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Rosh SayarimFF
Ava Cohen

My name is Ava, and I have been a committed member of Habo since 2012. I’ve loved coming on camp, engaging in interesting topics and creating fun projects. Whether it’s playing sports with my friends or creating an entire carnival in just two days, there is such immense value added to our lives.  I’m grateful for Habonim moulding me into the critical thinker I am today. Habonim is my second home and there’s no other place I’d spend December.

I am currently studying Business Science Marketing at UCT, and the lessons I’ve learned from project management provide me with useful insight into organising this amazing Machaneh. 

Zamir, I was almost your S’ganit rosh in 2021: I’m so excited to finally take you in real life and finish what I started!

S’gan Rosh Sayarim
Brad Lubner


Hey! My name is Brad Lubner, and I’ve been a long-standing Maddie for Zamir, and now my time to be one of their Roshim has finally come! I’m 21 years young, and currently finishing my undergraduate in Motion and 3D Animation at the Cape Town Creative Academy. 

I joined Habo for my first time in Sayarim and immediately developed a love and dedication to Habo because of my amazing Madrichim and Roshim. This was my first experience of Habonim and I kept coming back for more since. I’m itching at the opportunity to recreate the same amazing experience I had in Sayarim for Zamir. I’ve been a Madrich for them since I was 17 and taken them at every opportunity: from Mini Machanot, to Shorashim, to Machaneh. I’m eager to get as many faces on camp as I can and reignite Zamir’s potential as a force to be reckoned with! I love their passion and willingness to learn, and a huge amount of my personal growth is attributed to them.

I’m so excited to make this Sayarim as unforgettable and life changing as mine back in 2018.

S’ganit Rosh Sayarim
Ruby Gimpel

Hi you guys! My name is Ruby and I am so very excited to spend my 7th year on the beautiful Habonim Dror Southern Africa’s campsite being S’ganit Rosh Sayarim!!! 

After matriculating from King David Victory Park, I took two gap years to explore Israel and the United States before starting my studies at Wits in a bachelor of Health Sciences. During my gap years I dedicated most of my time volunteering with kids as I love helping people and enjoy bringing joy to youth! I am enthusiastic about all things fun and creative and find Habo the perfect space for me to express that. I cannot wait to be reunited with my Channies from Shorashim this year and am so keen to meet the rest of the amazing Zamir! 

Can’t wait to share what myself, Ava and Brad have been working so dedicatedly on with you all this December.
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The Sayarim Experience

The Yellow One

Sayarim means ‘scouts’ as historically, in this age group, skills necessary for the building of the state of Israel were taught. While the purpose of Sayarim has since changed, a great emphasis is still placed on Israeli education today! Similarly, a portion of Zamir has just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime Shorashim experience in Israel. Camp builds on this, as the theme is peace and resolution. We delve further into Israeli education with the accumulation of a beautiful Tekes (ceremony) dedicated to Israel and her idealized future. 

Furthermore, Sayarim is a year where Channies start to engage with what Habonim is, what our history is, and what it means to take ownership and set the tone of this beautiful youth movement. With this comes more kef (fun) as Sayarim is on the cutting edge of Habo culture. The Sayarim Carnival is one of the highlights of Machaneh where Sayarim Channies and Maddies build and decorate food and activity stalls, a haunted forest, and more for this highly anticipated event on Machaneh. 


As some of our most senior Channichim, Zamir will be treated with great respect and afforded more freedom! Sayarim has no bedtime, are given more space without being overseen by Madrichim, and are in charge of setting their own culture. This can be seen in their projects and Peulot as they take charge themselves. At no point on our Machaneh do we assign view points, outlooks, or defined tasks. Rather we encourage critical thought and independence. This is especially true for Sayarim as the lives of 16 year olds becomes more complex. This freedom can be expressed in the exclusive tried and tested Sayarim activities, the loud sea of yellow at Ruach (spirit) sessions, and this age group’s historical performance in our sports tournaments. Sayarim is the ‘goldilock’  age to be on Machaneh, with all the freedom Habonim Machaneh has to offer with very little responsibility paired with it. No one is as carefree as a Sayarim Channich on our Machaneh. Zamir can choose what aspects of Machaneh they want to truly invest in to create the amazing and freeing culture that exists in Sayarim.

Enriching Peulot

Sayarim Ragers

The Peace Tekkes

Sayarim Ruach (spirit)

Time on The Beach

Soccer Tournament

The Sayarim Wall

Havdalah Parties

The Sayarim Carnival

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