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Religious Camp in Albert Lea for the Summer

KIMT News 3

Campers on a trip this summer.

An old school in southern Minnesota is housing some out of towners for the summer. The Ramsey School in Albert Lea is being rented for a religious camp [Yeshiva Kayitz Minnesota].

The Ramsey School is located at the intersection of Newton and Fourth Street in Albert Lea. And for at least 40 campers, they will be calling that schoolhouse home for the next seven weeks.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

Sholom Gutleizer lives in Brooklyn. And he says coming from New York to Albert Lea for the summer, is a bit of a change in scenery.

“Usually at night I sleep right next to my window so 20 cars go by every 20 seconds. Another cop car comes every two seconds and sirens and everything. I come here and I count the cars the first night…three or four and that’s it, ” says camper Sholom Gutleizer.

Other campers like Gutleizer come from around the county and across the world to attend this seven week Judaism camp called ‘Hachayal’.

“It’s a religious camp. Their studies are religion…and but even with that there is fun and games,” says camp house mother Evelyn Zylberberg.

The camp started last week and counselors say since then the old school has been filled with 12 and 13 year old boys.

“For them and for us it’s a hard transformation. For these people it’s 40 guys coming in, running around, playing…it’s weird for these guys also…they are from New York where they’re used to 40 cop cars…chases. But it works out pretty well….it’s balanced out, ” says camp counselor Levi Cole.

Campers divide their time between prayer, play, and trips around the area. And campers say while the camp gives them time to extend their learning, it’s also a chance to just kick back.

“We went canoeing, we went to a water park, we go…today we did a tour of the lake and right now we are in the middle of a learning session,” says Gutleizer.

Camp organizers say there is another camp program in Freeborn for older campers ages 14 to 17. They say about 114 boys are at that camp. The Judaism camp goes until August 14th. Camp organizers say they have boys from as far as Brazil attending this summer program.

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7 Comments

  • Minn. transplant

    Minnesota rocks!!!! The mosquitoes may be as big as cats, but you can’t beat the beautiful scenery, the quiet, and the feeling of security. Come one, come all! The people here are amazingly friendly and open-minded (no kidding!)

  • JZUKER

    BH
    WOW
    WHAT ATHLETES …
    WHOEVER THAT WAS PLAYING BASKETBALL
    HAS A FUTURE …
    I STEONGLY SUGGEST THAT THE PICTURE BE SENT TO SPORTS ILLUSTRATED ..
    AND ALL RELATED NEWSPAPERS… UNDER THE HEADING
    ”NEW FACES IN BASKETBALL”
    FAN