| Title: | BAGELS and other things of Jewish interest |
| Notice: | 1.0 policy, 280.0 directory, 32.0 registration |
| Moderator: | SMURF::FENSTER |
| Created: | Mon Feb 03 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Thu Jun 05 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 1524 |
| Total number of notes: | 18709 |
I am the Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 54, sponsored by the
Striar Jewish Community Center in Stoughton, MA. We observe
the Jewish dietary laws (Kosher Food) and the Sabbath in all of
our activities - including camping. Still, we run an
exceedingly active and complete Scouting program. Our Troop is
not quite three years old, and we've already honored our first
Eagle Scout.
======> I am particularly interested in knowing of any Scouts, or Troops,
======> (worldwide!) who may also observe these religious requirements.
======> Four of the many activities we can share are outlined below:
1. Every Summer our Troop spends three weeks at Camp Kunatah on the
14,000 acre Ten Mile River Scout Reservation - "the Philmont of
the East" - along the upper Delaware River near Narrowsburg,
New York. One of the best kept secrets is that this camp serves
only Glatt Kosher food to ALL Scouts in attendance, even though
only about 30% of the 400 Scouts in each session are Jewish.
There are two rabbis in the camp. One is full-time 'mashgiach'
in the kitchen and the other works with the boys, organizing daily
and Shabbat services and shiurim for those who are interested, as
well as helping Scouts earn the "Ner Tamid" - the Jewish religious
medal in Scouting. This rabbi, for the past three Summers, has
been from Ner Israel in Baltimore, and had earned the rank of
Eagle Scout himself, as a youth.
2. During the school vacation every December, on the Hale Reservation
in Westwood, MA, we run our "Annual Traditional Jewish Scout
Conclave." In this 5 day Winter Camping experience, we do: ice
skating, snowshoeing, tobogganing, skiing; we build igloos and work
on general Scout advancement, the Photography Merit Badge, and
hold evening sessions to help prepare the Scouts for the "Ner
Tamid." Just by 'word-of-mouth' we attracted 45 Scouts and
parents from 5 different Scout Councils. Maybe 'word-of-NOTES'
can spread the word further?
3. This August, the Boy Scouts are holding a National Jamboree for
about 40,000 Scouts at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. These are
traditionally held only once every four years. We are aware of
only one National Jamboree Troop that will have a whole Patrol
with Kosher feeding. Old Colony Council in Massachusetts is
running the Troop, which has even attracted boys from Brooklyn,
and Nassau County, New York who could not get this support from
their local Councils.
4. For Scouts 14 and older, a trek through Philmont is a once-in-
a-lifetime experience. Philmont is a 137,000 acre Scout Ranch
near Cimarron, New Mexico. The buffalo herd grazes on the high
plains (6,800' elev.) near the Ranch Headquarters while the rugged
Sangre De Cristo Mointains rise up to 12,441' on Mt. Baldy. The
entire 214 square miles are rich with history from the Spanish
conquistodors, through the French and Indian fur traders, to
the Cowboys and Indians and even with three major gold rushes on
ranch property. We are helping to lead a trek this June 22 thru
July 12 that will have Kosher (dehydrated!) food the whole way and
will have a 'layover' rest day on Shabbat. Burro races, black
powder riflery, shotgun shooting, panning for gold, blacksmithing,
and rapelling are also scheduled during the 'other six' days.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| QUESTION: |
| Do any of you BAGELS readers know individual Scouts or leaders |
| (or even whole Troops!?) anywhere in the world, who have similar |
| interests/needs???????? |
| If so, please send me MAIL at VIA::SPIELMAN. |
| DTN:381-0888 Mailstop:ZKO2-2/R37 Office Location:ZKO2-2/R93 |
| THANKS! Howard Spielman |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 681.1 | A "Gestalt" of Jewish Boy Scouting | VIA::SPIELMAN | Tue Apr 04 1989 20:05 | 119 | |
Why is Troop 54 different from all other Troops?
------------------------------------------------
Just like all other Boy Scout Troops, Troop 54 holds weekly meetings
where the boys learn Scout skills to help them advance on the trail to the
rank of Eagle Scout, as well as plan day hikes and overnight camping trips
around the Boston area and beyond. Through the Scouting program older boys
teach the younger boys skills in fine citizenship and service to others as
well as the skills of an outdoorsman -- including an important focus on
First Aid and Safety.
Just like all other Troops, one of the biggest events of the year is
Summer Camp where our boys meet Scouts from around the nation and world.
Here they enjoy learning skills and earning Skill Awards and Merit Badges
in areas such as: archery, rifle range, swimming, snorkeling, lifesaving,
canoeing, sailing, rowing, athletics, horseback riding, hiking, camping,
pioneering, astronomy, environmental science, soil & water conservation,
nature, fishing, cooking, leatherwork, basketry, Indian lore, woodcarving,
bird study, reptile study, rock climbing, and wilderness survival.
What, then, is the difference?
-------------------------------------------------------------
| |
| Troop 54 is sponsored by |
| The South Area Jewish Community Center. |
| |
| This Troop is unique in the South Shore Area |
| in allowing Jewish boys to participate fully in |
| the whole Scouting program while continuing to |
| observe all aspects of their religious heritage. |
| |
-------------------------------------------------------------
Meeting: Many of the boys in Troop 54 attend Hebrew School or Hebrew
Day School on weekday afternoons. Their weekday afternoons
and evenings are full with classes and homework. Troop 54 thus meets
generally on Sunday evenings from 6:15 to 8:15. This allows our boys
time to complete their secular and religious classes and homework
before Scout meetings, and to return home early enough to get a good
nights sleep before school the next day. Also, Troop 54 will never
schedule meetings on the Sabbath or any Jewish Holyday.
Camping: When Troop 54 goes camping, it will often be over a
weekend. In observing the policies of the Jewish
Community Center, all boys and adult leaders will thus arrive at the
campsite early enough to fully set up camp before the Sabbath.
Only the best campers can keep the Sabbath while camping, and
Troop 54 has the best! It is possible to spend an enjoyable evening
in the woods without using a flashlight; and Troop 54 will do it on
Friday evenings. It is possible to be quite warm, comfortable, and
well fed without using a knife, ax, and campfire; and the boys in
Troop 54 will use these skills on the Sabbath. There will be plenty
of time on Sunday for our boys to sharpen their skills with a knife
and ax, make campfires, and practice their cooking.
( Continued )
After the Sabbath morning service and our Sabbath dinner, there are
many Scout skills that our boys can learn (and teach) in areas such as
citizenship, first aid, map reading, and nature study. In Troop 54, the
Sabbath is reserved for an Oneg Shabbat and for learning, observation,
and reflection, while all other days are available for skills such as
knots and lashings, aquatics, fishing, backpacking and cooking.
Eating: Only Kosher food will be brought on Troop 54 outings.
Each boy, will have one messkit (plate, cup, frying pan,
and small pot) for use with Dairy meals. The only need for two sets
of equipment for any boy will be for silverware (knife, fork, and
spoon); one for Dairy meals and the other for use with Meat. The
Troop will have 'Patrol Kits' of larger pots, pans, and plates
available for Meat meals, so each boy will not need a second messkit.
Praying: "A Scout is Reverent" states the 12th point of the Scout Law.
During a day in the woods Troop 54 will pause from its
activities for Grace before and after meals and for morning, afternoon,
and evening services (Shacharit, Minchah, and Maariv). While individual
boys and adult leaders in our Troop may have many different personal
perspectives on prayer, as a community our Troop will gather as one.
Summer Camp: Troop 54 attends Camp Kunatah near Narrowsburg, N.Y.
Located on the 14,000 acre Ten Mile River Scout Reservation,
Camp Kunatah offers a full Scout program as well as having a Kosher
kitchen serving all 400 Scouts in the dining hall. It also has a lovely
Jewish Chapel - The Synagogue in the Pines. For more than 40 years,
this camp has been supported and maintained by the Boy Scouts' Greater
New York Councils and the Jewish Committee on Scouting. There are two
full-time Rabbis on the Camp Staff, one to supervise the kitchen and the
other to serve as Chaplain to the boys. A number of other Jewish Scout
Troops from around the country will join Troop 54 as they also schedule
their Summer camping at Camp Kunatah.
Ner Tamid: The Boys Scouts of America supports and encourages religious
growth and learning in all boys. Thus the Jewish Committee
on Scouting has created the Ner Tamid Award to be earned by Jewish Scouts,
with the medal proudly worn on their uniform. This is a high achievement,
offering a challenge and broadening the experience of all of our boys - no
matter what their level of formal Jewish education.
The nurturing perspective of the South Area Jewish Community Center
and the Jewish communal environment we create in all of our Troop 54
activities should encourage many of our boys to go on to work independently
with their parents, teachers, and Rabbi to earn this medal. When earned,
it is not presented at a Scout meeting but by the boys's Rabbi, or teacher,
at a ceremony in the boy's own congregation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through the Scouting program in Troop 54, we will see a difference
in our boys! More than gaining an appreciation of the natural world -
and their place within it; our boys will also develop their own personal
appreciation of their Jewish heritage - and its place in their world.
==========================================================================
Boy Scout Troop 54, Striar Jewish Community Center on the Fireman Campus,
445 Central St., Stoughton, MA 02072 (617)341-2016
Howard Spielman, Scoutmaster, 157 Billings St., Sharon, MA 02067 784-5250
(9-86, Addr. Rev. 10-88)
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| 681.2 | Camp Kunatah, wow! | VAX4::RADWIN | Wed Apr 05 1989 13:39 | 29 | |
>> 1. Every Summer our Troop spends three weeks at Camp Kunatah
>> on the
>> 14,000 acre Ten Mile River Scout Reservation - "the Philmont of
>> the East" - along the upper Delaware River near Narrowsburg,
New York.
"Camp Kunatah" -- what a blast from the proverbial past!
In the late 1950s, I spent two or three summers with
my troop -- a NYC synagogue based troop -- at Kunatah.
Many, many fond memories of those times -- includign
the uproars caused (at least once a summer) when some
scout washed the milk dishes in the flesich sink.
>> 3. This August, the Boy Scouts are holding a National Jamboree for
>> about 40,000 Scouts at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. These are
>> traditionally held only once every four years. We are aware of
>> only one National Jamboree Troop that will have a whole Patrol
>> with Kosher feeding. Old Colony Council in Massachusetts is
Another memory lane trip. In 1960, I was part of a
NYC-based Jewish unit that went on a bus caravan out
to Colorado Springs for that year's Jamboree. The
organizers had to be creative to ensure that we got
kosher food the entire trip there and back -- but they
did, and we clearly ate better than the other kids from
NY who trekked west.
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