Chabad’s Winter Day Camp Enriches Winter Break with Creativity

“This was a totally awesome Winter Break!” said Sabina Pashkin, 10, of Highland Mills on the last day of Chabad’s Gan Israel Winter Camp.

Over forty children ages 5-13 experienced Chabad’s Camp Gan Israel during the recent Winter Break. The week long camp was fun-filled with daily trips and Jewish-themed activities. Campers enjoyed gymnastics, scavenger hunts, glow-in-the-dark mini-golf, ice-skating, laser-tag, roller-skating and go-carting. The daily schedule included creative games, Jewish themed arts & crafts, and drama. Camp highlights this year were a surprise Chinese auction, challah baking, relay races, talent show, educational workshops and unique group games.

“This is our fifth year running Gan Israel Winter Camp,” says Chana Burston, who co-directs the camp with her husband, Rabbi Pesach Burston. “The experience is wholesome and spirited for the campers,” she says “with warm staff and a diversity of stimulating Jewish themed activities and wonderful trips, Winter Camp provides an enriching and educational opportunity for children.”

One parent commented that in previous years her nine- year- old son stayed home over winter break playing game boy, and in contrast this year she is thankful he is in Gan Israel “physically active, bonding with other children and appreciating his heritage simultaneously.”

Rabbi Pesach and Chana Burston of Chabad of Orange County directed the camp, and Chabad’s youth directors, Nechama Jacobs and Chaya Goldman, arranged programming. Campers participated from throughout the County, including Highland Mills, Monroe, Goshen, Warwick, Middletown, Washingtonville and Chester. Camp was held at Chabad’s Goshen location, 1997 Route 17m. For more information about Chabad’s activities and Chabad’s Camp Gan Israel Summer and Winter Camps, please call 782-2770, write rabbi@ChabadOrange.com, or visit www.ChabadOrange.com.