Session 1 – Day 3…or is it 4…does it really matter, it’s CAMP!
When I woke up this morning, the sky was dark, and the rain was about to fall, you could smell it in the air. I went on my little stroll around camp and, of course, found myself drenched as I was just making it around the north end. I raced back to my house thinking oh bummer, we’re not going to be able to do degel (flag). By the time I came back out of the house, ready to start the day the storm had passed and the sun was shining bright, and we were in for another beautiful day at Machaneh Herzl!
After a nice and tidy flag circle, and an awesome ruach filled breakfast led by our fun and creative Ozrim, I went to go visit Tochnit Boker (morning program) sites. I didn’t get very far, only as far as the Teyelet, which is the area of Camp leading to our waterfront. If you’ve never seen camp, the Tayelet is a beautiful park like area with a volleyball court, climbing jungle, fire pit, and a little amphitheater (and more). Our Amudim campers were doing a program led by our Rosh Chinuch, Tony. He and a couple of staff who are part of his team ran a program where they had to identify areas in nature that coincide with Jewish values. Tony did it in such a fun way that he had the kids wrap it up in a very campy way with a song or a skit…which seems to rope them in every time.
The only example I can remember (because it feels like a few days ago now) is a group who had Chesed (loving kindness) and did this skit about caring for trees and saying goodbye with loving kindness to the ones we just had to cut down (which happened yesterday) and nurture the ones that are being planted (plus two more) in their place. It always just surprises me and makes me so proud to watch these 10-11 year-olds get so creative, get so into something that you would think would be pulling teeth to get them there. It’s one of the things I love so much about the Camp experience, getting these kids away from their phones, away from their screens, away from their video games, and in a place that they get the freedom to explore the brain power and creativity that they have.
As promised in last nights, Ted Talk, I made my way down to the waterfront during Chug Aleph, and it was a bustling! There were kids out in the inflatable, sliding down the slide, bouncing around, jumping off, laughing and frolicking. There was a group of kids on standup paddle boards being taught by one of our Israeli staff the proper way to stand up paddleboard, they give a good college try but after about 15 minutes, there was just a bunch of our kids, jumping off paddle boards and playing in the water and the Israeli staff member was right in the middle making every one of them have an awesome experience …and of course there was an abundance of lifeguards because safety is always first!
On the other side (or the south side of the waterfront), far away from anyone playing in the lake, was the fishing chug which has become a staple and camper favorite. There were not big notable catches unfortunately. But kids were happy and many learning a new skill. That’s the win for us.
During lunch, one boy tzrif (cabin) challenged another boy tzrif to a game volleyball over at the Teyelet during tzrif time (which is the closing activity after chugim and before dinner). We got new sand put on the volleyball court this year and the boys were basking in good old camp competition…where everyone’s a winner of course (ok tzrif 16 won and they’re quite proud…I smell a rematch).
Well, it’s getting late folks and all is calm. I’m hearing the loons talk to each other the on the lake as they do every night around 11 to 12 and there’s a group of Ozrim over at the fire pit near the directors house…and they’re singing Circle Game…I can’t script this stuff people.
All is well, safely rest.
לילה טוב
Tommy