Lekhu Lakhem:
Jewish and Educational Journeys for JCC Camp Directors
“Our vision for Lekhu Lakhem incorporates taking
our directors on personal journeys of Jewish learning
and infusing them with the passion to provide Jewish
and educational visionary leadership to their camps,”
said Dr. Alvin Mars, director of the Mandel Center for
Jewish Education at JCC Association.
Lekhu Lakhem: Jewish and Educational Journeys for JCC
Resident Camp Directors is a two year program launched
in 2004 and made possible by a generous grant from the
AVI CHAI Foundation. Building upon the success and enthusiasm
of this first cohort of Lekhu Lakhem directors, the
AVI CHAI Foundation enabled the formation of both an
alumni program called Hemshekh: A Program of Continuing
Jewish Learning and Growth for Lekhu Lakhem Cohort I
Alumni, as well as a second cohort for Lekhu Lakhem.
Lekhu Lakhem: Jewish and Educational Journeys for JCC
Day Camp Directors: A Senior Fellows Seminar is a two
year professional seminar that concluded in the fall
of 2007 and was funded by JJC Association’s New
Initiatives Fund and MCJE.
Lekhu Lakhem Fellows participate in a series of five
seminars in North America and one extended seminar in
Israel, along with an ongoing program of Jewish learning
and educational mentoring. Hemshekh Fellows also participate
in ongoing Jewish learning and educational mentoring
as well as two seminars in North America.
The content of the seminars focus on Jewish education
and camp leadership, using texts to grapple with issues
of philosophy, Jewish vision, camp administration and
Jewish educational leadership. All these subjects are
examined within the context of JCC resident and day
camps and the issues that our directors face in the
course of their work.
Goals
The Lekhu Lakhem and Hemshekh seminars aim to provide
senior camp personnel with:
- An understanding that by virtue of their positions
as directors of JCC camps, they are, in fact, Jewish
educators, and that there is Jewish educational import
to all their decisions
- An accessible, positive, enriching experience with
Jewish learning
- The ability to articulate a vision for their camps
as Jewish educational institutions
- A set of skills and strategies to translate their
new Jewish visions into the life and programs of their
camps
- An understanding of how a Jewish camp community
is built and operates
- A professional development experience that will
enhance the course and content of their careers and
make them recognized, potent change agents and leaders
within the field of JCC camping and within the greater
JCC Movement
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