Minhagei Moshava
As we’ve all heard many times, Camp Moshava is a magical place. In this healthy, vibrant atmosphere, young people of all ages meet naturally — making friends, having fun, and learning how to live Torah. At a time when so much of life happens on a screen, we get to spend a month or two actually talking, playing ball, singing zemirot, learning Torah, and building real relationships with people who share our values. That’s how lifelong friendships are formed.
Bnei Akiva’s values of Torah Va’Avodah shape the rhythm of camp life — in daily tefillot, schmutzim, and dibbuk chaveirim. We embrace practices such as chevra me’urevet and equal participation in limud Torah and tefilla for both girls and boys. While some circles may look askance at these choices, we see them as essential for the world our chanichim and chanichot are growing up in. At the same time, we are deeply committed to operating fully within halakha. Over the years we have consulted leading rabbanim regarding our camp practices, including Rav Yehuda Amital zt”l and Rav Binyamin Tabory zt”l, who, in fact, served as Rav Machane for many years.
Having served as Rav Machane for over thirty years, I have tried to establish norms that reflect the unique needs of a community of more than 1,000 chanichim, chanichot, madrichim, madrichot, and mishpachot from across America and Israel who gather each summer in Indian Orchard, Pennsylvania. In the pages that follow, I lay out some of the core principles and minhagim of camp and explain the reasoning behind rulings that regularly arise. As always, I am available to discuss both the principles and the details.
Although I was asked to put these minhagim into writing, they are the product of many years of shared thought and experience – with my partner, Rabbi Shmuel Hain, and with the senior staff of Camp Moshava – Alan, Channah, Shlomo, and others. We are fortunate to have a leadership team for whom shmirat mitzvot is always the top priority.
Rav Shalom Berger
Rav Machane
Rosh Chodesh Adar 5786
Topics
1. Tefilla
Regular tefillot frame the day in camp. Keep in mind that many of our chanichim and chanichot are not yet old enough for tefilla to have much meaning for them and were they not in the camp setting would not be davening at all. As such, madrichim and madrichot should see themselves as educators – as role models – for tefilla.
The tefillot themselves
The length of tefilla often poses a challenge to the patience and attention-span abilities of campers, so Moshava tailors tefilla to make it age-appropriate. This may involve shortening the tefilla, offering explanations during tefilla, singing certain parts of tefilla, etc. Specifically, for example, a short chazarat ha-sha”tz is often the best option even for older edot.
For madrichim and madrichot who feel that this detracts from their own davening, it is important to remember that you are educators, and that sometimes educators have to, on occasion, sacrifice their own spirituality to teach others. There are a number of “adult” minyan options (earlier in the morning or later at night) that might be possibilities for those who want to separate their personal davening from davening in their role as educators.
Place of davening
While the best place to daven would be in a makom tefilla (bet knesset or bet midrash), the reality of camp is such that some of the edot daven in other settings that are multi-purpose areas. Care should be taken that the place of davening is appropriate for prayer. So, for example, if you are davening in one of the open-air spaces, a minute or two should be spent making sure that there isn’t garbage on the floor, that the benches are set up properly, etc.
People who come to camp often ask about the direction of prayer, given the fact that the various mekomot tefilla do not all face in the same direction (which, ideally, should be facing Israel). Mekomot tefilla are situated in the direction that is most conducive for the tzibbur to hear and participate. This is not uncommon in shuls in Chutz LaAretz (including, for example, the various mekomot tefilla on campus at Yeshiva University).
Time of davening
Generally speaking, for the chanichim and chanichot, shacharit takes place first thing in the morning prior to zman tefilla, mincha takes place as mincha gedola right after lunch and maariv takes place right after dinner, which is after plag ha-mincha (even if it is still light outside). This schedule allows for maximum participation without having to gather campers from other activities. When shacharit takes place after sof zman kriyat shema (e.g., on Shabbat or on a fast day) or maariv takes place when it is still light outside, campers should be reminded to recite the shema at the appropriate time in their bunks. The schedules that are printed up for Shabbat and other special days specifically notes the times of sof zman kriyat shema and sof zman tefilla.
Preparation for tefilla
Someone needs to be in charge to be sure that there are siddurim or tefilla cards. In their absence (which shouldn’t happen) the chazan should recite the tefilla aloud with as much singing/participation as possible. Listeners who respond “amen” fulfill their obligation of prayer.
Travel
When there are no siddurim available (for mincha on trip days for example), the chanichim and chanichot should be instructed to listen to the entire tefilla and respond properly; the chazan should recite the entire amidah out loud.
2. Bein Adam LeChaveiro
As noted above, Camp Moshava is a magical place – an educational oasis – where young people can interact in healthy ways. As educators, staff members are obligated to ensure that no chanich or chanicha is bullied or abused in any way, and it goes without saying that no staff member should behave inappropriately with others.
Camp Moshava is not a place where competition is used as a means to “bring out the best” by means of poking fun or using abusive language in an attempt to get a camper to push themselves harder to succeed. We aim to build up character using positive language and intrinsic rewards.
In the event that staff members see bullying or abuse of any sort they are obligated to intervene. Rashei Edah and sganim are the first level respondents when such things occur; camp parents and psychologists are the professionals on-call to help with these kind of situations.
3. Chevra Me’urevet
Bnei Akiva generally, and Camp Moshava specifically, believes that normal, natural interactions between men and women are healthy parts of ongoing life, should not be assumed to carry sexual energy and therefore should not be discouraged. This is not a concession to the modern world, indeed it is the long-standing perspective of halacha through the ages. For a full discussion, see Dr. Amnon Shapiro’s classic חברה מעורבת בבני עקיבא בימינו — https://tinyurl.com/chevrameurevet
At the same time, care must be taken to follow the laws of tzni’ut as they apply, and this is especially important in a mixed-gender camp setting.
Yichud
Halachot forbidding a man and a woman from being secluded together were established in order to protect women from inappropriate advances by men. The laws of yichud obligate a man and woman to be sure that meetings between them take place in places that are public, or at least that people frequent. Late night meetings are of particular concern if no one will likely be around. It goes without saying that physical contact between unmarried male and female staff is forbidden under all circumstances. In short, male madrichim and female madrichot (and, indeed, all tzevet members) should never be secluded together nor should they be secluded with chanichim/chanichot of the opposite gender. Furthermore, it is their responsibility that chanichim and chanichot should not be secluded together, either.
Frivolousness
It is hard to define the kind of frivolousness that would specifically be a problem, but one type of “joke” that should never take place is suggestion of marriage. For example, it is a serious problem for two fire-pit madrichim to joke that they are husband and wife.
Dress
Camp has a dress code for both boys and girls. Campers who are dressed in a clearly inappropriate manner should be spoken to, in consultation with a camp parent. Under no circumstances should a male counselor comment on the attire of a female in camp (or vice versa).
Music/Singing
Music is a particularly powerful element of education in camp. Unfortunately, much modern, secular music has lyrics that are suggestive or sensual. No one should be playing such music in camp. The music in camp, by-and-large should be shirei Kodesh/shirei Eretz Yisrael.
Regarding the issue of kol isha: For many years camp plays and/or public performances have allowed chanichot to sing in groups (rather than solos), relying on the idea that trei koli lo mishtamo’ei (when there are two voices, a single voice cannot be heard). This strict requirement of multiple voices for female solos applies to music performances in camp. When a female music instructor is teaching a song to a group of chanichim or tzevet, the same concerns do not apply. For an extended treatment of this issue in contemporary times, see Rav Mosheh Lichtenstein’s article at https://traditiononline.org/kol-isha-a-womens-voice/.
4. Food
Our mitbach is unique in that virtually every worker in the kitchen is shomer/et mitzvot and cares about the kashrut of the food that is produced. The Rav Machane walks through the kitchen several times a week, but the true mashgichim and mashgichot are the members of the kitchen staff themselves.
The chadar ochel is yet another opportunity for educating our chanichim and chanichot regarding netilat yadaim, brachot, etc. At this time, many of the ready-to-eat bread-like foods prepared in the kitchen are made with juice rather than water and are therefore labelled mezonot. For the younger groups, this can be used as a leniency to recite/sing the shorter al ha-michya rather than a full birkat ha-mazon. For older campers – certainly for Machal – anything that has tzurat pat (i.e., it looks like normal bread – like French toast sticks) deserves netilat yadayim and a full birkat ha-mazon.
[While the chadar ochel atmosphere does not lend itself to a dvar torah during a meal, in smaller settings it certainly would be appropriate. Whoever presents one should be encouraged to keep it to 2 sentences, e.g., “This week is Parashat Ekev, where the pasuk ואכלת ושבעת וברכת appears. That is the source for the single biblical beracha – birkat ha-mazon.”]
Off campus food
The Rav Machane checks the kashrut of some local ice cream places (currently Carousel in Beach Lake, Gravity in Honesdale, Rita’s in Hawley) and posts a sign indicating what has hashgacha and what does not. In other eateries/ice cream places – even franchises that you recognize, you must check what is kosher (in the local Dunkin, for example, which has no hashgacha, you should ask to see the hashgachot on the ingredients that they use in the drinks that they prepare. They are usually happy to show them to you).
There are, of course, a wide variety of packaged foods at local supermarkets that have hashgacha.
5. Shabbat
Shabbat presents an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity: Give our chanichim and chanichot a sense of a truly spiritual Shabbat without mundane daily activities. The challenge: keep them spiritually occupied when almost all daily activities are not available to keep them busy. Tefilla is long and, for many, boring (even, as noted above, tefilla is shortened and age-appropriate).
Lighting candles
Candles are set up in the chadar ochel so that people can light. Given the number of mishpachot in camp, there is no true reason for staff members or chanichot to light. Oftentimes, mifkad ends close to candle lighting time and there is little time left to light candles before Shabbat begins (this is especially true for anyone who wants to light candles in machal). No one should be lighting candles close to sunset.
Kiddush and Havdala
The reality of the Chadar Ochel does not allow for convenient entering and exiting. To allow for everyone to properly hear kiddush and wash netilat yadayim, campers should wash netilat yadayim on their way into the chadar ochel and then hear kiddush at their tables. In addition, kiddush is made in shul after tefilla, as is the minhag in many batei knesset in America.
Current practice has Havdalah in camp as a musical event often with communal singing. Care must be taken to make sure that the individual making Havdala can project above the noise and holds the kos shel bracha for the bracha of borei pri hagafen and hamavdil, and that everyone else is quiet for the brachot so that they can be heard by all. If someone misses Havdala they should make it for themselves.
Davening
Since camp works on “camp time” sof zman kriyat shma and tefilla appear to be earlier than standard time. Times for shacharit are always arranged to have the amida before sof zman tefilla, but often after sof zman kriyat shma. These times are posted on the Shabbat schedule. Madrichim should remind their chanichim to say the shema before davening.
Eruv
There is a clearly marked eruv in camp that extends just past machal, behind the girls’ and boys’ bunks and around the moadonim. It is checked every Friday by the Rav Machane and/or bet midrash staff.
Techum Shabbat
Aside from the eruv, there are limits to how far one can walk outside of the “city limits” on Shabbat (2000 amot – about a kilometer or 0.6 miles). For our purposes, the eruv is the “city limit.” This does not allow for long walks outside of camp on Shabbat.
Meals
Generally speaking, lunch (besari) and Seuda Shlishit (chalavi) are scheduled to take place six hours apart. This offers an “into the sixth hour” division between the two meals. It is acceptable for individuals who keep the minhag of a full six hours between meat and milk to follow the camp practice of five hours plus. Alternatively, there are always pareve options at Seuda Shlishit.
Hot water
The urns available around camp have a Shabbat mode (they either empty out or, in the chadar ochel, add water automatically unconnected to individual use) that allow for coffee and tea to be made on Shabbat. When making tea, a kli shlishi should be used.
There is coffee and tea available before davening on Shabbat morning. It is common for people to have a coffee or a bite to eat before kiddush.
No hot water from the sink can be used on Shabbat in camp (the only exception being the mitbach, as explained below). All bunks – both camper bunks and family bunks – have on-demand hot water heating systems that will turn on an actual fire when the hot water tap is turned on. The only place in camp with a hot water system that can be used on Shabbat is the mitbach where a special system was installed that makes all the hot water plumbing into a kli sheni.
Sports
No organized sports are played on Shabbat in camp. It is difficult to forbid someone from tossing a ball on Shabbat, but playing a ball game is not done.
Hospital travel
On rare occasions, campers are sent to the hospital on Shabbat. Such decisions are made by the marp staff, with concern for safek pikuach nefesh – concern for life. Oftentimes, counselors will be asked to accompany a marp staff member. The drivers are usually local paramedics who can drive all involved to the hospital, and, if appropriate, return them to camp, as well.
Safety and security
A number of people in camp can be seen carrying telephones or radios on Shabbat. These designated people are responsible for safety and security in camp and are first responders in situations of pikuach nefesh or safek pikuach nefesh.
6. Schmutzim/overnights/travel out of camp
Schmutzim are one of the unique elements of camp, which come with their own challenges.
Kima and tefilla
Counselors and tzevet members should make sure that there are washing cups, etc. available for both morning hand washing and washing before meals, if necessary.
Things get grungy on a schmutz. Be sure that there is an assigned place for davening that is clean, orderly, and appropriate for tefilla.
While camp tries to avoid situations of kriyat ha-Torah on a schmutz, sometimes the schedule works out that way. The rabbinical tzevet will endeavor to bring a sefer Torah for davening that must be kept in a proper aron and returned immediately to camp.
When traveling, camp will do its best to arrange for proper mekomot tefilla in places where we stay.
When arranging tefilla in a place that is not a bet knesset, there is no requirement for a formal mechitza, but there should be a clear, distinct separation between males and females.
Tzniut
The separation between boys and girls on a schmutz is less formal than in camp. Care must be taken for concerns with privacy and tzniut throughout, particularly in sleeping arrangements. Madrichim and madrichot must be sensitive to issues of yichud, as well (see above).
7. 3 Weeks / 9 Days
Every year finds the period of communal mourning for the Bet Mikdash falling sometime over the course of camp. This serves as a real challenge, given the reality of camp as a month-long expression of simchat mere’ut, where we have a community that participates in joyful activities together. As such, a balance must be found so that campers recognize certain differences in normative camp activities, even as the social and educational elements of camp continue. It is important to point out to the chanichim/chanichot that these changes are in place.
Music and dancing
Imbuing a sense of Jewish music with positive themes is an important part of the educational program in camp. So while festive music and dancing are limited beginning with 17 Tammuz, live music would be permitted, but without dancing. Dancing – even to recorded music – should be slower and limited to specific peulot. During the Nine Days, live, festive music should also be limited.
Swimming
During the Nine Days, bathing for pleasure is forbidden for reasons of avelut. Lifeguard training, for example, does not fall under the category of “bathing for pleasure” and would, therefore, be permitted.
Camp policy is that this avelut does not apply to children under bar/bat mitzvah. Therefore there are no restrictions on swimming and lake activities for the younger edot. For older edot, swimming peulot should focus on educational/instructional activities, with greater sensitivity to the avelut during shavua she-chal bo (the week of Tisha bAv itself).
Laundry
Minhag ashkenaz limits doing laundry and wearing freshly laundered garments during the Nine Days. This restriction does not include bigdei zei’a – underwear or other clothing worn to absorb sweat. Given the reality of the camp environment where people sweat and dirty their clothing, laundry must be sent out for reasons of health. No child in camp should be wearing dirty clothing.
Tzevet who have enough clothing for their needs should restrict themselves from sending out articles of clothing that are not bigdei zei’a, at least during the week of Tisha bAv itself (which is the basic ruling of the Gemara and the current minhag Edot Hamizrach).
Eating Meat
Generally speaking, Camp Moshava does not have meat meals (aside from Shabbat) during the Nine Days. Exceptions include overnights/schmutzim where a siyum would be made. In the event that a siyum takes place in the main camp, meat will be served at the meal. Everyone should do their best to attend the siyum, but even if you do not attend, the simcha of the event would allow everyone in camp to eat the food from the chadar ochel (the siyum does not permit anyone to “go out” to eat or to have festive music).
Fasting
Children under bar/bat mitzvah need not fast on 17 Tammuz or Tisha bAv. Generally speaking, adults in camp should fast with the normal exceptions (e.g., someone who is ill, nursing or pregnant women, etc.) on 17 Tammuz, with somewhat greater restrictions on Tisha bAv. When in doubt, the doctors and nurses in the marp will be the ones to make the decision, in consultation with the Rav Machane when necessary.
