Welcome to Bnai Elim

Dear friends,

 

Last years camp was a major success! We trained dozens of idealistic young Jews and prepared them to protect their communities. Kitat Konenut New York will once again be holding our summer training camp. The dates this year are Wednesday July 28th through Sunday August 8th.

 

Since our successful training camps over the last 4 summers since 2006, our membership has increased and our activities have expanded far beyond New York. We now have an active Kita in Los Angeles and other cities are in the planning stages. In May of 2010 we held our second advanced tactical defense training weekend for 5 days in Phoeniz Arizona. We lectured to the Jewish community on security issues and personally assisted local Jews in beefing up their security preparedness.

The wave of international anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incidents in early 2009 as well as the terrible attacks on Yeshivat Merkaz Harav and the massacre at the Beit Chabad in Bombay, India have increased awareness to the need for active response units worldwide and many more people are volunteering for our training from all over the US as well as Israel, Canada, France, Australia, South Africa and other countries. The recent incident involving the deaths of Palestinian activists aboard the pro-Hamas flotilla has only added fuel to the fire of world-wide anti-Semitic hatred.

 

This year's training camp will include several new Mefakdim (commanders) all veterans of IDF combat units as well as several mid level and high ranking officers. Our training will include basic rifle handling and use, advanced rifle handling, pistol shooting, sniper course, long range rifle, urban warfare techniques, riot control, knife fighting and edged weapons course, pepper spray, batons and other non lethal weapons use, fighting from a vehicle, counter terror techniques, identifying and dismantling IED's, intelligence techniques, paintball battles, krav maga and much much more!!!

 

Weapons used will be M-4, AR-15, Uzi 9mm carbine, AK-47, M1 Carbine, Mauser 98k, Lee Enfield, Ruger 10/22, and others.

 

There will be 2 Shabbatons which will include shiurim from visiting rabbis. There will also be a lecture by an intelligence analyst to track and monitor Muslim terrorist groups in the United States. There will be discussions on relevant topics such as Zionism, Yishuv Eretz Yisrael, antisemitism, terrorist threats to America, assimilation, intermarriage, kiruv, the second amendment and many other topics.

 

Who can attend camp?

 

Any Jew who is over 18 years old, physically fit and mentally sound, with no criminal record. Most campers will be between ages 18 and 26 but adult Jews of all ages are welcome to join. If an applicant is 17 years old, has shown him/herself serious and motivated and has a signed consent form from parents or a legal guardian we may make an exception for them.

This will be our second coed year and we will be having girls at camp. Sleeping quarters will be separate but all training will be coed. We expect all campers to behave in a kosher manner and follow basic principles of tzniut.

 

Religion:

 

Kitat Konenut New York is a Religious-Zionist organization. We hold the hashkafa of the Bnei Akiva Movement which is "Torah v'avodah". Although the camp is religious, we have many members attending who are not. Kitat Konenut New York respects each individual's right to their own religious customs and will not force anyone to participate in any religious practices if they are not religious. The camp will be holding regular tefillot and learning sessions, but these will be totally optional. Non-religious campers and Mefakdim will not be expected to wear a kippa or tzitzit at camp or participate in any religious activities. They will be expected though to respect the religious nature of the camp by not openly violating shabbat or bringing non-kosher food to camp.

 

What you should bring to camp:

 

Flashlight, hiking or combat boots, underwear, undershirts, socks, Kippa, Tzitzit, Tefillin, Tallit, Siddur, knife, tent, sleeping bag, pillow, white shirt and dark pressed pants for Shabbat, bathing suit, sandals, towel, sun tan lotion, bug spray, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, soap, shampoo, camera, pen, small paper pad, water canteen, etc. If you own any firearms please contact us as to whether or not to bring them to camp.

 

What you may not bring to camp:

 

Banned items are: illegal guns, switchblade knives, brass knuckles etc, alcohol, drugs (including marijuana), pornography condoms and other inappropriate paraphernalia, non kosher food, pets, unauthorised individuals, etc.

Anyone caught with banned items will have the items confiscated and destroyed. Anyone caught bringing drugs, illegal guns or non kosher food to camp will be expelled immediately and your payment will not be refunded.

Rules and discipline:

Kitat Konenut New York is a volunteer organization. Everyone attending our camps does so out of their own free will and commitment to defending the Jewish people. Mefakdim volunteer their time to pass their life-saving skills on to you and other idealistic young Jews. Trainees pay hard-earned money and give of their time in order to obtain those skills. Behaving in undisciplined or disrespectful manners towards the mefakdim not only costs precious time that could be used training, it causes other trainees to loose out on the skills they have come to learn. In the military, when soldiers behave disorderly, commanders give them push-ups, beatings, public humiliation, rank-reduction or even jail time. In our group, if commanders see a trainee behaving in a disruptive manner they will not bother "punishing" him. That individual will first be warned, and if the behavior continues he will be expelled.

We function in a highly disciplined, punctual and organized manner and if your mefaked tells you to do something, do it. Do not ask why or request to do it later. Your commanders have spent years in the military training how to conduct themselves in combat, and everything they do is planned out and has an important purpose. Those who relate to the commanders with respect will receive respect in return. Those who do not will be treated likewise. Remember, your mefakdim are there for YOU, and they are not being paid to train you. Respect them and you will gain immensely from your experience at camp.

We are also not a 'kiddie-camp' or a weekend retreat for immature adults who want to play around with guns. If we see that you are not at camp for the purpose of training to protect Jews, you will have no place at our camp and you will probably be sent home.

A few general rules are:

*Smoking only at designated times and places. You can not just light up whenever and wherever you please.

*Absolutely no violence. Campers who fight among themselves will be sent home immediately.

*No drinking or drug use.

*No destruction of gear or property.

*No horseplay with weapons. The purpose of a gun is to kill. Playing with one can only lead to a disaster.

*No blaring loud music.

*No non-kosher food.

*Cellphone use will only be allowed during your down time.

*You may only discharge your weapon while at the firing line and ordered to do so by your instructor. Anyone who discharges a weapon outside the firing line or without being told to will be expelled immediately.

Uniforms:

Upon your arrival at camp, you will be issued a uniform. Our standard uniform is the olive-drab IDF issued BDU. If you have a uniform of this type in your size, you may wear it at camp. You may also wear old pattern (non digital) US military issue camouflage BDU's in either woodland or desert camo. No other uniform types are allowed. You will wear your uniform for the duration of camp, except for shabbat, out of camp excursions, and at times when your instructors specifically tell you to change into civvies.

Over shabbat boys will be expected to wear a pressed, white button-down shirt, and a pare of dockers-style pressed slacks. No dark shirts, t-shirts, jeans or shorts. For shabbat girls should wear a nice (modest) dress or skirt and top that reaches at least to the knees and half-way to the elbows.

 

How much does camp cost?

 

The cost of camp will be $500 per person. This will include all food, accommodation, gear and ammunition. In general we expect all campers to attend the entire training session. If for some relevant reason an individual can't be present for all the days we might consider giving a partial discount based on the time not spent in camp. Those traveling to camp from overseas, as well as those coming in from the west coast can apply for a discount of up to $100 on their tuition. Mefakdim do not have to pay to attend camp.

 

How do I register?

 

All those wishing to register should do so as soon as possible. If you have served in the IDF or US military we will consider you for an instructors position. Even if you do not plan on attending camp please forward this email to anyone you think might be interested. To register please contact me or Zerach the Mefaked Kita at mefaked@kitatkonenutnewyork.org.

 

*Note. Mefakdim will be periodically filming the training sessions through out camp. This is for future reference, community relations, and advertising of the activities of the Kita as well as to compare before and after shots of the training to see how campers have improved their fighting skills. If you for any reason do not want us to use your photos for our public relations please let us know and we will digitally blot out your face from all photos before uploading them on our website, publishing them in a brochure or sending them to anyone. If for any reason you categorically refuse to have your picture taken at camp despite our respecting your wish to not advertise your picture online then please do not bother coming to camp. This has caused a disturbance in the past and we do not wish to waste our time arguing with people over which pictures of the training to take or not take.

Beahavat Yisrael

KKNY

Can We Say Hallel On Yom Ha’Atzmaut?

By Gennadiy Baruch Faybyshenko

Hallel, a special joyous praise to G-d, composed of Psalms (113-118) is sung to commemorate a miracle that has happened to Jewish People. We sing Hallel on three pilgrimage holidays of Passover, Shavuout, and Sukkot. Also we sing Hallel on Chanukah since G-d performed a miracle where few righteous Jews were victorious over many. On Purim, we make exception and do not say Hallel. The sages teach us that the miracle did not occur in the Land of Israel but in Persia. However, the Rabbis tell us that Megillah of Ester has a Hallel of its own. Also we do not say Hallel on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur because those are not the times of being joyous where the Lord is about to judge us, as it is written, "Is it seemly for the king to be sitting on His Throne of Judgment, with the Books of Life and Death open before Him, and for the people to sing joyful praises to Him?" Talmud states (Arachin 10b).

The Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim in chapter 697 brings down a Halacha that if a miracle occurs, even for a specific individual only, he must make a celebration every year on the date that the miracle occurred, saying "Hallel" and praising G-d. What about Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day? On May 14th, 1948, 5th of Iyar, 5708, David Ben Gurion, the first Israel’s Prime Minister pronounced “We hereby proclaim the establishment of the Jewish State in Palestine, to be called Israel.” That’s where a two thousand year old dream became a reality. Finally becoming an independent nation and not relying on other nations. But the question is, are we really independent?

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