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Israeli Scouts address campers at the JCC Day Camp.

Young JCC campers can opt for Hebrew immersion program.

I

Stacy Gittleman
Contributing Writer

T

his summer, a group of 24 children
at the Jewish Community Center in
West Bloomfield will delight in the
usual rites of a day camp summer experi-
ence. They will learn to swim, make lemon-
ade, create plenty of crafts and have fun play-
ing in the sun, all while learning Hebrew in
a new summer program that pulls language
learning into the real world.
Outside of Detroit, only Toronto will be
providing this type of ulpan-like Hebrew
immersion JCC camp. Metro Detroit's JCC
will offer 24 slots for an eight-week program
to children in grades K-2.
If parents think they are signing up their
child for eight weeks of conjugating verbs
behind a desk, think again.
"This in no way is going to be Hebrew
school in the summer; stressed Rabbi
Robert Morais, director of the Shalom Street
Museum at the JCC.

In addition to learning Hebrew "indig-
enous" to day-to-day camp life (such as,
"Put your towel on the chair" and "Do you
have your water bottle?"), children will learn
Hebrew that reflects values in Jewish daily
living, such as fairness, cooperation and
respect, Morais said.
Local donors and a grant from the nation-
al Areivim Philanthropic Group, a network
of families and foundations dedicated to
supporting Jewish and Israel education and
Hebrew literacy, sponsor funding for the
camp.
"We have a willing partner in this
experiment within the Jewish community of
Detroit:' said Rabbi David Gedzelman, who
manages Areivim projects as executive vice
president of the Steinhardt Foundation of
Jewish Life.
"When a Jewish American child becomes
more fluent in Hebrew, it opens up an entire
civilization to them, not only in the improved
ability to study sacred Jewish texts, but to
read Hebrew newspapers and websites, and
to understand conversations heard on the

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streets of Israel:'
Tal Siegmann, JCC camps director, became
interested in developing the program here
after he observed an immersion program at
Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, N.Y.
"By the sixth week, kids as young as kin-
dergarteners understood 100 percent of what
was being told to them:' Siegmann said.
"Day camp is truly the best place to begin a
Hebrew immersion program such as this:'
Siegmann recently hired a group of young
Israelis fresh out of their army service to
staff the camp. Dalia Shaham, a Hebrew
immersion teacher at Temple Israel in West
Bloomfield, will serve as the camp's program
director.
Counselors will begin to teach the children
using simple commands and hand gestures.
By summer's end, the children should have
the ability to hold entire conversations in
Hebrew.
Siegmann added that children participat-
ing in the immersion program would mingle
with other campers throughout the sum-
mer. To assure language development, the

program lasts for eight weeks, he added. The
program is open to children attending either
day school or a supplementary afternoon
Hebrew school setting. Plans are under way
to create follow-up programs at Hillel Day
School and area synagogues.
"There is a lot of excitement from many
rabbis and educators in the community who
see this as a long-term program:' Siegmann
said.
Rochelle Murav-Radner of Southfield said
her 6-year-old daughter Paige, a kindergar-
tener at Hillel Day School, is looking forward
to spending her summer at the JCC "learning
in a fun way:'
"During the school year, my daughter
shows such joy when she is singing songs in
Hebrew," Murav-Radner said. "I am excited
that she will get even more exposure to the
language over the summer to deepen her
Jewish identity and her connection with
Israel:'

❑

For details, go to www.wbcamp.jccdetorg or call
(248) 432-5578.

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