Friends of Shomer Shabbat Scouting’ is pleased to announce an opportunity for Jewish girls to participate in three amazing Girls-Only ScoutsBSA activities.

‘Friends of Shomer Shabbat Scouting’ is pleased to announce an opportunity for Jewish girls to participate in three amazing Girls-Only ScoutsBSA activities.

1.    Adirondack Mountains Canoe & Hike Trek:
      July 21–26, 2019  (Sun–Fri)

2.    Sea Kayaking Trek off the Coast of Maine:  
      July 28–August 2, 2019  (Sun–Fri)

3.    Girls-ONLY Week at a BSA Scout Camp:  
      August 4–9, 2019  (Sun–Fri)

Shabbat Home Hospitality will be available before and after each week   AND   we will coordinate transportation transitions from one activity to the next as well as airport pickups and drop-offs.

First Week:  
Adirondack Mountains Canoe/Hike Trek

   July 21–26, 2019  (Sun–Fri)

·     A Girls-Only Shomer Shabbat High Adventure, scaled to the new ScoutsBSA Girls program. Enjoy this pristine wilderness, up near the Canadian border. 
Come with your Troop, bring along a few friends, or come by yourself!  

·     While boys must be over 13 years old, and a 1st Class Scout for such treks, as ScoutsBSA Girls’ Troops only began in February 2019, the requirements for girls have been relaxed a bit for this year. There is no rank requirement for girls, but they need to be 13 years old (or contact Dr. Spielman — see below), and be a BSA Swimmer. They also need to have some camping experience, and the stamina (or sheer will!) to paddle a canoe for a few hours per day. This is an amazing introduction to back-country, wilderness, Scouting!

·     Head out at around the same time as a Shomer Shabbat Boys Trek — but go in a different direction.

·     We supply some adult leadership, but the BSA supplies an experienced “Voyageur” — the name for their guide, harkening back to the fur-trading days in the 1700s and early 1800s when French Canadian “voyageurs” traveled these same waters. Adults, both male and female, are invited to join us!  Come and be a youth, again!

·     Paddle out of the Rollins Pond Canoe Base, Floodwood Mountain Scout Reservation,between Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, 1-hour west of Lake Placid in the heart of the Adirondacks. Experience a combination of canoeing, wilderness camping, and day-hikes to climb to the summit of some of the Adirondack High Peaks.

·     Arrive Sunday, July 21 for check-in, and head out on the water Monday. Return to base-camp Friday and be able to get to Boston or the NY/NJ area for Shabbat.

Cost:  $460. If registered and paid by June 6
          For any questions, contact:
          Dr. Howard Spielman at: HASpielman1@gmail.com  or  781 439-5250.

Second Week:  Sea Kayaking Trek
   July 28–August 2, 2019  (Sun–Fri)

·     A Sea Kayaking Merit Badge is in the works by the BSA. Take a trek with those who are writing the book — the requirements and the Merit Badge Book!
You’ll most likely be among the first ever to earn this Merit Badge!

·     Learn to handle a Sea Kayak in the freshwater lake at BSA Camp William Hinds in Raymond, Maine. Then head out for a three-day saltwater trek at sea, camping on deserted islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

·     A Shomer Shabbat boys’ trek heads to one island and the girls’ trek to another. The next day, they switch islands.

·     Learn skills in camping, paddling, ocean travel safety — including understanding and harnessing the wind, tides, and weather.

·     While boys must be over 13 years old, and a 1st Class Scout (which includes being a BSA swimmer), the requirements for girls have been relaxed a bit for this year. ScoutsBSA Girls have no rank requirement, but they do need to: be 12 years old and BSA Swimmer, have some camping experience, and have the stamina (or sheer will!) to paddle a sea kayak for a few hours per day.

·     BSA professional staff, and Sea Kayaking guides, licensed by the State of Maine, will lead this trek. But, we still need to supply some adult leadership. Thus, adults, both male and female, are invited to join us!  Come and be a youth, yet again!

·     This Trek leaves from the Boston area Sunday morning, July 28. Sunday and Monday will be instruction and training on the lake, with Tuesday through Thursday the trek on the ocean. Rosh Chodesh Av begins Thursday evening, and we will be off the water well before then. Thursday evening and Friday, back in camp, will have special activities (probably including rifle, and shotgun shooting).  With the Boston area just over 2-hours away, we can return on Friday afternoon forShabbat.

Cost:  $350. If registered and paid by June 6
          For any questions, contact:
          Dr. Howard Spielman at: HASpielman1@gmail.com  or  781 439-5250.

Third Week:  Girls-only at Forestburg Scout Reservation
   August 4–9, 2019  (Sun–Fri)

·     A ScoutsBSA Girls-ONLY Scout Camp — For all ScoutsBSA Girls.
Any girl, age 11–17 or having finished 5th grade, is welcome to join.
There is no need to commit to be involved beyond this one exciting week of camp.
Thus, feel free to invite a friend who has never been involved with ScoutsBSA.

·     With a concern for issues in Tsniut we have arranged with the Monmouth Council to have a Girls-ONLY week at the Forestburg Scout Reservation. With girls now participating in ScoutsBSA, we know of no other Scout Council in America that is implementing a Girls-ONLY week of summer camp!

·     All program features available for boys in other weeks, will be available for girls in this week!

·     Girls may come with their own home Troop (with two-deep leadership, including at least one female adult),  OR — join a ‘provisional’ Shomer Shabbat Girls’ Troop, organized by Girls’ Troop 54, chartered to the Maimonides School in Brookline, MA.

·     This will be led by Mrs. Chana Weisenberg, the Girls’ Troop 54 Scoutmaster as well as Mr. Daniel Thumim, Girls’ Troop 54 (and Boys’ Troop 54) Assistant Scoutmaster (who has been to Forestburg for eight summers). Mrs. Weisenberg has also been running the Kosher Dining Program at Forestburg for a number of years now, so we know the food will be at the same superlative level of quality. Mrs. Pesha Tanny, from Montréal, Québec (who has been involved with Troop 54 for over 20 years and has two Eagle Scout sons) will also be a leader.

·     Come for great Scouting fun! New Scouts learn Scout skills to advance to First Class, and earn Merit Badges from 49 options in: Technology, Scoutcraft, Aquatics, Shooting Sports, Ecology/Conservation, High Adventure, and Handicraft.

·     The Technology Center has an array of high-end equipment, and talented Staff. Scouts gain access to experiences not readily available at home or school, and can earn a number of Merit Badges unavailable at most Scout camps—even an FCC Radio Operator license.

·     Let’s make this first-ever Girls-ONLY week of ScoutsBSA summer camp a truly trend-setting event!
(With enough girls registering, we might even make our own collectible “Girls-ONLY” Scout T-shirt and patch!)

·     Bring a friend — or, a whole bunch of friends!

Cost:  $525. If registered and paid by June 6     $595. If paid after June 6
          Note: Any adult joining us for these six days, may come for FREE!
          For any questions, contact:
          Dr. Howard Spielman at: HASpielman1@gmail.com  or  781 439-5250.

To Register for ANY activity, follow this one step:

Go to tinyurl.com/54GCamp and Register for the program(s) you want.

          We will be back in touch with you and help you the rest of the way!

          Don’t forget … too much fun is never enough!!— 
Dr. Howard A. Spielman 
Scoutmaster, Troop 54  &  Advisor, Venture Crew 54
     Spirit of Adventure Council, 
     Chartered to the Maimonides School, Brookline, MA and 
Contingent Coordinator, 
     The Shomer Shabbat Contingent to the National Scout Jamboree
     ’89, ’93, ’97, ’01, ’05, ’10, ’13, ’17
Phone: 781 439-5250 (Day and Evening)

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