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S'mores, Swimming, and Shabbat: The Summertime Traditions of N.H.'s Camp Yavneh

Courtesy of Camp Yavneh

NHPR is exploring Route 4 this summer: its sights and sounds and can’t miss stops, along with some of the curious places that exist just off the historic highway.

That includes a little known camp that has welcomed Jewish kids and families for 75 years. Camp Yavneh offers all of the must-have summer activities: swimming, s’mores, arts and crafts, and games.

But it also provides kosher meals, an on-site rabbi to lead prayers, and a rich Shabbat celebration to welcome in the day of rest on Friday evenings. 

Each summer, more than 500 kids attend for either three-and-a-half or seven-week overnight sessions. Then, at summer’s end, more than 200 adults and kids enjoy a week of family camp.

As NHPR’s Todd Bookman found, the rhythms of camp life are dictated by thousands of years of tradition intermixed with the desire for a nice, refreshing dip in a clean lake.

Read more from the Route 4 Series here.  

 Click here for a full screen version of the map.

Todd started as a news correspondent with NHPR in 2009. He spent nearly a decade in the non-profit world, working with international development agencies and anti-poverty groups. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University.
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