Camp Gesher

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Camp Gesher is a Habonim Dror North America summer camp for Jewish youth, near Cloyne, Ontario, Canada. It runs for seven weeks during the summer and hosts several seminars during the year. The name Gesher literally translates into bridge.

The camp's philosophies revolve around socialist ideals, and the structure of the camp is similar to that of a kibbutz in Israel.

[edit] Facts

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Ski rock, a large Canadian Shield slab of rock where the waterski program occurs, doubles as a clandestine location for couples to meet in the evenings.
On birthdays, during morning flagpole, the birthday person is thrown into the lake. Those throwing the birthday person in the lake may themselves be pulled in by the birthday person being thrown.
Also, a person may be thrown in the lake for various other reasons (doing the fork in mazleg haztaga)
The novel "The Program" by Hal Niedzviecki takes place in part at Camp Gesher.[1]
Many buildings throughout the camp have been used for multiple purposes throughout the years and moved around (for full list, see notes put up in the "Museum")
Camp Gesher was formally a Dror camp before the merger of Habonim and Dror in the late eighties, unlike the other six Habonim Dror camps throughout North America, which were Habonim camps.
The foundation of summers at Gesher are based on the five pillars of Habonim Dror North America.
Habonim Dror's semel (emblem) comprises a wheat sheaf in a Star of David, symbolising the roots of the organisation in Labour Zionism and in building the Kibbutz movement.
Canadian singer-songwriter Jeremy Fisher attended Camp Gesher in 1999 though at that time he was known as Jeremy Binns/Zona and refused to sing/stand up during the Canadian national anthem.
Canadian actor, Jake Epstein also attended camp Gesher.
Canadian historian and robot inventor, H.D. Fremeth attended Camp Gesher in the 70s, 80s and 90s. His inventions include square plates and light-weight shoulder pads for ladies attire.

Every session, the campers are surprised with the famous event "rev day". Rev day is when the Madrichim leave camp and the C.I.T. (madatz) take over the camp. Rev day usually has a theme.

The groups (kvutsa's) of Gesher are:

Ofarim- post grade 2&3
Amelim- post grade 4
Chalutzim- post grade 5
Solelim- post grade 6
Chotrim- post grade 7
Bonim- post grade 8
Bogrim- post grade 9
MBI(trip to Israel)- post grade 10
Madatz(CIT)- post grade 11

^[1]==Habonim Dror North America== Habonim Dror North America (HDNA) runs many programs during the year, including a biannual veida (a mass meeting with representatives from around the movement), local events in central cities, kibbutzim in Israel, a year long program in Israel (called Workshop), and many other ideology-focused gatherings.

HDNA also runs 7 other summer camps across the continent. These have become a large part of the movement, and in most cases are more important to members than local meetings (called ken meetings). The seven other camps are as follows:

- Camp Galil (Ottsville, Pennsylvania, USA)

- Camp Gilboa (California, USA)

- Camp Moshava (Street, Maryland, USA)

- Camp Yeesh (Kibbutz Yowza, Israel)

- Camp Moshava (Street, Maryland, USA)

- Camp Na'aleh (New York, USA)

- Camp Tavor (Three Rivers, Michigan, USA)

[edit] Habonim Dror Ideology

Like other movements, Habonim Dror is founded on a set of ideological principles which its members ideally hold in common and strive towards. Although each branch of the movement around the world composes and reviews its own set of principles, Habonim internationally is based on some mix of Cultural Judaism, Zionism, and Socialism. Each country describes each of these a bit differently, some elaborating and creating other "pillars" while some have gotten rid of pillars all together (for example, Habonim Dror South Africa has changed their socialism pillar to "Social Action" to better address the pressing issues of post-Apartheid South Africa).

Although there is no internationally accepted set of movement goals, those of Habonim Dror North America are shown below to help elaborate on some of the movement's ideology:

To upbuild the State of Israel as a progressive, egalitarian, cooperative society, at peace with its neighbors; actively involved in a Peace Process with the Palestinian people with the common goal of a just and lasting peace; and as the physical and spiritual center of the Jewish people. To this end, Habonim Dror calls first and foremost for Aliya to communal and collective frameworks that actively work to achieve the aforementioned goal. In addition, HDNA also calls for active involvement in progressive Zionist and Jewish issues in Diaspora communities.

To strengthen the relationship between North American Jewish youth and Judaism through their involvement in progressive Jewish communities with the purpose of enlisting their participation in the upbuilding of a renewed Jewish culture. This will be accomplished by the development of individual Jewish identities by means of promoting the exploration of Jewish spirituality, the full expression of the Hebrew language, an understanding of Jewish history and a personal relationship with Israel.

To participate in the creation of a new social order throughout the world, based on the principles of self-determination, individual freedom, political democracy, and cooperative economics, the equality of all people and the equality of human value.

To participate in constructive activities in the North American Jewish community while advocating change where necessary to foster Jewish continuity and creativity and the democratization of the community.

To develop within its members the will to realize their own capabilities and a feeling of responsibility for themselves and their movement.

As didactic tools, Habonim Dror North America employs five "pillars":

ZIONISM - To upbuild the State of Israel as a progressive, egalitarian, cooperative society, at peace with its neighbors and as the physical and spiritual center of the Jewish People. To this end, Habonim Dror calls for Aliyah, particularly but not exclusively, to communal and collective frameworks. In addition, HDNA calls for active involvement in progressive Zionist and Jewish issues in Diaspora communities.

CULTURAL JUDAISM - To strengthen the relationship between North American Jewish youth and Judaism through their involvement in progressive Jewish communities with the purposes of enlisting their participation in the upbuilding of a renewed Jewish culture, including pluralistic religious expression. This will be accomplished by the development of individual Jewish identities by means of promoting the exploration of Jewish spirituality, the full expression of the Hebrew language, an understanding of Jewish history and a personal relationship with Israel.

SOCIALISM - To contribute to the creation of a new social order throughout the world, based on the principles of self-determination, individual freedom, political democracy, and cooperative economics. As well, to create a society where all people, regardless of gender or race, are considered equal

TIKUN OLAM "Community Service" - To participate in constructive activities in the North American Jewish community while advocating change where necessary to foster Jewish continuity and creativity and the democratization of the community.

ACTUALIZATION - To develop within its members the will to realize their own capabilities and a feeling of responsibility for themselves and their movement.