Full Circle with Chalutzim: From Camper to Unit Head

In 2018, I arrived five days late to Chalutzim. As my mom drove away, nervousness bubbled up inside me: I didn’t know everyone, I was arriving late, and I had never been to camp during first session.

As I rounded the hill and approached my cabin, three girls ran out to greet me—one old friend and two brand new. By the end of that first night, I had made more new friends than I could count. And by the time we returned from the Chalutzim trip, I could barely remember who was first session and who was second. It was my fourth year at camp—and the first year I wasn’t homesick.

I’ve said for years that the most exciting day of the summer is the day Chalutzim arrives. But this summer, that feeling took on a whole new meaning. Now, as a unit head planning the Chalutzim program, I made it my goal for each day to feel unique and special for my campers and my staff—because that’s how Chalutzim always felt for me.

When Chalutzim 2025 arrived, I watched an entirely new community begin to form. Old friends reunited, new friendships were forged, and just like that, we were off!

Chalutzim is a community within a community. It’s a chance for campers to leave their mark on the place where they became who they are. As we prepare to embark on our five-day trip to North Carolina, I couldn’t be more excited to watch this group step into their own identity as Chalutzim 2025.