Shevet Metzada - Winter Camp 2019
Like every year we are going to our Winter Camp - one of the highlights of the year.
This camp is a priceless opportunity for the chanichim to be together outside their weekly routine, as a group, a shichva (grade) and a shevet and to have a unique, rich, unifying and exciting activities, like Kabalat Shabat and much more. Weather permitting, it will also include bonfire, ASH LAYLA (a traditional night activity), building competition, fire ceremony, etc.
This year we are going to a Eisner Camp - https://eisnercamp.org/
Camp dates
The camp will be held between 12/13/19-12/15/19
4th grade Chanichim will stay at the camp for one night 12/14/19-12/15/19 (Saturday & Sunday).
5th grade Chanichim - Shachbag will stay at the camp for two nights 12/13/19-12/15/19 (Friday through Sunday).
Enrollment
A Chanich will be able to participate in this camp only if he is enrolled to the Shevet and his enrollment fees are paid in full.
To enroll to Winter Camp - use the link at the bottom of this page in order to enroll and pay for your child.
Early bird enrollment will end 9pm Nov 25th 2019. Thereafter, it will be considered a late registration, adding $30 per Chanich. The late enrollment will end at 7pm Nov 27th 2019.
Please read the enrollment and refund policy here. Please note that enrollment fees will not be refunded once the early bird enrollment ends.
Please be advised that we will not honor enrollment after the dates noted above. Please avoid putting us and yourself in an inconvenient situation where we will need to refuse an un-enrolled Chanich from going to the camp.
Enrollment and payments are accepted online only, using the link below. Please use your user name and password to enroll. During enrollment, please review the insurance details and any allergies you noted at the beginning of the year. Update if necessary. Once the process is complete, a confirmation email for the winter camp registration will be sent to you automatically.
More details regarding enrollment fees can be found here.
For any further questions regarding enrollment, please contact your gdud mom.
The day of departure
Chanichim HEY to TET (fifth to ninth grade) should arrive at the JCC at 7:30 am Friday.
SHACHBAG should arrive at the JCC at 7:00 am Friday.
Chanichim DALED (fourth grade) should arrive at the JCC at 7:30 am Saturday.
We will not wait for latecomers! Please make sure to arrive at the JCC on time so we can leave as planned. The bus company will charge us extra for any late dismissal of the busses.
When arriving at the JCC on Friday, please park your cars on the left parking lot and walk to the meetup area. Group parents will help direct the Chanichim to the busses according to age groups and check the roster once busses are filled.
The Madrichim (instructors) and the group parents will hand out color-coded tags in order to facilitate with organizing groups upon arrival to the camp. Please make sure your child received his tag and it is attached to his equipment.
All the Chanichim will leave to the camp on buses organized by the Shevet, unless written notice was sent in advance to Efrat Litvin . Also, inform the gdud mom.
אוטובוס 1- גדוד ה - קמפ פילד
אוטובוס 2- גדוד ה - קמפ פילד
אוטובוס 3- גדוד ו - בכניסה למכון הכשר
אוטובוס 4- גדוד ז - חניה מצד שמאל
אוטובוס 5- גדוד ח - חניה מצד שמאל
אוטובוס 6- גדוד ט - ליד המכולה - אנא החנו בחניה הרגילה ובקשו מהילדים לצעוד ברגל כדי לא לחסום את המעבר הצר
גדוד ד - האוטובוס יחכה ביום שבת בחניה מצד שמאל
Full khaki
Leaving for the camp requires full khaki. A Chanich without full khaki would not be able to leave for the camp.
Back from the camp
All the Chanichim will return on Sunday, Dec 15th 2019. Departure from the camp is scheduled for 4:00 pm. Assuming there are no delays for various reasons, the Chanichim are expected to arrive at the JCC around 7:00 pm. We will update on the Whats-app groups as we leave the camp for the JCC.
All the Chanichim will return from the camp on buses organized by the Shevet, unless written notice was sent in advance to Efrat Litvin . Also, inform the gdud mom.
Food
Chanichim can not bring any kind of food to camp/bus.
Please have your child eat breakfast before arriving to the Jcc. No food is allowed on the bus.
The chanichim will eat a warm lunch at the camp on Friday.
Do not send any kind of food or “Manot Chamot”, the camp and the Shevet will provide all the food.
Snacks
Do not send food / Manot Chamot / snacks / sweets with the children.
The Shevet will provide all participants with snacks. Camp policy forbids bringing food into the cabins since it attracts pests.
In this regard, we ask for the full cooperation of all the Shevet parents. If a Chanich is to bring food into the cabin, his Madrich would be forced to collect the food from him. Please do not force this unpleasant situation on the Madrichim, the Chanich or his friends.
If the Shevet will get a fine- the parents of the kid will have to pay that fine.
Parents accompanying
In view of the significant increase in the number of Chanichim, the number of places for accompanying parents is very limited. Parents wishing to accompany can submit an application by 11/14/19. No late requests will be accepted. Due to the limited number of places, not all requests will be answered. The requests must be sent in writing to Rony Bejerano.
Please note that accompanying parents are expected to help with the camp setup and routine. This includes night shifts, watching over the Chanichim while the Shachbag has their own Peula, helping with the operation of the camp at the request of the staff, etc. Accompanying parents must be present at the camp for the entire duration and are requested to leave the camp only after the buses head back to the JCC on the last day. All accompanying parents will be required to attend a preliminary meeting with the Shevet coordinator and the head of the Shevet. Attendance is mandatory.
Accompanying parents participation cost is $80. Please pay only after you get confirmation from the Shevet.
Equipment list
The Equipment for the camp is listed below. Please be sure to send mandatory items - warm clothing, shoes, some pairs of changeable socks, coat, gloves and a hat. The cabins are heated but some of the activity will be outdoors. Please write your child's name on his/ her equipment. On the day of departure, the instructors and the parents of the groups will distribute color-coded tags to the Chanichim in order to facilitate identification at the time of arrival at the camp and in the distribution to the cabins. Please make sure that your child has received the tag and that it is attached to his / her equipment
#Sleeping Bag
#Bed sheet (recommended)
#Warm clothes - coat, gloves, scarf and hat - suitable for outdoor activities
#Comfortable clothes for the day
#Spare underwear (socks, underwear, tank tops) in case clothes get wet
#Full khaki including necktie (aniva) - Please write the name of the child on the shirt
#The Shevet’s white shirt for Kabalat Shabbat. Please write the name of the chanich on the shirt
#Flashlight - Important! Preferably a headlight
#Warm closed shoes and an extra pair for replacement if necessary. Snow-suitable shoes are preferred in case of snow.
#Toiletries & Towel
#Toilet Paper
#Bottle of water - at least 1.5 liter of water
#Prescriptions if needed.
#Black-Red Decorations
#Please check if the counselors asked for special equipment for your Gdud
Valuables and phones
Please do not send valuables.
It is recommended to leave the mobile phones at home. The camp will have accompanying parents who can be contacted if needed. In accordance with the Shevet policy regarding cell phones, phones will be collected upon arrival and will be given back upon boarding the bus at the end of the camp. Parents are asked to explain the subject of the phone to their children before leaving for the camp. This policy is implemented throughout the summer camps and proves itself to significantly improve the quality of the experience and greatly helps conducting the Peula. Thank you for your cooperation.
Medical matters and health problems
Do not send a sick child to the camp! Accommodation is in communal rooms and there is an obvious risk of infection, therefore sick children are asked to stay home.
For children who are receiving medication for a chronic condition, the parent must inform by e-mail Efrat Litvin prior to leaving to the camp. Do not notify the Madrich (instructor) or other parent. The accompanying counselors or parents will not administrate medicines to the children unless otherwise instructed and authorized by the child’s parent.
Expected behavior at the camp
In the camp, an uncompromising policy will be applied to cases of violence, alcohol, smoking and drugs. A Chanich who will not behave according to policy will be asked to leave the camp and his parents will need to come and pick him up. Please discuss this policy with your children before leaving for the camp.
Communication and cellular reception in the camp
In the camp, there is almost no cell phone reception and no Internet access. Each group parent will be updated with the field activities and will publish them in the various online groups.
In case of an emergency, please contact the gdud's mom who will inform the rest of the parents in the camp.
Visiting the camp
The accompanying parents are there to help with the Chanichim during the camp. All parents have a commitment to all members of the Shevet. Other parents should not visit their children during the camp. The camp has enough accompanying parents and there is no need for further assistance. Thank you for your cooperation.
Camp Address
53 Brookside Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
The credit card charge is for FOIS - Friend Of Israeli Scouts, and not for Shevet Metzada.
During enrollment, please review the insurance details and any allergies you noted at the beginning of the year. Update if necessary.
