On Shabbat at Summer Camp

Shabbat is both a day of rest and a day of celebration. In the Talmud, Shabbat is equal to all of the other commandments, citing its importance as a cornerstone of our religion. But how do we rest and celebrate, and how do we find the balance?

Many Jewish institutions choose to alter their hours or close on Shabbat. Some are just at the end of their work week, others defer to synagogues as the religious and spiritual home, and some are challenged by the strict rules of Shabbat observance. As camp director of Camp Mountain Chai, I see to it that we operate 24/7 while we are in session. While we rarely overlap with major Jewish holidays (being that we are a summer camp), we do enjoy 10 Shabbatot over the course of our three sessions. With that, we embrace being open for Shabbat, not just on Shabbat.

To read the rest of Dan’s article in the November Issue of the San Diego Jewish Journal, please click the link below.