Parksville Camp Raises the Bar

By COLlive staff

“A Yeshiva from within, a camp from the outside.”

Those were the words of the Rebbe when he founded Camp Gan Israel, and this remains the driving philosophy at the camp in Parksville, NY, the trailblazer Chabad summer camp that spawned hundreds more around the globe.

Indeed, since the camp hung out it’s shingle 56 years ago, it has established itself as a Chassidishe camp true to the Rebbe’s directives for a Jewish camp.

Today, the camp at Kiryat Gan Yisroel continues to provide a “fun-filled camping experience set in an authentic, deeply Chassidishe environment,” says Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, Executive Director of the camp.

“Every child has a different skill set,” says Rabbi Yossi Futerfas, director of the camp. “Because every child is so unique, this year, as in the past, we’re placing emphasis on diversifying our curriculum by totally rethinking our sports and physical activities to ensure that every child has a fair shot.”

Already, Head Counselors Rabbi Nachman Dov Vichnin, Nochum Schapiro, Levi Shemtov and Avremi Wolff are putting their heads together to find more ways to engage every child at every demographic.

Learning directors Rabbi Sholom Baras, Shazi Perman and Menachem Altein are keeping pace with the new developments by ensuring that the camp’s exciting sports and physical activities are set in a distinctly Jewish and Chassidishe environment with a rigorous Torah learning schedule, giving campers the best of all worlds.

For 12-13 year-old boys, Camp Gan Israel has created an exciting program to cultivate this important demographic. This year, the camp’s popular Bar Mitzvah Division (BMD) has already drawn a record number of enrollments and will soon reach full capacity.

BMD heads Shimon Gorkin and Shmulik Moskowitz are already hard at work with a fully redesigned program for this years’ summer experience.

With the campers’ needs provided for, Rabbi Shemtov has also raised the bar for staff as well. This year, educator Rabbi Zalman Kaplan will conduct daily shiurim for learning teachers and counselors.

Rabbi Kaplan is the Director of Adult Education at the Montreal Torah Center – Chabad in Montreal and is on the faculty of Beth Rivkah Academy and Chaya Mushka Seminary there.

In this manner, says Rabbi Shemtov, “the staff will maintain a healthy balance by continuing Yeshiva and setting a standard for campers to follow by embodying the Chassidishe values and practices of a Tomim.”

Last year, the camp’s innovative ‘A Year with the Rebbe Calendar’ initiative was launched to a positive reception. Campers completed various tasks, or excelled in davening and learning and were rewarded for their achievements with an array of stunning pictures of the Rebbe.

Head Counselor Nachman Dov Vichnin has confirmed that this program is currently on the launching pad and will feature a redesigned program and all-new pictures of the Rebbe.

“After last year’s success, we’re very excited with the possibilities of this initiative and we’re looking forward to another great year at Gan Yisroel,” says Rabbi Vichnin.

Every boy who’s registers before Shavuos, will have his name appear on the calendar on his birthday. To register your son, visit CampGanIsrael.Com