by Rabbi Steven Bob, Chalutzim Segel (Faculty)

50 rabbis, cantors and educators comprise the faculty of OSRUI each summer. I work with Chalutzim, the seven-week Hebrew immersion program for High Schoolers.

Over the years we have held joint activities with the other Jewish camps in Wisconsin. Once a unit came to visit us from Camp Ramah. I know they emphasize Hebrew. Every summer they put on a Broadway musical translated into Hebrew.

As part of the opening program I said some words of welcome in Hebrew. When the Ramah rabbi stood up to speak I expected that he would also speak in Hebrew. But he went back and forth between Hebrew and English. Later in the evening I had the opportunity to talk with him about this. He explained that if he had spoken entirely in Hebrew the day school kids from Chicago could have understood him. But the kids from Minneapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Kansas City would not have been able to keep up.

We have less than a handful of day school kids in Chalutzim. But we insist on speaking Hebrew. One might say that we are stubborn. I think we hold ourselves to a higher standard.

Chalutzim is the only Hebrew immersion program in the country. None of the other URJ camps offer Hebrew immersion programs, neither do the Ramah Camps of the Conservative movement. I had nothing to do with the creation of Chalutzim. It was here for 25 years before I became a part of it in 1985.

I am grateful for pioneering work done by my predecessors. I am pleased to work with my partners on the Chalutzim faculty. And I am proud of the campers Sh’mdabrin Rak Ivrit, who speak only Hebrew.

 Rabbi Steven Bob serves Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard, IL and is one of the faculty members in Chalutzim.