From Habonim Dror

HABONIM DROR MACHANEH OLAM CHOFSHI - FREE WORLD: 10 - 29 Dec 2010

There are few experiences in life as unique as the South African Zionist Summer Camps - The Machanot. Every year at Habonim Dror Machaneh, the lives of thousands of young Jews change for the better, lifelong memories are made, and lessons that your child will never receive anywhere else are learnt.

For three weeks in December, Habonim Dror hosts a world-famous summer camp that is the highlight of thousands of young people's year. Join us for three weeks of fun and sun on our beautiful campsite in Onrus. Sleep beneath the trees, relax everyday on the beach, play sport, learn new crafts, sing songs you'll only ever sing at Habonim Dror, sit and chat around campfires and make life-long friends that will be a part of your life forever!

Habonim prides itself on maintaining the highest level of child-care which is guaranteed by our highly trained team of two hundred madrichim (counsellors) – many of whom have spend a year in Israel undergoing intense hadracha (leadership ) and chinnuch (education) training.

Habonim is a safe and secure Jewish environment for kids from across Southern Africa – including Botswana, Namibia,Mozambique the Eastern Cape, Durban, Bloemfontein, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Here, young Jewish children have the chance to meet one another and share in an identity-shaping Jewish and Zionist experience. We are privileged to have a number of foreign children and madrichim join us from Australia, the US and England, amongst other places.

Themes relating to Israel and South Africa are explored in depth as we give hundreds of children a sense of self and Jewish identity, coupled with a more critical and pro-active look at the challenges facing us and our surroundings. Children will return home with a strengthened value system, a stronger belief in themselves and as confident young adults.

What can your child get at Habonim Machaneh?

• Experience a communal Shabbat with a host of options, ranging from the Cultural service to an Orthodox service.

• 24 Hour CSO security

• Three well-balanced, nutritious and wholesome meals a day

• A tuckshop that stocks all the goodies you need for true holiday fun

• Shichvah events that you will remember for years to come - these include, amongst others:

• • Shtilim Wedding (Grade 5s and 6s)
  • The Shtilim Israeli Shuk (Grade 5s and 6s)
  • Bonim Illegal Immigration (Grade 7s)
  • The Bonim Bonanza (Grade 7s)
  • Amelim Survival Night
  • The Amelim Naming Ceremony (Grade 8s)
  • Sollelim Revolutions & Bands Night (Grade 9s)
  • The Burning Man Festival (Grade 9s)
  • The famous Sayarim Carnival (Grade 10s)
  • Investing in the wider South African community (Grade 10s)
  • Sayarim Peace Ceremony (Grade 10s)
  • The Shomrim Talent Show (Grade 11s)
  • Projects Week (Grade 11s)

• A well-prepared educational syllabus with regular peulot (activities) throughout camp

• Learn independence and responsibility, as you clean, look after and respect your space and that of those around you

• A Zionist and Jewish experience like no other - engage in the issues you'll never grapple with anywhere else

• A wide range of sports tournaments with hundreds of people watching you every night!

• An intense group-bonding and friendship creating experience

• Unbelievable ruach (spirit) and songs that will make you scream your lungs as you paint yourself proudly in your shichvah colours!

• The most beautiful beach in the Western Cape - a minute from your tent!

• The best facilities on any campsite in Southern Africa

• Top international and local guests, shlichim and madrichim

• World-class experienced leadership, amongst the best in any youth movement in the world

• Revamped kitchen with an employed chef from Israel to ensure that your food needs are met every day, 3 times a day!

Useful links and info:

Download the 2008 Machaneh Highlights by clicking here

What's in a name? - find out more about the name Olam Chofshi by clicking here

Are you in Matric or older? - We want you as a madrich or madricha! - click here to find out more!

The Machaneh 2009 Information Booklet - click here to download

FACEBOOK:

Click here to join the Official Olam Chofshi facebook group now!

Click here to watch the Machaneh Promo Video

INFO YOU NEED TO KNOW

CAMP DATES

• Thursday 10 December 2009 to Tuesday 29 December 2009

• The Johannesburg train leaves on Wednesday 9 December 2010

• Johannesburg channichim return by plane on Wednesday 29 December 2009

• For a detailed breakdown and explanation of the 2009 camp fees, and for other travel options, please see the online form.

• There is a separate fee, available online, for Bogrim applicants.

• The camper’s machaneh fee will not be refunded, nor reduced, if the camper arrives late/leaves early for any reason whatsoever.

• Please note: The basic camp fee increases by R200 after Thursday 29 October, and by a further R200 after Tuesday 17 November.

ACCEPTANCE AT MACHANEH

• The Va’ad Poel (Central Organising Committee) of Machaneh Olam Chofshi reserves the right to reject any application.

• All applicants must have a minimum of one Jewish parent.

• All applicants must be in at least Grade 5 or above for the year 2009.

• All applicants must complete all sections of the online form and make payment before acceptance to machaneh.

• All applicants must attend camp for the full three weeks, unless an alternative arrangement has been made (exceptional circumstances permitting) with the Camp Va’ad Poel.

• All Shomrim applicants must complete a special Shomrim motivation form – available as part of the Shomrim online application.

• All applicants must attend machaneh in the shichvah that corresponds to their school grade.

Habonim Dror has placed limits on the maximum number of channichim that we can accept for each shichvah, and places cannot be guaranteed for applications received after 25 November 2010. Campers who apply after this date may be placed on a waiting list. Please ensure your form is correctly completed online and that payment has been made in full to avoid disappointment.

INFORMATION BOOKLET

Please note that before machaneh begins, a detailed Information Booklet will be available from our offices and website providing further details for machaneh. Information regarding luggage, travel, what should be brought to machaneh, and contact details will be provided. This booklet contains vital information and must be obtained before machaneh. The Information Booklet will be available in October 2009.

MACHANEH MERCHANDISE This year, the following machaneh merchandise is available. Please ensure that if you want to purchase any merchandise, you order this before camp as you will not be able to order it during or after camp:

Official Machaneh T-shirt (every camper will receive one free of charge)

Habonim Dror Longsleeve Chultzah (the Habonim Dror official uniform: blue shirt with red string)

Habonim Dror 2010 Hoodie (warm sweatshirt with a hood)

CAMP TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT

Campers must use the official camp transport, unless otherwise arranged for beforehand with S’gan Rosh Machaneh Shaun Reznik.

• Zimbabwe and other foreign countries must arrange their travel requirements in writing with S’gan Rosh Machaneh Shaun Reznik before 20 November on travel@habo.org.za or by fax to the Johannesburg office on +27 11 786 7047.

• Durban:

• Eastern Cape: EC parents will be requested to book their child’s own aeroplane ticket, as has been the case over the last few years. Please be in touch with S’gan Rosh Machaneh Shaun Reznik on travel@habo.org.za with regards to your flight arrangements.

TUCKSHOP MONEY

As in previous years, we will pool R120 from each camper into a communal tuckshop fund in order to increase the overall standard of the tuckshop. We recommend R300 for each channich’s individual tuckshop allowance. Money unspent by the end of camp will not be refunded, but donated to the Alec Rogoff Assist-A-Camper Appeal.

CAMP MEMORIES

We want to ensure that our channichim don’t forget this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Each channich will receive a number of printed photographs, the camp DVD and a photo CD containing hundreds of camp photos as part of the camp memories package. The printed photographs will be distributed during camp, and the CD and DVD by September 2010.

Please click [here] to contact Rosh Machaneh Daniel Barnett for more information.