SHABBAT at TAVOR
SAMPLE SHABBAT SCHEDULE
Friday Afternoon
Tent/Cabin Activity (Peulot Ohel/Tzrifim): Campers enjoy having fun with their bunkmates and counselors during a special two-hour period on Shabbat devoted to cabin/tent time.
Free Swim (Schiah Chofshi): A relaxed time for campers to enjoy swimming in the pool, in the lake or boating in kayaks, canoes or rowboats.
Optional prayer (T’fillot).
Families (Mishpachot): Before we usher in the Sabbath, we try to create a sense of home by dividing into families of campers from the same local region. Campers and counselors use this time to share favorite experiences, wish each other well before Shabbat and share something special that happened in their week.
Evening Flag Lowering (Mifkad Erev) and Ushering in the Sabbath (Kabbalat Shabbat): Our welcome to the Sabbath includes a unique flag lowering service where all of camp joins hands and walks up to Shabbat Hill where singing culminates in an Israeli dance performance by one of our age groups.
Dinner (Aruchat Erev): Shabbat dinner is filled with good food, good song and good cheer. Our challah is often made by campers, and the decorations hung throughout the dining hall often illustrate campers’ creativity.
Skits (Oneg Shabbat) and Israeli Folk Dancing (Rikud): One age group usually provides a presentation for our festivities which leads directly into Israeli Folk Dancing and an evening snack for the entire camp.
Saturday
Shabbat Morning (Yom Shabbat): Campers enjoy our late wake up time on Shabbat choosing to either sleep in or to pray in a small group that meets their religious needs. Shabbat at Camp Tavor is a very relaxed and reflective time.
Breakfast (Aruchat Boker): A highlight of Shabbat, our oldest campers usually prepare our Saturday chocolate chip pancake breakfast.
Reflective Discussion Groups (Chuggim Ritzinim): On Shabbat we like to explore all sorts of serious social, political, and Jewish interests in small, age appropriate discussion groups. Campers generally have the opportunity to choose a topic that interests them. Discussions are creative and may include a variety of activities such as art, music, gardening or writing to motivate conversation, or as a means of expressing one's ideas.
Tavor Bowl: This is our own homegrown version of the traditional college bowl. Campers enhance their knowledge of Camp Tavor, the Habonim-Dror movement, superstitions and legends while participating in an afternoon of fun.
Lunch (Aruchat Tzoryim).
Fun Activity Groups (Chuggim Ala Kefak): Afternoon interest groups on Shabbat are recreational. They include taking hikes through our campsite, reading, playing sports, and more.
Musicale: We are so talented at Camp Tavor that we needed to separate music from the rest of our performance talents. At Musicale, you might see a 5th grader and his counselor try a new song on the guitar or a choir of girls singing an Israeli song they just learned.
Dinner (Aruchat Erev).
Welcoming the New Week (Havdalah): At Camp Tavor, saying goodbye to Shabbat is a spiritual experience. We sit under the blanket of stars and listen to music while pondering the previous week and gearing up for more fun. Then we separate Shabbat from the week in the traditional way with candles, wine and spices.
Campfire (Midurah): Our evening bonfire is a combination of performances and sing-a-longs hosted by Bogrim (explain) campers at the amphitheater overlooking our beautiful lakefront.