Info on Agudah Midwest Girls or Bnos Ma'aravah?

amother

Cobalt

Mon, Apr 06 2015, 11:46 pm

I was interested in info on the BY sleepaway camp in the midwest that's run by Agudah in Chicago. They don't have a good website. I will ask them for info and brochures but meanwhile what can you tell me about it? It's for next summer but my daughter and I are curious!

Also, which is even the correct camp? Both Bnos Maaravah and Agudah Midwest Girls are listed and I'm not sure of the difference. We're looking for a camp for a girl going into 7th grade that goes to an OOT BY. Interested in a camp with mostly OOT BY type girls. Also will be flying in (to Chicago, I presume) so anything you know about how that's handled by the camp is great.

amother

Fuchsia

Tue, Apr 07 2015, 12:44 am

I went to Agudah Midwest for six years starting with age 12 (going to 7th grade) and it was probably the best times of my life!
I don't know what its like now cuz its been my re than 10 years since my last year there but if its anything what it was like then, it was a blast from the past and played a large roll in me growing as a person and becoming a confident teenager. Everyone has different experiences in camp but I found the girls to be such a great crowd of girls from all over some more yeshivish and some totally not but it didn't matter cuz we all just wanted to have fun and make friends, sing and shine.
They really went all out now that I think about it from night activities to trips to decent food and to just pushing aside all that feeling of what will others think and just get into the spirit of doing whatever silly funny enjoyable things that will make the campers have a great summer.
The counselors were for the most part great role models and I just felt the reach to be so loving and overall not snobby (tho snobs exist everywhere).
Again, its been years but I went to a few other camps as staff when I was older and just didn't feel the same reach that I got in Agudah!

That's my experience. Hope that's helpful.

P.s. I still find myself singing my agudah songs when im washing dishes! If anyone here knows Mrs Simcha I'm sure she would be touched to hear that!

OOTBubby

Tue, Apr 07 2015, 1:57 pm

Both are camps run by Agudath Israel of Illinois for girls in the same age ranges. Agudah Midwest is in Michigan and Bnos Ma'arava is in Indiana. Bnos Ma'arava is much more right wing than Agudah Midwest. The girls from the right wing Chicago school mainly go to Bnos Ma'arava as do lots of girls from Lakewood, NY, Monsey. Agudah Midwest is certainly a BY camp too, but not as right wing; you'll have girls from more middle of the road schools and probably more girls from smaller towns. Both camps are well run and are excellent camps.

amother

Cerulean

Tue, Apr 07 2015, 2:50 pm

I went to Bnos maarava when they first opened. I absolutely loved it! I still sing the songs and remember fondly my time there. It has been years since then so I don't know all the current news. Let's just say I was there before they were in Indiana... I was there when it was in Algonquin!!
they are so friendly and accommodating.

amother

Pewter

Tue, Apr 07 2015, 3:44 pm

I went to both. Agudah Midwest's grounds are much smaller. Maaravah is located on a much much more spacious property and the grounds are more "campy" Both have phenomenal programs, I found Agudah to be more Flatbush type (but there are plenty of out of towners) and Maaravah more lakewood type (again tonz of out of towners) , but that could've changed. try to send her with at least one friend. It's harder to make friends if you go all alone. Feel free to ask me more questions!!

amother

Cobalt

Tue, Apr 07 2015, 10:02 pm

OP here. I appreciate everyone's responses! So Hanna Sacks, Yavneh, BY Baltimore type girls would go to which one? I'm in my 30's so it could be I'm dating myself. In my days those High schools were normal BYs. Nice girls, yeshivish lite types, pretty non snobby overall.

Since we're in the Northeast does anyone have a good alternative that's closer to us? Growing up I had a lot of friends who went to Sternberg but I think my daughters in a more BY environment so I'm not sure if that's the right match.

Also, how do girls flying in (to Midwest camps) do it? Do they get met? Where? How?

amother

Cobalt

Tue, Apr 07 2015, 10:47 pm

I read up a but on some older threads. Sounds like some say ma'aravah is really yeshivish some say not. We're middle of the road, yeshivish lite working types but don't want our kids with those who all have phones and a lot of unsupervised access to technogy. Don't want boy talk etc. But I want DD to be with "normal" girls. Is that a contradiction?

Also which is a more fun and varied camp program (not just baking, arts and crafts, sports and swimming kwim)? We live in a relatively small community (frum wise) so I would love for her to do a lot of cool things that she wouldn't necessarily do at school or after school programs.

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 10:26 am

amother wrote:

What about Agudah Toronoto?
How old is your daughter. I think the younger age groups in Maaravah come from more varied backgrounds and the older bunks are more "yeshivish"

Not so sure Toronto would be for us. I hate stereotyping but my understanding is that although technically Toronto is OOT, it's a well to do community etc and being that my daughter would know almost no one and really comes from OOT, I really don't want her snubbed or not wearing the right brands etc. (Although she's really not a neb and wears stylish clothes...probaby not by Toronto standards.)

She'll be going into 7th grade.

PinkFridge

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 10:48 am

amother wrote:

Well, according to a story I read in one of the magazine inserts Toronto's really OOT, girls wear long skirt, casual.... Very Happy

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 12:07 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

Well, according to a story I read in one of the magazine inserts Toronto's really OOT, girls wear long skirt, casual.... Very Happy

Well, was the article written by a Clevelander or Detroiter or a Boro Parker Wink

I actually went to seminary with two Toronto girls who were amazing, fun, down to earth etc. But more recently I've been hearing other things. I also know a ton of amazing, great NYers (really) but still don't want an overwhelmingly NY camp (or Lakewood etc) for my DD. Kwim? The chance of her not fitting in or being lonely or snubbed is a lot higher...

PinkFridge

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 2:07 pm

amother wrote:

Well, was the article written by a Clevelander or Detroiter or a Boro Parker Wink

It was in the fiction booklet.

amother

Pewter

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 4:11 pm

Marom is a Detroit based camp, I don't know anyone who went there, but I think it's shorter and cheaper then the regular camps.
It might be a good idea to find out girls from your community who went to both and see what they have to say about them.

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Apr 08 2015, 4:31 pm

I don't think anyone from where I am went to Marom...but it IS really cheap. It seems closer to 3 weeks than a month but still ends up a lot cheaper. Hmm. I would want to look into it but don't really want a camp that cuts a lot of corners. My DD knows she'll have to be a mother's helper for half the summer at home to help earn money for part of camp and trips, canteen etc (obviously more money as she's older and really babysitting. No free ride Very Happy

here!)