Camp Tavor

Habonim Dror Camp Tavor is a Jewish overnight camp located in Three Rivers, Michigan. The camp is affiliated with Habonim Dror, a Labor-Zionist youth movement which promotes the ideals of communal living and sharing, in a Kibbutz-like environment. The camp promotes the ideals of the youth movement to roughly 200 participating campers, ages 9 through 15 each summer.

Affiliation with Habonim Dror

Habonim Dror is a Labor-Zionist movement which provides programing and ideology to campers. Campers perform work (avodah) in the morning, which simulates living in a Kibbutz, where communal work benefits the whole society. There is an element of kupah, which literally means 'cash register' in Hebrew, but is interpreted to mean 'sharing'. The basic principle of sharing at Camp Tavor is give what you can, take what you need. All campers contribute to kupah and therefore feel an equal part of and responsibility for our community. Campers are educated during Peulot, or age group activities, on the ideals of Habonim Dror, as well as on topics relevant to society today such as environmentalism and social justice. Other activities throughout the day range from sports such as canoeing, swimming, basketball and Ga-ga to games with the entire camp of Capture the Flag or other Camp Tavor favorites.

Schedule

Camp Tavor is a Jewish summer camp that has sessions available to campers that vary in length from one week to seven weeks. Jewish Farming Camp, A Taste Of Tavor and Teen Leadership Camp are one-week-long sessions.

Explore Tavor is a two-week session, from June 16–30, 2013.

First Session is three weeks long, with a visitors day two weeks into the session (Summer 2013 dates are June 16 – July 7).

Second Session is four weeks long, with a visitors day about 2 weeks into the session (Summer 2013 dates are July 10 – August 5).

The Full Season is from the beginning of First Session through the end of Second Session (Summer 2013 dates are June 16 – Aug 5).

Tavor reopens mid-Fall for Fall Seminar, which takes place over a weekend and is a fun reunion for campers and counselors alike. The program imitates normal Shabbat programing at camp.

Age groups

Camp Tavor welcomes a wide variety of age groups. The age groups are: Amelim - Post 3rd and 4th grade, Chotrim (rowers)- Post 5th and 6th Grades, Bonim (builders)- Post 7th Grade, Garinim (seeds)- Post 8th Grade, Bogrim (graduates)- Post 9th Grade, Madatz (counselors in training) - Post 11th Grade.

Shabbat

Shabbat at Tavor is a very relaxed and reflective experience (of the soul). Friday afternoons allow time to dress nicely and prepare for Kabbalat Shabbat. Kabbalat Shabbat includes a unique flag lowering service followed by a trip to Shabbat Hill to sing and watch the sunset. Following dinner, zemirot are sung and the rest of the night is spent Israeli Folk Dancing on the basketball courts.

External links

• Camp Tavor website

Coordinates: 41°55′37″N 85°43′04″W / 41.92693°N 85.71789°W