A summer program on which you can alpine ski in fresh powder, spot tropical fish on a scuba dive, cliff jump like a true thrill seeker and hike for hours alongside waterfalls and rainforest? That could only be Kanfei!

Over the course of 5 weeks beginning in mid-July, Camp Kanfei Nesharim takes campers across the globe to spend two weeks in New Zealand, two weeks in Australia, and one week in Hawaii. Forty students, from the  metro-NYC area, Florida, Israel and beyond come together for a summer experience led by Rabbi Benzion Scheinfeld, that has been enjoyed by campers for the twenty four years.The size of the group encouraged lots of bonding. The grand tour began in New Zealand, where we stayed in Queenstown, a scenic destinations surrounded by gorgeous views of its lake and Mountain range. Everyday our schedule was packed with hiking, skiing, and even bungee jumping!

Our next stop was Melbourne, Australia. In Melbourne, we were put up in homes of members of the Jewish community and had a chance to interact with our hosts over Friday night dinner where we learned about Jewish life there, which we discovered isn’t so different from Jewish life in New York. We then went onto the capital Canberra, where we toured the parliament building where we saw a copy of the Magna Carta. Since it is winter in Australia, we also stopped in Kooma where we were able to ski for a day on Australia’s largest ski resort.

A few days later we arrived in Sydney where we walked down the famous Bondi Beach, toured the Sydney opera house, and spent Shabbat. We davened at the Central Synagogue, an exceptionally beautiful shul, with another welcoming community that made us feel right at home.

Finally, after a flight delayed 17 hours due to a hurricane, we landed in Honolulu, Hawaii. Our time in Hawaii was packed with tons of activities, including more hiking and fun water sports like snorkeling, jet skiing, and surfing. We even visited Dole’s pineapple plantation where we enjoyed pineapple flavored ice cream. Everyday in the afternoons we were given free time to explore the beautiful beaches, shops, and cultures of Waikiki.

The unique culture and scenery we experienced during our time on Kanfei offered us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Seeing such extraordinary and exotic parts of the world was truly something we will never forget.