From 2020, the Jewish Community of Subotica, with the help of the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund, have been organizing a spring Jewish educational camp for children and parents who are members of the Jewish Community of Subotica. The Shemesh-Mishpaha family camp was held at Mt.Kopanik from April 7 till April 14 2023. Six families participated.
The camp lasted seven exciting days, full of fun and different activities for children. Kindergarten teachers Simona and Lara, with the help of the NGO Haver Serbia, prepared a program whitch theme this year was “My Jewish Home”.
Topics such as: Jewish holidays and symbols, kosher diet, what are Jewish values, were covered through interactive workshops. There ware talks about Jewish books. Games without Frontiers, detective games and many other games were played.
In the morning, children and their parents swimmed, walked, and some even went skiing. The afternoons ware dedicated to various workshops and educational games, and the evening was reserved for lectures and guided discussions with parents.
Madrichim, the teachers, Simona and Lara told us how certain activities took place:
“We started with the questions: What is home? What does it take to make a house a home? and “What are the important events and holidays that you spend with your family?” Afterwards, we dealt with the topic of Shabbath and what it means for Jews. Considering that Shabbath is celebrated with joy and in the circle of family, we invited parents to play with us.”
“The Jewish home and Jewish food were the topic of the third day of the camp. We discussed the characteristics of the Jewish home, the need to identify and the importance of the various symbols that characterize the Jewish home. What books can be seen in a Jewish home? And what kind of food is simmering in a Jewish home?”
” The last day we started with a detective game. OOps, the teachers lost the menorah?! With the help of the children, we went together through the entire hotel and looked for clues. After each successful task, correctly answering or solving Jewish-themed puzzle, the children received the next clue. P.S. The menorah was forgotten in a glass cabinet behind a spider’s web 🙂”
When the Shemesh project, a weekly Jewish school in the Jewish Community of Subotica, had to adapt to new conditions due to the outbreak of the corona virus, moving and “condensing” the program proved to be a good solution. In a relaxed atmosphere, children could more easily acquire new knowledge, confirm what they had learned, socialize and create a relationship that will last a long time. Camp Shemesh – Mishpaha develops a sense of belonging and forms the next generation of members and leaders of the Jewish Community of Subotica.
The interest and activity of the children, as well as the parents, confirm that this model of Jewish education is a “full hit”
Lara and Simona
