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Indian Day Camp Connects Jewish Youngsters with Ancient Heroes
The forty children waiting expectantly at the Evelyn Peters Jewish Community Center (EPJCC) in Mumbai never could have predicted who would grace the red carpet at the opening ceremonies of their bi-annual Day Camp. As stereos blasted the infamous Rocky theme song, "Eye of the Tiger," youth volunteers sporting ancient biblical garb ran through the audience like football players parading into the stadium of a Homecoming game. But instead of introducing athletes, the emcee announced historical figures—Devorah, Samson, Judith, Yael—consistent with the theme of the camp: Jewish heroes and how to emulate them. "It was so much fun getting to meet famous people from Jewish history who I didn’t even know existed," said Joseph, age 9. The children had a chance to interact with these notable Jewish heroes: Devorah sat under a palm tree crafted of construction paper, adorned with fake coconuts, as she did in the Book of Judges; Samson helped the children decorate kippot to remind them, just as he knew, that God is always above you; and Judith and Yael helped the children make their own book about famous Jewish heroes from the Bible and throughout Jewish history. In the afternoon, a Canadian national gymnast gave the children a basic introduction to gymnastics, which reminded them that heroes need to stay in shape and keep their bodies healthy and strong. On the second day, the children met Rabbi Akiva—portrayed by Batya, one of two JDC Jewish Service Corps (JSC) volunteers in India—who told them about his life and how he first learned the Hebrew alphabet at age 40. Rabbi Akiva also enlisted the help of the children in transmitting the sacred message of the Mishnah across an obstacle course full of sleeping Romans and patrolling guards. "This kind of interactive, experiential learning really helps young people absorb different aspects of Jewish history, tradition, and culture," offers Erin, who is working alongside Batya on a one-year JDC Jewish Service Corps placement in India. In the afternoon, the children watched a play about Hillel and Shammai and divided themselves into two camps to campaign for each rabbi respectively. The two teams competed in a variety of games, including a Hillel vs. Shammai Tug of War. The following day was devoted to the heroes of the Israeli Defense Force. The children were "drafted" into the four units of the Israeli army, where they received stick-on seals of their unit and made their own dog tags. Once adequately adorned, the kids underwent authentic basic training from two Israeli guests, who taught them the moves they would need to survive on the battlefield. Energized and enthusiastic, the new soldiers marched outside and tested their newfound skills in an obstacle course that included: climbing over an 8-foot wall, crawling to avoid "enemy fire," and zig-zagging through tires on the ground. Nine-year-old Leah, a regular at the JDC-sponsored EPJCC, particularly loved her camp experience. "I liked being an Israeli soldier and doing gymnastics…and I like to learn Hebrew dancing," she says. Leah’s mother, Hannah, notes that their family, like the majority of the 4,500-strong Indian Jewish community, welcomes the Shabbat each week with the blessings, Kiddush, and songs familiar to Jews the world over, but with a distinctly local flavor. So like other Jewish parents in India, she welcomes the invaluable opportunities that the EPJCC provide for the community's children to learn about their Jewish heritage. "Leah is always asking me about Israel and telling me not to eat non-kosher food," says Hannah, adoringly. And the young girl always comes home from the JCC eager to share what she has learned. "She feels very good about being Jewish!" The final day of camp honored Israel’s pioneer heroes. The children took a virtual journey to the land of Israel (in the JCC yard), where they and their counselors converted a barren, undeveloped area into their kibbutz—a massive tent-like structure that fit them all snugly inside. Democratically, the children selected a name for their kibbutz and decorated the inside of the tent in blue and white. After an inspiring meeting with Hanna Senesh, who told them her story, the kids were taught about farming and preparing food and had the opportunity to plant greenery around the site of the kibbutz, reminiscent of the pioneers who planted eucalyptus trees to dry up the swamps at the turn of the century. The action-packed four-day camp is among a series of JDC-supported Jewish programming offered by the EPJCC in Mumbai, including Gan Katan/Gan Limudim informal Jewish education classes on Jewish holidays, culture, and tradition; and the Jewish Youth Pioneers (JYP), which rallies local young Jewish leaders around social events and learning. Kol India, a JDC-published quarterly newspaper, reaches some 850 Jewish households throughout India and a monthly Kesher newsletter keeps EPJCC members updated on events and activities at the Center. In the culturally fascinating and vibrant Jewish community of India, the high level of programming and the commitment of local leadership are helping to ensure that future generations will know the answer to the age-old Talmudic question of who the real heroes are: "Eizehhu gibor?" May 2007 |
