By Lori Sagarin, RJE,  Director of Congregational Learning, Temple Beth Israel, Skokie, IL, Mercaz Ivrit Faculty

The Mercaz Ivrit, the camp’s Hebrew Center is the place where, 6 days a week, campers, staff and faculty come through for lessons that bring the Hebrew language to life.  As faculty in the Mercaz,  I have been lucky to teach Avodah (17 year olds), Gesher (middle schoolers) and Moshavah (rising high school freshmen).  Working in the Mercaz has given me a unique perspective on the use and integration of Hebrew at camp.  I am so proud to be part of the effort to help Hebrew come alive and integrate it so seamlessly into the camp day.

OSRUI’s focus on Hebrew is unique among the URJ camps and it is something all of us involved here are proud of.  It is challenging for faculty to prepare 6 Hebrew lessons a week along with preparing and leading t’fillah and limudim, but it is necessary for the culture that we endeavor to create.  We are Hebrews who value Hebrew and we live it each day in camp.

I had a guest here last week who is quite familiar with Jewish camping and her first comment was about the way Hebrew is infused all over OSRUI.  It is in the signage, in the way we greet one another and most importantly, in Chalutzim.  Our final year for our campers is a unit entirely devoted to Hebrew language learning and mastery.  This in and of itself says a lot about the place of Hebrew at OSRUI.  We send them off into the process that leads to becoming staff with a strong Hebrew background.

When your children get home, ask them about Hebrew.  Take them to services and watch how the t’fillah has become a part of them.  Encourage ongoing Hebrew learning (the internet has SO many options if you are not near a Jewish center with it’s own).  Encourage the process begun here at camp where we hope Hebrew will always be a part, if not the center of their Jewish identity.