| Retreat Materials for Registrants Registration Forms: Download (print and mail both pages) in PDF Also in word processing form |
Venue
All retreat events will take place at the:
Northern Virginia 4-H Center
600 4-H Center Drive
Front Royal, VA 22630
540-635-7171
Only a 90-minute drive from metro Washington (more in rush hour!), this idyllic camp facility has a public pool (open 12:00 -- 6:00 pm), a small lake for canoeing, tennis courts, athletic fields, access to the Appalachian Trail, varied overnight accommodations, and indoor and outdoor meeting spaces ideal for our purposes. Driving directions and a detailed schedule will be sent in the final mailing before the retreat.
Dates/Time
On-site check-in for the retreat opens at 3:00 pm on Friday, May 27. The program will begin with Friday evening Kabbalat Shabbat Services at 5:30 pm, and will end around 1:00 pm on Sunday.
Friday, 5/27
3:00 -5:00 pm - Arrival, registration and snacks
5:30 pm - Kabbalat Shabbat Services -- full community
6:45 pm - Dinner
8:00 pm - Session I -- parallel youth programs
Saturday, 5/28
8:00 am - Breakfast
9:00 am - Torah Study with Rabbi Sid -- parallel youth programs
10:00 am - Shabbat Services -- parallel youth service
12:30 pm - Lunch
2:00 pm - Session II -- parallel youth programs
3:30 pm - Free time
5:00 pm - Session III - joint program with adults and youth
6:30 pm - Dinner
8:00 pm - Talent show - full community
9:00 pm - Havdalah and campfire - full community
Sunday, 5/29
8:00 am - Breakfast
9:00 -- 12:00 pm - Outdoor hikes, sports and activities
12:00 pm - Lunch
Youth Programming
CAMP ADAT SHALOM
Children ages 0-2: Childcare for infants and toddlers will be provided during all retreat program session hours. Parents are expected to care for their own children during meals and free time periods. A list of what to bring will be included with the information packets before the retreat.
Children ages 3-5 A separate program designed specifically for preschoolers is being planned. It will feature crafts, music and outside play and will be held concurrently with the adult programs. Parents are expected to care for their own children during meals and free time periods.
Youth: K-5th grade A camp-like experience for primary school age children will be provided. Crafts, drama, sports and other outdoor activities will keep kids engaged. There will be plenty of tricks up our sleeve in the event of inclement weather! Parents are expected to care for their own children during meals and free time periods. Please let us know of your interest in this program soon so that special on- site activities can be planned!
Young teens: Young teens will have the opportunity to hang out with their
6th-7th grade friends while enjoying activities specially designed for this age group. The make-up of the group, once known, will help the staff and leaders to create a plan of exciting activities. Please let us
know of your interest in this program soon so that your teen can be part of the planning process.
Older teens: Although some teens may opt to attend the adult programming,
8th grade and up some of our teens may help out as junior counselors (madrichim) at Camp Adat Shalom. Madrichim must register and pay for room and board, but may receive community service credit or a small stipend for their assistance during the weekend. These slots are limited. For details on this option, contact the Torah School office 301-767-3333 x105.
Others may serve as assistants to the retreat coordinators (help set up registration, carry chairs, deliver messages, and anything else they may be needed for). This is not a paid position, but an excellent experience. We can give recommendations, and SSL hours.
If your child has needs that require special accommodation, please contact Morah Chaya Silver-Alford (301 767-3333, x105, chaya@adatshalom.net) to make arrangements.
Do you have a college kid or graduating senior who would like to be a paid counselor? We may be able to use them. No registration fee required. Contact Morah Chaya Silver-Alford.
Registration Fees
Registration fees pay for our use of the 4-H facility, meals, lodging, materials, and staff salaries for the Youth Program. People choosing to stay at a local hotel will make and pay for their own reservations. Their registration will be discounted by $20 per person per night. We want our members to know that the rates are set to reflect our best projection of actual costs of the retreat, and it is not our intention to make a profit on this event.
The retreat is intended to be a full weekend experience. The pricing structure is designed to encourage everyone to come for the full retreat and to permit attendance by larger families. (We've set a maximum registration fee for 4-H accommodations.) However, we also recognize that not everyone's schedules allow them to come for the whole weekend - so we have a one-night category (Friday night through Saturday evening). The fee for this category reflects a fair share of the actual, fixed costs of the retreat.
Need help paying for your attendance? As with all of our programs, Adat Shalom never wants potential participants to be excluded based on economic need. If you cannot afford the full registration fees, please contact Sheila Feldman at 301-767-3333 x107 to arrange for a confidential rate reduction.
Accommodations
Northern Virginia 4-H Center. The rooms are simple and clean and house between 4 and 6 people on bunk beds. Most rooms share bathrooms with another room. Families may choose lodge type rooms with communal bathrooms for a reduced cost. Some rooms are wheelchair accessible - please indicate special needs on your registration form.
Couples and families will share their own room, and singles will be placed in a room with others singles. If you want to arrange for your own roommates, please be sure that both you and the other household(s) request the same arrangements on the registration forms. If you do not indicate a roommate preference, we'll find a suitable roommate(s) for you. All rooms are non-smoking.
Hotel. For those who prefer greater privacy and comfort, the nearest hotel is the Quality Inn - Front Royal, which we have used in the past. Please make your own reservation. The current rate per double room is $69 per night with discounts available for early registration, seniors, and AAA members. You can get the latest information from their website or by calling 540-635-3161.
Food
We are working closely with the Food Director and kitchen staff to develop an satisfying cuisine. However, we urge you to keep in mind that we are under certain limitations because of our community guidelines, budget limitations, and because our needs are so different from the type of food the 4-H Center is used to cooking (which is definitely not vegetarian/kosher fish!). We'll do our best to come up with appealing menus and dishes that are as tasty and popular as possible.
Meals will be primarily ovo-lacto-vegetarian, but we will try to have a fish dish every day. There will be a dairy-free or vegan alternative available at every meal. We will have lots of vegetables and salads. There will be munchies and beverages available throughout the day. Parents may want to bring along some of their children's favorite non-refrigerated snacks, subject to our regular kashrut guidelines (or their own!).
If you are on a special diet, we cannot guarantee that the menu can accommodate you, but you may bring your own food, again subject to our regular kashrut guidelines.
Volunteers Needed!
The retreat would not be possible without help from our members. Please volunteer for:
General logistics - before and during retreat
Registration - preparing packets and distributing on site
Religious services
Child care coordination
Food / snack help
Schleppers
Sunday field day
Saturday night entertainment planning
Campfire coordination
Community Safety Patrol
Please volunteer now! Contact Rhoda Ratner or Dinah Leventhal, indicate area of interest on the registration form, or suggest another we haven't listed.
Registration
The 2-page registration form is enclosed. To help us with our planning, we'd appreciate receiving it as soon as possible. For the first time this year, we are offering a 10% discount for all paid-in-full registrations received by March 1. There will be a late charge for registrations received after April 29. After May 13, registrations will only be accepted to fill cancellations.
We look forward to a terrific and memorable 2011 retreat!
2011 Retreat Co-Chairs
Camp Adat Shalom Coordination:
Morah Chaya Silver-Alford (chaya@adatshalom.net) 301-767-3333 ext. 105
Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation
7727 Persimmon Tree Lane
Bethesda, MD 20817
E-mail info@adatshalom.net
Phone: 301-767-3333 x106 | FAX: 301-767-3340
Shabbat Services: Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.
We are an affiliate of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
and part of the Chesapeake Region of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
(CRJRF)