Please join us on Sunday, August 1st between 1-5pm (Chicago time) for a fun filled day experiencing Camp Moshava! Parent and prospective campers will have the opportunity to take a tour of the Machaneh and see what a typical day is like at Camp Moshava.
Don’t forget your bathing suits! We will provide the snacks and drinks.
For more information please contact our Director of Recruiting, Josh Zwelling at 937-681-2493.
Yesterday marked the eighth yahrtzeit of Yaakov Matanky z”l. Rabbi Leonard Matanky, Yaakov’s father and longtime member of the Moshava family, delivered a shiur to Machal, Avodah and tzevet in Beit Yaakov Levi, the outdoor Beit Knesset built in Yaakov’s memory. Other members of the extended Matanky family joined us in Machaneh to mark the occasion.
Rabbi Matanky stressed the theme of mizmor (song) in the chapters of Tehillim (Psalms) which depict the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. Over the course of the shiur Rabbi Matanky spoke of the need to rejoice even during tragic times; despite the fact that the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed, the Jewish people were thankful that the nation was not destroyed.
Yaakov made an indelible mark on the lives of all who worked with him and especially influenced the lives of his chanichim. He was loved by all and his memory will be forever cherished by the entire Moshava family.
Camp Moshava invites all our Parents, Campers, Alumni and Friends to join us for Maariv and Eicha on Tisha B’Av. While this is usually done up at camp, because Tisha B’Av falls in between sessions, we have the opportunity to be all together in Chicago. Join us to continue this memorable tradition and hear inspirational stories from former camp director Rabbi Moshe Kushner.
We are pleased to announce that Jeremy Amster will be reading Eicha directly after Maariv. Also, because we will be outside on the lawn (adjacent to the basketball court), please feel free to bring blankets, flashlights, etc.
July 19, 2010
Maariv at 8:20 PM
Hillel Torah (outside in the back)
7120 Laramie Rd
Skokie, IL 60077
To RSVP email moshava@moshavawildrose.org or call 847-674-9733 ext. 12
This article originally appeared in the Chicago Jewish News
A former camper who is now a well-known architect has signed on to help with an ambitious long-term plan to renovate Camp Moshava in Wild Rose, Wis.
The architect, Phillip Katz, is based in Milwaukee but has Chicago family roots; both his parents were natives. As a youth, he attended Moshava himself for many years.
His firm, Phillip Katz Project Development, specializes in what he calls liturgical architecture – synagogues and other “sacred spaces.” He recently attracted national attention for a new sanctuary and complete remodel of Congregation Emanu-El B’nei Jeshurun in Milwaukee.
The Moshava project, while still in the embryonic stage, will involve renovation or reconstruction of many of the buildings, according to Rivkie Lafer, co-chair of the camp’s board along with Howard Braun. She is the first woman to hold that position in 72 years.
Camp Moshava is sponsored by Religious Zionists of Greater Chicago and Bnei Akiva.
“I feel lucky we got hold of Phillip,” she said. “We have big plans for him. He has done other camp projects…”
Lafer’s own involvement in Moshava is deep. Out of her and her husband’s blended family of five children, three are at the camp, and her husband, Evan Lafer, serves as the “rosh sports” – head of sports. Lafer’s parents and various aunts, uncles and cousins all attended Moshava camps in different parts of the country, as did she.
Among other projects, the camp needs a new dining hall and infirmary, Lafer says. “These are big, big structures, and there are lots of little buildings that need to be redone,” she says. “Our biggest hope is new guest housing, a special guest housing unit with apartments where people can come and spend Shabbos” and on other occasions during the year beyond the camp season.
Such a unit would help to provide income for the camp, Lafer says. Camp personnel are also working with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, a national foundation that funds Jewish projects.
Camp alumni, especially younger ones “were very excited” when they found out about Katz’s involvement, she says. “He’s got a fine reputation, people really like him, everybody’s heard great things about him. He does beautiful work and he’ll be a big asset to the camp,” Lafer says.
As for Katz, he says he considers “sacred architecture” “a primary vehicle for architects to make the world a better place. The Jewish soul has a desire to complete the world, to perform tikkun olam. Sacred architecture is a very powerful way to realize those goals,” he says.
Lafer says she believes Katz will help achieve her goal for Moshava: to make it “the most amazing camp in the world.”
Yesterday during lunch Uzi announced that the chanichim would have a special treat, a surprise dinner boat cruise! After a fun filled morning of regular activities everyone departed to the marina. As the chanichim boarded the authentic Princess K they learned a little bit about the history of the Wisconsin River.
We started the boat ride with light Hebrew music and snacks, and enjoyed a dinner of subs while overlooking the river. The chanichim played an exhilarating game of bingo, as well as cards, and thoroughly enjoyed this relaxing evening on the water.
The boat cruise helped tie together the loose ends in regards to the theme. After this long journey of Maccabiah, the chanichim thought they were ready to enter the promise land, but then they were faced with a new dilemma. The Yam Suf! (The Wisconsin River). Though they could not split the sea, they did travel across the river in the large paddle boat, and emerged as a nation ready to enter Eretz Yisroel.
For pictures of this metamorphosis and much, much more check out the BUNK1 site.
(Written by the toughest lifeguard employed by Machaneh and as always the hardworking Webmaster)
In conjunction with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, Camp Moshava will be hosting a Bone Marrow Donor Drive on Visitors’ Day. Sunday, July 11th from 12:00 to 5:00 PM Chicago Time. Click here for more information
Camp Moshava is pleased to announce our latest project — the Camp Moshava of Wild Rose, WI cookbook. This cookbook will contain all of the best recipes from the Moshava kitchens (including Shabbas cookies!!!) and we would also like to include some recipes from our families and alumni.
The cookbook categories are:
SuperSalami – creative ways to cook with salami
My Favorite Meal – last meal before going to camp
Cabin Treats – snacks and treats for sharing during camp
Camp Food ( Recipes will be shared by our Camp chefs – even the yummy Shabbos cookies)
Chug Cooking and Baking (Simple recipes to share during chug time)
Home Cooking– favorite meal after returning home from camp
Send your recipes to cookbook@moshavawildrose.org Make sure to include your name in the email so we can credit you for the recipe.
Maccabiah always comes down to one thing: ruach. Following a full day of sports, heavy rain, the apache race, lunch/dinner setups and an excellent few hours of funny final presentations, Team Mayim and Aish knew they had to prove themselves with their team spirit. They screamed, laughed, and yelled what they had left in them after almost 48 hours of non-stop maccabiah fun.
After much anticipation, the Apache Race commenced albeit an hour late due to torrential downpour. Eitan Halpert (Aish) and Caleb Maeir (Mayim) started off the race by running from Highway P all the way to the gym. From there, campers dodged, set tables, stuffed their faces with watermelon, rolled down the valley, wheel-barrowed and blobbed their way to victory. In the end, team Aish prevailed during the final stage of the race: the bucket brigade! Both teams filled up coolers by passing cups of water hastily and carefully along a big line of their teammates as counselors raced back and forth to fill up the cups. The close victory was celebrated by Team Aish with an intense amount of ruach and the water cooler being poured upon Team Co-Captain: Adir Pinchot.
Then, it came down to the final decision- the winner. The winner was announced using four Gatorade bottles: two blue (being drank by Sammy and Esti) and two red (being drank by Uzi and Rachel). With the chanichim surrounding them, the pressure was on to see who would finish first, and in the end, be the winner of Maccabiah! And the winner is… TEAM MAYIM! Kol Hachavod to all of the teams for all of their hard work!
The second day of Maccabiah is already in full swing! Team Aish is “red hot ready to roll”, while Team Mayim, is flowing with energy; both teams are bringing stories of Tanach alive each day!
Lunch was a surging success; Team Mayim decorated the Chadar Ochel as Noah’s Ark. Not only were the walls fully adorned in blue, but the illusion of the ark was completed animals- chanichim dressed up in costumes. Team Aish proved to be competition with a “Back to the Future” themed dinner that displayed different biblical encounters with fire.
Following dinner, both teams presented stomps full of musical and theatrical synergy. Team Aish’s stomp explored Eliyahu’s successful korban on Har Karmel that put the four-hundred and fifty Ba’al worshippers to shame. Meanwhile, Team Mayim made the Yam Suf story come to life, using unique instruments such as water and brooms.
Both teams are on their toes waiting to see who will win the Apache Race tonight, better yet, who will win it all!
At Machaneh Moshava we encourage all sorts of healthy competition. As written previously we have daily intramurals, we played Lets Make a Deal, and last night – Bunk Night. The most notable of all competitions, Maccabiah has just been broken out!
Maccabiah 5770 was broken out at 4:45 camp time during Shekem. Prior to the breakout, the campers had returned to their tzrifim (cabins) only to find them boarded up due to a “mold” problem. Interim Director Avi Roth condemned the chanichim for being lax on their cleanliness and hygiene. The chanichim were left utterly confused, then Rosh Mosh Uzi Beer yelled, “Maccabiah Breakout!” and the chanichim went wild.
The two teams are Mayim (water) and Aish (fire). Stay tuned for regular updates on Maccabiah and pictures of the events.
