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Shalom YavNation!

Here we are, post-Pesach! And in the camping world, that means that we somehow shift into warp speed heading towards summer. We are in full swing of preparing an amazing kayitz (summer) ahead: All of us on the year-round team (full-time or part-time) feel this pull, and WE ARE SO EXCITED to be getting ready to greet chanichim (campers) and tzevet (staff)!! But as always with Shabbat in our immediate future, we remind ourselves to slow down and take a moment to reflect.

This week we announced all our Roshes (unit heads) to the kehillah (community) and as a team, they are fantastic: funny, sensitive, committed, loving, and creative. We are so lucky to have Shira, Sophie, Jesse, Chelsea, Max, Carly, Isaac, Cara, Dvir, Sam, Josh, Abbey, Sophie Ana, Toby and Noam! Click below to read more about them!

Tomorrow, we celebrate Shabbat Mevarchim Iyar (the Shabbat that welcomes the new month of Iyar on the Hebrew calendar). We recite Birkat HaChodesh during Shabbat morning services all over the world. In it, we ask God for different aspects of life: chayim arukim (long life), chayim shel shalom (peace), chayom shel parnassah (livelihood), chayim shel tovah (goodness)... The last sentence asks that all our “mish’alot libeinu” (desires of our hearts) be fulfilled for good. I certainly feel like our mish’alot libeinu for an incredible summer team have been answered. I can’t wait to see all the fun peulot in action and watch beautiful friendships blossom this summer at the capable hands of our superstar Rosh teams.

Shabbat Shalom,

Michi

Hakarat HaTov - Showing our gratitude 

Yavneh receives FJC Yashar Grant

Yavneh is blessed to have a vast cadre of alumni, parents, and community members who generously support us as our institution to ensure a bright future. Over the past few months, we have been in discussions, partnering, and applying for multiple grants that allow us to do the everyday work and the visioning that creates a powerful experience for our campers and participants in all our programs.  

Yavneh was awarded $70,000 through the Foundation of Jewish Camp's Yashar grant. With much gratitude to The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, we are thrilled to announce that this grant money will go towards our Marp expansion and a capacity-building grant to support our continued growth towards inclusion. Through Yashar, we will be creating high-quality professional development training focused on inclusion during pre-camp orientation week and throughout the summer. We look forward to sharing progress with you throughout the summer.

New Camper Orientation

Attention new chanichim (campers)! Please join us for the New Camper Orientation on either Wednesday, May 19 at 7 PM EDT or Sunday, May 23 at 3 PM EDT via Zoom. You'll start to learn about all of the amazing things that you are going to do this summer. Orientation is open to campers who were supposed to start in 2020 as well. Both new campers and parents are encouraged to attend. (If you are a returning Yavneh family and you have a new child starting, we want that new camper in your family to attend as well.)

There will be breakout rooms for campers and parents so please plan accordingly with your screens. 

RSVP here for the Zoom link. 

Camp Forms Due on May 2!

This is a friendly reminder that all summer camp forms are due on May 2. Forms can be found in your CampInTouch account through Campminder. 

Yavneh Kehillah Town Halls

What will Yavneh be like this summer? 

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Yavneh Kehillah Town Halls where we will dive deeper into what and how Yavneh will look this summer for chanichim (campers) and tzevet (staff). The Town Halls will be webinar style with a chance for questions to be asked at the end. In order to prepare for the Town Halls, we'd love to hear what is on your mind when it comes to questions that need to be answered. 

Tzevet (Staff) Town Halls - RSVP and tell us your questions here!

Monday, May 10, 2021 - 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM EDT

Parent Town Halls - RSVP and tell us your questions here!

Tuesday, May 11, 2021 - 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM EDT

We will be recording the sessions in case you can't make it! 

To RSVP and get the zoom link for all virtual events email Adina at adina@campyavneh.org

Alumni Spotlight פינת בוגרים

Rabbi Micah Shapiro (K’98)

Rabbi Micah releasing his second original Jewish music album featuring some of the leading musicians and collaborators in Jewish music in the United States.  A musician, prayer leader, teacher and music producer, this album is a follow up to his debut album, Ta’ir Eretz-Light Up the Earth in 2019, and an exciting step forward for him artistically and rabbinically.  Drawing on a range of influences from The Beatles and Brian Wilson to Hasidic niggunim, Micah weaves a tapestry of melody and harmony that brings our ancient Hebrew sources to life.  Please consider contributing to his album fundraiser so that he can bring more of this music into the Jewish world:  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/micah-shapiro-s-second-album

Mazal Tov to our chanichim who will be celebrating their b'nai mitzvah in April: 

Rose Freedman-Riles; Roee Melul; Maya Nahmias; Rose Nahmias; Isabella Weinstein

Yom Huledet Sameach to our chanichim April Birthdays!

April 1 - Dean Schreiber (Gefen); April 2 - Noah Chessman (Gurim); April 3 - Eli Loeffler (Gefen); April 4 - Campbell Clark (Maalot), Harrison Davis (Gurim), Micah Klein (Arayot), Aden Rogatsky (Arayot); April 5 - Pace Kaplan (Leviim); April 6 - Aviva Birnbaum (Gefen); April 7 - Yakira Engelhart (Leviim); April 8 - Tessa Mank (Leviim), Maya Nahmias (Kfirim), Rose Nahmias (Kfirim); April 10 - Dalia Greenblum (Maalot), Kol Septimus (Gurim), Aviva Wyner (Na'aleh); April 11 - Ruthie Saar (Na'aleh); April 12 - Ben Schoen (Gefen), Avi Schwartz (Maalot); April 13 - Sonia Harari (Gurim); April 14 - Roee Melul (Arayot); April 15 - Eli Shpindler (Gurim); April 16 - Millie Licht (Gefen), Yedidya Milner-Gillers (Leviim); April 17 - Naomi Fenton (Gurim), Jacob Finkel (Leviim), Josie Herz (Leviim), Shalvah Lazarus (Leviim); April 19 - Keren Teichner (Leviim); April 20 - Ari Klein (Kfirim), Lavie Konstantine (Gurim); April 21 - Noa Levy-Racin (Kerem), Isabella Weinstein (Arayot), Sarah Weinstein (Gurim); April 24 - Rose Freedman-Riles (Arayot), Ella Shpindler (Leviim); April 25 - Gila Sadinoff (Arayot), Lily Smith (Kerem); April 26 - Maya Joseph (Kfirim); April 27 - Zoe Joseph (Gurim), Isaac Menzin (Arayot), Sharon Vered (Na'aleh), Danya Zarch (Gurim); April 28 - Gabe Bracha (Gurim); April 30 - Hazel Krieger (Gurim)

Mazel Tov to:

Norman H. Finkelstein, Alum parent, grandparent and former Yavneh staff on his latest book “The Shelter and the Fence: When 982 Holocaust Refugees Found Safe Haven in America.” The book can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

Maya Feldman (K’10) got matched in pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital 

Mazel Tov on the engagement of Sarah Mlotek (K’15) to Roi Dar

Mazal Tov to the following alumni on the births of their children:

Matt (K’02) and Amanda Michelson on the birth of Ezra Ford

Alyssa (K’05) and Daniel Herman-Kaitz on the birth of Benjamin Pat

Mazal Tov to Esther Morhaim-Hausman (K'75) and Ken Hausman on the birth of their grandson.  

Our condolences:

Baruch Dayan HaEmet to Ruth (Yavneh Board Member) and David Bernstein on the passing of Paul Greenberg, of Little Rock, Arkansas, beloved father, father-in-law and grandfather to their children Aviav (K'19) and Carolyn (K'20).

Baruch Dayan HaEmet to Allie Vered and Sharon (K'20) on the loss of their father and grandfather, Lance Irvine.

Please keep in touch with us and share your milestones, simchas, births, passings, news & updates. You can send details and photos to Adina@campyavneh.org

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