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Habonim Dror Machaneh

Our largest event of the year – 3 weeks on our beautiful Onrus campsite surrounded by hundreds of other South African Jewish youth!

What is Machaneh?

There are few experiences in life as unique as the South African Zionist Summer Camps – The Machanot. Every year at Habonim Dror Machaneh, thousands of young Jews are transformed into responsible, accountable, sociable, and socially conscious young people. For three weeks in December, Habonim Dror hosts a world-famous summer camp that has been 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 skills, 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 Madrichim (counselors) – many of whom have spend a year in Israel undergoing intense Hadracha (leadership) and chinnuch (education) training. We are a safe and secure Jewish environment for kids from across Southern Africa. Here, young Jewish children have the chance to meet one another and share in an identity-shaping experience. We are privileged to have a number of foreign children and Madrichim join us from Israel, Australia, the US and England, among more.

Themes relating to Judiasm, Israel, and South Africa are explored in depth as we give hundreds of children a sense of self and 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 to Expect from Camp?

  • The most gorgeous natural backdrops to any photograph.
  • A wide range of sports tournaments with hundreds of people watching you every night.
  • Three well-balanced, nutritious, wholesome and obviously Kosher meals a day.
  • A tuckshop that stocks all the goodies you need for true holiday fun.
  • Engaging activities run by trained Madrichim from around the world
  • A well-prepared educational syllabus with regular Peulot (activities) throughout camp.
  • Communal Shabbatot with a host of options, ranging from Orthodox services, Cultural services and “Shabbat through text” – we insure all forms of Jewish expression are accounted for.
  • 24 Hour, professional security (CSO).
  • 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.
  • 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 to ensure that your food needs are met every day, 3 times a day.
  • A nutritious menu developed alongside professional nutritionists 

Why Choose Our Machaneh?

Join us on Machaneh Bonim Beyachad this December for weeks of memory-making, bond-building, and life-changing  experiences. Nights with friends under the stars, on the most beautiful campsite in the world, right on the beach of Onrus. Our campsite truly is like nowhere else on earth: living under the forest canopies, making friends from all over the country, experiencing Judaism in a way like never before, and having the most fun you could possibly have in your December holidays – this is what Habonim Machaneh is all about!

Machaneh creates an environment where all kinds of Channies are welcome and feel like themselves. After having over 90 years of experience of running Machanot, we have mastered the art of ensuring that every Chaver has a magical time on our campsite. Across all Shicavhot, Channihchim can expect to have three dynamic peulot (activities) a day, a well-stocked tuckshop, hanging on the beach with friends, and constant interaction with their Maddies. Even in free-time there is always something to do, such as sports tournaments or arts and crafts stations. No Channie will ever be bored on our camp!

Our youngest Shicvah, Shtilim (grade 5 and 6), stay in state-of-the-art comfortable cabins with modern ablution facilities. Each shicvah is assigned a group of maddies with a combination of various levels of experience and training, who run activities for the channies as well as constantly supervising your children 24/7. Each Tzevet (group of maddies) is carefully crafted, considering personality types, experience, and wanting to have a diverse representation of maddies in each tzevet. In addition to this, we have a team of social workers, medical practitioners, and psychologists on site throughout machaneh to ensure that we are prepared for any possible scenario.

Choosing our Machaneh should be an easy decision to make, so join the fun and sign up now! You don’t want to miss out.


What to Expect from your Shichvah?

Each age group as an intentional set of activities designed for their age and stage in life. Above Peulot, we have large scale, age specific projects that only happen once for each age group: join the fun because you won’t have the chance to again. Shichvah events that you will remember for years to come include, amongst others:

  • Shtilim Wedding (Grade 5 and 6)
  • The Shtilim Israeli Kibbutz (Grade 5 and 6)
  • Bonim Illegal Immigration (Grade 7)
  • Project Earth (Grade 7)
  • Survival Night (Grade 8)
  • Naming Ceremony (Grade 8)
  • Movie Day (Grade 8)
  • Sollelim Revolutions (Grade 9)
  • Bands Night/Sochella (Grade 9)
  • The Burning Man Festival (Grade 9)
  • Sayarim Carnival (Grade 10)
  • Judaism Seminar (Grade 10)
  • Sayarim Peace Ceremony (Grade 10)
  • The Shomrim Talent Show (Grade 11)
  • Projects Week (Grade 11)

Want more info?

Not convinced yet? Well, It’s impossible to fully communicate the magic that is a Habo Machaneh. Take a look around and find out more