8 minute read
This Week We’re Talking to…Camp Areivos
BY SUSAN SCHWAMM
1, 2, 3…8 weeks of amazing summer fun! For the last few weeks, our children have been basking in the sun, swimming, singing, and soaking up the fun every day. How are they spending their time away from their desks? In this series, we speak with camp directors and head counselors to learn more about our community’s amazing, spectacular, incredible, marvelous, unbelievable (you get the point!) camps.
THIS WEEK, WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO SPEAK WITH YOCHEVED GREENBERG, DIRECTOR OF CAMP AREIVOS. CAMP AREIVOS STORMED ONTO THE CAMP SCENE LAST YEAR, AND HUNDREDS OF CAMPERS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR MORE AMAZING FUN THIS YEAR. YOCHEVED TOOK A FEW MINUTES OUT OF HER BUSY SCHEDULE TO CHAT WITH TJH ABOUT THE UNBELIEVABLE TRIPS, ACTIVITIES, EXCITEMENT, AND SWAG AT CAMP AREIVOS.
Yocheved, this is Areivos’ second year! Tell us how it all began.
Yes, baruch Hashem, Camp Areivos is in its second awesome year! Camp Areivim, our “brother” camp, was already a super-popular day camp for boys in the Five Towns, and we wanted to give the girls in our neighborhood the opportunity to experience an Areivim-style summer. The idea, which was in the making for a number of years, was finally hatched two years ago, and our inaugural summer was a smashing success!
Sounds amazing! How many girls enjoy their summer at Areivos?
Baruch Hashem, Areivos has doubled in size since last year! After everyone heard how much fun it was the first year, people were banging down the doors to come to Areivos. This year, we have over 500 Areivos campers. The girls are from all over the Five Towns and Far Rockaway. We span from Bayswater all the way out to North Woodmere. It’s really nice to see girls from different schools and neighborhoods come together to enjoy one awesome summer together.
Tell us about the different divi-
sions at Areivos.
We’re really proud of our age-appropriate divisions. Each age group has their own exclusive activities and late nights and even special “swag” for the older divisions (although everyone gets a lot of swag!).
The Freshies, our preschool division, has awesome shows and special activities based around their theme of the Seven Days of Creation. The Junior Division, for girls coming out of 1st-3rd grades, has many trips, late stays, and night activities throughout the summer. The oldest two divisions, Seniors and TC Hype, has awesome major trips and two overnights! We actually just recently returned from our super-successful first overnight to South Jersey which included a trip to Six Flags Great Adventure!
How was that?
It was epic! It felt like we were in sleepaway camp for a night! We all went out to eat for dinner, we
had a glow-in-the-dark paint night and dance party, and the next day we tried all the roller coasters at Six Flags! It was a great, fun bonding experience, too. I personally can’t wait for our next overnight!
You have amazing head staff.
Tell me about it! All the head staff seriously put their all into making every girl’s summer the best ever. The head staff spends hours of research, planning and executing to get every special activity, night activity, and general vibe in camp super fun and exciting. Camp would not happen without all of their efforts. running all at once for different divisions. What’s really exciting for this year is our stunning on-campus pool and waterpark!
Your pool! The girls must love swimming.
It’s really a highlight of many of How refreshing! Tell us about a “regular” day at Areivos.
There is no such thing as just a “regular” day in Areivos. Every day features new and exciting special activities and surprises. There’s really no telling what can happen on any given day. Every morning the girls
You have a beautiful campus – new, for this year! Tell us about it.
Yes! We are thrilled to be in the beautiful TAG elementary school building. We needed more space for our growing camp, and in TAG we are able to spread out and take advantage of all of the facilities the building offers. We now have two baking rooms, a sensory room, a workshop room, an art room, and a spacious TC Hype lounge. The new campus really gives us the ability to bring Areivos to a whole new level. We have three large gym areas that will sometimes have three different special activities the campers’ day. They are in the capable hands of WSI certified instructors and lifeguards, and the onsite pool really enhances the camp experience. The girls have instructional swim where they can improve on their swimming skills. They also have free swim to just have fun with their friends in the pool. Besides the pool, we also have a waterpark with awesome inflatable slides and water activities. gather in the auditorium for a dance party to get the day started off. They then have davening and shiur led by our Shiur Director, Mrs. Chanie Sprung, and then off to a day jam-packed of activities! Some special activities we just had recently had included a live game show with Rabbi Yisroel Erps, Doctor Schnitzel, and a Shlomo Levinger magic show. We also have consistent activities such as baking, art, swim, workshops, canteen, wacky sports, and Zumba. There is always a main activity that brings each division together for a game or big program.
Besides for these great activities do you go on trips throughout the summer?
Yes we do! Areivos girls are very adventurous, and we have been enjoying many trips. Aside from the overnight trip to Six Flags, the girls have gone to Adventureland, Baldwin Bowling, Funtopia, Country Fair, Fantasy Forest, boating, and more. And that was just the first half! Each trip is more fun than the next, and the girls are having so much fun traveling to all the different locations and activities.
What would you say sets you apart from other camps?
Areivos is not just a camp. Areivos
is a family. We really focus on creating a warm, comfortable and friendly environment for all the campers. It’s important to us that Areivos truly feels like a second home. The endless dancing and singing really make for an electric atmosphere that both campers and staff are proud to be a part of.
Areivos stands out for the awesome swag you give out.
I’m glad you noticed. We do love our swag. It’s a really fun way to make every girl feel that they’re part of something. We want every girl to have pride in their Areivos family and wearing the swag really contributes to that unified feeling. I love driving around the Five Towns and seeing Areivos bumper stickers, girls wearing Areivos T-shirts, scrunchies, sweaters, socks, backpacks, caps or fanny packs. And there’s more to come! We have a designated section of our weekly newsletter that features pictures of girls in their swag around town. Is there a “theme” this year?
This year’s theme is “Double the Fun.” Every day there is a theme based on “double.” Every day there is a special activity run by our head counselors or division heads connected to the daily theme. For example, one day the theme was “Thing 1 and Thing 2,” and the special activity featured a giant, campus-wide scavenger hunt that ended in a cotton candy surprise that resembled the hair of Thing 1 and Thing 2. Another day the theme was “Double Header,” and we had a camp-wide crazy hat making contest.
The themes really enhance the “campy” atmosphere we have in Areivos.
That’s so much fun! What’s your camp slogan?
The slogan for both Areivim and Areivos is “We’re all in it together.” Whether it’s the campers working together in sports or color war or the staff members working together to make camp as fun as possible, the Areivos family is truly one unified camp.
What gives you the most “nachas” as you walk around campus?
That’s a good question and many things come to mind. At the end of the day, after all the swag, activities and trips, the most important thing and the goal of camp is that the girls are having fun. I get nachas when I’m walking around and see girls smiling and laughing and having a great time with their friends even when they’re not involved in an activity. But what gives me the most nachas is hearing the girls walk through the hallways and cheering or singing songs for their bunk or the camp. When the girls feel like they belong and they have pride in their bunk and in their camp, I know that they are in it together and having the time of their lives.
By the Numbers...
5,000+ slices of pizza consumed
1,500+ Different
Areivos shirts given out (i said we have a lot of swag!)
500+ Cotton candy cones devoured (we have 2 cotton candy machines onsite!)
150 Staff bucket hats distributed
30+ Exciting trips
23 Awesome bunks
4 Incredible divisions
1 Unified camp!
