Entering Grades 2–3  |  5 Days  |  July 31 – August 4

WHERE THEY LIVE

• Cabins with 8–12 other campers their age and 3–4 counselors.
• Bathrooms are either attached or a quick walk to a washhouse.

WHAT THEY DO

• Everything!  Our youngest campers get a chance to get a taste of all of the great things camp has to offer!

WHAT’S UNIQUE?

• Atid is great for campers who are away from home for the first time.  Our nurturing staff are ready to welcome each new camper and help them adjust in their own way to being in this new setting.

WHERE THEY LIVE

• Cabins with 10–14 other campers their age and 3–4 counselors.
• Bathrooms are either attached or a quick walk to a washhouse.

WHAT THEY DO

• Kallah campers get a thorough introduction to the overnight camp experience.
• The Kallah staff focus on helping campers make new friends, learn both independence and team work as a bunk, and develop confidence in trying new things at camp.
• To see an example of what all campers do during a typical day, click here.

WHAT’S UNIQUE?

• Our counselors are trained to help our youngest campers navigate being away from home and learning to live in a group.
• Programming and activities for Kallah are created with attention to the developmental needs of elementary school age kids to ensure each kid has a successful summer at camp.

WHERE THEY LIVE 

• Platform tents (with bunk beds) with 10-14 other campers their age and 3-4 counselors. 
• The tents are a short walk to outdoor port-o-potties – and campers stop daily at a washhouse for showers. 

WHAT THEY DO 

• Tzofim is modeled after Kibbutz-style living in Israel.  In this unit, campers help create their community, prepare meal times, and visit the animals on our small farm.
• Throughout the session, Tzofim campers learn about communal living, problem solving, gaining responsibility, and taking care of each other.   
• To see an example of what all campers do during a typical day, click here. 

WHAT’S UNIQUE? 

• Tzofim is great for campers who are excited about the outdoors and will enjoy a chance for rustic living.  
• In Tzofim Gimmel, the campers plan and host the camp-wide talent show, Oconomostock! 

Entering Grades 6–8  |  2 Weeks  |  July 9–21
Open to first-time campers, and campers who have not been at OSRUI since 2019 or earlier.

WHERE THEY LIVE

• Cabins with 10–14 other campers their age and 3–4 counselors.
• Bathrooms are either attached or a quick walk to a washhouse.

WHAT THEY DO

• Everything! Our Ta’am campers get a taste of all of OSRUI’s programming in a classic summer camp environment.
• The program for Ta’am will be focused on rotating through camp’s programs as a community to foster friendships and connection among the campers.
• To see an example of what all campers do during a typical day, click here.

WHAT’S UNIQUE

• Ta’am is built for first-time campers, and campers who have not been at camp since 2019 or earlier. The program is intended to give older campers who haven’t yet had the opportunity to start their OSRUI journey with a two-week experience, a chance to experience camp for the first time. Space is limited in this program.

*10th graders will be permitted with approval.

WHERE THEY LIVE

• Cabins with 10–14 other campers their age and 3–4 counselors.
• Bathrooms are either attached or a quick walk to a washhouse.

WHAT THEY DO

• Gesher is the Hebrew word for “bridge”. Along with all of the traditional camp activities, Gesher campers pick an intensive area of focus.  In these intensives, campers experience the journey of developing and practicing new skills.  By participating in session-long projects and games, campers in Gesher can see the progress they make, individually and with their peers, as they work together to create and prepare experiences for each other.
• To see an example of what all campers do during a typical day, click here.

GESHER INTENSIVES

• Making a Musical: Options for on & offstage artistic exploration and performance. Campers in this program will produce and star in a show. With content from some favorite Broadway musicals, there will be opportunities for singing, acting, set design, tech management, and more.
• STEM Exploration: Rocketry, Robots, Experimental Science, Technology, Engineering, and more. Participants in this intensive will explore how things work, what Judaism can teach us about science, and will get to create and do some fun experiments.
• Culinary Arts: Campers will work alongside our instructors to develop cooking and food preparation skills, culminating in designing, creating, and presenting a special feast to share with members of the camp community.  Those who participate in the culinary arts program will come home with an understanding of healthy menu creation, basic cooking abilities, and some very yummy recipes.
• The Great Outdoors: (more information to come)
• Social Justice for Teens: (more information to come)

*10th graders will be permitted with approval.

WHERE THEY LIVE

• Platform tents (with bunk beds) with 10–14 other campers their age and 3–4 counselors.
• Moshavah campers live in their own community village on the edge of camp.
• The tents are a short walk to outdoor port-o-potties – and campers stop daily at a washhouse for showers.

WHAT THEY DO

• The Moshavah experience centers around developing independence, both individually and as a group.
• Moshavah camping trips are a beloved opportunity for campers to explore their Jewish connection to teva (nature), develop team-building and group decision-making skills, and expand their own resilience.
• To see an example of what all campers do during a typical day, click here.

WHAT’S UNIQUE?

• Mosh campers prepare for and go on two overnight camping trips (a 2-night trip and a 3-night trip) in Southeastern Wisconsin. The trips include backpacking, biking, canoeing, and rock climbing.

Moshavah campers spend multiple nights away from OSRUI on overnight camping trips. To ensure the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of campers, campers must have a baseline level of physical fitness, which includes the ability to walk or hike for several miles and engage in moderate physical activities. Additionally, campers must be willing to engage in challenging activities, follow safety protocols, be flexible and open to new experiences, and engage in positive teamwork and communication. Please connect with our Wellness Team with any questions or concerns about your camper’s ability to be successful in this program. 

 Entering Grades 10–11  |  7 Weeks  |  June 10 – July 28

WHERE THEY LIVE

• Cabins with 10–14 other campers their age and 3–4 counselors.
• Cabins are a quick walk outside to a washhouse.

WHAT THEY DO

• Chalutzim is the capstone OSRUI experience – combining a full summer of fun, friends, and OSRUI favorites with the experience of being immersed in Hebrew language with Israeli counselors. For over 50 years, this milestone program has been one of the most highly anticipated summers that OSRUI campers get to take part in.
• In one summer, campers typically achieve the equivalent of an entire semester of public high school language proficiency, while they explore their connection with the land and language of the Jewish people.
• This one-of-a-kind program also includes all of the fun of camp including daily choice activities, swimming and boating, and opportunities to make camp magic for younger campers.
• To see an example of what all campers do during a typical day, click here.

WHAT’S UNIQUE?

• Alumni of this program, regardless of their Hebrew knowledge before the summer, report that their comprehension of, and connection to, the Hebrew language grows.
• The Chalutzim madrichim (counselors) are Israelis who are spending their summer at camp or OSRUI alum who can speak Hebrew fluently.
• We welcome campers of all ability levels – and have multiple programs available each year to help campers prepare for the summer.

Chalutzim families are invited to informational webinars in October and in April.

 Entering Grades 11–12*  |  2½ Weeks  |  July 18 – August 4

*10th graders will be permitted with permission.

Moshavah Midwest is a two and a half-week program which will teach outdoor leadership and camping skills, offer a unique outdoors experience including biking, canoeing, and tent camping throughout Wisconsin, and do all of this while incorporating the magic of a summer at OSRUI.

After preparation including basic first aid training, text study about trip and travel, outdoor survival skill practice, and gear orientation, campers will embark on a trip where they canoe through Southwestern Wisconsin to the Mississippi River, bike on a system of 4 converted railroad trails spanning from the Mississippi River at the Minnesota border, and spend Shabbat at the familiar Devil’s Lake State Park. Services and Jewish learning are a part of each day.  Shabbat, the highlight of the week, will be a well-deserved day of rest and community. This remarkable tiyul will be a celebration of the power of the group traveling together as well as an exploration of each teen’s physical, emotional, and spiritual self. Moshavah Midwest will be led by experienced adventurers and veteran OSRUI staff, along with other specially trained staff. Each night will be spent camping out in tents at campgrounds along the way. Canoes and bicycles will be provided by OSRUI, as will tents and cooking gear. Personal gear will be the responsibility of each participant. The Moshavah Midwest packing list will be available in the Spring. 

Moshavah Midwest campers spend multiple nights away from OSRUI on camping trips. To ensure the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of campers, campers must have a baseline level of physical fitness, which includes the ability to walk or hike for several miles and engage in moderate physical activities. Additionally, campers must be willing to engage in challenging activities, follow safety protocols, be flexible and open to new experiences, and engage in positive teamwork and communication. Please connect with our Wellness Team with any questions or concerns about your camper’s ability to be successful in this program.

Entering Grades 11–12  |  June 18 – July 16 

Chalutzim Ba’aretz is a unique traveling Jewish community, immersing you in the language of the land as you explore ancient Jerusalem and modern Tel Aviv, the beautiful Galilee and the stunning Negev Desert. This exciting 4 week summer experience was created especially for teens who want to do more than just practice Hebrew. Unleash your language skills to converse and collaborate, debate and discover. You’ll finish your meaningful and exciting journey to Israel with new confidence, amazing memories, and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Learn more at: https://nftyisrael.org/camp-trips/osrui/.

Avodah is the ultimate chance to come back to camp with friends for the last summer of getting to live together in a cabin before becoming bunk counselors.

During Avodah, our rising 12th graders complete their journey to staff members while building a sense of pride, ownership, and accomplishment in the OSRUI space, place, and program. Avodahnikim rotate through various volunteer opportunities throughout their summer in order to “try out” the different kinds of staff roles at camp. There are rotations in both the programmatic and operational parts of camp including Site Team, AV team, Office team, Arts program team, Sports program team, Teva/Adventure program team, and more. They also participate in daily opportunities to deepen Jewish identity and explore connection to Israel through Limudim, Ivrit, and Jewish leadership. Avodahniks prepare tfilot and prepare to teach Ivrit to younger eidot. Each Avodah session will decide and work on a capstone project designed to leave a lasting legacy on camp. Projects will be decided prior to camp in partnership between members of the Avodah program and the Camp Directors.

Participants can choose to attend Aleph (5 weeks), Bet (4 weeks**), or both (for a total of 9 weeks). Graduates of Aleph or Bet will experience working in at least 3 areas of camp and complete 20 hours of counselor training, gain practice leading programs for each other and other eidot, and learn lots of life skills. Those who stay for the full summer will get to continue all that they did in the first session, plus the option of having a permanent placement in a volunteer area of camp – or joining an eidah as a junior counselor. Avodahnikim can earn up to 50+ hours/week of community service hours.

Prospective Avodahnikim and their families are invited to a webinar on October 15 to learn more about this program. Click here to register.

**Those who attend Avodah Bet only are also welcome to attend for the days of staff week (June 5-June 10).