Teens Seek Purpose, Identity at Summer Un-Camp

“When my classmates asked me what religion I am, I made them guess,” Luca Koo, 15 from Budapest, Hungary says. “They went through the whole list before I told them I’m Jewish.”

One of thirty-five teen girls who’ve come from foreign countries to spend summer at Un-Camp, a three week program in Dorchester, IA, Luca first noticed anti-Semitism in Hungary as a 10-year-old, when she overheard a classmate dismiss a rotten apple as a “Jew apple.”

“I’m proud to be a Jew,” she asserts, “but I don’t want to be scared.”

In recent years—with the help of Budapest’s Chabad representatives, RabbiBoruch Oberlander and Rabbi Shlomo Koves—Luca’s grandfather, the son of Holocaust survivors, reconnected with his Jewish identity. At age 63 he chose to have a circumcision, and remarried his wife under a chuppah, in a Jewish ceremony. His decision to live a fully Jewish life had a ripple effect on his family, and Luca’s mother was careful to send her daughter to a Jewish kindergarten, to provide her with Hebrew tutors as she grew older, and to give her Jewish summer camping experiences.

“My mother ensured that I go to a Jewish camp in America as soon as I was old enough to travel, because there aren’t as many opportunities in Europe.”

Bais Chana pioneered its first teen summer program in 1991. The first and only one of its kind, Un-Camp is geared to 15-18 year old girls, a time when teens often opt out of traditional camp in favor of a summer of working, traveling, or just “hanging out.” Un-Camp strives for a fusion of fun and thoughtful, offering the girls a lively and stimulating experience in which they broach questions of identity and purpose, while enjoying a rich social and active summer experience.

One of the campers Luca met this summer is Diana Meyers, 18, from Livingston, New Jersey—a predominantly Jewish suburb. Her school gets off for Jewish holidays, her family conducts their annual Passover seder from a haggadah boasting the title “The 30 Minute Seder.”

Ten years ago Diana wandered over to play with the neighbor’s children. Chabad representatives Rabbi Zalman and Toba Grossbaum welcomed her warmly, and Diana has been wandering over ever since. Three years ago Toba gave Diana a gift: a summer at Bais Chana’s Un-Camp.

“I was nervous I wouldn’t like it enough to want to stay the entire time,” says the three-summer veteran.

Diana was worried that Bais Chana, “the camp with the Jewish name,” would be too “orthodox.” Her fears dissolved as she found easy acceptance in Un-Camps’ non-judgmental environment. Counselors were warm and helpful, and campers came from a mix of backgrounds making Diana feel no different than others. And after a few years, the program was named the “Un-Camp.” Hinda Leah Sharfstein, director of Bais Chana Women’s International recalls that the girls came up with the name themselves, “because it’s like camp, but not really.”

Days at Un-Camp are planned with just enough structure to allow the girls plenty of variety. Rabbi Manis Friedman teaches a Tanya class in the mornings and fields questions in a discussion style class at night where the girls ask about Judaism’s view on anything from relationships to dinosaurs. Afternoons are filled with art projects, canoeing, biking, and community service.

One of the biggest draws is meeting other Jewish teens from around the world from diverse backgrounds. This year’s Un-campers hailed from the U.S., Canada, Hungary, and Chile. Some are Jewish day school students; others devoted their chevrusa hour during which they study with a partner, to learning to read Hebrew for their first time.

The experience, says Mrs. Sharfstein, leaves girls appreciating that Torah can serve “as a guide for grappling with issues that they’ll confront throughout their entire lives.”  She explains that teenage years are a crucial time when girls need to be prepared for making the biggest decisions of their lives, from the kind of individual they will look for in a marriage partner, to how they will raise their family. Too often they will be making these decisions with little to no direction, guidance, or clarity.

“The most common misconception is that our kids don’t need it. But our lives are much busier today and many parents find that it’s a huge challenge to be as attentive as they want to be.”

Sharfstein notes that while exploration and independence are characteristic of teenage years, after observing hundreds of teenage girls pass through Bais Chana’s doors  she’s found that “they really thrive with some boundaries and guidance. They want it.” In this oasis free of peer pressure, distractions, social obligations and even cell phone reception, the girls are grateful for the opportunity to focus on how they will carve out a meaningful life for themselves, without distraction or fear of ridicule.

Prospective campers have a chance to test the waters in November, at a Bais Chana Un-Camp Shabbaton where teens can get a feel for the program before committing for a full summer session while meeting with alumni from previous summers.

When Luca returns home she plans to integrate more mitzvahs into her life. She appreciates the challenge, but is determined to make changes, one at a time:  “It’s easy to feel so excited and empowered here,” she says, thoughtfully. “But I know it will be harder at home.”

For Diana, the experience “showed me what life could be. I made the most meaningful friendships I ever had because they were based on shared values. I could see my values and goals more clearly. I feel like I got in touch with my potential.”

To learn more about the program click here.