Menorah Jewish Youth Camp is now in session.
The first San Francisco winter camp for approximately 20 Russian emigre teens is open and serving kids ages 10 to 14. The winter camp grew out a successful camp last summer that served 20 boys ages 12 to 14.
“Some emigre mothers came to me and said their kids have nothing to do in the summer,” said Rabbi Shimon Margolin of San Francisco, who is running it. “So we started a camp.”
Noting that the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco also has a summer camp for Russian emigres, Margolin said that often emigre families don’t apply for financial aid out of pride.
He said a few well-established emigre families are funding the camps.
Only one participant’s family belonged to a synagogue, according to Margolin, so for most of them, this was their first exposure to Judaism. Campers studied Hebrew and Jewish subjects at least 90 minutes a day.
“We present Judaism in a way they can relate to, with no pressure. We try to get them interested but we’re not forcing them to do anything.” In addition, the camp offered a safe space for emigre children to talk about their struggles to adults other than their parents, Margolin said.
“Being from an emigre family is not always easy for children. Not only are they really establishing connections with Judaism, but with a rabbi. They now know someone they can talk to, as a result of the camp.”
One direct result of the summer camp is that four participants have had b’nai mitzvah afterwards. Margolin said that emigre families often want their son to have a bar mitzvah, but don’t want to join a synagogue because they are not religious.
“This is the perfect opportunity to prepare them for bar mitzvah and to find out what it is. So for all these issues, this camp works pretty well.”
The camp is currently using space at San Francisco’s Orthodox Congregation Chevre Thilim, but once the winter session is over, Margolin hopes to continue the program — and to include girls.
“We hope to work it into a year-round program. We hope to get a permanent place and establish a youth club, where once a week, kids can come.”
The camp will run through Dec. 31. Information: (415) 221-5280.