Community:
What makes Camp Shomria so unique is the strong sense of community that exists between everyone. Because Camp Shomria averages only 120 campers, it allows everyone, from the youngest (8) to the oldest(16) campers a chance to get to know and become friends with one another. We emphasize the importance of appreciating and respecting every member our Moshava (camp). Every Saturday night we close out the week with Havdallah, an event where everyone gets an opportunity to perform music, show talents, and tell stories around a beautiful bonfire.
What makes Camp Shomria so unique is the strong sense of community that exists between everyone. Because Camp Shomria averages only 120 campers, it allows everyone, from the youngest (8) to the oldest(16) campers a chance to get to know and become friends with one another. We emphasize the importance of appreciating and respecting every member our Moshava (camp). Every Saturday night we close out the week with Havdallah, an event where everyone gets an opportunity to perform music, show talents, and tell stories around a beautiful bonfire.
Participatory Democracy:
Both chanichim (campers) and madrichim (counselors) have an astounding amount of ownership over the year-round activities and the summer camp. We give youth responsibility and trust them with decision-making, allowing them to form a deep sense of care for themselves and their community. Hashomer Hatzair views democracy as not only a political means, but as a way of life. Democracy is interwoven into all of our structures. Not only is there a respect between older and younger people, the youth at Camp Shomria have say over the activities they participate in. Every summer we hold a Plenum (congress) where campers formulate proposals and suggestions with the goal of improving camp.
Both chanichim (campers) and madrichim (counselors) have an astounding amount of ownership over the year-round activities and the summer camp. We give youth responsibility and trust them with decision-making, allowing them to form a deep sense of care for themselves and their community. Hashomer Hatzair views democracy as not only a political means, but as a way of life. Democracy is interwoven into all of our structures. Not only is there a respect between older and younger people, the youth at Camp Shomria have say over the activities they participate in. Every summer we hold a Plenum (congress) where campers formulate proposals and suggestions with the goal of improving camp.
Israel Connection:
As American Jews who are part of the worldwide youth movement, Hashomer Hatzair, we are connected to Israel in a variety of ways including through our families, friends and movement partners there, the programs we run on the ground in Israel, as well as our collective history and our shared culture. We have always taken care to focus our education on Israel through a nuanced, honest, experiential and humanistic lens. We also build a strong cultural connection to Israeli society and Kibbutz values through our in-depth experiential education, activities like Rikkudei Am (traditional folk dance) and Shira (singing), and by incorporating Hebrew into the everyday life of our activities. The values of Achvat Amim (Solidarity of Nations) and social justice are at the heart of Hashomer Hatzair and we work towards seeing those values reflected in our society, in the United States and in Israel.
As American Jews who are part of the worldwide youth movement, Hashomer Hatzair, we are connected to Israel in a variety of ways including through our families, friends and movement partners there, the programs we run on the ground in Israel, as well as our collective history and our shared culture. We have always taken care to focus our education on Israel through a nuanced, honest, experiential and humanistic lens. We also build a strong cultural connection to Israeli society and Kibbutz values through our in-depth experiential education, activities like Rikkudei Am (traditional folk dance) and Shira (singing), and by incorporating Hebrew into the everyday life of our activities. The values of Achvat Amim (Solidarity of Nations) and social justice are at the heart of Hashomer Hatzair and we work towards seeing those values reflected in our society, in the United States and in Israel.
Judaism in a Progressive Light:
For many of our campers, Hashomer Hatzair is the main expression of their Jewish identity; and because of this we aim to provide an open and accessible environment for alternative interpretations of Judaism. Hashomer Hatzair works to be involved in, and respectful of, other Jewish and non-Jewish communities. We try to develop a foundation of secular humanistic Judaism as well as an educational groundwork for Tikkun Adam, Tikkun Olam (“Repair thyself, Repair the world”). While we are grounded in secular Judaism, we believe that every individual should be provided with a pluralistic space to interpret Judaism in his or her own way. Our goal is to balance inclusivity while maintaining our Jewish heritage.
For many of our campers, Hashomer Hatzair is the main expression of their Jewish identity; and because of this we aim to provide an open and accessible environment for alternative interpretations of Judaism. Hashomer Hatzair works to be involved in, and respectful of, other Jewish and non-Jewish communities. We try to develop a foundation of secular humanistic Judaism as well as an educational groundwork for Tikkun Adam, Tikkun Olam (“Repair thyself, Repair the world”). While we are grounded in secular Judaism, we believe that every individual should be provided with a pluralistic space to interpret Judaism in his or her own way. Our goal is to balance inclusivity while maintaining our Jewish heritage.
Education:
The education that takes place at Camp Shomria exists in many different forms. We believe that there is something to be learned all the time, and we are conscientious of how we run all of our activties--from sports in which all are encouraged to play, regardless of ability or skill, to discussions where a fundamental rule is to respect all points of view. To complement the healthy and active life we live at camp, we make sure to that intellectual development is taking place as well. Our chanichim (campers) tackle challenging issues and texts from an early age and become sophisticated thinkers over time--capable of independetely planning activities as they grow older.
The education that takes place at Camp Shomria exists in many different forms. We believe that there is something to be learned all the time, and we are conscientious of how we run all of our activties--from sports in which all are encouraged to play, regardless of ability or skill, to discussions where a fundamental rule is to respect all points of view. To complement the healthy and active life we live at camp, we make sure to that intellectual development is taking place as well. Our chanichim (campers) tackle challenging issues and texts from an early age and become sophisticated thinkers over time--capable of independetely planning activities as they grow older.
Environmentalism:
We strive to create an ecologically conscious and ethical culture through a curriculum that emphasizes sustainability, experiential learning, and an exploration of the environmental issues affecting the region surrounding the camp. We spend lots of time learning and practicing tzofiut (scouting) with the goal of instilling resourcefullness and a love of nature in our chanichim. We have also built a functional farm that grows a plentiful amount of produce while hosting animals including chickens, goats, and sheep. Through daily engagement with the farm and the surrounding area, the youth learn how to grow food, how to survive in nature, and how we can work together to heal the Earth.
We strive to create an ecologically conscious and ethical culture through a curriculum that emphasizes sustainability, experiential learning, and an exploration of the environmental issues affecting the region surrounding the camp. We spend lots of time learning and practicing tzofiut (scouting) with the goal of instilling resourcefullness and a love of nature in our chanichim. We have also built a functional farm that grows a plentiful amount of produce while hosting animals including chickens, goats, and sheep. Through daily engagement with the farm and the surrounding area, the youth learn how to grow food, how to survive in nature, and how we can work together to heal the Earth.