Spotlight on Atzmayim

The Atzmayim program started in 2004 as an extension of the Tikvah program.  Parents of Tikvah campers wondered what their children would do after they graduated high school and no longer had others planning activities for them.  Ramah, with the help of Dr. Margaret Silberman and Rose Sharon, decided to help the Tikvah campers make that leap, and Atzmayim was born.  As part of the Atzmayim program, the participants work at a job site in Eagle River five mornings a week.  In 2004, Atzmayim had four participants at one job site, and this year there are nine participants at eight job sites-the Best Western, the library, Trig's (a grocery store), Glik's (a department store), Wee Care Early Childhood Center, Sullivan's Flowerland, Jabberwocky (a book store/coffeshop), and Eagle River Roasters (a coffeeshop).  In the afternoons, the Atzmayim have various Judaic and independent living skills classes.

Iris (Rosh Atzmayim):  This is my fourth summer on staff.  My first summer I was on waterfront staff and taught Tikvah, which is how I got involved in the Tikvah program.  Then I was a Tikvah counselor for two summers and this summer I am Rosh Atzmayim.  Because I had worked with Tikvah for two summers, I decided I was ready for a change and I wanted to see how the Atzmayim program worked and work with older people.

Atzmayim means "independence," so the goal of our program is to teach them how to live independently so that when they go home they can live on their own-which means, go to work, wake up on their own, do their own laundry, cook, and other things like that.  We want to help them learn the skills to do all those things successfully.

On a typical Atzmayim day, we have our own t'fillot each morning, which the Atzmayim lead, and then eat breakfast on our own.  After that we go to Eagle River, where there are eight different locations at which the Atzmayim work.  At each of those work places, they learn skills which they can use at many different work places.  For example, at the clothing store, they fold the clothing and organize it by size, at the coffee shop they make drinks, at the Best Western they strip beds, and there are many other skills as well.

In the afternoons, the Atzmayim have a Judaic skills class where they are learning about life cycle events.  Then they have a social skills class, where they learn various skills that will help them succeed in everyday settings.  In the evenings, they have their own programs, which they plan on their own.

I've worked with all of the Atzmayim when they were campers and it's great to see how they've grown over the years.  It's also fun to see them learn new skills, either at work or when they plan a program that works really well.  It's really nice to see them succeed.

Josh R. (Atzmayim):  I work at Trigs this summer.  Sometimes I do bagging, and sometimes I do maintenance stuff.  At camp, I get to help organize activities.  I also get to help plan Shabbat.  My favorite thing about being in Atzmayim is getting to help plan the activities like the Tisch on Shabbat.


Jennifer B. (Atzmayim):  In Atzmayim we learn how to plan activities on our own and we learn how to do cooking on our own.  We also go to town and work.  I work at Sullivan's Flowerland and I am responsible for making sure that the plants are watered.  I also put pots away in the greenhouses and I do various other garden work.  I really like being able to plan things for myself.  I got to help plan a peulat erev, which was "Schlep" with the Mishlachat and I planned a Shabbat program.  I planned a Tisch for Shabbat peulat erev and we invited people to it.

Gily S. (Atzmayim):  This is my first time in Atzmayim.  My favorite part is that we get Kopin time from 9:30 to 10:15 at night.  I also like to walk around the Garbage Trail.  I work at Wee Care Learning Center in Eagle River.  I make sure the kids are behaving and I help set up the beds for nap and I help set up the tables for their lunch.  I helped plan some peulot erev like "Make Each Other Laugh" and "Schlep."  I also helped plan our "Hollywood Squares" night.

Rebecca F. (Atzmayim):  I like being in Atzmayim because I get to plan peulot erev.  We've planned a lot of games.  In my job I work at the Best Western.  I strip beds, I dust, I vacuum, and I throw laundry down the chute.  I like throwing laundry down the chute.

Josh K. (Atzmayim): In Atzmayim, every day but Wednesday and Saturday, we all go into town and work at a local business in Eagle River. I work at Trigs, which is a grocery store. I bag groceries and sometimes put things in stock. Back at camp we plan our own activities, instead of staff planning it for us. We get some staff privilege, like being able to go to Kopin for a limited amount of time. We also get days off and internet privileges. I planned the second Shabbat for us. We had our own service, which we don't normally do-we normally pray with Nivo. I also helped plan the Atzmayim vs. Mishlachat Olympics, which consisted of five events. It was fun. I really like being able to plan our own activities.