In the east Ukrainian city of Dnepropetrovsk, the Ohr Avner-Levi Yitzchak Schneerson Day School hosted the opening program of the Chavaya International Winter Camp 2010. In addition to local students from Dnepropetrovsk, Chavaya Winter Camp includes Jewish youth from Boston, USA and Haifa, Israel.
The theme of this year’s winter camp is "Responsibility: A Basic Principle of Leadership.” The activities and workshops will all be connected with this theme and are designed to foster a sense of responsibility among participants, both for themselves and for others.
At the opening ceremony, the camp leaders presented the program and the main goals of Chavaya 2010. The teens were also able to visit with WWII veterans, among them Savely Bass, Semyon Friedman and the legendary aviator, Captain Raisa Portnaya. The veterans spoke about their lives, battles and undertakings. They highlighted the important work being carried out by the Jewish community, both in terms of taking care of its elders and in ensuring that the horrors of the Holocaust are never repeated. The campers were awed and inspired by the rich and lively stories. The coming together of today’s youth with Jewish veteran of WWII is one of the unique and special experiences that Chavaya provides both the younger and older generation.