by Matt Gaskin, Social Media/Marketing Associate

Our largest session here at Camp Newman, is Rishonim, a 4 week session for 8th and 9th graders.  Rishonim gives our campers an opportunity to commune with nature in a variety of ways.  Each camper will be randomly placed into one of six tribes, each named after a mountain range found around the world (ie: The Andes, The Himalayas).  Each tribe then rotates around our shvilim, or trails, giving a unique perspective of nature and full of differing experiences.

The “Trailblazing” shvil is working on creating a new amphitheater style program space out of a rarely used prayer site already on camp.  They are working to clean it up, clear it out, and construct a staging area and benches.  There is an “Adventure and Trail Maintenance” shvil where campers learn some basic wilderness survival techniques, and clear up existing trails on camp.  The most popular shvil this session has been the meditation rotation, which has affectionately been referred to as the “tree hugging” shvil.  In the meditation shvil, the participants get the opportunity to slow down and write, draw, and observe nature.  The fourth shvil focuses on a more ethical kashrut option learning about food and flowers.  Our Nature campers also get opportunities to work in music and have conversations with God all focused within the theme of “nature.”

Rishonim is appealing for many reasons.  It is the first opportunity a camper has to be in a themed session.  The unique session programming gives Rishonim campers the sense of being in a camp within a camp.  They have their own overnight site where they build their own shelter and cook their own food.  The tribes give them the opportunity to bond in smaller groups, but they all still come together with some of the most ruach of any session here at camp.