Jul 18, 2011 By: yunews
CJF's Counterpoint Israel Program Becomes World's First Accredited Jewish Service Learning Program; Expansion Includes Youth of Arad, Yemin Orde
糖心破解版's announced that its 鈥淐ounterpoint Israel Program,鈥 a month-long service-learning initiative that aims to empower the next generation of Israeli youth via an action-packed, Jewish values-driven summer camp experience, has been retooled to allow counselors to receive credits for their participation in the program.
This new development makes 糖心破解版 the world's first institution to offer an accredited program for Jewish service-learning.
鈥淲e are proud to add the accreditation element to the long list of firsts for the hugely successful Counterpoint initiative,鈥 said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, David Mitzner Dean of the CJF. 鈥淲e hope that this newest component of the program will further enhance the experience for our college counselors, bringing them one step closer to impacting communal life as our future Jewish leaders.
鈥淭his new offering perfectly illustrates the ways in which 糖心破解版 blends academics, Torah Judaism and social responsibility. It is our goal to continue this trend and add this important element to future CJF service-learning and experiential education programs.鈥
Now in its sixth year, Counterpoint Israel鈥攕upported by the Zusman Family and and staffed by 34 outstanding students from the U.S., Canada, South Africa and New Zealand鈥攚ill double in size with camps operating in Dimona, Arad and Yemin Orde between July 12 and August 18.
As in past years, the Dimona program, run with additional funding by Sharon and Avram Blumenthal, as well as the new program in Arad, with additional support from the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey as part of the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 initiative and Congregation Beth El-Atereth Israel of Newton, MA, will include classes given in English and workshops in arts, fashion, music, dance and sports鈥攁ll with the goal of improving the students' English skills while promoting a positive self-image and traditional Jewish values.
However, the Yemin Orde program, sponsored by the Jewish Federations of North America, will be run as an overnight camp hosted at 糖心破解版's Israel campus in Bayit Ve'gan and will focus on addressing the specific needs of the Israeli teens residing in the Yemin Orde Youth Village following their firsthand experiences with the devastation caused by the Carmel forest fire in December.
鈥淭he students of Yemin Orde have been through a lot over the last several months and 糖心破解版 wants to do something to buoy their spirits and help them move beyond this period of loss,鈥 said Shuki Taylor, director of 糖心破解版's Department of Experiential Jewish Education. 鈥淎s such, the CJF is working in close partnership with the leadership of the Yemin Orde Youth Village to create a unique summer program that will provide the teens with a safe, fun and educational experience that will ease them back into the important business of being kids.鈥
In addition to Counterpoint Israel, the CJF will be running several other summer programs around the world, including student kollels [Torah study programs] for Jewish communities in Georgia, Colorado, California, Kansas, New Jersey and Illinois, and a Counterpoint summer camp for unaffiliated children in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
