Mexico City’s Congregation Bet El. Camp Guide ❉ ,QNLEEXW]VW\OHFRRSHUDWLYHOLYLQJFDPSHUVFXOWLYDWHVHOIFRQILGHQFHIULHQGVKLSVDQGDVWURQJ VHQVHRI-HZLVKFRPPXQLW\:HSOD\ZRUNGHEDWHODXJKDQGOHDUQZLWKDIRFXVRQVRFLDO MXVWLFHLQFOXVLRQHQYLURQPHQWDOVWHZDUGVKLSDQGDFRQQHFWLRQWR,VUDHO/RFDWHGLQ7KUHH 5LYHUV0LFKLJDQ&DPS7DYRURIIHUVHQULFKLQJZHHNSURJUDPVIRUUGWKJUDGHFDPSHUV Come visit us at our new office in Midtown Detroit! 4444 Second Ave., Detroit, MI, 48201 (269) 215-1399 | info@camptavor.org www.camptavor.org Mexican Jewish campers at Colorado’s Ramah in the Rockies 2139360 All Are Welcome Colorado’s Camp Ramah builds bridges by welcoming Mexican Jewish youth. Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman | JNS.org E ver since President-elect Donald Trump talked about building a “big, beautiful wall” divid- ing Mexico from the United States, Colorado’s Ramah in the Rockies Jewish summer camp has been build- ing a bridge between the camp and Conservative Bet El Synagogue in Mexico City. This year, after several years of plan- ning and considering, more than 20 Mexican Jewish campers, three coun- selors and Bet El spiritual leader Rabbi Leonel Levy spent two weeks from July 20 to Aug. 2 at the camp, joining bunks, taking part in traditional camp activi- ties and sharing some traditions of their own. “Hachnasat orchim [welcoming guests] is a big Jewish value, and I can- not think of a better way to express that value than to welcome any kid who would want to come to our camp,” says Eliav Bock, founding director of the camp. Bock’s relationship with Levy started several years ago when they met on Bock’s vacation to Mexico. They hit it off immediately and excitement grew about Ramah hosting Mexican campers. But funds and other challenges meant that only a handful of students have managed to come. This year, Levy got organized and raised money. “It’s expensive for Mexicans,” says Levy, who also arranged a group flight and other transportation to the camp. Mexico City is more than 1,700 miles away from Ramah. During the two weeks of the Mexican campers’ attendance, Ramah hung a Mexican flag alongside the traditional Israeli and American flags. Levy led Spanish-language prayer services and the camp integrated the Spanish language, and other opportunities for Mexican campers to share their culture with the camp. One night, the Mexican campers joined the kitchen staff to whip up tradi- tional Mexican cuisine. “They made real Mexican food,” said Bock. “It was awesome.” American counselor Mikaela Gerwin staffed a four-day camping trip with a mix of Mexican, Israeli and U.S. camp- ers. The first night, the campers talked about their hometowns. Though lan- guage was a barrier, they tried to com- pare and contrast their lives. “In the beginning, language made it difficult,” says Gerwin. “But by the end of the trip, the boys were building a bridge together — without speaking. They played this game where someone would ask a student who spoke a different lan- guage a question he couldn’t understand. And the camper would have to answer yes or no — sometimes it was really funny, like ‘Do you like eating dessert for breakfast?’ They would all start giggling.” For Mexican camper Dalia Stosennacher, 16, the experience was religiously eye-opening. While Ramah is a Conservative camp — and Stosennacher comes from a Conservative family — she says observance is strik- ingly different. “The Mexican Conservative synagogue is way more Orthodox,” Stosennacher contends. “I was surprised to see women wear teffilin or read from the Torah.” However, she says she took away new religious lessons, too, such as a deeper spirituality and a concept of respect for the environment. Ramah in the Rockies has a tradition of being open and inclusive, according to Bock, by reaching out to the LGBT community and to children from fami- lies whose parents are in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse. It hosts students from Canada, Israel, China and the Netherlands — though mostly from the U.S. The Mexican group of students is the largest concentrated group of inter- national campers Ramah in the Rockies has ever hosted. * Led by renowned faculty in world-class facilities, Detroit Country Day School delivers exceptional academic experiences both within and beyond the classroom each and every day. where extraordinary happens every day VISIT OUR open house SUNDAY, JANUARY 8 | 1-3 P.M. 248.646.7717 | www.dcds.edu 2115410 ALL ABOARD! Detroit Public Television is partnering with JARC for a fun family event celebrating Thomas & Friends™. Activities include a sneak preview of a new Thomas & Friends™ episode, fun crafts for children of all abilities, snacks and more! Departure Date: Station: Sunday, December 11 th Costick Activity Center 28600 W Eleven Mile Rd Farmington Hills, MI 48336 Boarding Time: 1-4pm Go to dptv.org/Thomas to RSVP Additional partners Made possible by © 2016 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. A production of HIT Entertainment in association with THIRTEEN Productions LLC. © 2016 HIT Entertainment Limited. 2137260 December 1 • 2016 35