Shimon Stillerman holds on to his yarmulke as he jumps over a rotating arm on the inflatable Whiplash ride at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Shimon Stillerman prepares to take aim on the archery range at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Shoshana Gomez gets a high-five from Hanah Berger as she rides a waterslide at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Maya Leon dances with other campers as they listen to music on headphones at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chesky Paltiel takes aim on the archery range at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Shimon Stillerman rids through an obstacle course of bikes and scooters at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Gideon Barnaton rides a waterslide at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The “water park” at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Niala Delacruz takes aim at the target on the archery range at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kindergartners listen to a story at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Campers play with water toys at the “water park” at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ari Ban-Hayun builds with blocks at Camp Silver Gan Israel in Huntington Beach, CA, on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Fifty years ago Rabbi Moishe Engel opened a Jewish summer camp in Long Beach – 10 years later they moved to Huntington Beach. Today his son, Rabbi Sender Engel, is the director of Camp Silver Gan Israel, serving 250 kids a week in what he calls, “a place where happy kids are Jewisher and Jewish kids are happier”
Engel said that campers start their day with a little bit of prayer and Jewish learning, but most of the Jewishness comes from the activities. “When they are baking they’ll learn about what is Jewish food and why is it kosher… they walk around and hear the music and learn through song”, he said.
The camp has two swimming pools, an archery range, an inflatable water park, a giant human foosball court, a remote control car track, Nerf tag and an interactive wipeout game. The campers rotate activities throughout the day.
Camper Miriam Parshan said that despite all the activities, her favorite part is the counselors. Which is probably something Rabbi Engel loves to hear because the camp counselors are selected from applicants from around the country, carefully vetted and reference checked. The staff is then flown out to Huntington Beach and housed at the camp for eight weeks.
Parshan added that when she returns to school next week she’ll tell other kids, “It was really fun, you should go there”.
