Children are the future of our community. Taking care of our children is always our priority. For many years children’s summer camp has opened in Rimon. This year is not an exception. 45 kids will strengthen their health; will learn a lot of new and interesting things. Children and their parents have been anxiously waiting for the camp opening. Finally June has come!

In the camp, the Jewish Community Center works in cooperation with Hesed Polina. First of all the children were examined by volunteers of the medical program - qualified doctors including pediatrician, otolaryngologist, and neuropathologist. Having gone through medical examination most children got permission to go to the swimming pool. Some children were recommended to undergo treatment. Currently, the Children Initiative Program is engaged in attracting needed medical specialists.

Children can do a lot of things according to their taste, e.g. learning Hebrew, drawing, origami, choreography; go to the swimming pool, cinema, roller skating club. Groups are formed according to three age groups. At Hebrew classes, different teaching methods are used for different age groups - small children learn alphabet by doing puzzles, elder children learn using computer programs. Children who participate in our programs all year round are well aware of Jewish traditions, while newcomers learn from the very beginning. It is very exciting to be their guides to Hebrew, Shabbat and Torah! This year we have many Jewish children not acquainted with Jewish traditions. For them each Shabbat is a revelation.

Every camp’s day has its meaning. Thursday is a literature day; everybody visits the Republic Jewish Library. Volunteer Evgeniya Karyakina told about children’s writers and books. As a result, most of the children got many books for the whole summer. Children with great enjoyment were reading out loud excerpts from Korney Chukovskiy, Lev Kassil, and Anatoliy Rybakov.

One of the camp’s tasks is to take into consideration each child’s individual personality. They are all very different by age, by education, and by material well being of their families. We would like to give everybody what they can use in their lives. Some children are from socially under privileged families. Some need help of a psychologist. Three times a week Inna Vasiltsova works with these children. Through games children develop necessary skills and abilities to cope with difficult situations. All children can have hot meals in Hesed cafeteria but for some of them it is vitally needed.

The children are all very active. They feel at home in the community center. They divided into two teams, developed team names, mottos, and now preparing a small concert for Shabbat. They keep it in secret from adults. It will be a surprise. Then they plan to organize a Club for Cheerful and Sharp-witted.

Inessa Chugainova