It’s time to make your child’s summer plans!  Enroll your child in the most fun Jewish week of the year, MACHANEH OHEV for children entering Pk-8th grade in the fall. MACHANEH OHEV will take place the week of June 10-14. The camp day begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. with before and after care available for an additional charge.

MACHANEH OHEV takes place at the Congregation Ohev Shalom at 613 Concourse Pkwy S. Maitland and is open to the entire Jewish community regardless of synagogue membership.

What makes MACHANEH OHEV special?

There is no camp like it in the Orlando area. MACHANEH OHEV combines Jewish and fun to offer children an intense Jewish experience under the auspices of the Conservative movement. Children will come home singing Jewish songs you might have never heard before or even sing the Birkat Hamazon in the shower. They will live and think about God, participate in mitzvot and experience Jewish holidays in a way that can’t be matched at Hebrew school. They will learn Hebrew words through the daily “Hebrew Word of the Day Story.” On Friday families will be invited to join their camper for an extended day to welcome Shabbat and L’Hitraot to each other.

Are you concerned that your child will feel like they are at Hebrew school? It doesn’t feel like school at all. Classrooms are group “bunks.” Swimming pools and water slides are outside. The building is transformed to be camp friendly. Lunch is eaten outside. The building is dedicated to the children that week.

No where will you find a more dedicated group of Jewish teens and college students who are counselors, who love being Jewish. They are awesome role models who love to play and have fun but also do Birkat and lead Jewish songs. Your child will see that being Jewish is “cool.” You won’t see staff sitting around watching the kids play. You will see counselors playing with the children, in the pool, doing the crafts and leading the activities. Sometimes they seem to be having more fun than the kids! The staff ratio is a minimum of five children to one staff but most likely will be even better. The COS teens love to be at the synagogue and have fun at camp as much as the kids do.

Not to worry, there is “mature” staff as well that work with director Amy Geboff as well as parent volunteers and committee members.

Your child will get to know the entire camp and all the counselors by the end of the week, not just those in their camp group. They will feel like they are part of a big family by the end of the week and have made new friends. This teaches the true meaning of being part of a community.

Most importantly, your child will enjoy being a child and have fun in a safe, well-supervised, Jewish environment.

MACHANEH OHEV is underwritten by a generous grant from the Joseph and Frieda Ross Foundation.

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

For more information, contact Amy Geboff at educator@ohevshalom.org, call the synagogue at 407-298-4650 or go to the website http://www.ohevshalom.org.