Schiyah in the Agam for Tzad Aleph: learning and fun go hand in hand

Every afternoon, from 3:45-5:45, every chanich on tzad aleph has instructional swim in the agam (lake). We have 17 matzilim (life guards) who teach swimming and guard the agam (lake).  There are four swimming areas on the Tzad Aleph agam: A-water (for beginning swimmers), B-water (for intermediate swimmers) and C and D water for more expert swimmers.

On the first or second day of each machzor (session), the agam staff place each chanich into the appropriate swim level.

Rotem Ad-Epstein, Rosh Agam, takes great pride in helping our chanichim improve their swimming skills while at Machane Ramah. For some chanichim, that means getting over the fear of swimming in an agam (lake) while for others it is helping them swim the entire lake from Tzad Aleph to Tzad Bet. This is Rotem’s 16th kayitz (summer) working on the Agam. She ensures that the Agam is safe, that her tzevet (staff) are attentive, supportive, and caring teachers who understand that the chanichim’s best interest and safety are paramount.

In addition to instructional swim, each edah has free swim one day a week, where they are allowed to go on the inflatables, to play in the sand or to swim in the Agam with a buddy.  All chanichim must have a buddy during free swim and the matzil (lifeguard) in charge conducts multiple buddy checks each perek (period) where the chanichim must stand with their buddy and count off.

Watch as Solelim jumps in the water to start their instructional swim perek: