Posted to General on

camp experience combines best of all worlds

Orange County Jewish Life

Writing this Kids Konnection was on my list of things to do today. I had a topic picked out and a plan about what to say. It changed early this morning, however, when my seven-year-old twins bounded into our bedroom at the crack of dawn.

Jacob said, “Mommy, please, please wake up early, so that you can help me practice my davening before camp this morning.” This was followed by Michela saying, “I need you to help me with the part that goes right after the Shema.”

They have never before expressed such exuberance and excitement for learning and practicing prayers. It was at that moment that I changed my plan. The other topic can wait until next month. Our experience at Jewish camp this summer has been so significant that I just have to write about it.

Because we go to a year-round school and only have a four-week summer break, we are limited in how much camp the kids can attend. With no travel plans this summer, it was a good time to sign up for camp. I fell in love with the facility and program of Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach when I researched and wrote a profile on OC Jewish summer camps for the February issue of OCJL and when I interviewed Rabbi Sender, director, for a cover story article on the Matzah Bakery in the April issue.

We have participated in many different camps in the last several years – other Jewish camps, sports camps at UCI, art camp, and Irvine city camps, just to name a few. They have all been good, and our children have had many wonderful experiences. But Camp Silver Gan Israel has been the best experience ever. It combines the best of all of the specialty camps in an overall comprehensive program, which takes place in a warm, nurturing, loving, and safe environment. As parents, we couldn’t ask for anything more for our kids. Only one or two days into the two-week session we had signed up for, our kids begged us to let them go their whole summer break, so we extended it!

So, what specifically makes Camp Silver Gan Israel the best summer camp we have ever experienced? Everything!

The People

Silver Gan is the epitome of the word “haymish.” Everyone is warm, friendly, welcoming, caring, and down to earth. It is evident that Rabbi Sender cares very much about all of the kids and wants them to have a wonderful camp experience. Jacob didn’t enjoy the first day, because the boys and girls are separated, and all of his good friends who were going are girls. We talked to Rabbi Sender that evening to make him aware of the issue and ask him to keep an eye on things. Rabbi Sender was very concerned and wanted to make sure Jacob’s experience at camp was positive.

He called every evening for two or three days to talk to us and to Jacob about how each day was going. (The second day, Jacob came home saying it was “great” and has loved it ever since!) We were very impressed with how much Rabbi Sender cared.

The counselors are also wonderful, caring, diverse, outgoing, interesting, and very experienced. We love that Harrison’s 5th/6th grade group has male counselors who are excellent role models. Dinnertime conversation these last two weeks has been frequented with remarks like “Izzy does…” and “Chaim says…”

The Facility

The 11-acre facility in Huntington Beach is phenomenal. Highlights are the Junior Olympic-sized swimming pool, the incredible cyber lab with the most up-to-date technology and computer games, the game room with all of the current video games set on free play, the “rec room” with pool table, foosball, and air hockey tables, and the sports areas, which include a large gaga court, a roller hockey area, baseball fields, volleyball courts, soccer fields, basketball courts, and playground equipment.

The cafeteria is also excellent. Our kids love the food and buy lunch every day. There are many healthy and delicious choices for lunch, and the kids love to go to the “canteen” for their daily treats.

The Activities, Field Trips, and Focus on Fun

Learning about things and experiencing new activities is definitely a part of the Silver Gan curriculum, but the overriding emphasis is that a kids’ summer should be fun, and it is! Sports, arts and crafts, music, drama, games, and cooking are just a few of the many different activities the campers enjoy. Going to the cyber lab, the game room, and the rec room are, of course, highlights of the day. Choosing names for their groups (called “bunks”) and fun bunk competitions lets the kids all bond with each other and gives them a sense of identity. Exciting shows are brought to the camp, and twice a week they go on buses to nearby fun attractions such as Nickel Nickel, Boomers, bowling, ice and roller skating, the mud park, Sea World, Legoland, and other such places. Harrison can hardly wait for the Big Bear overnight that his group is going on next week.

The Jewish Component

While the campers are having fun, they are learning about being Jewish through daily prayers and activities. Shabbat is filled with songs, dancing, baking challah, and saying blessings. We are thrilled that our kids are getting this extra dose of Judaism. Even though they go to Hebrew school, and we are involved in our synagogue, this daily immersion in Jewish life with other Jewish kids has had a profound impact on them.
We will continue to say the Shema every morning and to incorporate other things they have learned into our daily life long after their session at camp is over.

The Communication with Parents, Family Activities and Year Round Program
Camp Silver Gan does an excellent job of communicating with the parents. Weekly newsletters recap the week in detail and provide information about upcoming activities, along with links to permission slips. (The camp is so organized!) The website is updated daily with hundreds of pictures of all of the kids, so we feel as if we are there with them. There are also many family events to enhance the camp experience.

Harrison and Marlon are looking forward to attending the father/son night this week, and there is a family Shabbat on Friday. There is also a family summer party later this month that we are excited to attend and many other activities coming up.

The fun at Silver Gan doesn’t stop when the summer ends. There are activities year round, such as during Chanukah, Purim, and Passover. There is a winter camp in December. Silver Gan families are invited to and encouraged to attend workshops during the year at the facility, such as the Shofar Factory, the Matzah Bakery, and others.

We have found our “camp home,” and we look forward to an ongoing relationship and many more positive Jewish experiences at Silver Gan Israel.

Related Articles

19 Comments

  • Rivka Teich - L.B. Alumni

    Glad to see what a great job sender is doing. Good to see the Engel Legacy keeps going.

  • Reuv

    Techie,

    I read this line and was confused . . .

    "Shabbat is filled with songs, dancing, baking challah, and saying blessings"

    This is a frum camp right? The baking on shabbos threw me for a loop, I am obviously missing something :o)

  • last years

    great counselors!
    mendel shaya keep it up we added to the greatness and you guys take it even a step further chovevei rocks
    p.s. 885

  • LB

    This article doesn’t mention the great work of Rabbi Rapoport as well…. job well done to Rabbi Rapoport and all the hard work he puts into this amazing camp!

  • yoniqua

    yay tzip, nechama, shaina, adina, chayala, miriam, leah, elyse, brochie… all our lod gals in long beach!!!
    yall look like ur havin bout as much fun as we did in rockland county(were up on this site too – check it out)! live up the last wk there…
    love you guys miss u gimme a call…

  • Aybe

    yaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy I love Silver Gan Israel!!!!!

    NO this not a frun camp!!! B’H its the Rebbes camp!!!!!
    where kids from all walks of life are welcome and cared for!!!!!!
    Rabbi Sender Thank you so….how i leave i do not know…..
    Rabbi Rappaport….Thank you so how I leave I do not know….
    Each one a "Jewel"….so precious and rare… you have placed ito my care…

  • Former Staff

    You guys are awesome..You should all know, i still consider it the best summer of my life! keep it going…..miss you kids!

  • Former Staff

    You guys are awesome..You should all know, i still consider it the best summer of my life! keep it going…..miss you kids!

  • crown heightser

    Words been spreading that this year the long beach sabra counselors were unbelievably dedicated and devoted! A big Yosher Koach!

  • long beacher

    yes it’s a frum camp, it’s a day camp. the shabbat stuff is done on friday.

  • long beacher

    rabbi sender, rabbi rap & everyone…thanks for another great summer! there is no place in the world like SGI!

  • What a Crown Heightser is gonna say

    so they make kidush on friday?? the whole camp brings in shabbos early? thats so sweet….