high school seniors went
to Israel under its aus-
pices.
This year, over 1000
students will make the
same journey.
Education at Young
Judea is informal and ex-
periential. Hands-on
workshops and group
discussions are led by
counselors who are gen-
erally either Young
Judea graduates or vis-
iting Israelis. High school
students attend Tel
Yehuda national teen
camp in New York until
their senior year, when
they may travel to Israel
with Young Judea.
Scholarships are avail-
able through Hadassah
for campers in financial
need.
The UAHC camps,
Camp Ramah, and Young

-

Judea share a passion for in-
stilling the values of Jewish
living. But do the values
learned at camp carry over
into daily life? "We compete
with American culture 24
hours a day," says President
Yoffie of the UAHC. "In camp,
for 24 hours a day, there is no
conflict between the secular
and the cultural. It's all-Jew-
ish education, but it's not in
books."
That the summer camp ex-
perience is "the biggest single
influence on Jewish identity
formation," according to Rabbi
Smith, is clear. Fully 70% of all
Hebrew Union College stu-
dents link their adult Jewish
needed; this year, over $ 40,000 study and practice to summer
in camp scholarships was award- camp, and nearly a third of Re-
ed to Ramah in Berkshires form Rabbis are UAHC camp
campers alone.
grads.
Young Judea, a national
These effects persist across
organization, committed to movements and philosophies:
pluralism in the larger Jewish About half of Conservative pul-
community, welcomes campers pit rabbis cite the powerful in-
from all streams of Jewish fluence of summer camp on their
life — Reform, conservative, lives, according to Ramah's Bon-
Reconstructionist, traditional nie Orlin, and surveys of Young
(or `conservadox'), and Orthodox Judea alumni show that more
— to its five sites across the than 80% marry other Jews, a
U.S.
proportion significantly higher
As a Hadassah-sponsored than seen in the general Jewish
Zionist Youth Movement camp, population.
Young Judea "works to foster ties
Spending a summer at a Jew-
between American youth and Is- , ish camp is a sure way to sustain
rael," according to Camp Direc- a lifelong Jewish passion, ac-
tor Barry Finestone. "Our cording to Rabbi Yoffie. "For all
mission is giving children a pos- of the talk about the need for
itive Jewish experience using Is- Jewish education and the need
rael as the centerpiece of our for Jewish continuity, there's one
existence."
piece that we know works: Jew-
Young Judea's summer pro- ish summer camping. Camp
grams to Israel have grown ex- knits it together — and makes it
ponentially since 1990, when 150 last. ❑

rthotil.0.41.

..

a

Now it's cheaper to ship
your furniture than move it.

CALL US FOR A FREE ESTIMATE & FREE PICK UP!

• We ship any item from 70 to 1,000 pounds...
even a whole roomful of furniture
• Individual or multiple items
• All shipments insured up to $50,000
• Delivered in 3-10 days

FARMINGTON

32328 Grand River • East of Power

474-9730

Master Card

• Professional custom packaging
• Costs less than a moving company, motor
freight, do-it-yourself rental or air freight
• Easy, convenient & hassle free

WEST BLOOMFIELD
855-5822

S75