Winter Camp Empowers Girls

Flights departed from Gothenburg, Sweden carrying campers back to their Shlichus destinations as Camp Yisroel for European Tzeirei Hashluchos drew to its close last week.

Campers and staff shared ten days packed with trips, learning, and the Sweden winter camp’s inspiring farbrengens.

12 year old Zelda Amar’s family are Shluchim in Pontault Combault, near the famous EuroDisney. “I learned here in camp how a shliach is always connected to the Meshaleach,” she says in a surprisingly fluent English.

“I really enjoyed the stories, learning, singing and Shabbos. The atmosphere in camp is really chassidish and so friendly. It’s really fun because it’s a small enough camp that they can be focused on everyone.”

Chanie Havlin, a smiling 13 year old from Frankfurt, Germany adds – “now I feel that have really strengthened my connection with the Rebbe!”

Most importantly, fast friendships were formed between a group of girls who despite speaking diverse languages, share the bond of lives dedicated to Shlichus in communities around Europe.

Chana Leigh, 9, lives in Cambridge, England and her family caters to the Jewish needs of the community and students of the historic university town.

“I’ve gained friendship and chassidishness from camp, ” she says thoughtfully, speaking with an elegant British accent. “I’ve made new friends and I’ve learned a lot from the way they act, and I’m going to skype them when I go home. I have just two Jewish friends in Cambridge. And now I have many more!”

The camp banquet was addressed by Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky via video broadcast who told the girls: “Your parents with their dedication to Shlichus – never forgetting that you, their loving children are an integral part of their Shlichus – gave you the opportunity to be part of this beautiful, beautiful camp in Sweden. The suitcase of baggage that you take with you from camp is filled with davening, with learning, with singing, with chayus – that suitcase you should take with you forever.”

Camp Gan Yisroel Tzeirei Hashluchim and Shluchos is a project of Chabad of Sweden, together with Merkos Leinyonei Chinuch and MyShliach.
Over 120 campers attended the summer and winter camps this past year.
“The need for this type of chinuch opportunity in Europe is evident by the growth that we are BH seeing with every single camp,” says Rabbi Alexander Namdar, who directs the camp with his wife Leah. “We would like to thank the staff, who were so dedicated to the needs of each and every camper and were able to transmit such a chayus for Yiddishkeit and Chassidishkeit.”

Registration for the girls and boys divisions of the summer camps will beezras Hashem open shortly.

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