We are working to grow our capacity to support accessibility at Melacha U'Vracha.
Please reach out (email melachauvracha@gmail.com) if you have questions about whether this gathering can meet your access needs.
Here is some current information about accessibility at the gathering:
The gathering will be held primarily outdoors on a farm, in woods, and meadows on uneven ground. The gathering site is situated on a hillside in the mountains, requiring walking up and down a hill.
Workshop spaces will be rustic and mostly in a centralized location, with walking required. Some classes will be at the top of the hill and some at the bottom, in and around the barn. We will have sun coverage from tarps
Seating: Chairs are not automatically provided; we recommend bringing your own seating that best meets your needs. Please email us if you need us to provide a chair or need support transporting your chair around camp.
Due to the rugged outdoor nature of this event, it is not wheelchair accessible. Pathways range from dirt, grass, uneven terrain, with small obstacles such as roots and holes.
The Kitchen space will be kosher, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
There will be challah (made in a separate space) and meat processed from the Shechita workshop for Shabbat dinner.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided for all participants. We can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free diets. We will send a menu out to all participants prior to the gathering.
We recommend bringing additional snacks to keep yourself sated. All food must be stored in bear-proof containers (we do not provide) or your car.
Self-organized communal camping kitchen is totally welcome!
There is a wide range of religious observance at Melacha U’Vracha, and our goal is to create a gathering that includes and welcomes this diversity.
Each morning, we will have an array of prayer offerings, including Avodat Lev (musical prayers) and a traditional egalitarian minyan.
The kitchen will be Kosher. All meals will be parve (vegetarian), except for what we shecht (ritually slaughter) on site and serve on Shabbat. Our beloved Shochtim meet traditional egalitarian standards of kashrut.
We will have an Eruv.
Spaces generally will not be lit once the sun goes down. You will need to bring a headlamp to navigate at night.
Bathrooms are all-gender private composting toilets. You can pee outside, anywhere on the land!
There is no running water on the property. We will have rustic solar showers (a bucket of water with a solar powered shower head) and you are welcome to take a dip in the pond (no body products).
Camping: Your ticket comes with access to camping space. You are expected to bring your own tent or tarps with your own camping gear. Camping is in the woods or an open field. A family camp area will be available closer to the main camp.
Check out our packing list for more information on what to bring!
Folks will be able to drive up near their campsites and drop their gear before moving their car to the parking zone.
Designated and limited car camping is available. Please let our team know as soon as you can if you plan on car camping.
There is a motel half a mile away from the site. Please email us if you would like information on that space. We are unable to cover the cost of motel rooms.
There will be a family camping area near the main camp, and programming specifically for kids in the morning and afternoon blocks, run by our family coordinator and youth village volunteers.
Parents will be responsible for childcare and supervision outside of those times, but are welcome to bring their children to adult workshops, with instructor approval.
The gathering will take place primarily outdoors with exposure to elements like sun, heat, humidity, cold, rain, and wind. There are ticks and poison ivy on the property. Additionally, there has been variable air quality throughout the northeast in the summers due to repeated wildfires in Canada.
Please plan ahead and bring all of your own medications, first aid supplies, and other forms of protection/support/comfort you may need for the duration of the gathering.
A self-serve first aid station will be set up to provide basic medical supplies to all participants. We have a trained med team that will be on call throughout the gathering.
In the event of a medical emergency, we will call 911.
The gathering is mostly outdoors, with the exception of some workshops happening inside of a barn. Masks are not required.
COVID testing is recommended before arriving, but not required.
If you are experiencing symptoms of illness that may be contagious, please stay home.
Please reach out if you have questions or would like to request any accommodations by emailing us at melachauvracha@gmail.com.