At Camp Coleman, Omanut isn’t just an activity area—it’s a colorful, chaotic, joy-filled playground where creativity runs wild and learning happens with glue-covered hands and paint-splattered shirts. This week, every corner of the Omanut village was buzzing with imagination.
In Jewish Cooking, campers whipped up delicious batches of blintzes and Hamantaschen—although our Israeli staff made sure everyone knew the local name is Oznei Haman, or “Haman’s ears.” Sweet treats aside, campers walked away with a deeper understanding of Jewish tradition and a lot of powdered sugar on their aprons.
Over in SciVentures, teams tackled the ultimate test of design and nerve: the Egg Drop Challenge. With eggs cradled in everything from bubble wrap to parachutes made of string and hope, campers put their STEM skills to the test—and their eggs on the line.
TinkerLab was a hub for safe experimentation with new tools and materials. Campers learned how to explore, build, and create while mastering the fine balance of curiosity and caution.
In Ceramics, young potters got their hands dirty shaping trays, candle holders, and other clay treasures. Nearby in Metals, campers worked on everything from Shrinky Dinks and keychains to wire-wrapped wands and handmade jewelry. One Nachshonim camper even brought in her own wire jewelry from home, inspiring her entire group to try something new—including their counselor Keren!
Mosaics and Woodburning saw beautiful coasters and dreidels come to life, while tie-dye and watercolor stations kept the colors flowing. Some groups even made watercolor postcards to mail home, so keep an eye on your mailbox—you might be the lucky recipient of a camper’s masterpiece.
And let’s hear it for our Bonim campers, who mastered two rites of passage in Camp Craft 101: Beady Babies and lanyards. The determination on their faces as they worked through tricky patterns was priceless—but even better was the way they turned around to teach their friends the same steps, helping everyone feel the pride of creating something from scratch.
At the end of the day, Omanut is more than just arts and crafts. It’s where campers are encouraged to take creative risks, try new techniques, and express themselves in new ways. And it’s where the messier things get, the more magical they become.
