Camp & School Guide by Lauren Yoffe

Camp C a mp p & School Scchooll Guide Guiide JJanuary a nuary 1 17, 7 2013 7, 2013

I want to go camping!

Math is so much fun!

I want to dance!

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Washington Jewish Week â&#x20AC;˘ January 17, 2013

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Camp 24/7

Summer is only the beginning of year-round Jewish camp activities by David Holzel Senior Writer

he clock is ticking down the seconds until the summer season begins at Camp Airy and Camp Louise (airylouise.org), brother and sister Jewish overnight camps in western Maryland for second-to-12th-graders. You can watch the countdown on the camps’ website. That sense of anticipation is the most tangible way the camps try to maintain a connection with their campers and families during the months before summer. But it isn’t the only way. “For a long time, camps were where kids went in the summer time,” says Jonathan Gerstl, executive director of Camp Airy and Camp Louise. “We’re shifting. We have an opportunity to be a bigger brand than only a summer-time brand.” Like many camps, Airy and Louise hold wintertime reunions for campers and their families. But increasingly, Airy and Louise, like others, are trying to forge camp families into year-round camp communities. They’re looking to offer programs on days that schools are closed and to take advantage of the Internet and social media to keep everyone connected under the camp rubric. On Monday, Martin Luther King Day, Camp Airy will hold its Winter Olympics, featuring snowball competitions, a tug-ofwar, snow games and sledding. But campers only have to open up their computers to play Camp Airy games. At AiryGameSpot.com, they can play the

hugely popular Minecraft building game and post screen shots of their creations. They can compete in virtual tournaments and pick the week’s winning NFL teams. In addition, the camps are looking to involve parents in activities, such as Shabbat celebrations, through multimedia, Gerstl says. Camp Shoresh’s (shoresh.com) approach is described by its slogan, “Going strong all year long,” says Rabbi Tzvi Tuchman, assis-

Camp JCC (jccgw.org) has an automatic connection to its families when camp is not in session, says its director, Fara Gold. As part of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington in Rockville, “we have access to the kids all year long.” Gold also oversees the center’s youth and teen department, which provides programs for the same children who attend Camp JCC, a day camp for grades pre-K through 10.

So Capital Camps sends its kids honestto-goodness birthday cards, along with greetings on its Facebook timeline. The camp uses Twitter and Instagram to spread news and post pictures. And it’s thinking small. Instead of mailing its promotional videos to prospective families, Capital Camps posts it online. “The vast majority of families are getting their information on hand-held devices,” Roberts points out.

“For a long time, camps were where kids went in the summer time. We’re shifting. We have an opportunity to be a bigger brand than only a summer-time brand.” — Jonathan Gerstl, executive director of Camp Airy and Camp Louise

tant director of the day camp for children from pre-K through 10th grade. “We don’t look at camp as a self-contained unit.” Shoresh doesn’t confine itself to its campus, near Frederick. “We will go to communities where our kids come from and run events — a Chanukah event, a Purim carnival,” Tuchman says. For the camp’s high school and college graduates, Shoresh offers “Brew Crew,” gatherings at Starbucks in Montgomery and Frederick counties. Shoresh involves 350 campers, but 1,000 people, a year, Tuchman says. “Camp is the engine that runs the machine.”

In addition to programs after school and on days when school is not in session, there are camp reunions, a birthday party program and get-togethers, when a staff member sends out an email inviting campers to meet at a restaurant for dinner, Gold says. Capital Camps (capitalcamps.org), an overnight camp for grades three-12 in Waynesboro, Pa., has 1,600 friends on its Facebook page. But even though it is focusing on social networking and electronic media, “people do appreciate getting a hard copy,” says camp director Sam Roberts.

The camp is looking to offer additional retreats at its retreat center — motherdaughter retreats, father-son retreats, bubbe-zayde retreats — and has hired Rabbi Miriam Burg as its director of Jewish life, “to expand our programming throughout the year,” Roberts says. There’s a countdown clock on the Capital Camps website, too. All these Washington-area camps want to keep their families involved in ways other than watching the clock between now and when the zero hour strikes this summer. dholzel@washingtonjewishweek.com Twitter: @davidholzel

Be on stage this summer in The Wizard of Oz and Oklahoma! From June to August, we’ve got you covered with 1, 2, 3, and 4-week camps that fit your schedule!

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January 17, 2013 • Washington Jewish Week

3 great camp locations, including Bethesda, American University in DC, and Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville! For more information, and to register, visit www.imaginationstage.org or call 301-280-1660.

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One day they will be applying to the same universities.

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Washington Jewish Week • January 17, 2013

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Gan HaYeled announces full-day preschool program

Above, students in the Tzipurim class at Gan HaYeled cook a delicious dish; Students gather around a Torah at a Shabbat learning activity. Photos courtesy of Gan HaYeled

two years ago aer hearing that there was a need for full-day programming in the community. he Gan HaYeled Nursery School at Adas “People would say to me, ‘I love the Gan Israel Congregation in D.C. announced but I can’t send my children because I need on Dec. 24 the launch of a full-day preschool a full day program.’ I thought it made a whole program to begin this fall. lot of sense to add this new program and emAccredited by the National Association for brace new people for the Gan,” she said. the Education of Young Children, Gan e new preschool program coincides HaYeled will offer full-day programming for with Adas Israel’s “Vision of Renewal,” a renone class of 2-year-olds, and one class of ovation of its building and programming. mixed 3- and 4-year-olds from 8 a.m. to 6 “is fit really well with the vision of rep.m. five days a week. newal that Adas is doing and together with Sheri Brown, Gan HaYeled director, exthe board we made a decision to look at plained that she had been working on this things in a fresh, new way, including the pre12/21/12 6:53 PM Page 1 expansion since her arrival at the preschool school,” said Brown. by Emily Jacobs Staff Writer

e full-day program will have students stay with their particular class for the duration of the day, a model that Brown said “is better because the students really build a community within their class and they get to know the people they’re with. eir personal needs are met better, it’s like they’re staying within their family group.” Molly Levinson, who currently has two children at Gan HaYeled, explained that a full-day program like this is necessary for the community. “ere are many two-parent-working homes in our community and people need to know that their kids are in a place where they’re getting an amazing education as well

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January 17, 2013 • Washington Jewish Week

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as being cared for in the way that the Gan nurtures and loves children, until they get out of work. It’s an extremely valuable resource.” Since the announcement, Brown has received several phone calls a day about the program that opens to the public for registration on Jan. 17. “I hope that the program gives families who want a Jewish education an option for their children and that we can involve people in the Adas Israel community,” said Brown. “e goal of the Gan is to meet families’ needs and we want to do that the best way we can as long as we can do it with quality.” For information on Gan HaYeled, visit adasisrael.org/gan.

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Private single-sex schools encourage students to go beyond stereotypes by Eric Hal Schwartz Staff Writer

nce upon a time, single-gender education was the norm in the United States as in most of Europe. Often that was because girls did not partake in formal school but even as educating women became more common, most schools were gender-divided, teaching either boys or girls but never both at the same time. Whether secular or religious, concerns over propriety or who should learn which subjects encouraged this separation. In the 19th century things began to change. In the U.S., education at least until puberty became universal and elected officials and taxpayers often saw coeducational public schools as the most cost-effective and fair method to teach children. Today, single-gender classrooms are very rare, only a few percent of students attend single-sex school except in a few countries scattered around the world including Israel and many Muslim countries. In the last several years, however, there has been a growing interest in a return to single-sex education albeit in a more enlightened and updated form. For the most part right now, parents wanting their children to attend single-sex classes turn to private educational institutes, parochial or secular. The HoltonArms School and Landon School, for girls and boys respectively, are two of the major single-sex private schools in the area. “We create an environment where girls are comfortable to be themselves,” said Susanna Jones, the head of school at HoltonArms since 2007. Jones has worked as a teacher and administrator in several schools for girls during the last three decades. “I’ve been convinced in that experience of the value of all-girl schools,” she said. “We are a boys-only school, first and foremost. All that we do in educating our students grows out of what we know about the ways in which they learn and develop, in every aspect of their lives,” said David Armstrong, Landon’s headmaster since 2004. “Landon has participated in research about best practices for boys’ education, and we are putting those findings into practice,” Armstrong said. Studies published in the past 10 years or so, including from the U.S. Department of

Education, have indicated that single-sex education offers a host of benefits including students doing better in academics, having less social stress to cope with and being more open to pursue their interests compared to coeducational institutes. Teachers for single-sex educational institutions must therefore have a grasp of the psychology of the gender they teach and how that informs the best educational methods. “At Landon, we have shorter classes, more breaks between those classes, more physical movement within the class period itself. Teachers use more games to teach skills and information. At the same time, the absence of girls encourages boys to get involved with activities like yearbook and community service that often fall to girls only in coed schools,” Armstrong said. The same goes for girls at Holton-Arms who are encouraged to study to pursue their interests, including the physical sciences and other fields that Jones said girls in coeducational schools might be reluctant to pursue as they are often perceived as male subjects. Social pressure generated by perceived gender stereotypes, not to mention the universal confusion of puberty, is another problem avoided thanks to single-sex classrooms, Jones and Armstrong both said. Though certainly not applicable to everyone in either gender, the tendency for boys to try to dominate a classroom is evident in several sociological studies. “Being in a boys-only environment relieves some of the social pressure boys experience, especially at the upper grades,” Armstrong said. Conversely, the absence of boys in class makes girls more likely to volunteer to share in class, ask questions and generally participate. “They’re more likely to take risks and speak their mind,” Jones said. While some public school districts in the U.S. have single-sex schools, they are comparatively rare and fairly new. Equal educational opportunity for women was an important aspect of the Civil Rights Act in 1965, and a key argument at the time for coeducational schools. Only in the last few years, and with new regulations to provide for maintaining educational standards at single-sex schools, have public single-sex schools and classes become available. There is a heated controversy

over whether public funds should go to single-sex classes and schools, with groups like the American Civil Liberties Union arguing that even with rules to keep standards the same, public school teachers will end up enforcing gender stereotypes even more and students, especially girls, will suffer for it. The special training emphasized for teachers at Landon and Holton-Arms makes that less of an issue, as of course does the fact that they are both private schools. The schools cooperate in a variety of programs including drama, swim team and other activities to encourage healthy interaction with the opposite gender without compromising the philosophy of the single-sex education they subscribe to. Both administrators explain that singlesex education is really about letting students explore what they could become without the distractions and stereotypes that coed classrooms often create. “They have the freedom to be who they are,” Jones said.

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Washington Jewish Week • January 17, 2013

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Time for Hebrew MoEd aims to teach the language to kids K-5 by David Holzel Senior Writer

he aernoon is sunny and mild, but many of the children prefer to play inside. With markers they are coloring Hebrew letters and pictures of fruit relating to the Tu B’Shevat winter holiday, or checking out a stack of board games that arrived the day before. e game boxes are all printed in Hebrew and, as one child discovers, so are the directions inside. A game called “Tzolelet” draws a lot of attention. Orna Eldor Gerling is watching the scene. “Tzolelet means submarine,” she says. You might know the game better as “Battleship.” Fourteen children in grades K through 4 are spending the late aernoon in this cheery room at Ohr Kodesh Congregation in Chevy Chase. ey are part of an inaugural group of 23 in an aer-school program called MoEd, which opened its doors in September. Don’t think of it as religious school. As Gerling, the program’s executive director, describes it, MoEd is a Bar-T with Jewish

kids and a lot of Hebrew. (MoEd is Hebrew for “appointed season.”) e aim is not for the kids to feel like a class, but like a community. And to feel good about Hebrew. Open for three hours aer school, five days a week, and during days when school is not in session, MoEd offers unstructured play time, snack time, song time and homework time. ere are activities, like scavenger hunts where the kids search for Hebrew letters or words. MoEd has attracted families from “Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, post-denominational and Israeli secular” families, says Elizabeth Weber Handwerker, MoEd’s board president. e children come from six synagogues, seven public schools and two Jewish day schools. Most attend two or three days a week; others come for all five. “We’re American synagogue-going Jews — synagogue regulars who wanted more than Sunday school,” Handwerker says of the parents who founded the program. “ere’s Sunday school and there’s day school. Why is there nothing in the middle?” ey see MoEd filling that middle role. It also answers the need of working parents

Above, children use scissors, paste and crayons to learn and have fun at the MoEd aer-school program; Kids learn the Hebrew names for animals in the MoEd program. Photos by Orna Eldor Gerling

who want aernoon care for their kids. e emphasis on Hebrew seems something of a personal crusade for Handwerker, who wants to make up for the educational deﬁciencies of her own childhood. “My Hebrew is so poor. I want my children to have the education I didn’t have,” she says. e children learn about holidays and blessings, but she believes the elementary school years are when Hebrew should be emphasized. “I care about the Judaics, but I feel the Judaics you can learn anytime. is is the time to be getting the language in.” e children vary widely in their Hebrew knowledge. Some are having their ﬁrst exposure in the language. Others attend a Jewish day school or have an Israeli background, so Hebrew isn’t something mysterious for them. Gerling and lead educator Miriam Bloch speak to each child on his or her level. For some activities, the kids

January 17, 2013 • Washington Jewish Week

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are divided into groups, depending on age or Hebrew fluency. “Because of our idea of community, we do most of our things together,” Gerling says. Still, MoEd will have to figure out how to accommodate those differences as the program grows, Handwerker says. And it has to plan next year’s curriculum in a way that the kids don’t repeat this year’s activities. To that end, MoEd has received a $20,000 grant from e Covenant Foundation to enhance and expand its programming. So what do the kids like about MoEd? First-grader Julian Minkoff says he likes the scavenger hunts. “I like the games that we play,” says Ben Moriel Kirschner, a third-grader who is painting with watercolors. One of the games he likes is called Shimon Omer — Simon Says. For information, go to moedcommunity.org. dholzel@washingtonjewishweek.com Twitter: @davidholzel

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Shalom shlichim Emissaries program exposes campers to life in Israel by Linda L. Esterson

er his best friend told Orel Habrie, 22, about working at a summer camp in the United States, he became intrigued. “He said, ‘It was the best thing I ever did in my life,’ ” says Habrie. “He said, ‘You must do it.’ ” en Habrie hosted some Americans on a Birthright trip in Israel for five days and realized there was a cultural difference between Jews from different countries.

Habrie secured his position at Camp Airy through the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Summer Shlichim Program, which enables young Israelis to spend their summers at Jewish overnight and day camps in North America. According to Ariella Feldman, director of shlichut initiatives for e Jewish Agency for Israel, about 1,000 Israelis were placed last summer at 190 not-for-proﬁt North American camps. e program has placed Israelis in camps all over the world for more than

“I hopped on the first chance I could. I was always interested in the States, always felt connected here. I really like the culture.” — Tal Yeshurun, shaliach at Camp Airy “I knew I wanted to see what I could bring to camp in America,” says Habrie, who spent last summer as a counselor at Camp Airy in urmont.

40 years. “It’s part of the Jewish Agency’s mission to inspire, connect and empower Judaism around the world and to build stronger Jew-

A shaliach shows a camper how to shoot a basketball.

ish communities and connections to Israel,” Feldman says. “Israel becomes very real — a face, a person, a life story. It becomes much more real than learning in Hebrew school or something they heard on the news.” e largest number of placements occur

in North America where Israelis serve in a variety of specialty areas like music, arts and sports, as well as work as general counselors. e Israelis receive a small stipend in addition to expenses like airline tickets and See SHLICHIM, next page

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Camp&SchoolGuide SHLICHIM from previous page medical insurance. Locally, Israelis work at Camps Airy and Louise, Capital Camps and the JCCGW. î ˘e programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main goal, Feldman says, is to connect Israeli workers with campers and staďŹ&#x20AC;, enabling all to learn from each other and establish bonds. At Airy, Habrie taught the youngest campers Israeli games and talked to them about the Dead Sea and the Western Wall. Older campers learned about the kidnapped soldier, Gilad Shalit, and the campers wrote letters to his mother. In addition, Habrie created a display about products invented in Israel that he presented during Israel Day, which was planned by the 21 Israeli staďŹ&#x20AC; members working at Airy and Louise for the summer. Many of the Israelis have already finished their military service and are older than 22. This brings a level of maturity to camp, as well as a connection to someone who can share interesting life experiences with the campers. Potential shlichim undergo extensive screening and training prior to their visit. About 6,000 candidates each year are screened and those accepted are matched with individual camps and undergo inter-

views with camp directors by phone or in Israel. Once selections are completed, they attend a ďŹ ve-day training seminar in Israel, where North American camp staďŹ&#x20AC; is invited to participate. î ˘e training introduces American Jewish culture to the Israelis, and they learn speciďŹ cs about their jobs, children, camping and how to bring Israel to children in an exciting way. Rick Frankle, director of Camp Airy, participated in the training in Israel, aî&#x201A;?er previously screening applicants by phone and leaving the training to the agency. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As we increased the number of Israeli staďŹ&#x20AC;, we thought it was important to be part of the training process,â&#x20AC;? says Frankle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It gave us a better idea of who they were and showed them what to expect when they got here.â&#x20AC;? The training program also enabled American staff to explain specifics about their individual camps, since all operate differently. The Israelis arrive in America in May and June and spend about 10 weeks working at camp. They communicate home by phone and computer. Those in day camps live with host families and develop lasting relationships with the families, as well as the campers. Feldman cites stories of families traveling to Israel years later to visit the shlichim they hosted, and one Israeli staďŹ&#x20AC;er was walked

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Campers and a shaliach bond during a meal.

down the aisle to her groom by her mother and her host mother. Most workers are part of the program for one year, but some choose to return for a second or third summer. Tal Yeshurun spent two summers at Camp Airy and may return next year. Initially, Yeshurun received an email from the Jewish agency gauging interest from everyone on his kibbutz. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hopped on the ďŹ rst chance I could,â&#x20AC;? says Yeshurun, 23. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was always interested in the States, always felt connected here. I really like the culture.â&#x20AC;? Yeshurun, who plays soccer in Israel, served as a general counselor and also worked in the athletics department at Airy. It gave him a chance to â&#x20AC;&#x153;be a kid againâ&#x20AC;? and have fun with the campers. He aimed to â&#x20AC;&#x153;affect kidsâ&#x20AC;? and led by example, picking up trash and being considerate to everyone. He remembers the camp counselors from his

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Camp & School Guide

youth and wants to make an impact on the kids he serves. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I touched one kid, it will be worth it,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;î ˘e more people I can touch and aďŹ&#x20AC;ect, the better it is. I try to implement principles that I ďŹ nd are very important. It will help them in their lives.â&#x20AC;? Aî&#x201A;?er his ďŹ rst summer, Yeshurun spent much of the year traveling the United States and South America. î ˘is past year, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also traveled extensively. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I missed camp all along,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everywhere I went, I saw amazing places, but in the back of my mind, I was always thinking about camp and the people I met and the traditions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s moving to see 7- to 18-year-olds singing together, crossing arms. î ˘atâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I came back â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the people I met here, the campers and counselors and traditions of camp â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such long-lasting traditions will stay here and stay with me forever.â&#x20AC;?

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Humans vs. Zombies by Emily Jacobs StaďŹ&#x20AC; Writer

t all started in 2005 aî&#x201A;?er Christopher Weed and Brad Sappington, then roommates at Goucher College in Towson, bought a bunch of Nerf Blasters (toy foam dart guns) with their ďŹ&#x201A;oor mates from a going out of business sale at a local Toys R Us. When the two ďŹ nally got sick of shooting each other with the Nerf Blasters, Weed and Sappington decided to come up with an idea for a game based on the popular game, Assassins, for the ďŹ&#x201A;oor mates to try out. Much to their surprise, people across campus requested to join the game, requiring the two, 2008 Goucher alumns to come up with concrete rules and an oďŹ&#x192;cial name. î ˘us, Humans vs. Zombies was born. On the simplest level, Humans vs. Zombies is like a game of tag. All players begin as humans, with one randomly and secretly chosen as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Original Zombieâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;OZ.â&#x20AC;? Once the game begins, the OZ tags human players with a ďŹ rm touch, to turn them into zombies. Zombies must tag and â&#x20AC;&#x153;eatâ&#x20AC;? a human every 48 hours or they starve to death and are out of the game. Humans may defend themselves against the Zombies using Nerf Blasters or socks. When hit with either, a Zombie is

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into these fake scenarios, there is some stress that goes into it, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re responsible for your friends â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re responsible for yours. î ˘e people you play with start to feel like your war buddies, and you really start to feel closer to the people who you play with,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard a lot of people tell me that they have met their best friends through the game, which is amazing. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an interesting cross section of people who play, and it puts them all into a central place and gives them a uniďŹ ed goal. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an equalizer, and the social aspect of the game is really what keeps it alive.â&#x20AC;? For Prince, who called the game â&#x20AC;&#x153;exciting, thrilling and terrifying all at the same time,â&#x20AC;? playing Humans vs. Zombies allowed her to meet new people, blow oďŹ&#x20AC; some steam and gave her school pride. â&#x20AC;&#x153;î ˘e Goucher Gophers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really known for their sports, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re known for being the creators of Humans vs. Zombies. Playing the game and meeting the creators really gave me a sense of pride in my school. I worked really hard in my classes and oî&#x201A;?en got too caught up in my homework to take advantage of all that college had to oďŹ&#x20AC;er. Playing Humans vs. Zombies really allowed me to get out of the library and spend one week a semester not being so stressed about my grades. I made new friends, and got to run around like I was ďŹ ve again.â&#x20AC;? For information on Humans vs. Zombies, visit humansvszombies.org

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stunned for 15 minutes, during which he or she may not interact with the game in any way. î ˘e teams are distinguished by the placement of a bandanna; humans must wear it as an arm band, while zombies, a head band. If a human is tagged and turned into a zombie, he or she must wait an hour and then tie the former arm band around their head as a head band. î ˘e game ends when either all the human players have been tagged and turned into zombies, or when the zombies are starved out by the surviving humans. Aî&#x201A;?er the ďŹ rst game at Goucher College that attracted nearly 80 people, Humans vs. Zombies spread like wildďŹ re to campuses across the nation. Today, the game is played at more than 650 colleges, high schools, military bases, summer camps and public libraries. Weed and his Human vs Zombies team estimates that 600-700 games are played per semester in places as far away as Australia, the U.K., South Africa, Spain, Mexico and Indonesia. Kayla Prince, a 2011 Goucher alumna and Silver Spring resident, explained that she became involved with Humans vs. Zombies aî&#x201A;?er watching her friends have a great time playing the game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I ďŹ rst heard about Humans vs. Zombies while visiting Goucher as a high school stu-

dent, and I remember telling my mom that I thought it sounded ridiculous and I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand why they were bragging about it being created by Goucher students,â&#x20AC;? said Prince. â&#x20AC;&#x153;î ˘en, my friends played during our ďŹ rst semester and I watched from the sidelines and felt really leî&#x201A;? out and decided to play the next semester.â&#x20AC;? Four years later in her senior year, Prince was chosen to be the â&#x20AC;&#x153;OZ,â&#x20AC;? a position that was fun but also required her leadership, as well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By being the OZ I was able to avoid all the paranoia of being a human, because I could pretend to be one while actually tagging them. î ˘e OZ is a leadership position, and it was really great having the respect of all the other players while challenging myself to be a good leader at the same time.â&#x20AC;? Since graduating from Goucher, Weed and his fellow Humans vs. Zombies creators formed a company and created soî&#x201A;?ware to help manage games using playersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ID codes (a unique number placed on an index card that humans must surrender to a Zombie upon being tagged). î ˘e Humans vs. Zombies crew also sells bandannas and is working on a board game. Weed, who lives in Baltimore, attributed the success of Humans vs. Zombies to the fun nature and the lasting bonds that are created from the game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Something I noticed early on at Goucher was that even though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a game and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re put

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ichael Kay is leaving. e popular Charles E. Smith-Jewish Day School upper school principal, who began his tenure at the school as a Bible and history teacher before becoming director of Judaic Studies for the upper school in 2007 and ultimately principal in 2010, has accepted an oﬀer to head the Solomon Schechter School of Westchester in New York. “I wasn’t looking to leave, I’ve had an amazing seven-year term,” said Kay. “is is a wonderful professional community. I love my colleagues and the community and students.” But an opportunity to be head of a day school in Westchester, where Kay has family, was impossible to pass up. “It has been my aspiration to be head of school. As I learned more about [Schechter] I was very impressed with what they have achieved and I also felt I could have an impact. I’m sad to leave JDS. But this is the type of opportunity I always

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January 17, 2013 • Washington Jewish Week

hoped to achieve.” “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Kay and his family to our community,” said Michael J. Leffell, president of the board of trustees of the Solomon Schechter School of Westchester. “Dr. Kay assumes leadership of a communal treasure and we look forward to his stewardship as we continue to meet the exciting challenges 21st century education.” Kay’s announcement comes soon aer Jonathan Cannon, CES-JDS head of school, announced that this will also be his last year. Said Kay, “Both schools were involved in search processes. At the time at which Schechter Westchester offered me their headship, I was very pleased to have such an extraordinary professional opportunity.” Rabbi Mitchel Malkus, former head of school at e Jacob Pressman Academy of Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles, will replace Cannon at JDS. “It has been a pleasure working with Michael over the last few years,” said Cannon of Kay. “e school will miss his wisdom, ability to build warm relationships and his passion for the mission of CES-JDS. Solomon Schechter of Westchester will now benefit from his many qualities.” When asked to reflect on his tenure, Kay noted the “pretty substantive changes” that were made to the curriculum including the Hebrew language curriculum that is still in the process of being overhauled. e school added a computer science program, enhanced its journalism program and science program. Another priority has been an ongoing strengthening of community. Kay cites enhanced opportunities to celebrate as a community, like with the kabbalat Shabbat program. And better communications, like with student-teacher conferences. “I’m proud to be part of the team that has made these improvements.” “And we’ve continued to grow as a school as a leader in 21st century skills — critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and proficiency with technology. As a whole, the school has made moves to strengthen across the board.” But it is community that Kay points to as the reason families choose schools such as JDS. “We recognize that every family in the school makes a choice every year, and we owe it to them to provide value added,” he said. “In order to do that, we have to place strong em-

Camp & School Guide

Michael A. Kay, Ph.D., is leaving his post as principal of the upper school of CES-JDS to become head of the Solomon Schechter School of Westchester in New York. Photo courtesy of Michael Kay

phasis in all areas those [secular private and public] schools do well in. e days are long past where a day school can compromise on athletics or arts or breadth of academic offerings. e value added comes in areas of community. e relationships among the students, between the students and teachers in the school, the underlying Jewish values, the Jewish activities. All of these within the dynamics of a Jewish community. “I went to a public school and have never stepped foot back into the school. But at JDS, we have alumni who come back to talk to the teachers about memories from their Shabbatons or to talk about the life-affirming experience on semester in Poland and Israel or some other experiences in the classroom.” Kay, who wrote his dissertation on pluralism in day schools, is an advocate for the type of community found in schools like JDS and Schechter. Being part of a community of students who celebrate their Judaism with a diversity of beliefs and practices, he believes, allows the individual student’s identities to become stronger. “ey have the opportunity and in fact, the obligation to develop their own views and articulate those views to others while at the same time being open to others’ views.” Strengthening individual identity leads to a strengthening of community identity. “Community used to mean a group of people who are the same coming together to celebrate their sameness,” he said. “But now it’s a little different. e notion of community now includes the idea of identifying similarities but also identifying and celebrating differences and giving members of the community the chance to articulate who they are. “What I’ve seen here and in other pluralistic schools, is that this is what happens. Individual identities are nurtured here.”

Camp&SchoolGuide

Area youth groups inspiring teens by Emily Jacobs StaďŹ&#x20AC; Writer

he National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) has been working to inspire Jewish teens since its inception in 1954. Locally, the Atlantic Seaboard region works with area teens from all aďŹ&#x192;liations year round to help them form strong connections to their Jewish roots and fellow Jewish teens. WJW spoke with Dana Sicherman, director of institutional advancement for Maryland and Lauren Chornock, Greater Washington Chapter adviser, to learn more about NCSY in the Greater Washington area.

WJW: How long has NCSY been around in the Greater Washington area and how many teens are involved? Sicherman: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been in the Greater Washington area for 10 years and have several hundred kids in our chapters. WJW: What programs do you oďŹ&#x20AC;er to participants? Chornock: We do a weekly Latte and Learning at Starbucks in Wintergreen Plaza in Rockville, every three weeks we have an oneg and we have a girls night out once a month, in addition to our regional Shabbatons. We also have started to partner with Jewish student union clubs at eight public schools in the D.C. area. WJW: How would you describe NCSY to those that have never heard of the organization? Sicherman: People think that NCSY is Orthodox, and while we follow Orthodox practices like keeping Shabbat and kosher, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re open to everyone. Our goal is to open Jewish doors and give kids a sense of what Jewish values are so they can incorporate them into their lives and know their Jewish identity. WJW: Tell me about your Sen. Ben Cardin Fellowship. Sicherman: î ˘e fellowship is when we set up teens with prominent members of the Jewish community to learn together for 12 weeks. î ˘e teens then go on an overnight to Capitol Hill to lobby their representatives about Jewish values. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a quintessential NCSY program because it inspires and empowers them. î ˘rough this program we reach out to them where they are and give them what they need on their level.

WJW: What is one of the highlights from 2012 for NCSY? Chornock: On the ďŹ rst night of Chanukah, we came together at the Stamford Hilton in Connecticut with New York NCSY to set a Guinness World Record for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest menorah lighting with 1,004 menorahs simultaneously lit. It was an incredibly beautiful picture and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what NCSY is all about, igniting Jewish ideas and relationships. WJW: Why is NCSY so important for Jewish youth in general? Chornock: NCSY is so important because it allows teens to meet with diďŹ&#x20AC;erent kinds of Jews and become best friends with people that are diďŹ&#x20AC;erent from them. It allows them to get outside of everything theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re used to and breaks down barriers. It opens you up and takes down the walls that you may have been raised with and allows you to have a love for Judaism. For information on NCSY, visit ncsy.org. î ˘e North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) has oďŹ&#x20AC;ered thousands of Jewish youth the opportunity to become involved in Reform Judaism for more than 70 years. In the Mid-Atlantic Region alone, which encompasses, Delaware, Maryland, D.C., Virginia and North Carolina, NFTY reaches more than 1,000 teens in seventh through 12th grade. WJW spoke with Alexa Broida, regional adviser for NFTY-MAR and coordinator for NFTYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mitzvah Core program, to brush up on the happenings of NFTY-MAR in our area. WJW: What local and regional programs do you oďŹ&#x20AC;er to your participants? Broida: On the local level it varies. Some of our local groups meet monthly, while some meet once a week and do everything from bowling to ice skating to fundraising, social action and community service. Every group on a local and regional level has a teen-elected board, and each group is involved in leadership development and tikkun olam.

them to relate Judaism to their daily life. WJW: What about other areas outside of D.C.? Broida: In other areas like North Carolina and Virginia Beach, these kids are oî&#x201A;?en in school where they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know any other Jews and where Judaism may not be a part of their daily life. NFTY is where they come, where they know that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe to be Jewish and be proud of that identity. WJW: Why do you think participants keep coming back to NFTY? Broida: I think that kids keep coming back because it takes Judaism outside the walls of the congregation and teaches them that being Jewish isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just about going to High Holiday services. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infused into everything they want to do. NFTY may be the one Jewish thing they ask their parents to do instead of the other way around. î ˘is is where they explore, engage and ask questions and ďŹ gure out what Judaism means to them. For information on NFTY, visit NFTY.ort/MAR, or follow them on Twitter @NAKAMURA.

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WJW: Why is an organization like NFTY so important for the D.C. area? Broida: In an area like D.C. where there are so many Jews, it seems as if Judaism becomes really passive for these kids. Having programming that teaches them how to be proactive with Judaism and how to be more intentional and approach things with a Jewish perspective and a Jewish lens allows Camp & School Guide

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Washington Jewish Week â&#x20AC;˘ January 17, 2013

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Camp&SchoolGuide

Foundation for Jewish Camps gets special needs grant F

oundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) has received a research grant to map current services available to children with special needs and physical disabilities at nonprofit Jewish overnight camps across North America. is will be the first-ever research of its kind in the Jewish community and will drive the ultimate goal of making the experience of Jewish camp available to all children. Says Jeremy Fingerman, CEO, FJC, “e immersive, joyous environment of Jewish overnight camp builds Jewish identity, strengthens the Jewish community and fosters Jewish leadership. Unfortunately, many Jewish children with special needs and physical disabilities are unable to benefit from this unparalleled experience due to limited resources and programs.” anks to a $60,000 grant from Dr. Allan and Nan Lipton of Hershey, Pa., FJC is working with Laszlo Strategies, a firm specializing in helping nonprofit groups champion the causes of medical science and people with physical and developmental disabilities, to survey the field beginning this month. is research will provide a thorough understanding of the options Jewish camps offer to children with special needs and provide a

for camps to use as a resource. A bus tour in July 2012 launched the foundation’s formal exploration of the issue. Done in conjunction with the Jewish Funders Network, the three-day tour took staff, board members and potential funders to eight camps in the Northeast to see firsthand the types of programs nonprofit and for-profit camps offer, speak with experts in the field, and discuss options and ideas for next steps. Many Jewish camps are leaders in accommodating special needs children with inclu-

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January 17, 2013 • Washington Jewish Week

baseline for expanding services. e research will be followed by a convening of the ﬁeld — both Jewish camp professionals and special needs experts — to allow FJC to locate the gaps, establish where and how the needs can be ﬁlled, and develop a set of guidelines

sive or parallel programs, and several camps are able to assess and enroll children with special needs on a case-by-case basis. Even so, although Jewish overnight camps serve nearly 75,000 children each camping season, they are able to accommodate fewer than

ise of camp staﬀ, and more. “FJC aspires to enable all children to experience the magic of Jewish camp,” explains Fingerman. “We are committed to exploring and implementing the best and most comprehensive ways of doing so to ensure that

“FJC aspires to enable all children to experience the magic of Jewish camp. We are committed to exploring and implementing the best and most comprehensive ways of doing so to ensure that we are meeting our vision of ensuring a vibrant Jewish future.” — Jeremy Fingerman, CEO of Foundation for Jewish Camps 1,000 special needs campers every summer; the need is far greater with growing wait-lists for many Jewish camps that serve children with disabilities. is initial research will be the catalyst to exploring the range and types of activities camps could be utilizing to integrate campers with special needs. e project will catalog the language and philosophies used by the ﬁeld concerning special needs, examine legal issues, determine what steps need to be taken to improve the range of services and expert-

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we are meeting our vision of ensuring a vibrant Jewish future.” “We are proud and excited to be working on this project,” says Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, founder and president of Laszlo Strategies. “FJC is a data-driven organization that has already proved the importance of Jewish camp to the Jewish community and individuals alike. We aim to help them make it possible for every Jewish child to have the opportunity to experience the life-changing impact of a positive Jewish summer camp experience.”

Camp&SchoolGuide

My Wednesday in Newtown by Jonathan Leener

“M

y kid is in first grade” said the woman. “Does she go to Sandy Hook?” I asked her. “No, she goes to the other elementary school.” Unable to hold back her tears she said: “It was completely random that we sent her there and not Sandy Hook.” She looked at me, waiting for response wanting an answer. She couldn’t understand the randomness of it all. Why was it her family that was saved from this unthinkable tragedy? I had no answer or words to help and doubt I ever will. e silence lasted for several moments until the rumbling of the police motorcycles leading the first funeral procession of the day drove by in front of us. It was Dec. 19, only five days aer the horrific shooting, when I traveled from my yeshiva in the Bronx to visit Newtown with three of my classmates. Our mission was to deliver letters and donations from the community to the Pozners, a Jewish family that lost its son Noah Pozner (of blessed memory) in the shooting. Despite going for a good reason, I still felt nervous about the entire thing. In the short hour and half drive from New York City, I

kept asking myself, “Who am I to think that I have any right to step foot there? Do I have ulterior motivations for wanting to go to Newtown?” My answer was “I am nobody and yes,” but I still felt a strong inclination to get there. e funeral procession took nearly 10 minutes to pass by us. I had never seen such faces in my entire life. ey somehow conveyed utter sadness, confusion and anger all at the same time. A man inside the car that was behind the hearse was holding a sign that read “ank You.” is was directed at the people standing in support on the side of the road near the cemetery. e man’s sign will be an image forever engraved in my soul. How could somebody suffering so much show this type of gratitude? e procession finally stopped, but I could already hear whispers that the next one was coming within the hour. Our final stop was at the synagogue where we planned to simply drop the letters and donations for the Pozner family. By chance, as we walked to the front doors the rabbi was coming in with a female congregant. He greeted us and asked, “Do you know who this is?” referring to the congregant who was beside him. She quickly said, “I am

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Veronique Pozner. I am Noah’s mother.” Yet again I could not ﬁnd something to say. But is there anything you can truly say to a mother whose 6-year-old son was just brutally murdered? She reached out, shook my hand, stared deeply into my eyes, and told me: “ank you.” I remember being confused as yet another victim extended her appreciation to us. My emotional week came to a conclusion

had met in Newtown. So many of the shattered pieces can never be repaired, the brokenness is ﬁnal. However we must work together to put back what we can. Rabbi Tarfon famously said, “It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it” (Avot 2:21). We are indeed our brothers’ keeper. We must push ourselves to see a brother as extending beyond blood.

“I had never seen such faces in my entire life. They somehow conveyed utter sadness, confusion and anger all at the same time.” at my wedding on that Sunday. I tried so desperately to try to forget what I had seen in Newtown days earlier so as not to disrupt the happiness of the wedding. But there is the ancient tradition of breaking the glass at the conclusion of ceremony, a ritual that forces us in the highest moment to also remember the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. As I lied my right foot in the air, I was not thinking about Jerusalem. I was thinking about the brokenness of all the hearts that I

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Camp & School Guide

Washington Jewish Week • January 17, 2013

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Camp&SchoolGuide

FutureTense — Students Speak Should Jewish schools have the same breaks as public, or private Christian, schools? by Danny Brandsdorfer

ducation is the process of teaching skills, values, and substance in the home and in school. For families who choose to send their children to Jewish schools, their children are taught Jewish values and Jewish substance, which includes celebrating Jewish holidays and learning Jewish customs. It should not include celebration of holidays of other religions, such as Christmas although learning about other culture and religions can be part of a well-rounded education. Jewish schools, whether religious or pluralistic, should instill Jewish values in the students and teach the children that Christmas is not a Jewish holiday. All Jewish schools need to reinforce the students’ education with the understanding that we are not Christian and do not celebrate the same holidays. Jewish schools are closed in the fall for Jewish holidays, including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah. Christian schools do not celebrate the Jewish fall holidays, although some may close during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Just as Jewish schools are closed for Jewish holidays, Christian schools are closed for Christian holidays, such as Christmas and holy week. Christians do not celebrate our holidays, and we should not celebrate their holidays. Jewish schools should not have winter break that aligns with Christmas because as Jews, we do not celebrate Christmas. Jewish schools need to teach their students that we are different from Christians, and this should be shown and practiced when breaks are set on the school calendar. Being Jewish does not mean we follow what everybody else does just because they do

it. There is nothing wrong with respecting non-Jewish holidays. When the schools make a winter break, they should keep in mind the academic calendar. Whenever the break is scheduled, it should not cause a disruption to school and learning. Most schools operate on a semester marking period that is broken up into quarters. For high school students, courses end with the completion of the first semester, for one semester courses, or with the completion of the second semester for two semester courses. An ideal time to schedule winter break is at the end of the first semester. This allows the one semester courses to be completed without disruption, and at the same time provides an opportunity for students to recharge between the first and second semester. The current winter break, that embraces and aligns with Christmas, is weeks before a course ends. This is a disruption to the students en-

thing, at the same time. Airlines, hotels and resorts charge a lot more money during peak rates because of an increase in demand. If, however, Jewish schools change the winter break to a different, nonpeak time, then the costs of vacationing will be a lot lower because the break would be during a nonpeak vacation period. What the Jewish schools should do for a winter break is simple. The school should close for three to four days to break for the New Year. One day before to get to travel for celebrating the New Year, New Year’s Day itself, and at least one day to travel home. The new winter break should be aligned with the end of first semester, marking the division between the first and second semesters. That should fall around the middle to end of January. This is a simple proposal that can solve a few problems with school and vacation schedules and be less of a disruption while providing one more opportunity for

“Jewish schools should not have winter break that aligns with Christmas because as Jews, we do not celebrate Christmas.” rolled in that course, and to the teachers. Currently, as the winter break situation is, most schools in the Washington metropolitan area are closed at the same time. Alignment of the winter break with the Christian calendar also has a financial effect on business and families. When your family plans to go somewhere for winter break, many families across the country are doing that same

Jewish children to understand what it means to be Jewish. Danny Brandsdorfer, 15, is a sophomore at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. FutureTense is a mini-magazine of Washington Jewish Week made up of writings from area students. Submissions to FutureTense should be emailed to meredith@washingtonjewishweek.com for consideration.

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January 17, 2013 • Washington Jewish Week

Academic achievement and much more. Camp & School Guide

Camp&SchoolGuide

Learning to lobby by Jeremy Etelson

he American Israel Public Affairs Committee holds an annual summit exclusively for high school students, educating them on the American-Israeli relationship and training them on the basic skills and know-how of lobbying congressmen. However, because of the demographic in attendance, many present had to make the decision to miss two to three days of schools. “Missing school, no matter how it happens, isn’t convenient. But when it came down to actually learning about how I can be a proactive American, with my own influence on Congress, with an emphasis on pro-Israel advocacy, it was a no-brainer,” said Ryan Dishell, BBYO National Leaders, Pacific West Region delegate. is summit was directed toward high school students, and in my opinion, organizers nailed it. Every teenager there was treated like a responsible adult and like a future leader of the United StatesIsrael relationship. At the same time, the teens were perfectly engaged with interesting speakers and applicable skill training. e passion they were able to instill was remarkable. Interestingly enough, if you treat teenagers as adults, they can oen rise to the occasion. “AIPAC took teens who have never been involved in the political process before and treated them like mature adults who are capable of making a difference,” said Ethan Steinberg, BBYO National Leaders, DC delegate. I appreciated the opportunity to be active in politics as a high school student. ere is a common misconception that not only teens do not care about politics

or are not capable of doing so, but actually cannot get involved. AIPAC made it abundantly clear that conception is false. By simply having a summit exclusively for high school students, this influential lobbying organization made students realize how big of an impact they can have on the political scene, especially topics they are passionate about like the U.S.-Israel relationship. In fact, AIPAC emphasized that politicians are not only willing to talk to high school students, but are actually very excited when youth who cannot even vote feel passionate enough to meet with them. I had the opportunity to sit in on a lecture by Jonathan Kessler, AIPAC’s leadership development director. He spoke to many of these points, stressing that the U.S.-Israel relationship needs young people to voice their thoughts. “Jonathan Kessler inspired us all to be advocates for Israel, no matter the circumstance,” Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School delegate Claire Mendelson said, “In less than one hour, he had us all firmly believing that support for Israel was not the responsibility of another older, or seemingly more qualified person; rather it was the responsibility of each one of us.” e conference also stressed AIPAC’s bipartisanship, partially attributing its success to it. e concept that in such a partisan nation with such a partisan government, I could attend this summit on political advocacy for Israel and be surrounded by far-right conservatives, farle liberals and everything in between is extraordinary. When it comes to Israel, “they all promote the same values and work toward the same goal,” CES-JDS delegate Yael Kricher said. e bipartisan support that AIPAC re-

ceives is in fact necessary for the success of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship as a whole. In such a partisan time, when almost nothing is getting done through Congress, the U.S.-Israel Enhanced Security Act passed the House and Senate in July by voice vote unanimously; tightened sanctions on Iran have passed the Senate unanimously; and the Waxman-Royce letter to the European Union on designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization this year was signed by 255 representatives from both sides of the aisle. Israel’s security is a bipartisan issue. e summit then shied to legitimate lobbying training, teaching us the talking points and how to interact with either congressmen or their staffs. AIPAC, in fact, stressed how key congressman’s staff members are, as they are oen the ones they will look to for advice. e entire summit was supposed to culminate with each delegation lobbying a certain member of Congress or his or her staff, but unfortunately, due to Hurricane Sandy, Congress was closed. However, Howard Kohr, AIPAC executive director, made an appearance during

dinner on the ﬁnal night. He spoke about the U.S.-Israel relationship, then opened the ﬂoor for questions. e ability to have an open Q & A with the chief of the organization was eye-opening. Throughout the summit, some of the most discussed topics were a potential nuclear Iran, the European Union recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, the Palestinians returning to direct talks with Israel and United States foreign aid. Yet, when Kohr spoke, he discussed a wide variety of different situations in the Middle East, ranging from potential future borders to the Muslim Brotherhood. He treated the crowd, full of high school students, like leaders. It was well received, and he was rewarded with a standing ovation. The AIPAC High School Summit was created to engage high school students early and teach them how to be politically active and advocate for Israel’s security, and from what I saw, the U.S.-Israel relationship now has about 320 new teen allies. Jeremy Etelson, 16, is a junior at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School.

Beth El Preschool Parent Cooperative Preschool

8215 Old Georgetown, Bethesda, MD 20814

LIMITED OPENINGS AVAILABLE FOR FALL 2013 Beth El Summer Time Session 1: June 17 - July 5 Session 2: July 8 - July 26

Call For Information: Elaine Auerbach, Dir. 301.652.8569 ext. 311

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Washington Jewish Week • January 17, 2013

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Camp&SchoolGuide

e importance of standing up

Kids Create! Summer Art Camp

by Robert Ost

Young Artists & Artistic Adventures Age 5-12

few weeks ago, BBYO’s D.C. Council celebrated the 30th anniversary of its special needs programs, the Richard Anderman Shalom Chapter for teens with special needs and Kol Echad Youth (KEY) for teens with multiple disabilities. Limor Hartman, the program director of these special needs chapters and receiver of the Kol Echad Award, said, “KEY was created to include more teens in BBYO, and also used to spread awareness about disabilities and how to appreciate everyone’s vulnerabilities.” BBYO’s prevalence within the community for its social action has been a major part of the whole

Teen Fine Arts Enrichment Middle & High School Age 11-17

For more information www.VisArtsCenter.org (301) 315-8200

“BBYO instills Jewish values by impressing the importance of community service among the teenage members and by implanting ideas of philanthropy in the future leaders of the Jewish community.”

Day Camps - Arts - Sports - Music - Enrichment Academics - Extended Day - Transportation Boys & Girls - Ages 3½-17

June 10 through August 23

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January 17, 2013 • Washington Jewish Week

in 2008, has directed its resources to an assortment of different causes. Lantos’ Stand Up! Causes have included “LGBT Rights,” and now, currently, “ALS Awareness.” Lantos has organized many programs to raise knowledge and money, including “Homosexuality and Jews,” an award-winning Stand Up! Program of the Month event. Cantor Larry M. Eschler, of Temple Beth Ami in Rockville, spoke at Lantos’ event about the challenges he faced coming out, and his conversion to Judaism and introduction to the clergy. This event provided a Jewish perspective to a significant issue in America, and helped those in attendance to understand homosexuality from another point of view.

BBYO organization for many years. Even within its sub-chapters, community service is very prevalent. “Stand Up,” a program instituted in 2009 which involves service, advocacy and social justice work within each chapter, has thrived within BBYO, with groups choosing from a variety of causes to focus on. Max Byer, an active member of Lantos AZA #2539 said, “When it comes to community service, my BBYO chapter has put an emphasis on helping others in the community via our Stand Up! Causes. Whether it be by having a fundraiser, a restaurant night, or by actually going into the community, I’m proud that my Brother Alephs and I strive to make a difference… .” Lantos AZA #2539, a chapter created Camp & School Guide

BBYO instills Jewish values by impressing the importance of community service among the teenage members and by implanting ideas of philanthropy in the future leaders of the Jewish community. By inspiring teens to do community service at a relatively young age, the essence of Jewish tradition is being passed down, and teens are being provided with positive role models to embody the philanthropic beliefs of Judaism as adults. The future leaders of our community are being educated to care about those who are in need, and the Jewish community has a promising future because of BBYO’s positive influences on Jewish teens. Robert Ost, 16, is a junior at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School.

Camp&SchoolGuide SLEEPAWAY CAMPS CAMPS AIRY & LOUISE 5750 Park Heights Ave. Baltimore, MD 21215 410-466-9010 Fax: 410-466-0560 airlou@airylouise.org www.airylouise.org Summer Camp Addresses: Camp Louise (Girls only) 24959 Pen Mar Rd. Cascade, MD 21719 410-466-9010 Camp Airy (Boys only) 14938 Old Camp Airy Rd. Thurmont, MD 21788 410-466-9010 Jewish overnight camps (Camp Airy for boys & Camp Louise for girls) located in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains include sports, crafts, swimming, oudoor living, theater, etc. For campers entering grades 3rd–12th. Rookie camp for entering grades 2nd-3rd.

CAPITAL CAMPS Waynesboro, PA Winter Office: 11300 Rockville Pike Suite 407 Rockville, MD 20852 301-GOT-CAMP (301-468-2267) www.capitalcamps.org The official Jewish overnight camp of the Greater Washington DC community is just one hour from Rockville. The glatt kosher overnight camp is for children entering grades 3-10. Sessions of 2, 3 or 4 weeks are available! Gorgeous facility includes new cabins, arts & theater center, aquatics center, ropes & challenge course and climate controlled dining hall. Capital Camps is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, a member agency of the Jewish Community Centers Association (JCCA) and is American Camp Association (ACA) accredited. Financial aid is available.

HABONIM DROR CAMP MOSHAVA www.campmosh.org Tammy Schmidt 800-454-2205 tammy@campmosh. org Jewish celebration, social justice, love of Israel, leadership development, community service and lots of fun. Creative Shabbat observance, skits, singing, dancing, sports, swimming, low ropes challenge course, tubing, canoeing, crafts and more. Build lifelong friendships and strong Jewish identities. One-week introductory experience for rising 3rd graders, two-week options for rising 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, and four and eight weeks for all rising 4th – 10th graders. ACA accredited.

TIMBER RIDGE CAMP West Virgina trcamps@aol.com 800-258-2267 Located in the Shenandoah Mountains of West Virginia, Timber Ridge Camp is located just 90 miles west of Washington, DC. We offer 2,4,6 and 8 week sessions for boys and girls ages 616. With over 45 activities to choose from, our diverse, individual, free choice programming appeals to campers with every kind of interest. We take pride in the personal relationship we have with each and every camper and their

family. At Timber Ridge our Longest Tradition since 1955 is New Friendships.

TEEN TRAVEL PROGRAM USY SUMMER PROGRAMS 820 Second Ave., 10th Floor New York, NY, 10017 212-533-7800 ext. 1146 youth@uscj.org www.usy.org Whether touring across North America on a USY on Wheels trip or exploring Israel and/or parts of Europe on our various Israel Pilgrimage programs, USY has something for you!

LOCAL DAY CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAMS B’NAI TZEDEK’S CHAVERIM SUMMER PROGRAM 10621 South Glen Rd. Potomac, MD 20854 Nancy Kohl, Director 301-299-1149 nkohl@bnaitzedek.org www.bnaitzedek.org CHAVERIM SUMMER includes three different programs at B’nai Tzedek, from June 11 – August 1. The synagogue is located in a beautiful wooded setting, perfect for summertime fun! CHAVERIM DISCOVERY for incoming pre-k; nature & science exploration and related activities, nature hikes, water play. TOUR D’CHAVERIM for 2’s & 3’s, “Bike Thru Europe” – sample the best of each country, with special guests and entertainers. SUMMER PLAY & LEARN for toddlers up to 2 years old. Contact Nancy Kohl for summer schedule, registration and general information.

together to create a dynamic summer experience. Experienced early childhood professionals (from our preschool program) are teamed with carefully selected college and high school students. Specialists provide enriching activities each session. Special entertainment is also planned! Two-week sessions from June 25-August 17 CAMP K’TON TON 20 months (by 6/30/12)-23 months — 9am1pm only; 24 months (by 6/30/12)-35 months CAMP K’TONA 3 years old (by 9/30/12); 4 years old (by 9/30/12) CAMP K’TONA TOO (preschool) Alexandria JCCNV-Beth El Hebrew Congregation 3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304 20 months (as of 6/30/12) to 4 years (as of 9/30/12). 9am to 1pm, Before and After Camp Care available. Camp Options: Two year olds: 2-day (T/TH), 3-day (M/W/F) and 5-day options.Three year olds: 3-day (M/W/F) and 5day options. Four year olds: 5-days only.

Weekly Admissions Tours Every Tuesday at 9:30am

Your child is unique. There is no other child in the world like your child. Your child is uniquely designed and brilliant in his or her own special way. Shouldn’t your child’s education be unique?

CAMP JCC Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington 6125 Montrose Rd. Rockville, MD 20852 301-348-3883 campjcc@jccgw.org Camp JCC programs allow campers to develop skills, make lifelong friendships, enhance Jewish identity and create unforgettable memories in a nurturing and inclusive environment. General and specialty camp programs are available for children age 4 through entering 9th grade, and our CIT program for entering 10th

Call To Schedule A Visit

Friend us

301.365.1100 www.TheHarborSchool.org 7701 Bradley Blvd. • Bethesda, MD 20817

CAMP ACHVA AND KEF SPORTS CLINICS (SCHOOL-AGE) Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia 8900 Little River Turnpike Fairfax, VA 22031 703-323-0880 www.jccnv.org Rising Kindergarten through 10th grades Hours: 9am-4pm, Monday through Friday, Before and After Camp Care available Camp Achva offers an exciting day camp experience in a caring Jewish environment. Age appropriate camps include: general programming for kindergarteners through 4th grade, arts camps, special needs camp with inclusion programming, one-week specialty camps and counselor-in-training programs. Swim lessons, arts and crafts, sports, Israeli culture and dance, drama and music. One-and two-week sessions run from June 25–August 24. Highly qualified staff; Israeli shlichim; Shabbat programs; Before and After Camp childcare. Kef Sports Clinics are intensive studies that encourage focused students to pursue their goals through exploration, physicality and fun. Professionally trained staff, free time in indoor swimming pool. One-and two-week sessions.

CAMP AHAVA (PRESCHOOL) Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia 8900 Little River Turnpike Fairfax, VA 22031 703-323-0880 www.jccnv.org Uniquely designed as a hands-on developmental program combining learning and fun join Camp & School Guide

Washington Jewish Week • January 17, 2013

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Camp&SchoolGuide graders. Campers swim twice a day, enjoy theme days, field trips, special events and Kabbalat Shabbat celebration. NEW THIS SUMMER: Theater camp program for 2nd â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6th grade and Day travel camp program for 5th and 6th grade.

capon River and Lake, 70+ well-schooled horses, 3 barns, 6 riding rings and trails, 5 tennis courts and acres of sports fields, climbing walls and ropes course, covered basketball court, arts and crafts pavilion and pottery studio, amphitheater and dance pavilion, delicious home cooked meals.

CAMP OLYMPIA 5511 Muncaster Mill Rd. Rockville, MD 301-926-9281 www.camp-olympia.com Celebrating our 54th anniversary serving families in the Washington suburban area. We offer an instructional sports program for children 3 - 15. Our sports include: swimming, mountain biking, horseback riding, gymnastics, soccer, tennis, basketball, track and field, plus much more. All facilities are located at the Camp. Other programs offered include year round horseback riding for children and adults, plus year round private nursery school for children ages 2-5.

CAMP RIM ROCK 343 Camp Rim Rock Road Yellow Spring, WV 26865 304-856-2869 347-RIM-ROCK (347-746-7625) Fax: 888-256-6901 info@camprimrock.com Give your daughter an experience that will enrich her life with lasting friendships and memories. Operating for more over sixty years and regarded by campers and camp professionals as one of the finest camps for girls. Camper staff ratio of at least 3:1. Over 600 acres for hiking, riding, swimming, sports. Private 2 acre lake and beach, two heated pools with complete Red Cross swimming program, tubing on the Ca-

ESF SUMMER CAMPS 10900 Rockville Pike North Bethesda, MD 20852 301-493-2525 www.esfcamps.com email: info@esfcamps.com Exciting camps at Georgetown Prep: celebrating their 30th summer! ESF is an award winning, family-owned and operated camp that features over 60 activities, sports and exciting programs for boys and girls ages 4-15. 2-9 week options! Extended day available.

spected multi-disciplinary theatre arts organization for young people in the Mid-Atlantic region. We offer a year-round season of professional shows (adult actors performing for families and classes), after-school programs and summer camps for ages 1-18, and arts-integration professional development training for teachers, students, schools and families. All of our programs are informed by our core belief in making the arts inclusive and accessible to all children, regardless of their physical, cognitive or financial status.

JCCGW PRESCHOOL

Summer Camp: June 20-August 12, weekly Shelley Lowinger 301-365-1100 shelley_lowinger@theharborschool.org Summer rocks at The Harbor School! Join us for a spectacular array of fun summer camp opportunities for ages 2 -12, including: soccer camp with skilled players, performing arts, cooking, basketball camp, cheerleading & dance camp, science and more!

Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington 6125 Montrose Rd. Rockville, MD 20852 301-348-3839 preschool@jccgw.org Preschool, T/K and Kindergarten â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where children and families grow together. The Early Childhood Education program offers 10 & 12 month program options for children age 24 months-5 years; half- and full-day Preschool options and full-day Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten; early drop off at 7:30 a.m. and late pick-up at 6 p.m., a child-centered environment infused with Jewish values; HoliDaycare when school is closed, but the JCCGW is open; and a summer program with daily swim!

IMAGINATION STAGE

LANDON SCHOOL

4908 Auburn Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814 Info: 301-961-6060 Box Office: 301-280-1660 www.imaginationstage.org Imagination Stage is the largest and most re-

6101 Wilson Lane Bethesda, MD 20817 301-320-3200 www.landon.net Landon School is an independent, non-sectarian day school for boys in Grades 3-12, that prepares talented boys for productive lives as accomplished, responsible and caring men whose actions are guided by the principles of perseverance, teamwork, honor and fair play. Academics - Arts Day Camps: Enrichment, Music, Sports. Boys & Girls, ages 3 1/2 to 17. June through August.

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January 17, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ Washington Jewish Week

955 Sligo Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-495-6672 Fax: 301-495-7829 Director of Admissions: Marcia Miller marcia@nora-school.org www.nora-school.org Think differently. The Nora School, a small, college preparatory high school, works to bring out the best in high school students with diverse learning styles. Many students find their way to us because they became frustrated in large, impersonal institutions, while others are looking for a richer, more engaging education without the emphasis on testing. 1501 Seneca Rd. Darnestown, MD 301-948-0220 www.valleymill.com Valley Mill Summer Camp is like a going away camp at home. Valley Mill Camp has been serving families in the Washington area since 1956, combining closeness to home with the atmosphere of an away camp. Sixty acres of deep woods, surrounding a springfed lake, provide a delightfully cool headquarters for a vigorous camp program. Growth and development of character and personality, improvement of ath-

Camp & School Guide

letic skills, and a sense of group fun are our goals. Small camp groups, led by a large staff of qualified counselors, ensure that ever camper receives individual attention.

LOCAL JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS BETH SHOLOM EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER AND KINDERGARTEN Potomac, MD 301-279-7010 x214 Director: Sue Finger sfinger@bethsholom.org www.bethsholomecc.org 12 months through Kindergarten Nurturing teachers; full day options available; wide variety of Enrichment Programs; welcoming families from all Jewish backgrounds. Register today and receive up to $1,000 of ECC Thank You Coupons.

CHILDRENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEARNING CENTER 4511 Bestor Drive Rockville, MD 20852 301-871-6600 www.clcmd.org dottieclc@gmail.com Nursery school and elementary K-6 as well as Camp CLC, child-care on site 7am-6pm. Small classes, homework room, vegetarian lunch program, after school activities. Maryland State Dept. of Education approved and accredited.

GAN HAYELED AT ADAS ISRAEL 2850 Quebec Street, NW Washington, DC 20008 202-362-4491 www.adasisrael.org/gan Sheri.Brown@AdasIsrael.org Gan HaYeled (Garden of the Children), a nationally accredited preschool at Adas Israel, believes in a play-based developmental approach. At the Gan, children learn motor skills, socialemotional skills, science, technology, engineering, arts, math, language & literacy, and Judaics. The Gan children and parents are all part of a vibrant community within the school and at Adas Israel.

GESHER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL 4800 Mattie Moore Ct. Fairfax, VA 22030 703-978-9789 www.gesher-jds.org For three decades, Gesher JDS has been the center of learning for Jewish children of all the backgrounds throughout Northern Virginia. Our academic program weaves Judaics and Hebrew with a rigorous general studies curriculum, providing TWO educations in ONE for Kindergarten through Middle School. Transportation, after-before school care, financial assistance, and accreditation by the (VAIS) Virginia Association of Independent Schools.

HAR TZEON-AGUDATH ACHIM EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER 1910 University Blvd., West Silver Spring MD 20902 301-649-2348 www.htaa.org Dir.: Sharon Wolfson Offers a quality full day, yearround Jewish preschool for ages 2-5. We are unique. Truly homelike, our school is based in a cozy house with a beautiful tree-filled backyard. Much more than a playground, our lush, natural environment func-

Camp&SchoolGuide tions as an outdoor classroom. Our children discover how things grow, observe small animals in their natural habitat and experience the changes in nature as we go from season to season. The HTAA ECC is dedicated to exposing our children to the richness of Jewish values and traditions, while respecting the diversity of our families.

skills. Focus on relevance of Judaism to our lives and love for Torah study and on performance of Mitzvos. Derech Eretz stressed in all facets of school life. Commitment to individualization. Strong school and home partnership. Approved by Maryland State Department of Education.

JEWISH PRIMARY DAY SCHOOL OF THE NATION'S CAPITAL

WASHINGTON HEBREW EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

6405 16th St., NW Washington, DC 20001 202-291-JPDS (5737) www.jpds.org sindy.udell@jpds.org The Jewish Primary Day School of the Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Capital (JPDS-NC) is a community day school that provides a challenging and creative dual curriculum in general and Judaic studies in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in classroom settings with low student/teacher ratios. We foster a lifelong love of learning, a sense of community and a solid moral foundation. JPDS-NC offers DC and Montgomery County busses and extended day programs.

Rabbi Joseph Weinberg Early Childhood Center Toddlers thru Kindergarten 301-279-7505 blangel@whctemple.org whctemple.org Fostering childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jewish identity in a warm, positive, creative and challenging environment. Enrichment, lunch, after-school programming, summer camp. Small student/teacher ratio. Full time registered nurse. Washington Hebrew Congregation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Edlavitch Tyser Early Childhood Center Toddlers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pre K whctemple.org (ncook@whctemple.org) 202-895-6334 Fostering childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jewish identity in a warm, positive, creative and challenging environment. Enrichment, lunch, after-school programming, summer camp. Small student/teacher ratio.

TORAH SCHOOL OF GREATER WASHINGTON 2010 Linden Lane Silver Spring, MD 20901 301-962-8003 Headmaster: Rabbi Yitzchak Charner Secular Studies Principal: Mrs. Julie Malka Outstanding, motivating, and challenging Judaic and secular studies programs for kindergarten â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 6th grade. Dedicated, enthusiastic, caring staff makes learning fun and exciting. Emphasis on basic skills, student involvement, and on developing higher thinking, analytical

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Camp & School Guide

Washington Jewish Week â&#x20AC;˘ January 17, 2013

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January 17, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ Washington Jewish Week

Camp & School Guide