From January 15 to 18, an annual camp for the youth of Jewish communities in the Western region of Ukraine was held near the city of Rivne. The camp participants included representatives of the Youth Club of the Hesed Besht Jewish Community Foundation, children and teenagers from the Slavutych and Ternopil representative offices.
More than 110 participants spent four eventful days together. The madrikhs prepared an interesting program that included psychological training and games on trust, relationships, and social communication.
An important moment of the camp was a day dedicated to volunteering. The hanikhs, together with their madrichs, visited Jewish families in the city of Rivne, visited orphans and the elderly. Personally, I and the group had the opportunity to meet Maria Ivanovna, whose husband was a Righteous Among the Nations. She showed the guests his works, diploma and medal of the Righteous Among the Nations.
The camp organizers paid attention to both youth development and entertainment. Although volunteering is a selfless act, the khanikhs were rewarded for their help and care for others: the youth spent their free time in the city of Rivne bowling.
Jewish traditions were also present. The camp celebrated Shabbat together, and then all the units demonstrated their vision of how Jews celebrated the Sabbath in different historical eras. Each day ended with fiery Jewish dances or evening events.
The Skolmo youth camp provides an opportunity not only to get to know Jewish traditions better and take part in developmental activities, but also to find new friends from your native Ukraine.
Haniha of the 4th detachment
Oleksandra Atamanchuk
