The Tavor Times
January 2021
Message from Amit
Rosh Report: Introducing Mazkirut 2021
Cooking with Tavor
Bonimot Tzedek Happenings
Blog All About It
Ensure Camp Tavor's Future
Thank you Donors
Shabbat Shalom Message from Amit
Shabbat Shalom Tavor Community!

As the undemocratic, enraging and saddening events of the week continue to sit heavily on our hearts and minds, I’m feeling so very grateful to be a part of the Camp Tavor community - a community dedicated to building a more just world together. 

As we sit with our rage and heartbreak over this most recent display of white supremacy and racism, I’m grateful we have a camp community committed to racial justice and a long history of centering learning about justice and social movements as a part of our programs and culture. I’m additionally grateful that our Tzedek program builds off our summer work by providing opportunities for young people to learn about and contribute to social justice movements in our home communities. 

After nearly one full year of this pandemic, we know that young people need camp more than ever and we are committed to doing everything in our power to bring people together at Camp Tavor this summer to enjoy a sanctuary of exploration, joy, and friendship. In light of this week’s events, it is additionally critical that we gather together this summer, and provide a nourishing place for young people to grow and learn about social movements, organizing, and to dream of and build a more just and peaceful world.  

I’m wishing everyone health, peace, and connection in this new year, and look forward to working together as we continue our work to build a just world.

Below, we’re sharing a couple of resources that may be supportive in your efforts to reflect on the events of the week with family and friends. 

Shabbat Shalom, 
Amit 

Rosh Report
Introducing Maz 2021
Hello Tavor Community!

Happy New Year to all. I am so happy to introduce this summer's mazkirut. Hannah, Jane, Noam, and I are having so much fun dreaming up the summer ahead of us, where we will finally reunite!

We are already thinking about how to make this a summer that supports our emotional and physical wellbeing, a place for us to ask the questions and discuss our lives together, and be in community with our dear friends and madrichimot.

We have all grown up at camp and are excited to continue on the powerful and inspiring community we have felt during our time at Tavor!

Ariel
Rosh Tavor 2021
Meet Mazkirut
Hannah Chonkan-Urow
Rakezet Chinuch (Programming Coordinator)
Hi there! My name is Hannah Chonkan-Urow (she/her) and I will be Rakezet Chinuch (Programming Coordinator) this summer!

I was part of Workshop 66, Madatz 15, and Anaf Gan 2008.
I graduated from Macalester College in December 2020 where I graduated with a BA in Mathematics and a minor in Education Studies.

Tavor is the most important community in the world to me. I learned how to criticize capitalism, scrub toilets, and facilitate icebreakers right here on the patchy grass of the kikar. I owe so much of who I am to Tavor. I look forward to returning to an amazing summer of camp magic, whiteboards, and youth empowerment! 
Noam Jacobs
Team Techni (Technical Operations)
My name is Noam, I use he/him pronouns, and I am half of Team Techni 2021. I grew up in Evanston, IL, and currently live in Portland, OR where I study music at Lewis & Clark College.
This summer will be my 10th year at Tavor and my 4th year on Tzevet, and I am so excited to be back at camp! Last year I was a madrich for the Madatz, along with Ariel, and the years before that I was madrich and Muzika Specialist.

Tavor is so special to me and has played an enormous role in forming my identity, strengthening my Jewish spirituality, empowering myself and my peers, and fighting for a just world. I really look forward to bringing all this positivity back to camp for another summer and am excited to build this summer with the rest of Mazkirut and Tzevet!
Jane Mintz
Team Techni (Technical Operations)
Hi, I'm Jane and I will be part of Team Techni this year!! 
I am from Ann Arbor, Michigan and have spent my last four years at the University of Michigan where I will be graduating in May with a degree in Information Analysis!
This coming fall I will start working full-time at Qualtrics in the Salt Lake City area of Utah! 

This will be my 9th summer at camp and my 4th summer on tzevet!

I have loved every summer I have spent at Tavor and cannot wait to make Summer 2021 amazing! Tavor has been so influential in my life and I am so excited to be back with everyone doing rikkud, playing sports, and participating in all the traditions that make camp so special! 
Cooking with Tavor
A hearty congratulations also to Camp Tavor's own Sam Siegel and Shani Samuels who have been hired as co-Rosh Mitbach!

Looking forward to seeing what they will "Cook" up in the Tavor kitchen!

Some of you may remember Shani taking us back to camp in the early days of quarantine... showing us how to make Sunbutter and Jelly sandwiches for the very first Zman Zoom: Cooking with Tavor. Here's an encore!
Ready to register after that taste of Tavor?
Registration is Now Open
We know kids need to unplug from the computer and reconnect with nature and each other now more than ever!

Camp Tavor is ready to be that bridge to better days through community, learning, and laughing!

Register before January 31st for the
Camp Tavor Blanket
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Register before January 31st and you will receive this 50x60 sweatshirt blanket!

Perfect to wrap yourself up in thoughts of camp!

The Camp Tavor Scholarship Fund is also accepting applications now through February 15th for returning campers.

You must be registered with deposits down for the scholarship application to appear in forms in CampInTouch and to receive our early bird gift.
SAVE $180
Camp is always better with friends!
Refer-A-Friend and you both could save $180 on your tuition
Help spread the word about Camp Tavor and invite friends and family to learn more about us at our Virtual Open House in January. You can click the photo below to register.
Bonimot Tzedek Happenings
by Shosh Grode
We have had an exciting and invigorating past semester with tzedek!!!

  • We had monthly peulot such as housing justice in Detroit and processing the November election.
  • We welcomed guest speakers from Breaking the Silence and the Chicago Teachers Union.
  • We learned about Israel/Palestine, the history of Jewish labor organizing, and got to meet some awesome people doing important work in their communities.
  • We phone banked every week ramping up to the election and took on various roles to defend democracy in our communities.
  • We started a weekly cohort, learning organizing skills.
  • We wrote op-eds and even got some published! (Click here to read oped by Georgia Fried published December 11, 2020 from the December Tavor Times)

We are so looking forward to another great semester of tzedek learning, new organizing, and leadership skills!

Here are some Tzedek dates to add to your calendar in the next few weeks and check your emails for more information! 
Upcoming Tzedek Event
  • January 12th, 2021: Tzedek Cohort- Q & A about Camp this summer/Grassroots Fundraising 

  • January 19th, 2021: Meeting with Detroit Jews for Justice (DJJ): Importance of working in Coalition 

  • Reminder our tzedek cohort will continue to meet every Tuesday at 5 pm est/4 pm cst
Check emails for upcoming times and ZOOM information or check the CampTavor.org Calendar anytime.
Please share your stories with the Camp Tavor community through “blog all about it!”

If you have a story about your time at Tavor or what camp has meant to you and you would like to share with the community please email it to randy@camptavor.org.
Ensuring Tavor's Future
Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for the outpouring of support from our community.

Together, we will weather this crisis and ensure a strong future for Tavor. 
 
Please consider joining your kvutzah-mates, friends, and loved ones and making a donation to Ensure Tavor's Future.
Lior Appel-Kraut
Sara London
Maya Lamm
Ziv Weizman & Danielle Weizman
Aviva Phillips and Mark Phillips
Hannah Roucher
Naomi Jatovsky and Trudi White
Rena Schuman-Stoler and Noah Finkelstein
Jacob Miller
Alix Gould-Werth
Becca Kahn Bloch and Jordana Starkman
Talia Spear
Nesher Asner and Carrie Sharkey Asner
Paul Gross and Susannah Lee
Abraham Chiswick
Adam & Sandy Solove
Aleeza Strubel & Yaron Iram
Alisa Katzen & Gary Ramsay
Aliza Kaliski & Geoffrey Wool
Amy Rothberger
Amy Schuman & Larry Stoler
Arlene Klonoff
Avital Rachmilevitch
Betty & Joseph Hollander
Dale Strauss & Debby Strauss
Danny Kanter
Dinie & Sam Wengroff
Donna Malamud & Tom Laichas
Harlene & Henry Appelman
Jerry Katman
Joanna & Eitan Sussman
Joe Greenberg & Mary Bowler
Joshua Goldman
Judy Hante & Steve Fornay
Kelly & Adam Oxer
Ken Clubok
Kevin Casey & Paula Anne Newman-Casey
Lois Frankel
Mark & Babette Daskin
Michael & Lainie Minkoff
Michael & Robin Cember
Michael Reifler
Miriam Derman
Mollie Bass & Ben Swartzendruber
Nina Pressman & Ben Siebert
Rachel Derman
Rachel Stern
Ravit & Joe Avni-Singer
Raya Samet
Reba London & Mark Nightengale
Rick Mintz
Rivka, Yoni, & Jordan Siden
Sara Miller
Sarah Schwartz
Steve & Judy Saltzman
Steven & Andy Schiff
Steven Gorosh
Tali Ness-Cohn
Tammy & Steven Hurvitz
Avi Fenster
Robert Frey
Steve & Anne Hobbs
David & Naomi Ledersnaider
Daniel & Barbara Melber
Avital Peres
Frances & Murray Peshkin
David & Abbe Sherbin
Suzanne & Earl Strassberger
Joseph & Dahlia Tesher
Jonathan Berman & Evangeline Su
Danya Shapiro & Matt Becker
Eileen Stein in memory of Leslie Stein-Robison
Josh Orenstein in memory of Lazy & Red Orenstein
Jessi Allender in memory of Max Isaac Allender
Richard & Cindy Frey in memory of Yossi Schiff
Lauren Brownstone & Chris Dewey in memory of David Steiner
Rhonda Malina & Norman Fox in memory of Miriam Hasson
Dr. Miriam Weil & David Weil in memory of Howard Warso
Steve & Anne Hobbs in honor of Dena Hobbs
Miri Rabinowitz in honor of Mary Beth Rosen Lindsay
Joyce Eisenstein in honor of Naomi Goldman-Nagel
Charles Gelfond in honor of Rachel and Dave Jensen
Ava & Dan Newbart in honor of Ronna & David Ness-Cohn
Barry & Gayle Shapiro in honor of Danya Shapiro
Rachel Subrin Jensen & David Jensen in honor of Malka Subrin
Elena Garfield & Modesto Garfield in honor of Garfield & Duarte Crew
Zel Cutler in honor of Danny Ginsberg, Simi Cutler, and Sam and Ida Cutler and Basha Cutler
Camp Celebrations
Randy's Reminders
Connect with Tavor Tzevet one on one!
If you're looking for a little homework help... Tavor Tzevet are here for you! Check out our Homework Buddies program! Our Tzevet are here to help our campers or anyone who needs a little extra help!

We know how COVID has changed some education needs at home and Tavor Tzevet are eager to help!

Built through classic Habo collaboration (idea credits: Machaneh Gilboa) and equally classic Habo zoom prowess! We have gathered helpers experienced with English, Math, Hebrew, Bar Mitzvah prep, Composting! You need it, we probably have it!
TEE-rific News!
Don't forget to check out RETRO CAMP TEES!

Have a favorite Tavor Tee that's faded away?
Check out RETRO CAMP TEES!

If you have designs you want re-created, or know of a design that is not available please visit their CONTACT US page.  
RCT works with camps to re-create their old camp shirts so alumni and even current campers can enjoy the cool designs of old while continuing the traditions of their amazing camp experiences. 

And a percentage of all proceeds will be donated to Camp Tavor!
Why? Because they want Tavor and all summer camps to live on for generations to come.
Camp Tavor Reunion
Please note that, due to the continued uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, we've decided to postpone the upcoming reunion from June 2021 to June 2022, exact dates TBD.

We'll keep you posted and please let us know if you'd like to be involved as a "Kvutzah Captain" and help to connect with your kvutzah-mates ahead of the 2022 reunion.

Let us know at info@camptavor.org and we'll connect you with the planning committee.