2024 Program Updates
Written By: Joseph Zeuner
Israel in Camp Our commitment to educating our campers and deepening their connection with Israel is more vital than ever. We're enhancing our educ
Written By: Camp Judaea
Shabbat Shalom CJ Family,
We’ve enjoyed a fabulous second week — blue skies and so many fun and adventurous activities! We hope you are enjoying all the photos and videos we are uploading for your viewing pleasure. We are featuring all of our weekly videos (and then some) on our Vimeo Channel. Please share our Vimeo Channel with your family and friends.
Here at Camp our thoughts are of our families, of our Chalutzim chanichim who are out on the trail in Pisgah and of our Rishonim chanichim who returned home yesterday after a fabulous 10 day session.
Please enjoy this week’s updates from each of our edot and our weekly video update from CJ News!
Big Camp Hugs and Shabbat Shalom Wishes from all of us at CJ,
Tom
Shalom Rishonim Parents,
The Rishonim campers had a very busy last few days here at Camp Judaea. Last Sunday, we took a day trip to Tweetsie Railroad. The kids had a blast going on rides, exploring the petting zoo, and especially buying candy and coke. On Monday night, we took the campers on their very first overnight in the woods. We cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner and later roasted s’mores and made banana-boats over the fire.
We also had fun filled daily schedules with peulot eda, rotational activities, and exciting tochniot erev (evening programs). In our last Peulah Eda, our campers drew their favorite region of Israel, or specific aspects that they were most interested in, on pillowcases so that they could take home a little portion of Israel. Some favorite rotational activities were playing ga-ga, horseback ridding, rock climbing, zip lining, swimming in both the pool and lake, and archery. Their favorite tochniot erev was a giant game of paint tag on the second to last night of camp.
The Rishonim staff and I had the best time with your children over the last 10 days. I can’t believe how fast the time flew by and how much we did in such a short amount of time. I hope that your children had as much fun as we did here at CJ. We can’t wait to see them in Offarim next summer!
Shabbat Shalom to you all and I hope you have a wonderful summer,
Emmy Cohn, Rishonim Merakezet
Shalom Offarim Parents,
We had an exciting week here at Camp Judaea. We started the week by heading to Emerald Village to go on a tour of the Bon Ami gem mines and then do some gem mining of our own. All the kids left with a big bag of beautiful rocks that they mined for themselves and then we headed to our camp site for our overnight. We got there fairly early so we had plenty of time to set up our new tents and collect fire wood before making dinner and s’mores and heading to bed.
Aside from the overnight, we have continued with our Jewish life cycle theme with a Bar Mitzvah themed peulah eda as well as an Israel Defense Force activity in order to incorporate the Israeli life cycle. Other than that, we’ve milked the goats, had a dance party, and have made it to the remainder of the rotational activities. We are all looking forward to another camp shabbat together and yet another fun-filled week ahead of us!
Shabbat Shalom
Shira Berman, Offarim Merakezet
Shalom Oranim Parents,
I can’t believe it’s already Shabbat again! The chanichim (campers), madrichim (counselors) and I had an incredible week. The overnight went very well! All of the campers loved the nature center in Asheville and had so much fun camping out in Pisgah National Forest. The campers learned about more Jewish holidays this week, Purim and Passover. For Purim they acted out a poem and made hamentashen. For Passover, we made matzah and learned about freedom. We also had some fun night time activities this week. We had a fire fly catching activity one night, a luau dance party with Offarim and a dance party with Sayarim, and had a cupcake war (just decorating not actually throwing cupcakes). Your children are all so enthusiastic and wonderful campers and the oranim staff and I are looking forward to another week of fun filled and educational activities with the chanichim! We hope you have a relaxing Shabbat!
Shabbat Shalom,
Emily Shalev, Oranim Merakezet
Shalom Sayarim Parents,
Week two has come to a close and yet again proven to be a successful CJ week. This week started off with the campers experiencing the Pisgah National Forest on their overnight. Before arriving at the campsite the campers got the opportunity to see Chimney Rock and hike down the mountain through the Four Seasons Trail. This week, the campers also learned about the Israeli Defense Force through an interactive army day led by Moshe Dayan, Yoni Netanyahu, and Hannah Senesh. Amidst all the fun, we managed to find time to learn about some Zionist and Jewish heroes. Through interactive educational activities the campers learned about important figures such as Ilan Ramon, Omri Caspi, and Yossi Benayoun. The campers truly enjoyed themselves this week and have become a closer mishpacha (family).
The session is halfway done but we are all very excited about a fabulous second half to what has so far been a spectacular session. My staff and I have had such an incredible experience with your children and we cannot wait to show you how much they have grown over the summer. As we light the Shabbat candles, we will think of you all.
Shabbat Shalom,
Eitan Bender, Sayarim Merakez
Dear Tsofim Parents,
Our second week of camp was filled with fun, excitement and a whole lot of laughter. Both the campers and counselors had an enjoyable time. We began our week with a trip to Carowinds on Sunday, which was followed by an impromptu dance party when we returned to camp. We had a lot of time to bond as an eda this week whether it was during our pool party, our improv game night or during our very messy paint war on Wednesday night. This week Tsofim learned about different political parties in Israel and how the Israeli political system differs from the American. We are smack in the middle of the session and we cannot wait for the rest of the activities that our energetic staff has planned. Everyone here is having a great time and wished camp was year round. We are all so happy that all of the kids are having such a good time and I hope you enjoy the pictures from this week that will be going up onto our CampInTouch photo galleries.
Shabbat Shalom and Shavuah Tov,
Sam Morse, Tsofim Merakez
Shalom Kesher Parents,
The Kesher staff and I had another great week with your children. This week we took our Kesher theme, Jewish Identity, to a new level in New York City. We took the Circle Line ferry around Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty and learned about the immigration process that many of our Jewish ancestors took when immigrating to the United States of America. We also visited the Jewish Heritage Museum, 770 — the Chabad-Lubovitch World Headquarters, and Temple Emanu-el, one of the largest Reform Synagogues in the country. In addition, the chanichim (campers) had free time with their walking groups to see Fifth ave, Time Square, and Chinatown. We were also fortunate enough to attend a Broadway play, Cinderella. My staff and I planned and led powerful peulah edas (educational activities) at Ellis Island, Temple Emanuel, 9/11 memorial, and the Chabad-Lubovitch World Headquarters to name a few. To complete our New York trip, the group toured Grand Central Station which included the historical qualities of the station and how the the station brought the New York City community together throughout history.
We all had a great safe trip and we are all excited to come back to Camp to continue the rest of the session together. I hope you have an easy weekend.
Shabbat Shalom,
Tali Burger, Kesher Merakezet
Shalom Bogrim Parents,
Bogrim kicked off this past week with an awesome trip to Carowinds. We then continued the fun back at camp with some creative programming! At Carowinds, the chanichim split up into smaller walking groups with their madrichim. Together they tackled the vast selection of attractions and rides from the renowned “Intimidator” roller coaster to the souvenir shops to pick up a little something for their Offie “BO” back at camp. The rest of the week was full of cool new programs, such as an interactive Peulah Eda about Jews all over their world and the diversity that each culture brings to camp and to Israel. In addition to the educational programs, the chanichim participated in the age old CJ tradition of the Messy Olympic Games! During the games, the chanichim completed challenging tasks such as searching for a chocolate chip in a bowl of flour and composing spaghetti hairstyles for one another in the hopes of bringing glory to their team! In the coming week, Bogrim is looking forward to an exciting day trip and overnight as well as putting on their very own theatrical production for the rest of camp to enjoy! As we welcome in the Sabbath, we think of all of our friends and family back at home and wish them a relaxing, healthy week.
Shabbat Shalom,
Sarah Fine, Bogrim Merakezet
The Chalutzim kids are off to a great start on their 10 day Outward Bound trek in Pisgah National Forest. Some of the things they’ve done these past few days include hiking, preparing tasty back-country meals, and learning how to navigate using a topographical map and a compass. They will be starting their solos fairly soon and their instructors have nothing but great things to say! On Sunday, before they left for Outward Bound, they explored downtown Asheville for the day. The campers uniformly said that the highlight of the Outward Bound course so far was their accomplishments – particularly reaching the tops of long steep uphills and the way they support each other when it gets tough. Shabbat Shalom from the spectacular wilderness of Pisgah!
Steven Beiner, Chalutzim Merakez
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