Tavor campers
hold discussions
on Yom Israel.
Tough Love
Tavor immerses its campers in a family
atmosphere, a love of Israel and a bit of work.
Alan Hitsky
Associate Editor
Above:
Shabbat is
appreciated at
Camp Tavor.
Right:
Eli, Holly and
Max Jensen
pose for a
photo on
Visitors Day
2009.
S
ummer camp has a tradition of being idyllic,
fun and adventurous. Camp Tavor in Three
Rivers in southwestern Michigan is all of
those things and quite a bit more.
One of seven camps in North America sponsored
by the Habonim Dror movement, Tavor might be the
closest thing to a classic Israeli kibbutz that a Jewish
family here can find. And, like a kibbutz, once you're a
member you might be a member for life.
The Jensen family of Beverly Hills is a prime exam-
ple. Rachel was a Tavor camper from 1969-72. Now
she's a member of Tavor's camp committee and all
three of her and David's children have graduated from
camp to summer programs or yearlong Habonim Dror
programs in Israel.
Max Jensen, now 20 and a sophomore at Kalamazoo
College, like his siblings started at Tavor in the third
grade. He has been a counselor at Tavor two summers
and went on Habonim's year program (Workshop)
after graduating high school.
His sister Holly, 18, graduated from Birmingham
Groves High School last spring, is attending Workshop
in Israel now, and will be a Tavor counselor (a
Workshop requirement) next summer.
Brother Eli, 15, a Groves sophomore, will attend the
Habonim summer program in Israel next summer.
Rachel Jensen's family has deep Habonim roots.
Her parents, Malka and Meyer Subrin of Bloomfield
Township, met in Israel on a Habonim program in
1948-49.
All their friends were in Habonim," Rachel said,
"and they all sent their kids to Tavor. My sister and I
went:'
Her sister Julie made aliyah at one point and met
Tough Love on page 58
JN
December 2
2010
57