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"The Basketball Game" is a graphic novel adaptation of the award-winning National Film Board of Canada animated short of the same name – intended for audiences aged 12 years and up. It's a poignant tale of the power of community as a means to rise above hatred and bigotry. In the end, as is recognized by the kids playing the basketball game, we're all in this together.

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Tag: Camp Hatikvah

Strong connection to Israel

Strong connection to Israel

Counselors last summer learning the words and moves to Israeli pop music so they can teach the campers. (photo from Camp Hatikvah)

As Israel prepares to celebrate its 75th birthday, Camp Hatikvah looks back fondly at its long and meaningful connection to the Jewish state.

Established by members of the Young Judaea youth organization, Camp Hatikvah was Western Canada’s first Zionist summer camp. Developed in the aftermath of the Holocaust, Hatikvah was created to “produce proud, happy Jewish youth who were earnest and sincere in their beliefs” and committed to the rebuilding of the Jewish people and homeland. Activities offered included arts and crafts, drama, music, athletics, singing and dancing, but the basis of the program was designed around providing campers with a strong background and knowledge of Jewish and Zionist affairs.

One of the original goals of the camp was to promote aliyah and many of the camp’s participants have indeed gone on to join a kibbutz, study in Israel, serve in the Israel Defence Forces or raise their families in Israel. However, the camp leadership eventually realized that mass immigration was unlikely and began focusing on another important task – ensuring that Canadian Jewish youth truly understood the importance of the Jewish state and their role in nurturing and protecting it.

For campers of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, programming was focused around concepts of pioneering and perseverance. Israel was still so young and so vulnerable and participants united in their shared passion not only for its success but its survival. The counselors were impassioned leaders who created meaningful opportunities for learning. Education was key and advocacy was a responsibility.

photo - Israeli dancing in the early 1960s at camp
Israeli dancing in the early 1960s at camp. (photo from Camp Hatikvah)

By the 1980s, things were changing. The campers of that era were used to the idea of a strong Israel and much of the Jewish state’s impressive accomplishments felt like distant “history” to many of the young campers. This created a challenge for the camp but one to which they rose. Rather than sitting the campers down and lecturing them, Hatikvah used the uniqueness of the camp setting to provide active education. Field games were used to teach about geography, history and conflict, with campers learning a great deal without even knowing it (that’s the best kind of education).

The early 1990s were a time of great hope. With the Oslo Accords having been signed, it was an exciting time for Israel and for Hatikvah but, unfortunately, it was short-lived.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Israel was shaken by one horrendous terrorist attack after another. While our community stood in solidarity with our mishpachah (family) in Israel, many Hatikvah families were not comfortable sending their children on Biluim Israel, a sister program that runs an Israel experience for Hatikvah’s campers the summer before they become counselors. The result was that, for several years in a row, Hatikvah had very few counselors on staff who had ever been to Israel. This reality created a radical shift in the camp’s Israel education strategy.

Joanna Wasel, current board president, was the program director at Hatikvah at the time. She recalled, “since our participants were no longer going to Israel, we knew we had to bring Israel to them.”

The focus of Hatikvah’s Israel education shifted from the past to the present. While campers still learned about important historical figures and events, most of the programming began to focus on culture.

“It was important to us that our campers saw beyond what was in the news,” said Wasel. “We didn’t want them to think of Israel only in terms of conflict. We wanted them to see the beauty and uniqueness of this truly special and resilient country.”

photo - Campers in the early 1960s learning the Hebrew words for their activities
Campers in the early 1960s learning the Hebrew words for their activities. (photo from Camp Hatikvah)

Thankfully, the situation in Israel eventually stabilized and campers once again returned to Israel, bringing back their knowledge and passion when they became counselors the following year. But the affinity towards more modern Israel programming stuck, and the focus at the camp remains based on building bridges between Canadian and Israeli cultures.

“Friday nights at camp are amazing,” shared Liza Rozen-Delman, camp director. “After prayers and a traditional Shabbat dinner, our campers spend the evening dancing to Israeli pop music. It is incredible to see. They know all the words – which are in Hebrew – and the fun dances their peers in Israel are doing. It’s so natural and so beautiful.”

These programs are facilitated by young Israeli shlichim (emissaries), who continue to be an important part of Hatikvah’s program. “With the exception of 2022, when COVID restrictions were in place, Hatikvah has always had Israeli shlichim,” said Rozen-Delman. “The experience is so meaningful both for them and for us.

“Hatikvah was founded to promote the dream of an independent Jewish state and so it is really special for us, some 75 years later, not only to celebrate how far Israel has come but to also recognize how important our partnership was both then and now,” she concluded. “As we say at Camp Hatikvah, may they – and we – continue with chazak ve’ematz (strength and courage).”

– Courtesy Camp Hatikvah

Format ImagePosted on January 13, 2023January 11, 2023Author Camp HatikvahCategories LocalTags Camp Hatikvah, children, Jewish camp, Judaism, overnight camp, summer camp
StandWithUs Canada course

StandWithUs Canada course

Hussein Mansour Aboubakr (PR photo)

After an almost three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, StandWithUs Canada is again holding events. On May 15, StandWithUs Canada and the Diamond Foundation are presenting the crash course Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism Today: What to Expect on Campus.

The course is a chance for high school (grades 11 and 12) and first-year university students to attend interactive sessions, hear from speakers, meet like-minded students and enjoy a free kosher dinner. Students who register and attend can also receive community service hours and a gift card.

image - Minority of One book coverSpeakers include Penina Edery, high school director, StandWithUs Canada, and Aviv Attia, StandWithUs educator and Israeli speaker. Special guest speaker Hussein Mansour Aboubakr was a dissident imprisoned in his home of Cairo, Egypt, for the crime of wanting to learn more about the country and the people he was raised to hate – Israel and Jews. One of the course sessions will be Aboubakr speaking about his journey. Other sessions will include a panel of students speaking about their experiences with antisemitism and anti-Zionism in high school and university.

The Diamond Foundation is sponsoring this crash course to reach out to Vancouver high school students and their families, to help them learn the skills, get the knowledge and find out about the resources available to support Israel and fight antisemitism. Also involved in presenting the event with StandWithUs Canada are Camp Hatikvah, Masa Israel Journey, King David High School and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.

The May 15 crash course will take place at KDHS from 4 to 8 p.m. Registration is required to attend. Students can register at forms.gle/hPncontVmAC4Jfor6.

– Courtesy StandWithUs Canada

Format ImagePosted on May 6, 2022May 4, 2022Author StandWithUs CanadaCategories LocalTags anti-Zionism, antisemitism, Camp Hatikvah, Diamond Foundation, education, Hussein Mansour Aboubakr, Israel, Jewish Federation, KDHS, King David High School, Masa Israel Journey, StandWithUs
It’s been a hard two years

It’s been a hard two years

Last summer, given COVID’s continued presence and restrictions, campers were especially happy to be at camp. (photo from Camp Hatikvah)

Prior to 2020, Camp Hatikvah was experiencing unparalleled success. With enrolment maximized, the organization was in the position to focus not only on capital and program development but also on long-term financial planning. According to Liza Rozen-Delman, the camp’s executive director, Hatikvah’s future had never looked brighter. “It was a period of great excitement for us,” she said. “We honestly thought that nothing could get in the way of our growth and success.”

The pandemic, however, changed everything. “The impact of COVID was immediate and devastating,” Rozen-Delman said. “We went from being on top of the world to worrying about our very survival.”

photo - Boys during a service at Camp Hatikvah
(photo from Camp Hatikvah)

Luckily for Hatikvah, donors immediately stepped in to cover the camp’s mounting financial losses. “People knew we were in trouble and they rallied around us,” said Rozen-Delman, with great emotion and gratitude. “Not only did they cover our operational expenses entirely in 2020, they made it possible for us to open in 2021 by funding all of the camp’s COVID-related expenses, like testing, site upgrades and more.”

Rozen-Delman went on to share how incredible it was to welcome campers back to camp last summer. While capacity had to be dramatically reduced to adhere to government group-size limits, close to 400 children participated in Hatikvah’s program in 2021.

“We rearranged our session lengths to make sure that every single Jewish child wishing to attend our camp was able to do so,” explained Rozen-Delman. “While this meant that each camper was at camp for a little less time than is typical, everyone was just so grateful to be there.”

“Our campers are always happy to be at camp but last summer, they were elated,” added Eden Gutterman, the camp’s associate director. “They needed to socialize, to be outdoors and to be away from technology and it was just so beautiful to watch them revel in camp and each other.”

photo - Campers at Camp Hatikva give a thumbs up
(photo from Camp Hatikvah)

Gutterman shared her favourite memory from last summer. “One Shabbat, we asked all of the campers who had their bar and bat mitzvah’s over Zoom to stand in the middle of a circle made up of the rest of the campers and counselors. We then did the hora around them as a tribute to their milestone and accomplishment. None of these campers got to celebrate their simchah in person so it was incredibly touching to see them surrounded and celebrated by their friends. It is something we – and they – will never forget.”

photo - Camper jumps into the water
(photo from Camp Hatikvah)

Camp Hatikvah is now busy preparing for summer 2022.

“We recognize that COVID will likely not be over by summer,” acknowledged Rozen-Delman. “And, while we wish it wasn’t the case, we feel well-prepared to deal with anything.”

Rozen-Delman shared that the Gutman family and Rockdoc Consulting Inc. have provided the funding for the camp to build a new infirmary in time for this summer.

“Given the realities of the ongoing pandemic, this gift couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Rozen-Delman. “Our new infirmary has been designed with COVID and any future infectious disease in mind and will have recovery rooms that can be used as properly ventilated isolation space if necessary. Its functional space has also been thoughtfully designed to allow us to meet and exceed current best practices in camper care. It is a gift our camp so desperately needed and we couldn’t be more grateful to Sam and Belinda and Gloria and their families for their generosity.”

Joanna Wasel, Camp Hatikvah’s board president, commented that, while she wished the world hadn’t had to experience this pandemic at all, she believes that the camp will ultimately be stronger because of it.

“We are entering 2022 with a renewed sense of purpose,” said Wasel. “Our community supported us through this challenging time because they believe in our mandate to help raise the next generation of strong, confident and resilient Jewish leaders. Their faith means everything to us and we are determined to make them proud.”

– Courtesy Camp Hatikvah

Format ImagePosted on January 14, 2022January 13, 2022Author Camp HatikvahCategories LocalTags Camp Hatikvah, COVID, Eden Gutterman, education, Gutman, health, Jewish camp, Joanna Wasel, Judaism, kids, Liza Rozen-Delman, pandemic, philanthropy, Rockdoc Consulting, summer camp
Community support valued

Community support valued

Camp Hatikvah donors are not only helping ensure the quality of the camp but its inclusivity. (photo from Camp Hatikvah)

Camp Hatikvah is well known for its program offerings, as well as its facilities and its spectacular natural setting in the Okanagan Valley. What many people may not know, however, is that the camp is only the place that it is because of community backing. Camper fees cover things like counseling staff, food, insurance and site maintenance. Everything else – including every building and almost every piece of equipment – has been donated by supporters who want to ensure that Camp Hatikvah can continuously improve without passing on the cost of doing so to the young families whose children attend.

Camp Hatikvah was established in 1937. Its donor base understands the unparalleled value and impact of a Jewish camping experience. They know that today’s campers are tomorrow’s Jewish leaders and that a donation is not a gift to just the organization but an investment in the future of the Jewish community.

More than 20% of campers attend Hatikvah’s program with the help of financial assistance and it is estimated that another 25% are on the cusp of needing to do so as well. Donors appreciate that many camp families are struggling with the affordability of Jewish life in Metro Vancouver and want to help control fee increases without the camp having to compromise program growth or site improvements. By funding program enhancements, equipment upgrades or capital improvements, donors are not only helping ensure the quality of the camp but its inclusivity. While summer camps are expensive – and Camp Hatikvah is no exception – it is because of donors that, on a per-day basis, Camp Hatikvah is one of the least expensive Jewish camps in North America.

Donors have also played an instrumental role in getting Camp Hatikvah through the pandemic. Not able to operate in 2020, the camp was facing a financial crisis. Similarly, in 2021, while the camp was allowed to open, it had to dramatically reduce its capacity in order to manage the COVID protocols. The financial toll of both these summers had the potential to financially devastate the organization for years to come. Yet, as they always have, donors stepped in and stepped up immediately – they covered all the financial losses the camp was facing. The level of generosity and support not only got the camp through the financial challenges caused by the pandemic, but also gave the camp a renewed sense of purpose, determination and passion for serving the community.

The board and staff of Camp Hatikvah thank each and every donor who has played a role in helping the camp become – and remain – one of the best Jewish camps. To learn more about the camp’s programs and the donors who make them possible, visit camphatikvah.com. 

– Courtesy Camp Hatikvah

Format ImagePosted on December 10, 2021December 8, 2021Author Camp HatikvahCategories LocalTags Camp Hatikvah, COVID, finances, kids, philanthropy, summer camp

Camps plan tentatively

Normally, this issue of the Independent would feature our third Camp Guide of the season, with several camps advertising their summer sessions, and several articles on various topics related to Jewish camp. But COVID-19 seriously affected last summer’s programming and it’s making this year’s planning difficult, to say the least. Camp Hatikvah and Camp Miriam – which are overnight camps – have been particularly impacted by the pandemic.

With record camper enrolment, 2020 was slated to be Camp Hatikvah’s best year ever. By the third week of March, however, it became apparent that the summer wasn’t going to go as planned. By the end of May, the Provincial Health Officer had announced that overnight camps would be prohibited from operating and Camp Hatikvah had to cancel its upcoming season.

“It was devastating,” said Liza Rozen-Delman, the camp’s director. “My heart immediately broke for the 700 participants and 80 young counselors who were signed up for our programming. After such a hard few months in lockdown, I knew everyone was hanging on to the hope that they would still get to go to camp. The fact that this was no longer a possibility was so hard for everyone. I just wanted to fix this for kids but was helpless to do so. It was a very difficult time.”

The cancellation also created a financial crisis, as there was no program revenue to cover fixed costs, such as insurance fees, site maintenance and administrative expenses. Camp Miriam faced financial issues as well, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver provided emergency funding to both camps last April.

“Our community made it clear that we would not face this challenge alone,” said Joanna Wasel, Camp Hatikvah board president. “They knew we were in trouble and they immediately felt the call to action.” By the first week of June, Hatikvah had raised enough money to cover all of their 2020 fixed operational expenses.

“This was one of the hardest years in the camp’s history and yet, in a strange way, it was also one of our most meaningful,” said Wasel. “The way the community stepped up for us is an incredible affirmation of the value of our work and the impact Camp Hatikvah has had on generations of people. It has touched us beyond words and we will be forever grateful.”

“Last spring, as the reality of the pandemic hit, it was as if the rug had been pulled out from under us,” said Leah Levi, registrar of Camp Miriam. “We were scrambling to figure out how to provide what we do each summer on Gabriola Island – the fun, magic, community, friendship and Jewish experiences that our campers have come to expect from us. It was very overwhelming and we were sort of lost, until our youth staff stepped up and started planning for what was possible: day camps in Vancouver, Victoria and Portland, and even online programming for those who couldn’t attend the day camps. We rented space with the JCC’s Camp Shalom at Vancouver Talmud Torah, and in Victoria at the JCC. Donors and the Vancouver Jewish Federation backed our plans with financial support and, as they say, the rest is history!”

The camp’s staff, who are all between the ages of 17 and 22, got “to spend the summer being mentors and learning valuable leadership skills,” said Levi. “Parents and kids were grateful that we gave them a break from each other and a fun, unplugged, Jewish, social experience during COVID. For over 200 campers, COVID-19 took a backseat for six-and-a-half hours a day, and they were able to enjoy a physically distanced ‘normal.’ Even though they weren’t on Gabriola Island, campers and staff alike felt that they were at Miriam. As one camper put it, ‘We learned that Camp Miriam is not a place, it’s a feeling and we can take it anywhere.’”

For this coming summer, Camp Miriam has opened registration for three two-week sessions on Gabriola.

“All registrations are considered ‘pre-registrations’ and everyone is on a waitlist,” said Levi. “We will only accept campers when we have permission from the B.C. health authority, as their decision made last spring to not allow overnight camp still stands…. If we do not get permission to open … we will offer similar programming as last summer.”

Hatikvah translates to “the hope” in English and, while COVID is still raging, Camp Hatikvah remains hopeful they will be able to operate this summer, too.

“We are full for the upcoming season,” Rozen-Delman said. “Kids need camp, perhaps now more than ever, and we are going to do whatever we can to get them back there this summer.”

Acknowledging that much of the situation is out of their hands, Rozen-Delman is planning for a variety of scenarios. “And, while it is hard to face so many unknowns,” she said, “we are determined to find creative solutions to whatever challenges lay ahead.”

Posted on January 15, 2021January 13, 2021Author Cynthia RamsayCategories LocalTags Camp Hatikvah, Camp Miriam, children, coronavirus, COVID-19, Joanna Wasel, Leah Levi, Liza Rozen-Delman, summer camp
Young Judaea at 100

Young Judaea at 100

Canadian Young Judaea’s National Leadership Conference in February, which had participants from Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and Halifax. (photo from CYJ)

Many of Metro Vancouver’s residents are from other parts of Canada. It is no surprise, therefore, that many members of Vancouver’s Jewish community are familiar with Canadian Young Judaea (CYJ). But the memories of CYJ date back even further than most anyone can recall because CYJ is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Started by 11-year-old Dov Joseph in 1910 in Montreal as a Zionist club, CYJ was officially proclaimed at the 15th Zionist Convention in Winnipeg in 1917. Within eight years, there were 75 clubs across Canada and, by 1935, national membership reached 5,000. Jews in small towns like Timmins, Ont., and Melville, Sask., formed groups and organized activities.

“There was a ken (group) in every city that had a Jewish population,” said CYJ national director Risa Epstein about the organization at its peak. “In Ontario alone, CYJ was active in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Sarnia/Petrolia, North Bay, Sudbury, Peterborough, to name a few. In the West, you could find CYJ in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Regina and many smaller communities and, of course, it was in every small town in the Atlantic region.”

In the beginning, the appeal of CYJ was its purpose, its focus on Zionism at a time when antisemitism was rampant throughout Europe and in Canada (and elsewhere) as well. The Zionist dream was that of young Jews taking control of their fate, according to acclaimed Canadian poet A.M. Klein, who served as the editor of The Judaean from 1928-32. Klein wrote in 1931, “Jewish life, as at present constituted, with barrenness and emptiness, its utter meaninglessness, its haphazard activity, stands as an imperious challenge to Canadian Jewish youth.”

Epstein described the nature of CYJ in less fiery terms. “It was born out of the desire of young Jews in Montreal to have a group to come to and discuss and dream about a Jewish homeland,” she said. “It later grew from a city-based organization to summer camps and Israel programs.”

The camps were established as early as 1942 in Quebec, followed by Camp Kadima in Nova Scotia in 1943. Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta also had CYJ-affiliated camps. British Columbia was the last to add a camp, in 1956, known originally as Camp Hatikvah-Massada in Oyama.

After the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, the Zionist dream was realized and CYJ took steps to affiliate with youth group Hanoar Hatzioni in Israel. As a result of the newfound excitement about making aliyah, a number of Young Judaeans went to study in Israel. In the 1950s, camps were established across the country that simulated the kibbutz experience.

Today, according to Epstein, CYJ has more than 2,000 members (7 to 18 years old) from across Canada. As the concentration of the Jewish population has shifted, so have the active centres for CYJ activities. They are now active in the major centres of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and are still operating in Halifax. Their summer programming engages close to 750 staff (18 to 22 years old), many of whom are alumni of CYJ camps.

Programming during the non-summer months is organized by age groups. The offerings include leadership-training opportunities, which often parlay into jobs at summer camps. CYJ also provides some programs for parents, alumni events and special training for program directors of the camps.

Every city where CYJ has a presence has JOLT (Jewish Outreach Leadership Training). “It consists of two meetings a month,” explained Epstein. “The first is an educational session and the second is an outreach related to the topic of the first. An example is learning about Jewish veterans in Canada and a bake sale to raise money for the veterans.” She mentioned that participation in JOLT is growing in Vancouver and elsewhere.

CYJ has an historic link with another uniquely Canadian grassroots Zionist organization: Canadian Hadassah-WIZO (CHW). CYJ is and has always been the youth arm of CHW. Epstein said the Biluim Israel trip raises funds for CHW daycares in Israel and includes a day spent volunteering at one of those daycares. In turn, CHW provides funding for some CYJ activities.

Along with this year’s regular programming, including camps and trips to Israel with Biluim Israel, national CYJ is planning a centennial celebration on Aug. 27 at Camp Shalom in Gravenhurst, Ont. The event will run from 11 a.m.-4 p.m and is intended for families. “There will be food, camp-like activities, displays, shira [singing] and rikud [dancing]. It will be an amazing event and we are hoping that there will be over 400 people,” said Epstein.

All Young Judaeans are invited to the celebration. For more information, contact the national CYJ office at 416-781-5156 or e-mail Epstein at [email protected].

Michelle Dodek is a freelance writer living in Vancouver.

Format ImagePosted on March 31, 2017March 31, 2017Author Michelle DodekCategories NationalTags Camp Hatikvah, CHW, CYJ, Israel, Young Judaea
In the Okanagan

In the Okanagan

A typical day at camp is split between the waterfront, where campers learn to swim, ski, sail, canoe and kayak, and land, where campers participate in sports, drama, crafts and Jewish programming. (photo from Camp Hatikvah’s Facebook page)

Established in 1937, Camp Hatikvah in the Okanagan offers campers a summer experience that provides balanced emphasis on skill development and relationship building. Campers are immersed in a group setting where they must learn to live, cooperate with and embrace one another. In doing so, they learn a great deal about themselves and what it means to be a member of a community.

During any given summer, close to 400 campers attend Camp Hatikvah. While the bulk of participants are from the Greater Vancouver area, close to 30% come from cities such as Calgary, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, New York, Edmonton, Tel Aviv and Mexico City.

At Hatikvah, campers learn of their shared culture and values, and of their homeland in Israel. During a summer at Hatikvah, campers have an opportunity to participate in Jewish cultural experiences, such as Shabbat, Israeli dancing and Hebrew singing, as well as educational programs about the history and importance of the state of Israel. A typical day at camp is split between the waterfront, where campers learn to swim, ski, sail, canoe and kayak, and land, where campers participate in sports, drama, crafts and Jewish programming.

The camp staff are comprised of approximately 70 Jewish youth from across Canada, the United States and Israel. Most were campers with Hatikvah or its Young Judaea sister camps across Canada. Indeed, when current director and head of staff Liza Rozen-Delman was hired in 2007, she was completing a circle that began years before, when she was at Hatikvah for eight summers, and went from being a first-year staff at 17 to an assistant director at 24.

For more information about Camp Hatikvah, visit the camp’s website, camphatikvah.com, or contact Rozen-Delman at [email protected] or 604-263-1200.

 

Format ImagePosted on January 22, 2016January 21, 2016Author Camp HatikvahCategories LocalTags Camp Hatikvah, Liza Rozen-Delman, Okanagan, Young Judaea
Mystery photo … Aug. 28/15

Mystery photo … Aug. 28/15

Children singing, Camp Miriam, Gabriola Island, B.C., 1979. (photo from JWB fonds; JMABC L.09623)

If you know someone in these photos, please help the JI fill the gaps of its predecessor’s (the Jewish Western Bulletin’s) collection at the Jewish Museum and Archives of B.C. by contacting [email protected] or 604-257-5199. To find out who has been identified in the photos, visit jewishmuseum.ca/blog.

photo - Group with a drawing of Camp Hatikvah, 1988
Group with a drawing of Camp Hatikvah, 1988. (photo from JWB fonds; JMABC L.09611)
photo - Women using typewriters, National Council of Jewish Women, circa 1955
Women using typewriters, National Council of Jewish Women, circa 1955. (photo from JWB fonds; JMABC L.13953)
photo - Two unidentified men at the Vancouver Jewish Community Centre, circa 1962
Two unidentified men at the Vancouver Jewish Community Centre, circa 1962. (photo from JWB fonds; JMABC L.11516)
Format ImagePosted on August 28, 2015August 27, 2015Author JI and JMABCCategories Mystery PhotoTags Camp Hatikvah, Camp Miriam, Jewish Community Centre, National Council of Jewish Women, NCJW
Fun on water and land at Camp Hatikvah

Fun on water and land at Camp Hatikvah

Gardening is just one of the new activities keeping kids engaged on land at Camp Hatikvah. (photo from Camp Hatikvah)

Fun on water and land Located on a stunning peninsula in the Okanagan and surrounded by water on three of its four sides, Camp Hatikvah has always had the reputation of being a water-based activity camp. “Our natural surroundings allow us to offer a plethora of waterfront activities, including swimming, waterskiing, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding and more,” said camp director Liza Rozen-Delman.

Historically, the waterfront was the most popular place to be at Hatikvah, as a result of the numerous water activities offered, but that changed this summer when the camp unveiled a host of new land-based program options. While still taking advantage of the spectacular weather and waterfront, campers are now equally as engaged on land.

During summer 2014, Camp Hatikvah launched several new programs, including ceramics, drumming, gardening and nature, karate, outdoor adventure, self-defence and volleyball. Camp Hatikvah hired specialists to provide instruction in basketball, dance, fitness, tennis, yoga and various other sports.

Danna Marks, president of the Camp Hatikvah Foundation, explained, “The goal of the program change is to offer our campers a more well-balanced selection of activities to choose from. We are still offering all of the old camp favorites like arts and crafts and tzofiut (scouting), but have added additional options and improved old models to really engage our campers in a more meaningful and rewarding way.”

Hatikvah has also recently updated its program facilities, adding an archery field, a gaga pit, a baseball diamond and an outdoor garden. Additionally, the camp added a new water jungle gym, all new sailboats and eight new paddleboards.

When asked about the benefits of the new programming,

Rozen-Delman said, “The new program options are great and everyone was thrilled by the changes. The true value of the program, however, is not measured by what participants do all day but how they do it. The new programs encouraged campers to try new things and challenge themselves in meaningful ways. Through this, their confidence has grown and their feeling of accomplishment soared. This is what I am most excited about and proud of, because I believe that this is what a camp experience is really about.”

Registration for Hatikvah 2015 opens Oct. 1. For more information, visit camphatikvah.com.

Format ImagePosted on September 26, 2014September 25, 2014Author Camp HatikvahCategories LocalTags Camp Hatikvah, Danna Marks, Liza Rozen-Delman
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