Avodah

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AVODAH

 

After a successful first summer in 2023, Camp Harlam is proud and grateful to once again be running the unit of Avodah, a vocational education program for participants in the disabilities community ages 17-29.  With a strong model of inclusion for campers at Harlam, we are grateful that we are able to extend the experience into the years of working and opportunity to give back.

Participants contribute to the functioning of camp in a variety of jobs, depending upon the interests and skills of the group and individual. Last summer, these roles included running the staff coffee cart, facilitating the 4th of July Carnival, delivering mail, and much, much more! The participants are guided in these responsibilities by their live-in program staff. These opportunities help promote the goals of increasing skills around independence, confidence, socialization, time management and taking initiative. Last year’s participants felt valued, seen, and appreciated within camp, and our Harlam community is eager for the return of this beloved program.

Our Avodah program runs during Camp Harlam’s 1st Session, from June 26th to July 21st. The cost to participate is $3250. In addition to their responsibilities serving the camp community, Avodah participants will also get to enjoy many aspects of camp life, including swimming, trips out of camp, and the ruach and joy of Shabbat and song session.

Jobs in camp may include:

  • Support staff for program areas
  • Assisting in Camp K’ton (with children ages 2-7)
  • Office work (mail sorting and delivery, copying, shredding)
  • Operations (canteen, milk squad, snack distribution, water coolers)
  • Staff Coffee Cart
  • Supporting all camp activities

Benefits include:

  • Sharing in the creation of a kehilla kedosha (sacred community)
  • Fostering opportunities for social inclusion with the campers
  • Hands on training opportunities with our Gesher (CIT) program
  • Continued relationship with camp and the benefits of being in the Harlam community

If you are interested in working as a staff member to support this program, please reach out to Aaron Soloman at asoloman@urj.org.

If you are interested in learning more about having your child participate in this program, please reach out to Lori Zlotoff at lzlotoff@urj.org.

To read Lori’s blog post about the impact of Avodah’s first summer, click here.