Staff Application

Thank you for expressing interest in spending the coming summer in Camp Gan Israel Florida.

CGI Florida strives to nurture a relaxed, pleasant, positive and safe environment for everyone, campers and staff alike. CGI Florida is unique in its approach to caring for the physical well-being of each child and infusing them with a pride, joy and enthusiasm for a Jewish and Chassidic lifestyle. To impress these values upon our campers, camp seeks out staff that embody and reflect this in their day to day life.

To aid the applicant in having a clear understanding of camp, what it looks for and expects of each staff member, the following document, listing fundamental camp policies and procedures has been prepared.

When reading ask yourself “Who am I? Is this camp for me?” Should you share these values, want to work in this environment and live by these guidelines, sign and return this form, together with your application to the camp office for further consideration.

Please note: should a staff member violate any of the terms and conditions specified in, the administration reserves the right to terminate his employment and send the staff member home, at his own expense.

Thanking you in advance,

Rabbi Yossi Biston, Executive Director
Rabbi Yossi Goldblatt, Camp Director

1. CGI Florida is founded by and upon the values set forth by the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe and these values are important to camp. They are a central focus throughout the summer and encouraged by all staff. They include caring for the camper, physically and spiritually. Everything in camp is built upon and supports this premise. Some examples include:
   1. Physical:
      1. Campers wake up and go to sleep the same time each day. This includes after all events.
      2. Staff make sure that each camper eats 3 meals a day.
      3. No events (such as pop-corn parties or farbrengens) take place after lights-out.
      4. Trips are camper-centric (geared towards children over adults).
      5. Staff ensure that the hygiene of all campers are cared for; daily showers, brushing teeth; clothing is changed daily, washed in the laundry, folded and put away neatly upon return; bunkhouses are kept neat; lost articles are returned to their owner.
   2. Spiritual:
      1. Camp places a significant emphasis and invests tremendous resources on programming that encourages the growth of the camper’s spirituality (davening, learning program, Mishnayos Be’Al Peh, Tzivos Hashem, Rebbe pictures , etc.). Staff are responsible to support, encourage and properly implement these program, as they have been planned by camp and its Head Staff. New ideas and initiatives are welcome, so long as they do not conflict or affect what is already in place.
2. Camp fosters a relaxed, positive and inclusive environment. Staff ensure that campers hear, feel and see a positive and appropriate vibe from staff at all times.
3. The Rebbe holds each staff member in camp, regardless of age, with the same accountability as a seasoned Rebbi with 30 years of experience. The chinuch of each camper is top priority and everything we do should represent these values. Camp is a ‘chinuch-first’ approach. Camp’s fun-factor should not come at the expense of the child’s educational upbringing. To quote the Rebbe: Gan Israel is a camp on the outside and a Yeshiva on the inside.
4. Everything in camp adheres to halacha. Questions are directed exclusively by the camp’s administration to the camp Rav, Rabbi Leibel Shaipro (Mara D’asra of Anash in Miami, FL). His decisions are final and are to be followed, regardless of the standards kept in other camps.
5. Staff members who apply to be a learning teacher may be assigned a side job.

1. Camp’s ‘chain of command’ is to be maintained, respected and followed; each staff member has a superior whom he reports to and may bring up any concern. Staff members carry a mutual respect for one another.
2. Staff who display a pleasant, ‘can-do’, ‘willing to lend a hand’ attitude and culture have always been welcomed as valued members of camp’s family.
3. Staff are responsible to follow the camp schedule and be where they are expected to be at all times. This includes Shabbos and its programs throughout the day; Shabbos is not a day-off.
4. Staff are responsible to carry out all responsibilities associated with their job , at all times. They are responsible for the safety and well-being of each camper. This includes being with their campers at all times, even after lights out. A staff member may not leave his campers at any time or delegate them to another staff member unless authorized by a member of the Head Staff or administration.
5. Staff are required to partake in all camp-wide activities, unless instructed by a member of the Head Staff or administration.
6. Child abuse is strictly forbidden; physical, mental, emotional or sexual. No child should ever be neglected. A complete rundown of camp’s policies on abuse is available in camp’s staff policy guide (provided upon employment). Abusers will not be shielded by camp. Staff who witness or suspect any misdeeds in camp are required by halacha and state law to report them immediately and discreetly to the camp director.
7. All staff, regardless of position, are required to attend all 3 minyoninim every day; be on time, daven with the minyan and behave in accordance of Shulchan Aruch (this includes: no socializing throughout minyonim and davening in one place). The Counselors sit with their bunk and daven while the Head Staff run the minyan and provide the proper discipline. Staff are assigned to one of camp’s two minyonim.
8. Camp’s dress code for all staff members:
   1. Tefilos: white button-down shirt, traditional Lubavitcher black hat and jacket (blazer).
   2. All other times: clothing, caps and kaskets may not have any logos, pictures or writing that are not Jewish, kosher or in the spirit of Torah and values held by CGI Florida.
   3. Staff are required to dress in a modest manner; wearing boxers, shorts, bathing suits or sleeveless shirts around camp is forbidden.
9. Our behavior, in speech and actions, reflects who we are and how we want our campers to behave. For this reason:
   1. Topics that are not Jewish in nature or content, especially those unbefitting Jewish and Chabad Chassidim are not discussed, privately or publicly (i.e. as part of a conversation, as a skit or play, etc.)
   2. Profanities, cursing, vulgarism and any references to similar topics are forbidden at any time during camp, in private and certainly not in public.
   3. Actions, items or products that refer or point attention to bodily parts or similar are forbidden at any time during camp (I.e. passing gas, the need of a bathroom, rashes, gold bond jokes, etc.).
10. No one may leave the camp grounds at any time during the summer (including visiting day) without prior permission from the camp administration. A staff member that needs to leave camp grounds should speak with his Head Staff member.
11. No one may invite guests to camp (other than the appropriate times on visiting day) without prior clearance from camp ’s administration.
12. Staff who bring cell phones to camp should keep it’s usage to a minimum unless it is for an emergency. Staff are forbidden to give their phones to campers to use at any time throughout the summer (i.e. to call home, etc.) unless authorized by the camp administration.
13. Staff may not bring computers, laptops or tablets to camp unless specifically instructed by camp’s administration.
14. Alcohol of any kind is forbidden to be consumed or in the possession of any staff at any time throughout camp, on or off groun ds. The exception to this rule is on special occasions (approved Yomei Depagra farbrengen for staff, etc.) where it is dispensed and controlled by a Head Staff or camp administrator.
15. Smoking and drugs are forbidden to be used or in the possession of any staff member throughout their stay in camp, on or off grounds.
16. Grey Areas are items, actions, areas and situations in camp that lack clear definition; is it allowed or not? Should you question if something is allowed in camp, bring it up to the administration or one of the Head Staff.

1. Kosher, pre-approved Jewish music is the only music played in camp. Music played during the three weeks is limited to serious Niggunim and acapela (this includes all plays, background music of any sort (including camp videos), bus trips and outings.)
2. Non-Jewish items and influences are strictly forbidden in camp; movies, non-Jewish music, books/novels/magazines, games, posters, physical items and objects, articles, etc.
3. All productions, games and events must be screened by the camp administration; what the kids see must be kosher and befitting to be presented to the children. These include (but not limited to): skits, scavengers, shmaryonkees, plays, night activities.