CGI 2024 Summer Camp Hosts Ben & Diane Docktor

Welcome to Camp Gan Israel's
Message From The Director.


Dear Parents,

We hope you will find our website comprehensive and informative. Please visit us regularly during the summer season and during the off-season.

Gan Israel is part of the largest and fastest growing network of Jewish day camps in the world. Gan Israel enjoys a well-earned reputation as a trendsetter with innovative ideas, creative programs and new activities. 

Many children have been known to wait all year to come back to Gan Israel! From Kiddie Kamp to our older division, campers enjoy a wide range of exciting activities and field trips in a warm and vivacious atmosphere.

Our fast growing Kiddie Kamp offers a wonderful opportunity for youngsters 3-4 to have their first experience in a real summer camp. The children are guided in organized activity, play & social skills by loving, patient and caring staff who serve all year-round as pre-school teachers. Our kiddies are growing fast, this is the place to be!

Our picturesque camp sites, serving the boys’ and girls’ divisions, contain beautiful facilities,well suited to a full program of sports, games, crafts, dramatics and other enriching camp activities. Our experienced staffers work to develop skills, confidence and a sense of fair play within each child.

This website will provide you with all necessary information regarding camp. However if you have any concerns, questions or suggestions, please feel free to call.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Mushka Matusof
Camp Director


What is 'Gan Israel'

Camp Gan Israel is dedicated to THE REBBE and his living legacy to Jewish children!
Gan Israel, translates: Garden of Israel.

Israel is the name of the Jewish people & our holy Land.

Israel was the name of the founder of Chassidism and the Chasidic movement Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (the master of Good Name).


The Rebbe's Message

The following is from a talk of the Rebbe to the children of

Camp Gan Israel in New York:

“Our camp is called "Gan Israel." "Israel" is the name of all Jews; all Jews are included in this name. This was also the personal name of the great saintly man who was the first to reveal the teachings of Chassidism to the world, for his name was Rabbi Israel - Baal Shem Tov.

There is added emphasis to the above for children who attend Camp Gan Israel. The word Gan means, "garden." In his last discourse, the Previous Rebbe explained how the world is G-D's garden, a place that grants Him pleasure as He watches fruits grow. Gan Israel means "a garden for Jews," a place where Jews grow, a place intended to help Jewish children grow up as Jews.

When Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov was still a child of five years old, his father said to him: "My son, have no fear from any one, except G‑d. Love every Jew, whoever he may be and however he may be, with all the Fire of your soul!"

These two things — the Rebbe said — that is, fear of G‑d and love of our fellow man, accompanied Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov throughout his life and was the guiding force to his holy work.

The lesson for every one of us, including, of course, the children, is namely, that these two things should be the guiding light to show us our way throughout our lives.

Finally, there is one rule that should always be remembered, and which the Rebbe's father said to him when he was a boy of four: G‑d gave man two eyes, so that at toys and candies he should look with his left eye (with little favor), but at every Jew he should look with his right eye (with love), to see the good that is in him".

The main message and focus of the Chasidic philosophy is: love to our fellow man without differentiating between colors, race and level of observance.

With this in mind, the Rebbe has founded the first Camp Gan Israel in New York. There are now over 400 camps with over 150,000 children attending worldwide in the Chabad Lubavitch network of Jewish day and overnight camps, under the leadership, inspiration and guidance of the Rebbe.

This message of love & harmony between all human kind, our people & our holy land Israel, is the theme of Chabad Lubavitch worldwide and in particular Chabad Lubavitch of Alberta; Caring & Sharing!

May we continue to prepare our neighborhood and ourselves to the realization of the Rebbe’s prophecy; the imminent Redemption through Moshiach, when we will all go together to Israel.