Spotlight on Shoafim

Shoafim, for campers entering eighth grade, is a year of giving back, of learning what it means to be in a community and what it means to be a responsible Jewish adult.  Many of the campers are just coming out of their bar/bat mitzvah year and their summer in Shoafim is about becoming comfortable with their new responsibilities.  It's also a summer, like every other summer, about having a lot of fun.  Wednesday afternoon, Shoafim campers went around camp in groups on a photo scavenger hunt.  The clues were quotes that the campers had to interpret creatively and then take a picture based on the clue.  You can see some of their work in the photos that were uploaded this afternoon.

Adam Broms (Rosh Shoafim):  I started as a camper in Shoafim 1999 and went through Nivonim.  I went on Ramah Seminar in Israel in 2003 and then returned to camp on staff.  In 2004 I was a Machon counselor and then spent the next three years in Tikvah, two years as a counselor and the third year as a resource person.  This is my fifth year on staff and my first summer as a Rosh Eidah.

I have spent a lot of time in many different departments in camp and I decided that one of the things I liked most is that campers have the opportunity to do a lot of different things.  But those things don't just happen by themselves; they have to be coordinated by someone.  I wanted the opportunity to work with staff and help them develop their skills as counselors, as well as provide the campers with ways to get involved with a variety of things around camp. I thought that being a Rosh Eidah would not only be a good way to achieve these things, but also to provide a place for other people to succeed.

Shoafim is a very interesting, intriguing and exciting age.  It's a huge year of transition-the campers have either just had their bar or bat mitzvah or they are preparing for it.  It's a time when the campers start to think about what it means to be a Jewish adult, what it means to be part of a larger community.  The curriculum in Shoafim, both in the formal education and the informal education, is all around that.  We are focusing this summer on what it means to be part of a community.  Our first Yom Meyuchad [Special Day/Wednesday] of the summer was all about building a community-we started the day as individuals, did a cabin activity, then separate activities as boys and girls, and then a whole eidah activity in the evening.  We talked with the campers what it means to build from one person to a whole community.

We also have our tzedakah project, which is a huge component of the summer.  The campers learn what it means to give tzedakah, both monetarily and in terms of action, and why that's important to the community.  It really fits nicely with the theme of community in terms of the things that we do.  The biggest thing that we do with the tzedakah project is Shabbat-o-grams.  Each Friday the campers sell Shabbat-o-grams to people around camp and use that as a way to raise money.  At the end of the summer, the campers will choose where all that money will be donated.  They'll learn about the allocation process and be able to allocate those funds to organizations that they feel are important.

One of the other things we're going to be doing with the tzedakah project is looking around camp to see where we can help out.  It may be in the form of cleaning the camp, it may be pairing up with another eidah to assist them with something-anything where we can help.  This year we wanted to focus on tzedakah as action, as opposed to just raising money.  We want the campers to think about what they can do to be socially active.

I think one of my favorite parts of the summer has been seeing the campers grow.  It's a tremendous time of growth and transition.  To see the campers, whether they've been here before or are here for their first time, get into the flow of camp and take advantage of all the opportunities we have to offer, is something really special.  It's also special to see the relationships develop.  The campers are starting to learn how to be friends with different groups of people, how to manage their relationships together.  For me, it's been about getting to know each camper and staff member individually and helping them be together in a fun way.  There are many aspects of camp that are very communal, but at the same time, it's important to recognize those individual strengths.

Being the oldest of the younger eidot, the campers have definitely been taking a leadership role in the chadar ochel (dining hall) and helping out the younger campers.  The campers really feel like they're starting to grow up, and as the summer goes on they are earning more privileges and taking on some of the responsibilities of the older eidot.  They help with Friday night davening and get to stay up a little bit later.  It's a combination of responsibility and opportunity for the campers.

Jack F. (Shoafim):  My favorite thing about Shoafim is having more freedom and having my best friend here.  My favorite activities have been the sports like basketball and softball

Jacob B. (Shoafim):  My favorite thing about Shoafim is that we're the oldest eidah of the youngest, so we're role models and it's fun.  I also really like playing sports.

Ari V. (Shoafim):  My favorite thing about being in Shoafim is that we get to do a lot more things since we're older, like being in charge of the tzedakah program.  My favorite activities have been Yom Sport and the talent show.

Ruth F. (Shoafim):  The best thing about being in Shoafim is that we had a great play.

Sophia T. (Shoafim):  My favorite thing about being in Shoafim this summer is hanging out with all the great people.  My favorite activity was our play.

Rachel B. (Shoafim):  My favorite activity this whole summer was the play and our peulot erev [evening activities].  I like being in Shoafim because I get to hang out with all my friends.