Our Story

Camp Biluim was founded in 1951 by Canadian Young Judaea as the National Leadership Institute for Canadian Zionist youth. Originally located in Perth, Biluim moved to Huntsville in the early 1960’s, and then to Mont Tremblant, Quebec, in the mid 1970’s, where it continues to share its land and facilities with Camp Kinneret, one of its feeder camps within Canadian Young Judaea. The mission of Camp Biluim was to provide practical and transferable leadership training to slightly older Canadian Jewish youth, most of whom were members of Canadian Young Judaea. 

Many Camp Biluim graduates later returned to CYJ summer camps as counsellors or found senior administrative positions in Canadian Young Judaea. Camp Biluim was administered by the National Camps Association in conjunction with the regional committee, although daily operation and staffing of the summer camp was provided by Canadian Young Judaea. The camp still exists today under the full administrative operation of Canadian Young Judaea.

Today, Camp Biluim Canada is just as vibrant, and life changing as it was back in the mid twentieth century. 

Our Name

The name Biluim comes from the Hebrew acronym ביל"ו - Bilu, meaning, Beit Ya'akov Lekhu Venelkha ("House of Jacob, let us go [up]"). The Bilu were an early group of Pioneers who arrived in Ottoman Palestine in July of 1882. The group consisted of fourteen university aged students from Karkiv. They joined the movement Hovevei Zion (Lovers of Zion), and helped establish Rishon LeZion. 

It is our hope the modern day Biluimniks of Biluim Canada take the Bilu’s example of leadership and follow their passions.