For three weeks this summer, 50 Jewish girls ages 8 to 16 from a variety of Jewish backgrounds explored their identity and their role as future Jewish women at the Jewish Girls Retreat. This year's theme was "A woman of valor, who can find?" Each day with dynamic, hands-on lessons, the girls explored one verse of the traditional Aishet Chayil prayer praising the Jewish woman. Candle making accompanied a lesson on Shabbat candles, and wool spinning brought the praises of Aishet Chayil into practical terms. The girls learned how the Woman of Valor brings heaven down to earth, by bringing heavenly meaning into her daily life.

But what brought Aishet Chayil alive the most was the modern day Women of Valor that the girls met. Throughout camp, thirteen Jewish women from the greater Albany area came and spoke for the girls. The campers discovered that in addition to the righteous  women of our past, we can learn from the women around us today. They found that each woman has her own unique story to tell, as well as expert advice and wisdom to impart to the next generation.

The Jewish Girls Retreat encourages girls to explore Judaism through their talents. Campers got to choose from a variety of daily clubs including food decorating, knitting, wool spinning, baking, paper cutting, jewelry making, newsletter publishing, movie making, sewing, dance, drama, choir and more. "I looked forward to the clubs every day. It was great to see how every girl got to try out so many new skills and talents," says fourteen year old Sarah Itkis.

The three week schedule is action packed with many exciting trips including white water rafting, tubby-tubing, Great Escape amusement park, ropes courses, water slides, and roller skating. "I loved going on my first upside-down roller coaster at Great Escape, but I love Jewish Girls Retreat even more!" exclaims ten year old Danielle Silverman.

Enrollment doubled since last summer, and campers come from all over. This summer brought girls from as far as Oregon, Florida, Michigan, Winnipeg, and Minnesota, as well as more locally from Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. But it is the dedicated counselors who make Jewish Girls Retreat a warm and loving environment. The counselors, who come from as far as California, Arizona, Toronto, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and even Australia make each girl feel special, needed, and loved.

"Camp is a family," says counselor Leah Larson. "I came to camp as a camper last year and loved it so much I came back as a counselor. I hope I can give back to other girls the amazing experience I had. I still keep in touch with girls from last year, and everyone is so close. The unity between the girls is incredible." Since camp ended in August, the campers and counselors have been in constant communication. Phone calls to wish everyone a happy new year, e-mails, and even an online blog created to keep in touch bring the unity of the retreat into the rest of the year. "My parents didn't just sign me up for three weeks of camp," says thirteen year old Chavie Resnick. "The retreat experience lasts a lifetime."

The retreat motto "where heaven and earth meet" truly expresses the unique quality of the retreat. It's a place where deep spirituality meets exceptional facilities and care. Sixteen year old Helena Rosenstrauch explains, "'Where heaven and earth meet' means that we have our camp in an environment that is similar to something as good as heaven."

The Retreat was a joint project of YALDAH magazine and Bat Mitzvah Camp & Club of the Capital District, two dynamic organizations serving the needs of pre-teen and teenage Jewish girls. Founded in 2003, YALDAH magazine is a quarterly magazine “for Jewish girls, by Jewish girls”. Bat Mitzvah Camp & Club of the Capital District was founded in 1998 by Rabbi Avraham and Nechama Laber. Like YALDAH, BMC realizes that today's Jewish girls are tomorrow's Jewish women, and helps girls discover what being a Jewish woman is really about. The retreat was located at the Russel Sage College campus in Troy, NY.

For more information on supporting Jewish Girls Retreat, or for information on next summer, contact Nechama Laber at nlaber@nycap.rr.com, 518-727-9581 or visit our website at www.jewishgirlsretreat.com.