by Michelle Cohen.
(This article on OSRUI’s new travel program – Chalutzim Ba’Aretz – originally appeared in the online version of Chicago’s JUF News.)
A new summer camp option for teens will take them to Israel for a Hebrew immersion experience.
For campers at the Chalutzim program of the Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI), who spend seven weeks of their summer in Oconomowoc, Wisc. studying Hebrew and fostering a connection to Israel, the question often comes at the end of the session: What comes next?
Until recently, OSRUI has recommended students visit Israel on an unaffiliated trip. But in the summer of 2019, OSRUI will host the first North American teen Hebrew immersion trip to Israel–called Chalutzim Ba’aretz–designed to build on existing knowledge of Israel and Hebrew and to foster a relationship between the participants and the Jewish homeland
“OSRUI has a long tradition and history of commitment to the Hebrew language,” said OSRUI Director Solly Kane. “We believe that Hebrew is the key to understanding Jewish past and Jewish history, but more than that, it is the key to engaging with Israel and being a part [of] what Israel is today and will be in the future. When our campers learn Hebrew, it strengthens their connection to Israel and their heritage,” which is a major goal of the new program.