A brand new daily travel camp is being added to Camp Shalom’s extensive summer programming. Nosim Boys and Nosim Girls are for sixth- to eighth-graders who love to get up and go, see the sights, travel to new places, but all with the comfort of returning home each night. Campers will experience a creative combination of day trips, late nights, chesed opportunities and overnight adventures. Scheduled late nights at camp will allow for longer day-trip experiences, swimming on our campus, and making even more memories. There will also be daily learning with our outstanding chinuch staff. Campers will have the advantage of being able to arrive with siblings to camp as buses will depart from Camp Shalom every morning.
Camp Shalom is no stranger to a daily travel camp, having offered that option when it first opened up at its original location at the Y in Passaic.
“In the last few years, we’ve received many requests to offer a full-time travel camp, something that is geared toward older campers,” said Leah Gold, assistant camp director. “There are many campers who either choose to stay local for the summer or only go away for part of the summer and are looking for more sophisticated options than A typical day camp experience.
“The goal we’ve always had at Camp Shalom was to provide an option for everybody,” Camp Director Rabbi Yehoshua Gold proudly explained. He is quick to point out that as a not-for-profit camp, Camp Shalom exists to provide a service to the community, “and so to us, whenever we have an opportunity to better meet the needs of the community, we strive to do so.”
When Camp Shalom decided to make Nosim five days a week, they did a lot of research searching “for unique experiences that will make memories for their campers. Plans for a “Down by the Shore” day, boat rides, water adventures and amusement parks are just a few of the amazing experiences the campers will enjoy.
Some of the trips will definitely be longer than a regular camp day that ends at 4 p.m., to ensure the campers maximize the trip experience. For some of those days where there are late pickups, Camp Shalom will add activities that include night swimming, kumzitz and barbecues to “add a special dimension to the Nosim program,” Leah noted. Camp Shalom is also planning two exciting two-night, three-day, extended overnight trips—one per month.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be a Jewish camp without a chesed component involved as well, and Camp Shalom has come up with some exciting and engaging ways to incorporate that into the schedule. In addition, because sleepaway camps end on different days (and even different weeks), Nosim sessions are each two weeks long.
For the division heads, Rabbi Gold has tapped two individuals he describes as “amazing.” A unit head at Camp Shalom for many years, Eli Kahn will be running the boys’ Nosim division. Currently working on his master’s degree at the City College of New York’s School of Education, Eli’s “focus is not only on making the activities enjoyable but creating camaraderie between everyone.”
Seventh-grade YNJ Judaic studies teacher Tehila Schneider will head the girls division. “Tehila is passionate about creating fantastic programming and camp experiences that are meaningful and memorable,” Rabbi Gold said.
“I’m very excited about both Tehila and Eli. I think they are the perfect people for the job in terms of having that balance of being great role models and full of ruach, energy and excitement.”
Camp Shalom is excited to continue their relationship with Ben Porat Yosef, their summer home for at least the next five years. The Nosim program will be the next stage in the continual growth of Camp Shalom. Our Nosim campers are revved up and ready to go!
To learn more visit www.campshalomnj.org or email [email protected] or call 201-624-2331.
By Jewish Link Staff
