Activities

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While at URJ Camp Harlam, campers participate in a variety of activities including athletics, adventure, arts, swimming, and more. Our activities focus on skill development and personal enjoyment, while offering a balance of group programming and individual choice (electives). We are constantly working to make our programs fit the wants and needs of our campers and to fulfill the values based mission of Camp Harlam.

All of our activities are guided by our seven Tikkun Middot (character traits). These traits are woven into everything we do at camp to help kids learn how to use Judaism as a guide to being their best selves.

Adventure

Canopy Course and Zipline
Climbing Tower
Mountain Biking
Outdoor Climbing Wall
Low Ropes Course
Giant Swing
Indoor Climbing Wall

Arts

Audio Production
Ceramics
Dance
Digital Photography
Drama
Guitar/Songleading
Omanut (Arts and Crafts)
Science
Video
Woodshop

Athletics

Archery
Baseball/Softball
Basketball
Gymnastics
Inter-Camp Competition
Roller Hockey/ Rollerblading
Soccer
Tennis
Volleyball
Yoga

Jewish Life

Israeli Dance
Creative Services Led by Campers
Unique Shabbat Experience
Israeli Culture
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Training
Jewish Culture and History
Shira (Singing)
Visiting Educators

Teva (Outdoor Education)

Cookouts and Campfires
Farm
Fishing
Garden
Hiking
Israeli Scouting
Galil (Entering 8th Graders):
Overnight Hike on the Appalachian Trail

Waterfront

American Red Cross Instructional Swim (classes by skill level)
Daily Free Swim
Boating/Swimming on Lake Joshua
Water Polo
Water Zumba
Jr. Lifeguarding

More Fun!

Maccabiah (Color War)
Cabin Programming
4th of July Carnival
Israel Night
Special Unit Programs
Talent Shows
Song Session
Fireworks
Artists-in-Residence like Nefesh Mountain & Dan Nichols
Cooking in our Teaching Kitchen
Tie-Dye

A Day in the Life of a Camp Harlam Camper

This is an illustration of how a great Camp Harlam camper spends a day, from early morning to late night. We’ll call our example camper “Rachel.”

Boker Tov (Good Morning!) – Every morning Rachel wakes up to the sound of music and her counselors’ energetic greeting. She gets out of bed and gets dressed for the morning.

Aruchat Boker (Breakfast) – Rachel and the rest of her bunk walk down to the Chadar Ochel (Dining Hall) with her counselors. The whole camp joins in singing the Motzi (the blessing said before we eat). Rachel sits with her bunk and eats some delicious scrambled eggs and hash browns. She also goes to the breakfast bar for some yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit.

S’morning Camp Harlam – Rachel and her bunk join the rest of camp in the Amphitheater for our daily morning meeting. Camp gets excited about the day to come, sings and dances, celebrates birthdays, and much more. Every day is something different!

Nikayon (Cabin Clean-Up) – Every day after breakfast, Rachel and her bunkmates go back to their cabin to clean. Each morning each camper is assigned a different job. Today, Rachel is in charge of sweeping.

1st Activity Period: Instructional Swim – Today, Rachel and her unit start the day with Instructional Swim. She goes to the L-Pool with her group and learns how to do the butterfly!

2nd Activity Period: Jewish Life – In her Jewish Life rotation today, Rachel got to make and decorate her own prayer book to use during services with her unit.

Aruchat Tzohorayim (Lunch) – Rachel sits with her bunk at lunch. After saying the Motzi, the meal is served family style. Today is delicious tomato soup and grilled cheese, plus salad from the salad bar. For dessert, she gets a Chipwich!

3rd Activity Period: Arts Electives – Arts is really fun for Rachel because she gets to try something new each of her two rotations. This rotation she is signed up for Digital Photography and she is working on her own comic book.

Menucha (Rest Period) – Menucha is when Rachel goes back to the bunk to relax. Today she is going to write a letter to her parents about how much fun she is having and how her comic book is going.

4th Activity Period: Adventure – Rachel and her bunk get to climb the tower for the first time today. Rachel is pretty nervous about it, but her bunkmates cheer her on and she makes it to the top!

Snack – After Adventure is over, Rachel walks down to the Chadar Ochel (Dining Hall) with her counselor. She grabs some pretzels and fruit and enjoys her midday snack.

5th Activity Period: Free Swim – Rachel goes to the Z-Pool with her whole unit. Free swim is time when Rachel can hang out and swim with her friends.

Shower Hour – After swimming, Rachel heads back to her bunk. Everyone showers and puts on some clean clothes for dinner and the rest of the night.

Aruchat Erev (Dinner) and Song Session -Dinner tonight is Spaghetti. Rachel enjoys her meal and her dessert, Jello! After everyone is done eating, Rachel and her friends join the songleaders and all of camp in energetic dancing and singing!

Evening Program – Rachel’s counselors always have the best evening programs planned for every night. Tonight Rachel and her unit are doing a video scavenger hunt.

Milk Squad & Siyum L’Yom (Closing of the Day) – Rachel gathers with her bunk and counselors for milk and cookies. Then she and her whole unit get together for Siyum L’Yom. She puts her arms around her friends as they join together in singing Sh’ma and Hashkiveinu. It’s the perfect way to end the day.

Lilah Tov (Good Night!) – Rachel goes back to her bunk with her bunkmates and counselors. Everyone brushes their teeth and gets ready for bed. Before they go to sleep, they do their nighttime ritual, where everyone shares their favorite part of the day and they sing their bunk song together.

Every day looks different at Camp Harlam! Tomorrow, Rachel will play soccer as her sports elective and go visit our Tzofim (Israeli Scouts) for her Teva (Nature) period. On Saturday, she’ll have Camper Free Choice in the afternoon, where she can pick which activities she wants to do!