Danya’s Shabbat Message – Week 1: Welcome Home to Herzl

Dear Herzl Camp Families –

As we head into Shabbat and kick off the summer at Herzl Camp, I am delighted to bring you the first Shabbat message from the shores of Devils Lake.

I’m Danya, the Director of Camp & Culture at Herzl Camp. I get to spend my summer with our incredible staff, Ozrim, and campers. For the past few years, I’ve sent a weekly Shabbat message to camp families. This summer, you’ll see the Shabbat message each week so you can share in the Herzl magic and stay connected all summer long.

Nothing beats watching campers come off the bus on arrival day. They walk through a sea of cheering staff and Ozrim and into the Ulam with eyes wide open – there is so much to take in. Some campers walk in smiling from ear to ear; they have been counting down every day until that moment. Others look excited but have some nerves too. And some campers are even more cautious and not quite sure what to make of everything.

The first day of camp was just about perfect. Even though it rained, I didn’t hear a single complaint about it. We had our traditional first-day spaghetti dinner, and by the evening, we were all gathered in chadar for the opening “bonfire”, where I sat near a group of young campers. They were being very silly, laughing together, and soaking up the excitement of the first day.

There was a first-time camper sitting at the end of the row near me, and I could see he was nervous. When we all started singing, the boys in the row put their arms around each other and began swaying together. The camper next to me wasn’t sure what to do and just stared ahead. For a second, I considered prompting the camper next to him to put his arm around this boy, too,  but I decided to see what happened if I didn’t. I repeated in my head a few times, “Please, please, please put your arm around him”. And a few seconds later, that’s exactly what happened. Zero hesitation, and he pulled him right into the group. It was an important reminder to me that kids will surprise you with their kind gestures if you let them.

I often think about the role Jewish overnight camp plays in our lives, and naturally, it’s top of mind during the summer. Sometimes I’ll go down a rabbit hole and wonder what my life would be like if I had never gone to camp. I don’t think the people I met at camp would be in my life in the same way. And it’s not just my closest friends. The Herzl community is many generations strong.

A couple of days ago, I gave a Herzl sweatshirt to one of the guest presenters at staff training. He wore it on the plane home to Atlanta, and the next day, he sent me a message that someone had stopped him at the airport after noticing his sweatshirt. She told him her granddaughters attended Herzl and that it had been one of the most meaningful experiences of their lives.

In his message to me, he added that he visits many camps each year and that, at this point in his career, he can tell a lot about a camp even on a one-day visit. He was very impressed with the staff and remarked about the deep passion, enthusiasm, attentiveness, joy, and pride he felt from the staff after spending 2 hours with them.

Many different paths bring people to Herzl Camp. Some campers have parents who are alumni, and attending Herzl is practically a family requirement. Some hear about camp from friends. Some meet us at recruiting events and decide to give it a try. Our staff comes from all over the world with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Much of our staff were campers themselves who dreamed about the day they would get to lead the next generation of Herzl campers. I’ve always loved hearing their stories about how they ended up at Herzl – who convinced them to come, and what kept them coming back every year.

One of the most remarkable stories I’ve heard belongs to a staff member who grew up on the East Coast. When she was in elementary school, her family temporarily moved to the Twin Cities for a three-month work assignment. During that short time, she attended HMJDS (Smith Jewish Academy) and met a group of kids who were going to Herzl Camp.

Even though her family moved back to the East Coast after those three short months, she continued her summers at Herzl. She stayed connected with the friends she met, and they visited one another throughout the year when they could, knowing that every summer they would be back together again.

Now, many years later, Herzl remains one of the most important and special parts of her life. She’s spending another summer at camp, and so are many of those same friends from all those years ago.

I look forward to sharing more stories and observations with you this summer. In addition to the Shabbat blog, you can expect a (mostly) daily note from Tommy Hoffman with stories and observations of what’s going on at camp. TED TALK

We love staying in touch with our families and providing a snapshot of camp life. Prepare to be jealous of your kids.

As we head into our first Shabbat together, I’m grateful to be back at camp with our campers, for the staff and Ozrim who make their summer, and for the generations of Herzl campers and staff who have built the community we continue to enjoy today.

Wishing you all a peaceful Shabbat and weekend ahead.

-danya