Camp Avoda

Last updated
Camp Avoda
Camp Avoda RGB logo.jpg
Location Middleboro, Massachusetts
Coordinates 41°51′59″N70°51′48″W / 41.866362°N 70.863209°W / 41.866362; -70.863209
Type Jewish boys' overnight camp
SeasonJune to August
Established1927;97 years ago (1927)
Website campavoda.org

Camp Avoda [lower-alpha 1] is a Jewish boys' overnight camp located on Tispaquin Pond in Middleboro, Massachusetts. It has been in continuous operation since the summer of 1927, [1] making it the oldest Jewish boys' camp in New England. [2] [3]

Contents

History

Camp Avoda was established in early 1927 by the Young Men's Hebrew Association [4] to serve the needs of underprivileged Jewish boys. Originally, the bunks were essentially "huts" and had no screening or walls. Today, campers sleep in basic cabins which were built at various times between the late 1950s and early 1980s. Many bunks were expanded after a rise in attendance in the mid-1990s.

Organization

The camp is a non-profit entity operated by a Board of Directors and duly incorporated as Camp Avoda, Inc. It serves the needs of 125-150 campers per session.

Camp Avoda is located on a 60-acre (240,000 m2) tract of land on Tispaquin Pond in Middleborough, Massachusetts. More than half of that land is wooded area, which is used for hiking, camping, mountain-biking, and a high-elements ropes course which was constructed in 1999.

View of Camp Avoda's field Camp avoda field.jpg
View of Camp Avoda's field

The camp's buildings, including eight cabins, the recreation hall, the C.I.T. "bungalow", the shower houses, two administrator cabins, and the "OD shack", surround the large ball field, where all field sports are played.

Ken Shifman is currently the executive director of the camp. Shifman began as director in 2008 and became executive director in 2015 after Paul G. Davis retired. Davis had been employed since 1966, making him one of the longest-serving camp directors in the United States.[ citation needed ]

Camp Avoda currently has a 7+1⁄2-week season, which includes a 4-week-long first session and a 3+1⁄2-week second session. Each summer there are 32–40 junior and senior counselors ranging between ages 17–24. Almost all counselors were once campers at Camp Avoda, and most are typically college students.

Most campers reside in New England, with the vast majority concentrated in the Greater Boston area. However, some campers travel from Florida, the Washington, D.C. area, New Jersey, California, and Israel, to spend their summers at Camp Avoda.

In 2002, Camp Avoda celebrated its 75th anniversary, with over 1,000 Avodians attending festivities.

Traditions

Nearly all counselors were once Avoda campers and successful graduates of the Avoda Counselor-in-Training (C.I.T.) program. [5]

4th of July Celebration

July 4 is the first pinnacle event of the summer. The camp hosts its own carnival during the day, where each bunk creates its own booth in addition to those rented by the camp. At night is the annual Bonfire and Chip Ceremony. The bonfire is built entirely by Bunk 14, who name the bonfire and place a sign at the top with the name. The bonfire can be as tall as 16 feet (4.9 m). Once the fire has started to die down, a member from each bunk stands in front of the fire and makes a speech about their camp experience. After they make their speech, they take a wood chip, and throw it into the fire. Bunk 14 is the last bunk to speak, and has three speakers. After the campers finish, staff members and administrators, and finally the director, make speeches.

The bonfire during the 4th of July celebration July 4th Celebration.jpg
The bonfire during the 4th of July celebration

Trips

Trips occur every Thursday, except during Color War. Destinations have included Six Flags New England, Red Sox games, and Water Country. In addition, there are choice trips, in which campers are given between 3 and 4 options of destination. Trips designated for specific groups of campers include the annual fishing trip (Freshman, Sophomore, and Juniors), the Bunk 14 overnight, and the Senior Canoe Trip.

Tournaments

Avoda competes in tournaments with rival camps such as Camp Bauercrest, Bournedale, Young Judaea, Tel Noar, and Tevya. Avoda also attends the Bauercrest and YJ tournaments, and hosts its own annual tournament including soccer, softball and basketball.

Bunk 14

Bunk 14, also known as "The Betty Grable Commandos" is the bunk of the oldest campers at Avoda. Typically it houses 15-year-olds entering the 10th grade, however following the cancellation of the 2020 summer due to the Covid-19 pandemic, 16 year-olds entering the 11th grade are currently Bunk 14ers. With Bunk 14 comes special privileges and automatic "alumni" status. Many alumni are often identified and identify themselves by their Bunk 14 Year.

Color War

Color War occurs during the last week of the summer. The camp is split up into two teams, "White" and "Blue", with each team including eight staff members. Each camper is placed in a division with other campers of their own age and one year above or below them. The four divisions are Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior. In each division, the two teams face each other in sports, side events, tug of wars, and other events. The point values for each event are hidden from the campers, but increase in value from the Freshman to Senior Division.

One of the traditions of Color War is the silent meals. If campers are caught talking during any of the 18 meals (6 days, 3 meals a day), points are deducted from their team.

The winner is usually announced through a fixed race or game of some sort, in which the counselors representing the winning team win. The winning team then jumps in the lake.

Alumni Association

Since 1987, the Camp Avoda Alumni Association has hosted a full weekend dedicated to Alumni events, which typically takes place the weekend before the campers arrive at camp. [6] t is common for Alumni members to stop by throughout the summer to interact with the current staff and campers.

In addition to the Alumni Weekend, the Avoda Alumni Association hosts events throughout the off-season at various Massachusetts locations, including: Billiard Nights, Family Day at Gillette Stadium, and the annual Thanksgiving Football Game. The Alumni Association also hosts fundraising and charitable endeavors aimed at providing scholarships to campers for the summers.

Notes

  1. ↑ See "Avodah" article for the meaning of the word.

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References

  1. ↑ Staff, Peterson (2003). Summer Opportunities for Kids and Teenagers 2004. Thompson Peterson's. p. 275. ISBN   0-7689-1158-3.
  2. ↑ Jewish Camping and Summer Programs Archived 2008-01-16 at the Wayback Machine retrieved on May 4, 2008
  3. ↑ A Parent's Guide to Jewish Day and Overnight Camps Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine retrieved on May 4, 2008
  4. ↑ Reckford, Laura. Frommer's Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard 2008. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, (2008), p. 109.
  5. ↑ "Our Leadership Team". Camp Avoda. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  6. ↑ Archived 2008-01-16 at the Wayback Machine retrieved on May 1, 2008
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