Mensch Mondays – July 19th
Hi folks!
It was a stupendous day here at Machaneh Herzl!
But tonight I want to tell you a story about something that happened today for which the result will be shown tomorrow night. (For any of you readers from second session, I presented my preposition very very well and I’m very proud of that. Let’s thank Professor Murphy and acknowledge how proud she would be of me).
Toward the end of last session,too late for us to put anything together,a counselor came up to me with an idea. This counselor spent a few years as a camper at another camp before finishing their camper years at Herzl and now serving on staff. But their previous camp had a recognition ceremony for good deeds.
They said, “Tommy, we have a lot of awards here. We have Schmutz Busters. We have end-of-session awards like Best Skier, Best Rock Climber, Most Improved, and so many others. We have the Fiterman Award for staff, the Michelle Solle Award for Kadima, and the Netta Epstein Award for our Israeli campers. But we don’t have an award for being a mensch.”
Then they reminded me of something they had witnessed during Second Session while lifeguarding at Gary Land, our inflatable water park.
A girl was struggling to climb onto one of the inflatables. Three other campers,different ages, and from different groups, immediately jumped off what they were doing, helped her up, and then all climbed back on together so everyone could play. No one asked them to do it, it was all from the goodness inside them…collectively.
I shared that story in a Ted Talk last session because it was one of those moments that makes your heart swell with pride. What I didn’t tell you was what it inspired. That simple act of kindness blossomed into an idea that’s coming to life tomorrow.
We’re introducing Mensch Mondays.
After dinner tomorrow night, this same counselor will debut a new schtick,dressed as an old Yiddish-speaking gentleman, naturally, to explain what it means to be a mensch and announce our very first recipient.
Now let me give you a little insider information and tell you about the story another counselor submitted for our first Mensch.
During a water-ski chug, there were four boys in the boat, and two of them had never water-skied before. Our boating staff is professionally trained by Waterski Works to teach skiing, but one of the campers took it upon himself to help.
With the lifeguard’s permission, he carefully explained to another camper exactly what to expect and what to do. Then, wearing his life jacket, he jumped into the water and physically demonstrated the correct position. Before the boat pulled away, he gave the camper a pat on the back and said, “Don’t be nervous. You’re going to do great.”
Keep in mind, this mentor was only 12 years old.
The camper he was helping speaks very little English (Israeli), but after a couple of tries, he got up on water skis for the very first time.
What struck the counselors wasn’t just that he helped. It was what happened afterward. Our young mensch celebrated that camper’s success with more excitement than if he had gotten up himself. He cheered, smiled, encouraged him, and couldn’t have been prouder.
That’s what we’re trying to raise here. We’re raising mensch’s (not exactly aware of the plural for that one). People who perform acts of loving kindness without being asked. People who believe in someone else. People who celebrate another person’s success just as enthusiastically as their own.
And here’s the best part.
According to the counselor who nominated him, this young mensch’s own skiing has advanced so much this summer. But his enthusiasm and pride for this other boy far outshined his own accomplishments. Though he’s mastered getting up on one ski, and on Tuesday morning he’ll be joining 7:00 a.m. Ski Club to celebrate.
I can’t wait to take this mensch skiing.
I’m really proud of him.
Thank you for sending your mensch to Herzl Camp!
All is well. Safely rest.
,לילה טוב
Tommy