Our Hadracha Social Activism Institute is the premiere Jewish social activism and leadership training program for teens today.
Dates: June 20th – July 18th, 2018
Cost: $5,000
For: Current 10th and 11th Graders
The Hadracha Experience
Join us for Tel Yehudah’s flagship summer experience! In Hadracha, you will create a real world activist campaign to make an impact around today’s most important issues, from Israel advocacy and fighting anti-Semitism to combatting human trafficking and poverty. As the oldest participants at Tel Yehudah, you will also be trained in practical leadership (hadracha) skills and have opportunities to lead camp-wide activities including Maccabia (Color War), Shabbat activities and peulot (recreational and educational activities) for the rest of camp.
Not only do Hadracha teens get all the expected fun of camp through regularly visiting our activity areas, bunk activities, our electives program, rafting on the Delaware River and camping overnight at our nature site. You will also will live, eat and sleep in intimate Machaneh Bet (Bet Camp) where teens help run the daily life of camp!
Join the Tel Yehudah and Young Judaea activism tradition. Join us this summer!
Hadracha teens will:
- Choose which of today’s most important issues you care most about and over the course of the summer explore that issue and develop an activism action plan with other teens.
- Gain a practical skill set by taking part in one of our “activism studios,” which is a 6-8 part series of workshops in which teens focus on a specific leadership area and skill sets (politics, art, outreach, etc.)
- Go to Washington, DC for a three day activism and fact-finding mission to learn more about what is being done and what could be done around your issue (see “Trip Highlights” below for more details)
- Get a taste of college by living in a George Washington University Dormitory while in Washington, DC
- Learn about our shared Jewish heritage of Jewish activism, from Abraham to Gloria Steinem
- Recruit the rest of camp to your cause through leading Tzedekapalooza!
- Go on a camping overnight at TY’s own nature reserve sight and go rafting down the Delaware River
- Lead camp-wide activities from Maccabia (color war) to Shabbat activities for the rest of camp
At the end of the summer, campers will receive an official certificate marking their completion of the Hadracha Social Activism Institute.
Between trips and out-of-camp adventures, special days and Shabbat, a “typical day” at TY is not so typical. But this is what a “day in the life” of Hadracha might look like:
Time | Activity | Description |
---|---|---|
8:00am | Boker Tov (Wake-Up) | |
8:45-8:55am | Mifkad Boker (Flag Raising) | Greet the day by raising the flags with the rest of camp and our Tsofim (Israeli scouts) |
9:00-9:30am | Aruchat Boker (Breakfast) | Sit with your bunk to start the morning together over a hot, fresh and delicious breakfast |
9:40-10:20am | T’fillot (Morning Prayers)/Alternative T'fillot | You will partake in a meaningful camp-wide prayer activity led by staff and teens |
10:30-10:50am | Nikayon B’Tsrif (Bunk cleaning) | Check your bunk's work-wheel and see what your cleaning assignment is for today and get to work to keep that bunk spiffy! |
11:00-12:00pm | Visit Specialty Area | Teens from your chug can either visit Omanut (Arts and Crafts) or Drama |
12:10am-1:10pm | Peulah: Prophets of Israel | Your staff has prepared an informal and fun educational activity to help you learn about the history of Prophecy of Israel and relevance to today |
1:20-2:05pm | Aruchat Tsohorayim (Lunch) | Come for the delicious, healthy and kosher meal; stay for the Shira (singing) or Rikud (dancing) session in the Chadar Ochel (dining hall)! |
2:15-3:05pm | Zman Bechira (Elective Period) | You can choose from a variety of recreational activities ranging from team sport activities, video-making, jam band, arts & crafts, Israeli dance, etc. |
3:10-5:00pm | Chofesh (Open Choice Activities) | You can choose activities and spend time with friends under general staff supervision. Specialty areas, including the pool, are open during this time to offer special options, so you can enjoy more of the activities you love! |
5:10-6:10pm | Visit Specialty Area | Your chug can either visit Tsofiut (Israeli scouts) or Sports |
6:20-7:20pm | Bunk Time: Low Ropes Course | Your bunk is heading to the low ropes course for bonding and team building |
7:30-8:30pm | Aruchat Erev (Dinner) | Sit with your friends in other chugim and enjoy a themed camp-wide dinner |
8:35-8:45pm | Sikkum Yom (Daily Check in) | You will check in with your bunk staff to review the day, experiences, etc. |
9:00-10:15pm | Peulat Erev (Night Activity) | What's your “fun” group, evening activity tonight? Your chug is having a Mediterranean themed pool and dance party under the stars! |
10:30-11:15pm | Peulat Laila Tov (In-Bunk nightly activity) | End the evening with this nightly activity to bond with your bunkmates and wind down before heading to bed |
11:15pm | Laila Tov (Lights Out) | You've had a long, fun day and you need your sleep to get ready to do it again tomorrow! |
The DC Activism Mission sends our teens to Washington, DC to rub elbows and ask the hard questions with our nation’s leaders in Congress, government agencies and at leading global and national advocacy organizations. Teens will have a customized itinerary based on their “tikun team” issue and leadership studio issue, all while seeing the sights and sounds of our nation’s capital and getting a taste of college life in a dormitory! Some of the DC Activism Misison’s highlights include:
- Meet in person with the office of at least two US Senators or House Representatives
- Visit 2-3 leading advocacy non-governmental organizations related to your issue
- Get a taste of college by staying at a George Washington University dormitory
- Tour the sights and sounds of the National Mall and other parts of DC
- Travel around the district with your “Tikun Team” and staff by MTA (subway)
- Visit the US Holocaust Museum and other Museums on the National Mall
- Learn from accomplished Tel Yehudah alumni on our annual “YJ Alumni Panel on Political Activism”
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Room and board for 28 days within our furnished cabins
- 3 healthy, nutritious and kosher meals a day, plus stipend for snacks and treats from our camp canteen
- 24/7 professional medical staff that can dispense first-aid and prescription medicines
- 160+ dynamic and trained camp professionals
- 4-day/3-night trip Washington, DC including room and board, all activities, and transportation to, from and within DC
- 1/2 day rafting trip on the Delaware River
- Regular laundry-service
- Full time on-site 24/7 security services
- Coach Motorbus transportation to/from Newark International Liberty Airport on opening and closing day for teens who will be traveling to camp by plane
Yes! If you are…
- Currently in 10th or 11th grade;
- Interested in social activism;
- Looking for a fun and impressive resume-building summer experience;
- Open to getting a taste of “college life” by living in a college dormitory for three days;
- Love camp or looking to try it out for the first time
- Interested in learning leadership skills; and
- Want to meet and live with Jewish teens from around the world!