Tsevet Sit-Down: Hanhala Part 2

This week, we are excited to introduce you to our two Roshei Machaneh (Heads of Camp), Sivan Azouri and Joel Srebrenick!

Sivan Azouri, Rosh Machane Aleph

Summers at TY: 1

I was born in Herzliya, Israel, a beautiful beach town a little north of Tel Aviv. I graduated from the University of Ben Gurion in Be’er Sheva with a BA in Hotel and Tourism Management. I love sports and dancing. I have a passion for working with people, which has been at the root of all of my professional experiences. Currently, I am a schlicha (emissary) in Washington, DC where I work with the Israeli Scouts and also run Young Judaea’s local programming.

I’ve heard so many amazing things about Tel Yehudah from friends over the years, and I’m excited to be spending my summer at Tel Yehudah! Immediately when I came here, I felt that this was an embracing, warm environment. As soon as you enter, you see how everyone interacts and you can tell they have shared many experiences together. But the amazing thing is you don’t feel left out! You become a part of it.

As Rosh Machane Aleph, I’m excited to work with the merakezim who are working with the madrichim who oversee the chanichim. As someone who has been involved extensively with Israeli communities, I’m especially looking forward to connecting further with the Jewish American community and experiencing how people who come to camp with different beliefs, cultures, values, even languages, join together to form one big, amazing k’hila (community)!

Joel Srebrenick, Rosh Machane Bet

Summers at TY: 12

I was born in New Jersey and started going to Young Judaea Sprout Lake when I was 8. After that, I was a camper here and after high school, participated in Young Judaea’s Year Course, which I have work with the last two years as a madrich (counselor) and volunteer coordinator. Afterwards, I went to the University of Maryland and graduated in 2014 with a degree in Government and Politics. This past November, I made aliyah, so I’ve been living in Israel since then. I’m lucky that I have the chance to share my jobs between TY and Year Course, bouncing between my home here in Barryville and my home in Israel.

Each time I return to Tel Yehudah, I notice that every year is different and every year is also exactly the same. The staff is always changing, but the things we’re doing, the values we have, and the experiences here feel the same, even more meaningful as the years go on. This place has a sense of familiarity, and I like to think that people who walk in after three days feel just as cozy here as those who have been here for three years. As Rosh Machane Bet, one of my jobs is to make sure that everyone feels supported and valued. Our teams are fantastic, and they work incredibly hard, so it is important to me that they know how much we appreciate them.

This summer, I am looking forward to seeing our chanichim! Many of them were my chanichim over the previous years, and I know we are going to have a great time together! It’s my hope that when they head home at the end of the summer, they will walk away feeling a little happier, smarter, and more mature, having met people different from them and thought about things in new ways.