CGI Campers at the Denver Zoo summer 2011

Exciting Sustainable Curriculum Comes to Colorado’s Trendsetting Jewish Day Camp

Camp Gan Israel of the Rockies (CGI), the premiere Jewish day camp in Colorado, is going green, with comprehensive sustainable practices being implemented throughout its innovative summer programming. The camp, which serves ages 2.5 through 13 years old, will take place from June 25-July 27, 2012, at the state-of-the-art Ryan Elementary School in Lafayette, Colorado.

Camp Gan Israel of the Rockies is a joint project of Chabad of Longmont and Chabad of NW Metro Denver serving children from Boulder County and beyond, and is part of the largest and fastest growing network of Jewish day camps in the world. Gan Israel enjoys a well-earned reputation as a trendsetter with innovative ideas, creative programs, and new activities. But the true magic of the camp lives in the the comprehensive program designed to expose children to the richness of their Jewish heritage with highly qualified and caring staff, exciting programs, and cultural tradition. The camp has three different age divisions: Mini Gan Izzy (ages 3-4), Sabras (5-9), and Pioneers (10-13).

Introducing recycling to camp will nicely complement our curriculum of Jewish values and holidays,” says Leah Brackman, co-director of CGI Rockies, and despite the extra work and cost involved, it will be well worth the effort.

The decision to “go green” emerged out of Chabad Jewish Center of Longmont’s recent participation in Hazon’s Sustainable Audit program, which the center conducted over the last year. The audit included an overall assessment of the center’s current sustainable practices, as well as new initiatives for education and green practices that have been enthusiastically embraced by the community. At the recent Purim celebration, recycling and composting bins were prevalent, as well as traditional Mishloach Manot, or Purim goody bags prepared for friends and family, made out of recycled material.

For the 2012 camp season, CGI has committed to extending the green effort into the day-to-day operations of the camp, which provides healthy, kosher lunches and snacks, as well as branded water canteens. In addition, sustainability will be woven into the camp curriculum, as CGI of the Rockies believe that it is every member of a community, from the youngest to the oldest, can participate in environmentally-friendly practices. Lastly, the camp will be offering bus to and from key locations to help families with the high price of gasoline, as well as to lower the camp’s carbon footprint throughout Boulder County.

To learn more about Camp Gan Israel of the Rockies, please visit: http://www.jewishkidscamp.com or call 303.429.5177.

Mini Gan Izzy at CGI of the Rockies

A great Jewish summer day camp experience awaits children this summer at CGI of the Rockies in Lafayette.

In addition to all the exciting trips, sports and activities scheduled over the five weeks of camp, CGI of the Rockies also gives campers a taste of Judaism in a friendly and non-judgmental environment.

With a wide variety of Jewish subjects covered using hands-on and interactive techniques, CGI will infuse children with a love and appreciation of Israel, Jewish values and practices.

Implementing these enriching and fun programs, are a group of carefully selected and dedicated counselors.

CGI of the Rockies is especially helpful for children whose parents are considering sending them to Hebrew school, as CGI will familiarize the child with Jewish topics allowing them to be more comfortable in the Hebrew school classroom.

With just over a month till CGI begins on June 25^th, the camp early bird special expires tonight May 15^th at 11:59 pm.

To take advantage of the early bird discount, follow this link to our registration page and website, where more camp information is also available.

The camp is centrally located at Ryan elementary school in Lafayette and is for children aged 3-13. The five week summer program runs from June 25 to July 27.

Have questions? Feel free to give our camp directors a call. Shayna Borenstein – 303-845-2901 Send Shayna an email or Leah Brackman – 720-837-3733  Send Leah an email or visit the website at www.JewishKidsCamp.com

Last year, the Boulder JCC ran six camps, according to Shalom Family & Camp Director Shari Blake Schnee. This year, the schedule includes over 20 options for one-week camps for children ages 5-12. The Boulder JCC also offers a preschool camp from June 4-August 3rd for 18-month to 5 year-olds.

Most of the camps are located at the Boulder JCC (3800 Kalmia Ave in Boulder) and include half-day and full-day options (most weeks). For those campers electing to stay a full day, a supervised lunch is available. Additionally, all of our camps are staffed by certified and trained professionals. These diverse camp offerings will build your child’s skills and interests in a safe and nurturing environment. Most importantly, all of our camps provide the kind of fun and excitement both you and your child want for the summertime!

As one of last year’s parents explained, for her daughter, camp was a great extension of the Boulder JCC preschool experience. She shared that her child is a
painfully shy student, [and]

…she was successful at camp because on the first day, she realized that she knew the majority of campers from preschool. This helped her ease into her new surroundings because she immediately felt that she belonged. I explained to my daughter that this is what it means to be part of the Boulder Jewish community.

The Boulder JCC is pleased to involve so many incredible local partners in this year’s specialty summer camp schedule. One such camp is the Girls Leadership Institute, being offered to incoming 5th and 6th grade girls. From June 4-8th, participants will deepen their emotional intelligence, learn about healthy relationships and practice methods for direct communication and conflict resolution. This camp teaches campers these invaluable skills through theatre games, crafts, sports and small group discussions.

Camps are filling fast so don’t delay! Register your camper today at www.boulderjcc.org. Please contact Shari Blake Schnee at (303-998-1900 x 106) or via email (shari@boulderjcc.org) with any questions.

Please join us at Congregation Bonai Shalom this Shabbat, May 12, at 11:00 a.m. for a tot Shabbat experience, a fabulous way to celebrate Shabbat together with your young children. We sing, dance, tell stories and enjoy Shabbat together in this innovative parent-lead program. Geared towards children under the age of 5 and their parents.

Shabbat Shelanu is open to the community and there is no cost to attend. Families, friends, visiting relatives, and siblings of all ages are welcome!

Next Shelanu program: May 26th. Bonai Shalom is located at 1527 Cherryvale Road, just south of Arapahoe. If you have any questions, please email shelanu@bonaishalom.org

To usher in Shabbat, we’ll gather as a community to light candles and say hamotzi (the blessing over the challah bread) together. Grape juice and challah will be provided. The evening will continue with a catered meal from Falafel King, Israeli dancing and crafts for the children.

Shabbat in the Park is a great family-friendly way to celebrate Shabbat with your neighbors. The Boulder JCC has held these events in Nederland, Longmont, Superior and Erie. Superior resident, Rina Tilzer shared, “My husband and I both grew up in families that were active in the Jewish community. We are hoping to pass on a strong Jewish identity to our children by being active in the community ourselves. By sending our children to the Boulder JCC Preschool along with attending JCC events throughout the year we hope to lay a strong Jewish foundation. The neighborhood shabbat dinners are a great way for us to get to know other Jewish families in our immediate neighborhood.”

To attend, please register at www.boulderjcc.org by Monday, May 14.  The cost is $8 per adult; $5 per child (2 and up). This program qualifies for a MazelTot discount. This program has been made possible through a grant from Rose Community Foundation.

This Sunday, April 29, an unprecedented gathering of the Jewish Food Movement in Colorado will unfold in Boulder. The Hazon Rocky Mountain Jewish Food Summit at the University Memorial Center at CU will be hosting farmers, rabbis, activists, entrepreneurs and others for a dynamic day of learning, celebration, eating, community-building, and hands-on doing. There will be a noodle kugel contest to determine whose kugel is the best in the west–is it yours?

Some of Boulder’s favorites will be on hand to share their stories, inspiration and resources: Reb Zalman Schacter-Shalomi, Morah Yehudis Fishman, the Boulder Kosher Meat Co-Op, Prof. Caryn Aviv from CU’s Jewish Studies program, Hannah Kapnik with Kevah, Seth Ellis Chocolatier, Restaurant 4580, Boulder Tuv Ha’aretz CSA, Red Wagon Organic Farm, and many more!

There will be optional yoga and morning services, 20 dynamic sessions on a wide range of topics covering everything at the intersection of food, sustainability, and Jewish life, a delicious kosher lunch, and an amazing Do It Yourself Extravaganza. Plus, special programming for middle-school-aged youth.

Register now for the best rate: $50/$25 students and seniors. Day of registration is $70. For the full schedule and program details and to register, visit: www.hazon.org/foodsummit.

Beth Ami’s Jewish Cultural School invites you and your family to attend our Open House Jewish Field Day, Sunday, April 29th 10:00am until 12:00pm, at Countryside Recreation, 10470 Oak Street, Westminster. (main cross streets are 108th and Wadsworth Parkway, very close to Flatirons Crossing Mall). At 12:00pm please join us for a potluck Sephardic lunch. RSVP bethamicolorado@gmail.com.

In our school, children of all ages (preschool through 8th grade) study Torah and other Jewish texts from a humanistic point of view. We believe in human dignity—human beings possess the freedom and responsibility to determine the purpose and course of their lives without the need for supernatural guidance or protection. We study Jewish history and culture by reflecting on how human reason, initiative and courage make it possible for us to achieve our noblest aspirations.

During this school year our Jewish Cultural School has been studying tzedek (justice) throughout the Jewish world in the early 1900s. We began our year by sharing justice in our daily lives and linked justice to our study of each Jewish holiday throughout the year. We learned about our family members living in the early 1900s and studied famous leaders and organizations in Europe, Israel, and America during this time.

Our Jewish field day will be an opportunity to remember what we learned and to celebrate the accomplishments of Jews living in the early 1900s.

Ryan Elementary School in Lafayette

Parents can now register for Camp Gan Israel of the Rockies 2012 summer season.

After months of searching for a suitable day camp site CGI of the Rockies is proud to announce that Ryan Elementary school in Lafayette will be the camp location.

Ryan was selected for its modern facility (it has just completed a three million dollar expansion and renovation) and for its central location for Boulder valley, Longmont and NW Metro Denver families.

In the coming days CGI of the Rockies will unveil its exciting camp schedule on its website www.JewishKidsCamp.com.

Online registration is open and with an early bird discount expiring on May 10th  now is a great time to sign up.

The camp session is from June 25^th through July 27^th and is for ages 3-13. Sessions can be booked on a weekly basis. Discounts are also available through Mazeltot.com

CGI of the Rockies is a joint project of Chabad in Longmont and NW Metro Denver. For more infor visit our website at www.JewishKidsCamp.comor call Shayna at 303.678.7595.

CGI of the Rockies Mini Gan Izzy Division summer 2011