Shalom Chevre,

As spring moves quickly towards summer and the countdown to the opening of our machanot is well underway, HDNA’s seminar season is coming to a close with ma’apilimot seminar. Over the course of several days 50 ma’apilimot from all of our machanot will gather at Camp Moshava to connect deeply with each other and with the movement, gain new leadership skills, grapple with important and sometimes difficult issues, and have fun. After “ma’ap sem” most will be heading to their respective machanot within just a few short weeks!

At HDCA we are also planning for our own seminars. First up, HDCA mifgash – the first in-person since 2019. We’ll be gathering at beautiful Machaneh Gilboa in Big Bear Lake, CA. This will be a wonderful opportunity for board leadership to get together and focus on issues that resonate with our camping movement, and its success will depend on the participation of each one of our machanot. Gilboa has graciously offered to host up to two representatives from each of the other machanot.  We encourage anyone who is interested in attending to reach out to your board chair. We look forward to all of your insights, concerns and ruach!

And finally, the planning for Kennes 2023 has begun. SAVE THE DATE! Kennes will be held from Friday October 20th to Sunday October 22nd at the Hilton Garden Inn in Springfield, MA just before the JCamp 180 Conference. We look forward to seeing many of you there!

Chag Shavuot Sameach,

Alisa Belinkoff Katz and Sharon Waimberg

From Veida to Ma’apilimot Seminar…What Does it Mean for Ma’apilimot to Take Responsibility for the Movement?

by Zandra Campbell, Rakazol Chinuch, HDNA

Although Veida 2022 feels almost like ancient history at this point, we are excited to carry conversations that began at Veida on to Ma’apilimot Seminar. The theme of  Ma’apilimot Seminar, HDNA Runs on Demand, continues discussions which began at Veida about what it means for ma’apilimot to be responsible for the movement. It was clear at Veida that people want to be responsible for the movement but maybe don’t know how or haven’t internalized all the ways that they can shape HDNA. We hope the conversations at Ma’apilimot  Seminar will give them more concrete ways to be responsible. For example, we are spending a two hour peula block discussing the responsibility of ma’apilimot to actively grow the movement and recruit chanichimot to their machanot.

Veida will be a good lens through which ma’apilimot might relate to the concept of collective responsibility. It was clear that people really wanted the Veida to go well, and although people disagreed and debated, the communication was incredibly healthy. There was one moment that I especially loved, in which a nachshona brought an amendment to a proposal that wasn’t super related to the proposal itself and didn’t really add anything to the Veida. It was right before lunch, and everybody was hangry and wanted to be done with the proposal, but even so, people still really supported her to bring the amendment and were proud of her for having made herself vulnerable to the whole Veida. This moment felt like a really tangible difference in the culture of this Veida from the last one, and it was really incredible to see older ma’apilimot taking responsibility and supporting younger movement members.

Hopefully the participants of Ma’apilimot Seminar will understand that the seminar went well not only because of the Mazkirut Artzit’s hard work, but also because they themselves wanted it to succeed. When everyone takes responsibility for movement spaces, the movement becomes a better place for everyone. Another element of Veida that we wish to move forward is conversation around Zionism. At Veida, it became obvious that movement members no longer want to avoid talking about Israel, and it is vital now more than ever for movement members to be able to discuss and debate their responsibility to Israel. We are excited to be bringing programming not only about how the movement should relate to Zionism but also workshops run by shlichimot about various topics within Israeli society (forum kohelet, the histadrut, etc.) It feels exciting to be able to bring tangible Israel learning back to HDNA!

Our goals for Ma’apilimot Seminar are for ma’apilimot to feel inspired by the mission of the movement, and if we meet this goal, it will benefit the entire HDCA community.

West Coast Seminar

by Kaela Evenchick, Rakazol Tzmicha, HDNA

For the first time since 2018, Miriam and Gilboa came together for a West Coast Seminar! We had close to 30 teens from both camps join us in Vancouver, some meeting for the first time and some reconnecting after last summer’s MBI!

The seminar was planned and led by youth leaders from Gilboa and Miriam, and supported by Gal Icek, Miriam’s year-round shlicha, Yahli Livni from Gilboa, and myself (Kaela Evenchick), from Mazkirut Artzit. We are thankful to RootOne, a partner for HDNA’s summer Israel trip (MBI), for generously supporting the seminar. 

Highlights included a scavenger hunt at Granville Island, Havdallah and Kumzits at the beach, and a hike through Pacific Spirit Park. We of course also spent some time learning together, with a peula about socialism and another about the judicial reform and protests in Israel. We were also joined by a guest speaker from the British Columbia Federation of Labour (BDFED) who spoke about young workers rights and unions!

We are so excited to see this tradition coming back to the West Coast. Next year in LA!

Dear Habonim Dror Family,

Welcome to this edition of the HDCA newsletter. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our prior posts and that the information in the newsletter has given you a better understanding of what’s happening within the North American Habonim Dror world. We look forward to creating future posts, but with a slight change.

The feedback we’ve received indicates that while the newsletter provides interesting and informative articles, giving readers a better grasp on what’s going on within the movement, the sheer volume of articles in each post is overwhelming and as a result the newsletter isn’t always read.

And so – a change! Beginning with this issue you can expect shorter, more focused and more frequent posts. We hope this change works well for you and your community.  We welcome feedback on this change and invite you to reach out if there’s anything you’d like to learn about in future editions.

Aleh v’hagshem,

Alisa Belinkoff Katz and Sharon Waimberg – HDCA Co-Chairs

HDCA Kennes 2022

This past November, 40 board members, professional staff and maapilimot from all 6 Habonim Dror camps together with HDNA’s mazkirut artzit and the leaders of Habonim Dror Camp Association and Habonim Dror Foundation gathered at Pearlstone Conference Center in Reisterstown, MD for the first HDCA Kennes since 2019.

After so much time without face-to-face contact, Kennes provided our community a wonderful opportunity for sharing, brainstorming and learning. And we even had fun together in a beautiful setting.

The program began on Thursday November 17th with the Executive Directors of all 6 machanot, Erica Kushner, Mazkirol of HDNA, and Tamar Levi, HDNA shlicha. On Friday afternoon the rest of mazkirut artzit joined us for more important conversations as well as some fun making lip balms from essential oils and herbs grown at Pearlstone’s organic farm.

On Friday evening November 18th the remaining participants joined us for Shabbat dinner and after a round of ice breakers our program began.

Interspersed among the conversations, presentations and speakers we were able to enjoy the beautiful Pearlstone site and spend some time outdoors at their farm. We pulled carrots out of the ground, played with sheep and chickens and walked the beautiful grounds on what was a sunny but very windy and cold day.

To give you an idea of what we focused on, you’ll find our agenda below. We hope you are as excited as we are for the Habonim Dror family to  Move Forward Together!

Building Safe Environments with Drew Fidler, Director of the BBYO Center for Adolescent Wellness

• Navigating boundaries, building relationships, and creating a safe camp

The HDNA Family Map

• Understanding the organizations and groups within the HDNA/HDCA universe.

Through individual presentations participants learned about the various organizations comprising the HDNA “Family”

• Habonim Dror North America Board
• Tzevet Higui
• Habonim Dror Foundation
• Habonim Dror Olami
• Habonim Dror Camp Association

HDNA within the North American Jewish camping world

• We used to be unique in ways that much of the camping world has now caught up with (social justice, gender inclusivity, lgbtq+ inclusivity, experiential ed) – what makes us unique today?

HDNA Update

• An update from the Mazkirut Artzit addressing Israel programs, finances, shlichut and movement retention.

After a presentation by Erica Kushner (HDNA Mazkirol) and Sue Aistrop  (HDNA Business Manager), kennes participants had the opportunity to cycle through stations and have small group conversations with mazkirut members about their tafkidim and programs.

Progressive Zionism with Hadar Susskind, President and CEO of Americans for Peace Now

• What does Progressive Zionism mean, where does it stand in North America and in Israel, what can we as Progressive Zionists hope to accomplish, and how do we educate towards Progressive Zionism in a way that is meaningful to Habonim Dror today.

Navigating the Partnership Between HDNA and the Machanot

• We are all operating as HDNA, but what are our responsibilities to each other? We divided into 6 groups to focus on 6 topics and discuss our partnerships.

The topics we discussed were Year Round Programs, Israel Programs, Financial Relationship, Pillars and Ideology, Youth and Adult Leadership, Staffing and HR

Gender Inclusion

• Exploring successes and challenges with gender inclusion at the machanot and how gender inclusion serves our values as a community.

At the end of Shabbat we were able to take advantage of the Pearlstone facility and head outside for havdallah and a medurah – s’mores included.  On Sunday morning we woke up to breakfast and a sikkum peulah, wrapping up Kennes and discussing next steps.

CALLING ALL HABONIM DROR CAMP BOARD MEMBERS, PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND MA’APILIMOT!

HDCA’s first post-pandemic Kennes (conference) is taking place November 18-20 at beautiful Pearlstone Conference Center near Baltimore, Maryland.  Camp board members, professional staff, ma’apilimot, Mazkirut Artzit, shlichimot and of course Habonim Dror Camp Association, Habonim Dror North America and Habonim Dror Foundation chairs will join to discuss important issues under the theme “Moving Forward Together.”  We are bringing in exciting outside speakers and we’ll hear reports on HDNA programs, finances, shlichut and more. There will also be plenty of time to get to know each other, hang out and enjoy Pearlstone’s beautiful farm, hiking trails and campfire pit!

REGISTRATION IS LIMITED – please sign up using  this form.  See you in November!

Mazkirut Artzit Update – 2022-2023

With the turnover of Mazkirut Artzit 5783, we are saying goodbye to Jenna Abrams, Razaket Chinuch for the past two years.

Jenna entered the Mazkirut Artzit during the height of Covid, when it was unsure what direction the Movement should take and many relationships were strained. Through her leadership and excellent communication skills, she was able to guide HDNA through this difficult time while repairing relationships with Maapilimot, HDCA Professionals, and many other people in the movement. Along with this, Jenna led many amazing seminars, including the movement’s first ever online Winter Seminar in December 2020.

Jenna played an incredibly instrumental role in the past two years of HDNA and we are so fortunate to have had her on Mazkirut Artzit and want to wish her the best of luck in all her future endeavors!

Zandra Campbell (she/they) has joined the Mazkirut Artzit as our Rakezet Chinuch.

Here are a few things that they think you should know about them:  

1. I’m from New Jersey (best state no hate) 
2. I started going to Galil in 2011 in Sayarimot, was Rosh Galil 2021, and was Rosh Mitbach of Galil this past summer. 
3. I graduated from Princeton University in May of 2022 with a degree in English Literature
4. My favorite author is Agatha Christie, and I could talk about how cool she is for hours (ask me about it) 
5. I’m passionate about the ability of young people to change the world, and find the youth who staff the machanot all incredibly inspiring. 

You can reach Zandra over email at maapilim@habonimdror.org. 

Kaela Evenchick (she/her) has rejoined our tzevet in a new position of Rakezet Tzmicha (Director of Growth).

Here are a few things you should know about her:

I started going to Machaneh Miriam back in 2009 and have been coming back to Habonim Dror ever since! I joined the Mazkirut Artzit as the Rakezet Tochniot in fall 2020. After the completion of Workshop 71 in April 2022, I took some time off from the Mazkirut Artzit to visit my kvtuzah in Israel and my family in Canada. I was also lucky enough to make it to Gabriola Island and help out at camp a couple of times this summer.  

Now, I’m back in the newly developed tafkid of Rakezet Tzmicha (Director of Growth). As a part of this role, I will be taking on fundraising/alumni engagement, programs recruitment/registration, and partner organization liaising.

I’m so happy to be back in the HDNA office and am looking forward to 5783! I am also participating in a part-time Israel Education Masters’ program through the iCenter and George Washington University, which I hope will inform my work in the upcoming year. 

You can reach Kaela over email at tzmicha@habonimdror.org.

MBI 2022 – by Leora Leavey and Franny Plovan from Camp Moshava

Wow! MBI was such a blast – we can’t believe it has been over a month since we got back!

On our first night in Israel we were put into 4 kvutzot (groups). We quickly got to know each other through silly games, and after just a few days we were eating dinner with people who live 3,000 miles away. As we gradually got closer with one another, we shared songs and cheers we do at each of our camps. There’s something so cool about doing the same, ridiculous cheers as loud as you can with people from across North America! We all screamed our camp’s cheers in the Chadar Ochel (dining room!) The same with rikkud – during free time, we’ll put on some songs and do different variations of the same dances!

Our daily peulot (discussions by group) encouraged us to open up with our peers and bond with people who hold similar values to us. The discussions were a good mixture of meaningful (exploring the concept of shivyon erech ha’adam) and silly (trying to find our “soulmates” based on this-or-that questions). Even though our buses are made up of two different kvutzot, everyone has gotten a healthy dose of bonding, especially through bus cheers and the now infamous seatbelt song! Although we have our classic Habo traditions, we still have fun seeing the differences between machanot.

Another huge highlight of MBI may seem kind of obvious, but just getting to explore this gorgeous country was amazing! From the beautiful views, to the vibrant shuks, to the Mediterranean Sea, everywhere we went was absolutely incredible! What better setting to make new friends and have a blast could there be? Beautiful, sprawling hills, blue, vibrant ocean water, and colorful nature does not begin to describe the country. It’s been such an incredible experience going through Shuk HaCarmel, swimming in the beaches at Tel Aviv, digging in archaeological caves at Tel Maresha, and so much more, knowing that it is the land of our people. We’ve also gotten so many opportunities to learn about different religions and cultures within Israeli society, especially in Haifa. It was really interesting and broadened (at least our) views of Israeli society.

We couldn’t finish this without mentioning the food! There is nothing like it! Israeli breakfast with shakshuka, cucumbers (but different – better – then in North America), and burekas is the perfect start to each day, and getting real Israeli falafel and pita or shawarma during pizza lunches are highlights of our days. What is also so incredible to see and part of what has made us realize that we are not in North America anymore, is the kashrut certification front and center in most shops and restaurants. A bunch of us even went to a kosher McDonald’s – crazy! It really emphasizes the fact we are in a Jewish state, which is really cool and validating.

Workshop 72

On September 13th, the Workshoppers flew to Israel to begin Workshop 72. We have 16 Workshoppers this year, 1 from Mosh, 4 from Miriam, 5 from Galil, and 6 from Gesher.  

After starting off Workshop with their orientation seminar, the Workshoppers are now busy with their second seminar, Shorashim Seminar. This is an introduction to Shorashim, the first part of Workshop, where they will be living on Kibbutz Ein HaShofet, doing avodah (kibbutz work), and having educational activities surrounding Israel, Jewish history, Zionism, and more. They also met members of the Habonim Dror United Kingdom gap year program, who are living on Ein HaShofet as well. 

Later on in the year, the Workshoppers will move to Jerusalem and Haifa to continue the program, where they will learn more about Israeli society through meeting volunteers from NGOs and working with Israeli youth.

Habonim Dror Machanot – Summer 2022 wrap up!

Camp Gesher enjoyed an amazing summer in 2022.

There are too many highlights to list, but here is a top ten list for our summer (in no particular order):

• We opened our NEW ropes course and played on a NEW water toy.
• ISRAELIS! We welcomed back 10 Israeli campers and 6 Israeli shlichimot!
• The Madatz  made their mark on camp with an amazing Music and Magic School bus REV day. Also by painting murals on 2 of the madatzland cabins and giving them cabin names: Nighthawk and the Van.
• Yom Hike, where the entire camp hiked the Shield Trail at Bon Echo Park, before finishing the afternoon at Clay Beach (South Beach).
• Bronze Cross: Noam Levy, Liat Levy, Gabby Alvarez-Lewis, Ezra Amey-Dunn, Aviva Khondo and Rowen Schwey all passed the exam! Our instructor Daxton Schwey has ensured a well staffed and safe waterfront for the future.
• The Garinimot had an amazing “Finner” (Fun Dinner), with a medieval prison theme. They organized, decorated and served the meal for all of the camp.  It was a great opportunity to practice leadership, problem solving, and negotiating group dynamics.
• Our Tzevet grew in their connections with the movement, and Gesher is proud to have 6 participants on Workshop! This kvutsa will learn and grow, and lead Camp Gesher into a bright future!
• Kupah trips!  First Session: Younger Campers enjoyed a petting zoo, and a stop at the local ice cream shop while older campers spent the day at Calypso waterpark. Second Session: campers and staff spent the day at Sandbanks Provincial Park with a pizza picnic, group bonding, and games in a true gem of Ontario. It was a wonderful day. 
• We had our first mental health professional at camp.  Our Community Care Coordinator made a huge impact on our community.
• A thriving community of young people enjoyed living their values, exploring their Jewish Identity, celebrating Shabbat, and making friends to last a lifetime. 81 NEW campers joined the Gesher family!

This summer at Camp Moshava was a six-week whirlwind!

Some highlights included: special evening programs on reproductive rights and kabbalah, a Shrek-themed special day to learn about refugees,  so many rising 4^th and 5^th graders that we had two FULL schavot, pirate-themed nitzanimot (rising 3^rd grade program), almost 50 new chanichimot of all ages, caring for our animals and tending the gan (garden), hikes galore, meditations in the serpentine, lots of trips down the lazy river, spirited renditions of union songs,  silly and creative tochniot erev (evening activities), and SO MUCH MORE!

Camp Miriam is a place which holds fast to tradition. This tendency is obvious if you just look around: tables in the Chadar are signed and dated by the former chanichimot who painted them, with the oldest table proudly displaying an impressive “1997”. Camp Miriam has a solid foundation of tradition and is not a place accustomed to rapid or unexpected change.

If Camp Miriam is so deeply rooted in tradition, how, then, to return to its customs after they were so rapidly and unexpectedly interrupted during the past couple of years? With 2022 constituting the first year that Camp Miriam could offer campers a full capacity summer on Gabriola Island since 2019, there were many traditions to get back to. I, for one, had started to forget what it feels like when all of camp holds hands on Saturday nights during Havdallah. I was also having a hard time recalling the early morning energy that fills Camp Miriam at 8AM, when around 200 chanichimot and tzevet are just waking up, eager to meet the day.

Of course, I did get around to remembering both the longstanding customs and everyday activities that take place at camp. But I didn’t do it alone. This summer, I worked as a madatz madrichol, one of four Madatz Madrichimot, meaning I spent a lot of time with youth aged 16 to 17. As the future leaders of Camp Miriam, the madatz were grateful to have the chance to take part in their leadership development program. After having lost valuable experiences to the pandemic, they latched onto the madatz program, hungry for the opportunities it would provide them. Throughout the summer, I watched them grow, face challenges, and become people who will be important guides in the lives of Camp Miriam’s chanichimot for years to come. I was impressed and humbled by all the madatz accomplished this summer, and it is largely through them that I was able to remember what it means to be at Camp Miriam.

While in the past two years Camp Miriam has adapted many of these elements of standard camp to conform to the times, nothing quite compares to being back in the old stomping grounds of Gabriola Island. Sure, maybe madrichimot had to explain basic elements of camp to kids more times than usual this summer, but the synapses of the Camp Miriam community were firing, and together, we remembered. It is not a far cry to consider the summer of 2022 as a triumph—both in recovering the institutional memory of Camp Miriam, and in providing campers with meaningful summers. I, for one, know that more than one madatz went home with stories they’ll be telling to their own children.

Reflecting back on the summer, I can’t help but feel a certain amount of pride. There is pride in remembering, and it is thanks to this recovered memory that Camp Miriam will continue to grow.

 by Emma Paidra, chanichol since 2009 and 5^th year madrichol  

With out-of-camp kupah trips, tiyul, tikkun olam, and intersession movies returned to our schedule it was almost a “regular” summer at Camp Galil!  Our creative tzevet could get back to running fun crazy tochniot for our chanichimot. We had Bocoup and Revo and then Yom Israel complete with  kabobs and a water slide! And we loved our new climbing tower!

Tzevet and chanichimot from Habonim Dror Mexico joined our community and integrated well. The kids and tzevet all loved each other and the Mexican madatz helped the Galil madatz understand taking responsibility for the ken.

One of the most memorable stories from this incredible summer was from our tiyul when our amazing Rosh Machaneh defended the entire camp on her own from a bear seeking food  by screaming “this is my camp” until the bear left. The power of youth in action!

Camp Tavor summer 2022 was a truly fun and educational summer.  We had an amazing mazkirut and tzevet that created a wonderful magical place for all our chanichimot.

The theme this summer was roots and fruits.  Roots looking into the why and what we do at Tavor and Fruits, the how we put our roots into practice.  The theme naturally weaved its way into so many aspects of the summer and was felt in our everyday activities, from our tikkun olam projects to our asepha klalit (community meeting) discussions for the whole machaneh.

Everyone in our  Tavor community, from our youngest to our oldest members,  was empowered to explore, challenge and lead. We can’t wait for next summer to keep the magic going.

Camp Gilboa had another successful summer! We welcomed 231 individual campers and finished the summer without a Covid outbreak at camp. One highlight of the summer was the MBG program. We had 17 rising 11^th graders at camp for a week at the end of the summer. 8 of the 10 Gilboa campers who went on MBI attended MBG, and it was a very nice reunion for this kvutza ahead of their madatz summer! Gilboa’s high schoolers are coming out of the summer excited for Tzedek and to be madatz and madrichimot in the ken this year. Our biggest challenge is that we are at capacity for our campsite and are turning our attention to capital improvements to meet the urgent needs of camp, as well as continuing to grow tzevet.

Check out some other highlights of Gilboa’s summer 2022:

• Revo
• Tiyul
• Bocoup
• Bonimot Idol

Machaneh Tavor: Kids working in the Chava (farm) at Tavor get to spend some time around the goats, and typically help out with weeding and maintenance. It’s a peaceful and meaningful avodah where our campers learn to grow vegetables, understand composting, and get an overall education about environmental justice and Jewish roots in working the land.

 

 

 

 

Machaneh Gilboa: Summer 2022 has begun! Every session, the chuggim change depending on what madrichimot (counselors) are excited to lead. We always make sure there are a variety of chuggim that speak to different kids’ needs, energy levels, and interests. This session, the chuggim include messy fun, animal sports, girl band, murals and more!

 

We hope you will  follow our summer at Big Bear at the Camp Gilboa Summer Blog.

 

MBI   by Ben Markbreiter, HDNA Rakazol Tochniot

The MBI-ers left North America for Israel on Thursday, June 30th.  MBI this summer has 79 participants representing every machaneh, with over 10 participants from each of 5 of the 6 machanot.  Some highlights from MBI this summer include the classics, such as going to Masada and the Old City, but also meeting with Druze members of Habonim Dror’s sister movement Hanoar Haoved veHalomed. MBIers will also join  Israeli Jewish teens for a week of joint travel and programming.

This is our largest MBI program since MBI 2018, and we couldn’t be more excited for Kvutzah 74 to experience Israel through a Habonim Dror lens.  We hope they have loads of fun, and we can’t wait to see them when they come back for machaneh next summer!

 

 

 

 

Let’s Support Our Camping Professionals This Summer by Alisa Belinkoff Katz, HDCA Co-Chair

At a June 27 meeting of Jewish camp movement heads sponsored by the Foundation for Jewish Camp, the following was noted:

• The weight of this summer is enormous for full time/year round camp professionals and senior leaders.

There was an expectation and understanding that Summer 2021 was going to be difficult and they experienced stakeholder empathy, generous financial support, and appreciation for opening after a summer without camp. 

This summer, camp pros are receiving less support and increased expectations from their community. Few professionals really recovered from Summer 2021 and now are managing their own medical committees, parent and staff opinion, increased threats to physical and psychological safety. Managing all this and more is weighing on camp professionals. 

Camp professionals are challenged with decisions about visitors, policies, short term programs, and more.

As Habonim Dror camp board members, chairpersons and friends, let’s do what we can to provide meaningful support to our camping professionals this summer.  If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Mazkirol Erica Kushner: mazkir@habonimdror.org

Ma’apilimot Seminar 2022  by Erica Kushner, Mazkirol

From May 26-30 HDNA ran our first in-person movement-wide seminar in over two years. Forty participants registered for the seminar, which was a number we were happy with given that the movement is out of practice gathering in-person. The seminar was built around the concept of going back to basics, and understanding why we have seminars and engage in educational processes in the first place. We met, and exceeded, the goals with regards to the educational experience and the chinuchi (educational) content. Participants communicated being highly satisfied with the programming overall, and specifically rated it one of the most impactful elements of the seminar.. They found it to be engaging, relevant, and significant in their preparation and process pre-Summer.

This seminar absolutely fulfilled the goals of allowing ma’apilimot from across the movement, who came with an extremely varied array of experiences in the movement, to feel responsible and empowered in creating the seminar. The post-workshoppers led multiple programs, Tzevet Higui was responsible for a chevrati, and 4 out of 6 machanot brought workshops about concepts that they wanted to bring to the rest of the movement.

This seminar had a positive impact on its participants, and we implore all of you to recruit your communities to attend movement seminars. These seminars allow for leadership development, social connections and support, idea sharing, and deepening ideology. The participants left the seminar feeling  not only more connected to the movement – even for individuals who came having never attended a movement seminar before – but more connected and excited to be on tzevet at their machanot this summer.

Introducing “Reshet MESSH” – HDCA’s Mental Health Initiative

Like many camping organizations, Habonim Dror faces numerous mental health challenges with both staff and campers.  In response, HDCA has created a Mental Health Va’ad (Committee) and introduced a number of initiatives:

• We convened a communications channel uniting mental health staff at all the machanot including professionals, melavolimot (camper care staff) and members of camp mazkiruyot who deal with mental health issues. This “Reshet MESSH” (“reshet” being the Hebrew word for network, and MESSH standing for MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, and SPIRITUAL HEALTH) met virtually in early June and will be able to consult each other through a google group as issues arise over the course of this summer.  New members are welcome, so send us names and email addresses of camp personnel who could benefit from participating in Reshet MESSH.
• We identified an organization called LEAD (“Let’s Empower, Advocate and Do”) which was founded by a group of high school students in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy of 2012. LEAD is now a well-regarded non-profit mental health education group that works with youth-serving institutions including summer camps.  They offer mental health training for summer camp staffs culminating in the award of “Camp Mental Health Certification.”  In May, HDCA assisted several machanot in providing LEAD training/certification to appropriate staff members, and in June, LEAD trained Gesher’s entire staff!  Reports from HD personnel attending these sessions are very positive.

• LEAD also offers a “Train the Trainer” program which we hope to utilize in 2022-23. Stay tuned!
• We  have created a google drive for sharing resources with folders for Health, Mental Health, Drug & Alcohol Policies and other issues of concern. We invite each machaneh to share its best practices with the movement by sending us documents to include.

 

Welcome Tyson Roberts – Gilboa’s Incoming Board Chair 

After several years of successful leadership, having survived COVID and expanded both camp and year-round enrollment, Julie Macht Beenhouwer has turned over the chairmanship of the Camp Gilboa Board of Directors to Tyson Roberts.  Thank you, Julie and Baruch Haba, Tyson!

Tyson did not grow up in Habonim but spent six months in Israel during college, taking an ulpan at Kibbutz Bet HaEmek (British Habonim) and studying at Haifa University.  He loved the kibbutz vibe and later volunteered at Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu.  When searching for a summer camp for their children, he and his wife Naomi came across Gilboa and were attracted by its similarity to kibbutz living.  His daughters began attending Gilboa in 2015, and this summer Edie, 15, will be going on MBI while Shoshana, 18, will be a first-time tzevet member.

Professionally, Tyson is a Lecturer in Political Science at UCLA where he researches African Politics, International Political Economy, and Authoritarian Institutions.  He has long experience in Africa:  between 1995 and 1997 he served in the Peace Corps as a Rural Community Development Volunteer in  Benin where he worked with local partners to fund a goat-raising cooperative, establish a girls’ vocational training center, and organize a microcredit program, among other efforts.  Back home in L.A. he’s been active in refugee assistance work. For example, he co-chaired the Los Angeles Jews for Refugees Assembly (https://www.jcari-la.org/assembly-event) in 2018, which included a teen voter pre-registration program run by Camp Gilboa Bonimot Tzedek members.

As a Gilboa board member since 2018, Tyson has worked on marketing and fundraising.  Most recently he’s served as Chair of the Master Plan Committee which aims to expand camp’s capacity to service its growing enrollment and, potentially, to produce off-season income.  The Master Plan includes new healthcare and activities buildings, senior staff housing, an expanded chadar ochel and additional bathrooms.  Architects and engineers are working on plans and permits, and the capital campaign will begin this fall.

Tyson’s goals as Chair include improving programming and professionalizing back-office operations so that the organization can grow and mature.  Welcome to HDCA, Tyson!  We look forward to working with you in the months ahead.

Habonim Dror in the News

Sleepaway Camps Are In Demand As Parents Try To Get Their Kids Away From Screens

by Erin McCarthy, The Philadelphia Inquirer  June 21, 2022

 

We hope you’ll enjoy this article referencing Habonim Dror Camp Galil that was originally published in the Philadelphia Inquirer.  The article was then picked up by other newspapers around the US, without a paywall, so we have posted it here from NNY 360.  Make sure you scroll through all 4 photographs!

 

Habonim Dror’s sister movement in Israel, Dror Israel,  found a way to make tangible impact in the lives of Ukrainian refugee children in Poland.

This article on jewishboston.com tells the story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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