‘Recharging’ Shlichus Batteries

As winter temperatures continue to drop, excitement is running high for daughters of Shluchim around Europe: Winter Camp is soon!

Gan Yisroel for European Tzeirei Hashluchos, Sweden is open for girls between 7 and 15 years old, beginning Thursday 23 Teves (26 December) until Sunday 4 Shvat, (5 January).

The winter camp activities include inspirational farbrengens and shiurim, nigunim, games, skiing, ice skating, swimming, night activities, trips, drama, fireside singing, arts and crafts and more. It provides the chance for girls, who often come from isolated Shlichus locations to make new friends with kids like themselves.

“My daughter came home so happy! She relived the camp experience for months and months afterwards,” says Rivkie Gurevitch who sent her 10 year old daughter to last winter’s camp and is sending her back for more. Rivkie grew up in Montreal and fired with idealism and courage, moved across the ocean to Offenbach, Germany on Shlichus. “Living so far away, my daughter hadn’t really been exposed to other girls like herself. In camp, she made a lot of chassidishe friends, and came back with a real chassidishe feeling and education. It really helped her to understand what being a chossid is.”

“Tzeirei Hashluchos is a place where the little shluchalach meet the Rebbe for real,” said a staff member. “Its incredible to see.”

Gan Yisroel for European Tzeirei Hashluchos in Sweden began in 5769 as a joint project of Chabad of Sweden, directed by Rabbi Alexander and Leah Namdar in partnership with Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky of Merkos Leinyonei Chinuch. During winter and summer camps of 5773, over 100 campers from 33 cities and 21 countries attended, Baruch Hashem.

“There is a need for this type of camp in Europe, ” says Rabbi Alexander Namdar, who directs the camp with his wife Leah. ” Many of us shluchim run camps for our cities. But our own children also need to have a camp that caters specifically to them, to recharge their batteries with chayus as shluchim and shluchos and chassidim of the Rebbe. As the Rebbe once said, ‘a Shabbos in camp iz azoi vi Simchas Torah!'”

Gothenburg, Sweden, called “the heart of Scandinavia”, is renowned for its clean air, pure water, and close proximity to skiing and other winter sports. The campsite lies at the heart of miles of untouched forest and nature reserves. There is a private entrance from the campsite leading into the famous Botanical Gardens, with beautiful scenery, waterfalls and majestic trees.

The campsite is on a large piece of land, with an indoor heated swimming pool. Getzel and Pretzel, the camp’s furry little goats are still alive and well, now in their winter barn on the camp grounds, munching happily on oats as they await camp’s arrival.

Interested parents should register asap, since winter camp places are more limited than the summer and registration is filling up quickly.

To register: www.tzeireihashluchim.com