Camp Acheinu is set to begin its sixth successful season this summer. Join us for a look behind the scenes, and discover what makes it the most talked-about camp in Israel’s Torani schools and yeshivos.
Why Go To Camp?
Summer vacation, or bein hazemanim, means time spent with family and friends, relaxing and recharging. Unfortunately, summer fun has a definite downside for our talmidim. Away from the supportive framework and their yeshivah friends, the exposure to the negative influences and secular lifestyle of their local communities can undo an entire year’s growth and progress. Experts in chinuch and kiruv attribute some eighty percent of dropouts to the three-week bein hazemanim. Even when students manage to hold on until later in the year, the problems are easily traced to the summer vacation. The answer is Camp Acheinu, an exciting, action-filled week-long program, eagerly awaited for months in advance.
“Paying” for Camp
The last month before bein hazemanim can be the hardest – the schools back home are all on vacation, while the yeshivah term extends to mid-summer. At Acheinu, this crucial last month is designed to maintain and even heighten the year’s momentum. It is the time to earn “points,” which translate into payment for the upcoming summer camp. Our talmidim plunge into the big chazarah, covering all the material they learned over the last half year. Points are awarded for learning and review time, test scores, and more, all adding up toward payment for camp. The incentive is enormous, and baruch Hashem, it proves itself every year: the boys remain focused and involved to the very last day, during one of the most difficult times of the year.
Timing
After much careful thought, the second week of bein hazemanim was chosen as the ideal time for Camp Acheinu. The first week back home, the boys are busy preparing and looking forward to camp; the second week is camp; and the third week, with memories still fresh and vivid, is spent reliving and retelling their experiences, and getting ready for the new zeman. This way, they are never more than a week away from the yeshivah framework.
Location
Choosing the right location every year can take over three months, due to Acheinu’s high standards and strict criteria. Tens of possible sites are carefully examined. On the one hand, we look for pleasant, comfortable, appealing accommodations, in a location convenient for a variety of trips, outings and activities. On the other, we avoid busy city streets, beaches, and entertainment centers in order to maintain a suitable atmosphere. To keep the camp experience fresh and attractive, a new location is selected every year.
The Program
After selecting the site, it is time to plan the actual program, in conjunction with the Israel Ministry of Education. The number one activity of the day is a learning session. On the first day we present the talmidim with an intriguing halachic question, describing the circumstances of the case at hand. The entire week’s learning revolves around the sugya related to the case. As they learn more about it, they propose possible answers and resolutions, making this the topic of the week at camp.
Every day has its special highlights. The first day of camp begins with a challenging outdoor hiking trip, lasting from dawn to sunset. The second day is spent on camp grounds, with a variety of educational and social activities. On the third day there is a trip to kivrei tzaddikim and the Kineret. On the fourth day the boys enjoy an exciting jeep trip, followed by a night camping out. The highlight of the last day is parachuting!
Logistics
“An army marches on its stomach,” and so does a camp. Food preparation begins a full week in advance, starting with the purchase and transport of all the necessary items. The familiar yeshivah menu, popular all year round, is just as welcome in camp!
Enormous resources – time, money, energy, planning and more – go into this one week of summer vacation. Is it really worth all the effort?
Yes! Every youngster who finds his way to a Torah life through Acheinu is an entire world. And no effort is too great to save a world…