Posted to Shlichus on
Examiner
Rabbi Moishe Kievman

Chabad Career Camp to Vocationally Train Children

In what might be a first in vocational training, a South Florida Chabad center on Wednesday announced it will commence a ‘Career Camp’ that trains children as young as five to be bakers, bankers and other heretofore adult jobs.

Rabbi Moishe Kievman, spiritual leader of Chabad Chayil in Miami says it’s never too early to start a child on a career path.

“Today’s American educational system has a misplaced emphasis on a broad, liberal arts type of curriculum,” said Rabbi Kievman. “Kids aren’t taught to focus on real world skills. It’s all about preparing them for standardized testing, not for life in the real world. We want to change that with Career Camp.”

Rabbi Kievman says that in addition to exposing children ages five to 13 to an array of vocational choices and giving them a little taste of each, Career Camp also features ample opportunities to have fun and just be kids.

“Career Camp has got bowling, pizza parties, trips, scavenger hunts and much more for kids to enjoy,” said Kievman. “After all, real life isn’t just all work and no play.”

Some child-rearing experts have posited that Chabad’s Rabbi Kievman might be on to something.

“Kids are quite intellectually resilient and are able to process more information regarding rudimentary task training than previously believed,” said Margaret Elaine, a Miami-based author who has written on child-rearing issues for numerous publications. “I think Rabbi Kievman and Chabad have the right idea and that the kids will benefit both from the skills they acquire and the shared social interactions while learning them.”

Parents too are jumping on board, fast tracking kids into the work world with skills learned in childhood.

“In Colonial America, young children learned how to milk cows, plow fields and plant crops,” proffered David Schorr, a Coral Springs teacher and parent of a soon-to-turn five-year-old daughter. “I think starting kids off in life with skills they’ll need to know is important. School is great, but it should be supplemented with learning real world skills.”

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9 Comments

  • Finally!!

    CROWN HEIGHTS HAS FOR TOO LONG RESISTED SUCH AN INOVATION., SAYING IT IS BITTUL TORAH.

    BECAUSE OF THIS MISPLACED SENCE OF VALUES THERE ARE SO MANY OF OUR CHILDREN NOT ABLE TO SIT IN THE CLASS ROOM OUT ON THE STREETS!!

    IF SOME OF THE OF THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS TO ADD TO SELF WORTH THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE LEARNING!!
    SO TELL ME WHICH IS THE BITTUL TORAH!!!

  • Cirel Lipskier

    In this Parsha, the beginning of Chumash Shmos, It is incumbent on the righteous women to put the accent where it belongs. Skills? absolutely yes. Career? That is part of the avoido zoro of mitzrayim. That is part of putting our children – our most precious commodity – into the Nile, into the “culture”? of the golus.
    The camp is a very good idea. Skills are a very good idea.
    To Put emphasis on CAREER, that is as mentioned above.
    Just look into the sichois of the REBBE.
    Are we attached? or are we just we?

    The subtle difference is where the accent is. What are we giving our children? What Derech?
    We all want the GEULA. and we want it NOW.
    OK mothers, and others. Let’s hear you loud and clear.
    Bizchus noshim tzidkonious nigalu avoisaynu mimitzrayim. Ubizchus noshim tzidkoniois asidin lehigoel.

    WWMN WNMN

    Cirel Lipskier

  • Fantastic idea!

    1. However- beware when you say “misplaced focus on liberal arts” or you will get a lot of negative attention on that one line. Focus more on this as future positivity, then on the past so called negativity.
    2. Yes, this is a Shliach’s camp. Just continuously bear in mind what the eventual goal in life is- career with Avodas Hashem. And that we are not dependent on the money we earn (Mayim Rabbim).
    3. Creative idea, may you have much hatzlacha! I’m sure many shluchim will follow this initiative.