. members, professional staff, mazkirut artzit, ma’apilimot and bogrei tnua (movement alumni) to determine how we might best move our association forward. We heard a great deal about strained relationships and a lack of mutual understanding, cooperation and respect. We concluded that better communication is necessary if we are to go forward as a community.

We’ve also begun a Community Calendar that will help us all coordinate planning – please check it out and if you have events to add, let us know! And finally, please SAVE THE DATE for HDCA MIFGASH on Sunday, September 19, 2021. We will be meeting virtually for just a few hours and we promise you will find it useful, interesting and fun! 

We hope you enjoy our very first edition.

– Alisa Belinkoff Katz and Sharon Waimberg, Co-Chairs, HDCAContinue reading→