The Tavor Times
March 2021
Rosh Report
Camp Theme: Spark!
Meet our new Camper Care Coordinator
Small Camper Incentive Program / Refer-A-Friend
Tzedek Happenings
Upcoming Webinars
Thank you Donors
Virtual Study Tour of Israel-Palestine
Happy Birthday!
Randy Reminders
Rosh Report
Hi Camp Tavor!

As we get closer to the summer I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you what we have been up to! 

  • Our mazkirut (camp leadership) is working with our freshly hired tzevet (staff) to build a safe and exciting summer for us all! 
  • We are working with the tzevet to build tzevet katans (“small staff” for each age group). 
  • Coming up with creative projects to showcase in our speciality areas: Beit O (Art), Chava (farm), and Chemu (music)! 
  • Mazkirut is thinking about how we can make tiyul (camping trips) and tikkum olam (service learning/working to repair the world) adaptable to our summer. 
  • We are planning work weekends to start beautifying our camp site, excited to start planting some veggies in our chava! 

We as a tzevet are grounding ourselves in the joy and thankfulness we have to be able to reunite together at Tavor’s beautiful space! We know that we will have new hurdles to overcome but that it will feel amazing to be able to socialize and swim together for the first time in 2 years! 

We are looking forward to sharing that feeling with all our campers!
Summer theme: Spark!
I am so excited to announce the theme of Summer 2021:

SPARK! 

The seeds for this theme were planted in my head my first year on tzevet (staff) in 2016.

It was inter-session. Dusk. All of tzevet was in a large circle in the mitriyah (back when the mitriyah was new). I was tired and dirty and generally overwhelmed by just finishing up my first session as a madricha (counselor). I had just enough mosquito bites to be slightly distracted and I was dreaming of returning to my non-bunked bed later that night.

Anya, the chinuch (program coordinator), explained how we were going to do an activity that demonstrated the infinite power we have to spread joy and inspiration at camp. I watched as the mazkirut (leadership) passed small tea candles out to each tzevet member and then returned to their spots in the circle. Anya lit her candle with a match, and then lit the tzevet member to her left’s candle with her candle. That tzevet member lit their neighbor’s candle, and so on. Slowly the flames grew around the entire circle of tzevet members.

She quoted Ghandi: “A thousand candles can be lighted from the flame of one candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness can be spread without diminishing that of yourself.”

It was cheesy, it was beautiful and it was just inspirational enough to energize me for another hectic, amazing and radical session at Tavor. 

I felt the ruach (spirit) in that circle that hot summer night. The crickets were loud and the mosquitos were biting but I couldn't help but feel like we were the center of the world at that moment. One tzevet working towards educating and building a generation of Jewish activists and change makers and organizers. Our small flames each flickered in the evening breeze. If one went out, our neighbor would help us relight our candle. 

This summer we will ignite each other's flames. We will spark joy and wonder and curiosity and community. The smallest flame will spark a fire. We will have to embrace adaptability and grace and safety and we will do so with fiery passion. 
  • What values are you excited to spark, ignite, or fan the flames of at Tavor this summer? Why?
  • What values or themes may have been smoldered or put out from this hard year and would you like to reignite them at camp?
  • What fuels your fire?

I can’t wait to return to Tavor and explore these questions and answers with you!
Meet our new
Camper Care Coordinator
My name is Shana Olson and I am so excited to return to Tavor in a new role this summer.

I am a 3rd generation Habonim alum, following in the footsteps of my father and grandfather. I spent summers at Tavor as a chanichol (camper), madrichol (counselor), Merakezet Chinuch (Education Director), and I was an MBI madrichol (Israel program counselor) in 2001.

My years at Tavor instilled in me a passion for social justice, compassion for children, and skills in leadership and team management that lead me to pursue an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. Since obtaining my LMSW, my focus has been on improving the mental and behavioral health of children and adolescents. I have held leadership positions in a variety of
programs in juvenile justice, schools, and a psychiatric hospital program.

I currently work with adolescents, adults, and families struggling with feelings of depression, anxiety, behavioral issues, conflictual relationships, and coping with transitions in my own
private practice. I look forward to bringing my expertise to help make this summer a happy and healthy one for the entire Tavor community.

I am excited to share this summer at Tavor with my husband, Kevin, and 4 children. Nina (12) will be in Bonimot, Eli (10) will be in Amelimot, Lilah(7) and Ezra (4) will be hanging out in the
Bayit (big ol' house in the middle of Tavor) and Kikar (central gathering area next to the lake).
Big Savings for New Campers
We're so thrilled to share our Small Communities Incentive program with the Tavor community.

Eligible new campers entering 4th grade through 10th grade in Fall 2021 and registering for a summer session that is 3-weeks or longer at Camp Tavor will receive $1500 toward tuition this year and are guaranteed another $1500 for next summer.

Registering for camp now ensures you receive
the grant for the next two years.

Eligible communities are described as communities with 10,000 Jewish households or less and include but are not limited to:

  • Ann Arbor
  • Ypsilanti
  • Madison
  • Champaign-Urbana
  • Springfield
  • Kalamazoo / Grand Rapids / Battle Creek

If you're not eligible but know someone who is... you can refer them to Camp Tavor and if they register you both could save another $180 through our Refer-A-Friend program.

Click HERE to read more about the initiative and to see more of the eligible communities. If you don’t see your area listed in the FAQs, please email Randy@camptavor.org and we will research your eligibility.
Be a Camp Ambassador
Help us spread the word about Camp Tavor!

Are you willing to post some flyers on your social media?
Contact Randy@camptavor.org and we will provide the materials and a small gift to you as a
token of our appreciation.
Bonimot Tzedek Happenings
by Shosh Grode
We’re making tzedek even easier to attend by adding another day for us to get together.

We are now meeting both Tuesday and Wednesday at 4pm CST/ 5pm EST. We will be doing the same activity so, come to the day that works best for your availability! 

On Wednesday April 21st at 4:30 cst/ 5:30 est we will be having our next Tzedek peula! This will be a panel of Tavor Alumni talking to us about their careers and how their experiences at Tavor have shaped their decisions when it comes to college, careers, and their future. Our panelists include: Ali Boreiko, Lior Appel-Kraut, Jonah Isenstein, Hannah Boroff, and Yael Riechler!!

Don’t miss out on hearing from these wonderful people. Check your email for the zoom link and more information. 
Have something you want to share with the
Tavor community? Write a blog!
Send your entries to Randy@camptavor.org.
The Tavor Ken is in Full Swing!
This year we are having a fully virtual Tavor ken, so anyone and everyone and anyone is welcome to join us!
We hope you all had a wonderful Passover!

Our next Ken event will be this Sunday, April 11th at
2 pm CST/ 3 pm EST

We will be playing Among Us together! 

Check email for all ZOOM information or email Ken@camptavor.org
Upcoming Webinars
The health and well-being of our camp community (campers, staff, and families) is our highest priority and the Camp Tavor Health Team, staff and mazkirut have been working with our partners in the health and camping fields to develop our Covid-19 Health and Safety Plan for Summer 2021.

We hope you will join us for our Return to Camp Town Hall
 April 27th at 5pmCST/6pmEST
We will have the current information about our Covid-19 related plans and other Summer 2021 updates. Please click the link above to register for the Town Hall. You must register to receive the ZOOM link information.
Registered 10th and 11th graders --
Join us for our joint Bogrimot & MBT Tiyul Webinar:
Tuesday, May 4th at 5pm cst/ 6pm est 
Click this link to register for the ZOOM: Bogrimot & MBT Tiyul Webinar
You will receive the zoom link and password after registering for the webinar.
Registered for Madatz?
Join us for our Madatz Return to Camp Webinar:
 Wednesday, May 5th -- 5pm cst/ 6pm est 
Click this link to register for the ZOOM: Madatz 2021 Webinar 
You will receive the zoom link and password after registering
for the webinar.
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.
Right now, every $2 you donate will be increased 50%!
Support a safe and healthy return to Camp Tavor by making a gift here!

Your gift will be matched - $1 for every $2 donated - by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation!"   

Rabbi David Kuden & Family
Bruce and Malta Kutnick
Arthur Slabosky & Robin Wilner
Lior Appel-Kraut
Sara London
Maya Lamm
Ziv Weizman & Danielle Weizman
Aviva Phillips and Mark Phillips
Hannah Roucher
Alix Gould-Werth
Becca Kahn Bloch and Jordana Starkman
Talia Spear
Nesher Asner and Carrie Sharkey Asner
Paul Gross and Susannah Lee
Danny Kanter and Agatha Jefferson
Jacob Miller
Barry & Gayle Shapiro in honor of Danya Shapiro
Steve & Anne Hobbs in honor of Dena Hobbs
Eileen Stein & Erik Sepulveda in memory of Leslie Stein-Robison

The following donations were made in memory of Aaron Zelig Cutler
Joshua Bender
Carla Frisch
Linda & Stephen Jacobson
Rachel Subrin Jensen & David Jensen
Dr. Louise Klebanoff
Marci Maniker
Ronna and David Ness-Cohn
Donna and David Neumark
Nancy Wayne
Camp Celebrations
AMEINU 2021 ISRAEL VIRTUAL STUDY TOUR הסיור הלימודי של ״עמינו״ בישראל 2021
This spring, we're inviting you to join us in our study tour to Israel and Palestine - virtually! We are thrilled to be joined by co-sponsors Habonim Dror Camping Association, Habonim Dror North America and Ameinu Canada.
 
We are currently working with our friends and partners in Israel to create an exciting program that includes a unique, interactive look at Israeli society and politics.
We will meet social activists, artists, politicians and scholars! The tour will include four meetings, over four Sundays this spring; April 25, May 2, May 23, June 6, along with some mid-week events. Mark your calendars and reserve your spot!

Randy's Reminders
REMINDER: if you're registered for Camp Tavor Summer 2021 -- Current camper forms should be submitted ASAP.
All current forms were due APRIL 1st

They include:
  • health history
  • insurance card
  • immunization form

You can find the paperwork in your CampinTouch accounts under Forms & Documents.
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.