VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF HASHOMER HATZAIR CANADAthe next century
...by Shomrimot - 1960sTo the Love Shared... - 2022Migdal - 2014Beautiful Otty Lake - 1970sMigdal - 1970sMigdal - 1998...And Pyramids! - 2021To the Years of Building Memories... - 1982Schiya at the Chof - 2016To our Tzrifim... - 2021...Whose Walls Tell Generational Stories - 1960sNot only did Hashomer Hatzair provide me with unique opportunitiesto develop my critical thinking abilities, but it also instilled in me astrong sense of empathy and community responsibility. Thoseexperiences shaped the way I interact with the world, and for that Iam forever grateful."Brit Asher, Mazkirat Tnua 2018-2019"
Founded in Galicia in 1913, Hashomer Hatzair is a global youthmovement that has created space for youth to take ownership overtheir education, culture, values and community. Shomrimotemigrating from Eastern Europe first brought Hashomer Hatzair toNorth America in 1923, and our youth movement has flourished inCanada for the past one hundred years.Evolving over a century of activism and community-building,Hashomer Hatzair Canada today continues as a thriving year-roundyouth movement. At Camp Shomria, young people spend theirsummers living an immersive communal lifestyle and developing theiridentities as activists and Jews through the lens of our ideologicalpillars: Socialism, Progressive Zionism and Humanistic Judaism.our history"Mifkad Amod Doam" - 1970s"Mifkad Amod Noach" - 20161Camp Shomria has defined mine and my brothers'Jewish identities, core values, and sense of community.I really can't overstate how important camp has beento us, as individuals and as a family."Caelen Leizer-Romalis, Mazkir Tnua 2022-2023"
Over the past 110 years, Hashomer Hatzair has had a profound impacton the identities and lives of its members. Likewise, Shomrimot theworld over have made an outsized impact on their communities. Today’s Jewish youth need Hashomer Hatzair, and the world needsthem. We provide a home where young people are grounded in theprogressive values of our movement, supported by intentionalcommunity in our collective living model, and empowered to be agentsof change in the world around them. The financial landscape of the movement, and of Hashomer HatzairCanada, has evolved throughout the past century, but one thing hasoften been true: we have been operating - creating this outsizedimpact - in a resource-scarce context. our vision for the future2 As we enter our next century, we have set the ambitious goal ofraising $1 million over the coming three years to transformHashomer Hatzair Canada into an organization that hasthe resources it needs to truly thrive and grow. BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THETRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF YOUTHLEADERSHIP TO CHANGE THE WORLD.Why? Camp Shomria, Perth ON
It is more important than ever that young people be equipped withthe experiences, skills, and communities they need to be agents ofchange. Hashomer Hatzair has been that platform for us, and we areexcited to pave the way for the generations who will follow us."Adina Macklin, Mazkirat Tnua 2021""Hineni Mavtiach ve'Havtecha Shlema" - 2014"Shalom Shabbat? Shabbat Shalom!" - 1960sWe believe Hashomer Hatzair can and should be a platform from whichyoung people can grow as thoughtful Jewish leaders inspiring theircommunities to create the future we all deserve in the face ofincreasingly critical challenges.Reaching our $1 million goal will ensure our movement is ready to meetthe challenges of the future. It will enable us to make much-neededupgrades to our beloved machane, invest in training and retaining ourincredible hadracha and staff team, and keep up with the rising costsof operating camp while ensuring that Mosh remains financiallyaccessible for all chanichimot.You are a part of our history. Will you be a part of our future?Led by our Director, Jenny Isaacs, our leadership team of dedicatedhadracha, staff, and board members are well-positioned to stewardthis significant investment. We stand on the shoulders of thegenerations who have come before us, and we aim to build anorganization that will sustain the generations who come after us.3Join us to ensure that Hashomer Hatzair Canada enters the next centuryfrom a place of both strength and courage - Chazak ve’Ematz!
how we will use your investmentOver the past decade, the resources and staffing required to run a successfulovernight summer camp and year-round youth movement have significantlyexpanded due to increased regulations and safety standards, changes in camperneeds and expectations, advances in technology, and increased competition.Expanding our professional staff team has become a necessity in order toadapt to these changes in the field, avoid burnout, and ensure ouryouth-led model can continue to thrive. To meet this need, we have recently added a full-time Camp Director to our teamin addition to our Shaliach/Educational Director from Israel. This year, we aregrowing our year-round team by hiring a full-time Director of Operations and part-time Development Associate. We are also growing our seasonal Support Staff team to continue supporting theincreased physical and mental health needs of our chanichimot and hadracha. Oursummer staff now includes a Director of Community Care and an integrated healthteam including regulated professionals and youth leadership working in partnership. EXPANDING OUR PROFESSIONAL TEAM. . . . . . . Kitchen Staff - 2021Mirpa'A Team - 20214
Jewish overnight camps across Canada and the United States experienceddeclining counsellor retention rates in the wake of the pandemic, with only 44% ofcounsellors returning to camp in 2022. This has contributed to a growing summerstaffing crisis, to which Camp Shomria is not immune.Our hadracha are at the centre of our educational model - they are our greatestresource, and there is no youth movement without them. It is imperative that weinvest in training and retaining our hadracha to avoid burnout and createsustainable employment opportunities within the youth movement. This year,we are increasing taksivim, introducing new year-round training activities, andfunding first-aid and waterfront certifications for hadracha members.SUPPORTING OUR YOUTH LEADERS . . . . . . . "Hashomer Hatzair took me out of a life I wasn’t happy in andopened up a whole new way of being and growing.Yaffa Waxman, Shomeret active in the 1940s"Hashomer Hatzair has given my children a unique opportunity to discoverwho they are. Their summers of autonomy at Mosh have helped thembuild confidence in who they are and what they can do in the world."Tal Bresler Stramer, Camp Shomria ParentMosh Kayitz Hanhaga - 2022Toronto Hanhaga - 1943"5
Painting the Soccer Nets - 2006Painting Tzrifim & Each Other - 1960sThe Beloved Monkey Tree - 2022If I Had a Hammer, I'd Build a Pagoda - 1960sWe are working to update the outdoor lightingacross our entire machane, with a focus onincreasing safety, utility, and energy efficiency.Installing motion sensor lighting with solar power,wherever possible, will help us move towardsoperating an energy efficient site and will enablemore evening outdoor activities.Since 1957, Camp Shomria has been operating at our site on Otty Lake, andgenerations of Shomrimot have built, cared for, and updated our machane to fitthe changing needs of our community. Today, significant infrastructure updates areneeded to ensure Camp Shomria can continue to be a beautiful and safe home forthe generations to come. CARING FOR OUR MACHANE. . . . . . . Hotter summers and more frequent extreme weatherevents are impacting our trees. Learning tzofiut,spending time in nature, and protecting theenvironment are essential elements of HashomerHatzair’s educational model and the Camp Shomriaexperience. To continue these activities and act asresponsible stewards of our land, we are embarkingon a multi-year project to assess and care for ourtrees and forest.Our team of support staff is continuing to expandin order to meet the evolving needs of today’schanichimot. Over the coming years, we will addnew living spaces to accommodate increasedhousing needs for our Support Staff and theirfamilies. Our Moshava needs a paint job! While touch upsare a part of regular maintenance, it’s time torefresh the paint on many buildings across our site.We are investing in high quality paint to protect ourbuildings from the elements and beautify the placethat so many Shomrimot call home. 6
Financial aid needs are on the rise across the Jewish campingsector. Jewish camps across Canada and the United Statesdistributed approximately $37M USD in financial aid in 2022,which is 21% higher than the previous year. Last year, 46% ofchanichimot at Camp Shomria received some form of financialaid, which is reflective of the fact that 40% of all campersattending Jewish overnight camps receive financial assistance. We are committed to ensuring that Mosh remainsfinancially accessible to all chanichimot. As the cost ofcamp continues to rise, we are continuing to increase theresources we devote to financial assistance in the form of bothscholarships and subsidies. Music Knows no Bounds... - 1970s...Not Even Time - 2011REDUCING FINANCIAL BARRIERS. . . . . . . I spent thirteen summers at Mosh… Decades later, no matter how memoriesmight fade, my feelings about Mosh refuse to succumb to the same fate.Those damn feelings are apt to show up unannounced, demanding every bitof my attention, reminding me of what Mosh did to me and for me.""Ron Malis, Shomer active in the 1980s7Friends Forever - 2010s
8Make a multi-year pledge.We need your help to make our goal of raising $1 million a reality,and we invite you to join us by making a three-year giving commitment.Your multi-year pledge will enable us to make thoughtful, long-termplans to achieve our objectives, and effectively strategize to ensure wereach our goal to secure the future of Hashomer Hatzair Canada.Please use the included Pledge Form to share your giving commitment with us. Leverage your collective giving power.One of our greatest assets is the intergenerational character of our community. Manyfamilies have deep connections to Hashomer Hatzair across two, three, or sometimeseven four generations. Whether you have multiple generations of alumni in your family,or have become deeply engaged with HH through your children or grandchildren, youare an essential part of the fabric of our community. We invite you to consider making a giving commitment jointly across multiplegenerations of your family. Together, you may be able to make a more impactful giftthan any one family member could on their own. By leveraging the power of yourcollective resources you can inspire others in our community to help reach our goal. Join our Dugma Ishit Circle.We need fifty supporters, either as individuals or family units, to join us as dugma ishit inthis next century of Hashomer Hatzair Canada and make three-year givingcommitments by December 31st, 2023. These early leadership gifts will set the examplefor our community and help us build momentum towards our $1 million goal. At the heart of Hashomer Hatzair are the concepts of kupa and "from each accordingto their ability, to each according to their need." We need those members of ourcommunity who have the capacity to lead the way to do so now. Please considerdeeply whether you are able to be a dugma ishit by making an early commitment. Kvutza Love - 2013be a part of our futureShabbat Rikkud - 2016Youth Leading Youth - 2021
The 1923 Legacy Circle honours those who have created a lasting legacyby making a provision for Camp Shomria - Hashomer Hatzair Canada in their estate plan. You can easily join the 1923 Legacy Circle bycompleting the included Letter of Intent and sharing your intentions byreturning it to us at mail@campshomria.ca. If you have already providedfor Hashomer Hatzair Canada in your estate plan, please let us know! A legacy gift will impact generations of Jewish youth and may help youmake a larger gift than you thought possible. Legacy Gifts can be assimple as a designation in your will or trust, or may be made throughretirement plan assets, life insurance, or a charitable gift annuity. Pleaseconsult your attorney or tax advisor for professional guidance in this area. Many community members participated in a successful legacy pledgeeffort many years ago, and we will be reaching out to those individuals inthe coming year. We would very much like to honour your commitmentby including you in the 1923 Legacy Circle! Please contact Jenny Isaacs atdirector@campshomria.ca with any questions.Shomrimot Chazak! - 2018Make your mark on the future of Hashomer Hatzair Canada andensure that you are remembered forever by our community byjoining our 1923 Legacy Circle.leave a legacy. . . . . . . 9
pa'am shomer, tamid shomer.CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF YOUTH LEADING YOUTH.Summer CampCamp Shomria, 133 Kenyon Rd, RR#3,Otty Lake, Perth, Ontario, K7H 0G1Camp DirectorJenny Isaacs director@campshomria.caOffice EML mail@campshomria.ca WEB hashomerhatzair.ca416-736-1339