Session 3 – Day 2: The symphony of camp

Hi Herzl Family!

Let me tell you about our awesome first full day of third session! We woke up this morning to sunny skies, the neighborhood eagles flying above the north end of camp in search of some breakfast and campers up early eager and ready to get started. With that smile that says: I can’t believe I’m here. I’m with my pals. I’m in my cabin with some friends. I’ve made some new friends last night. I probably had a lot of leftover sugar products And I am at camp! At least that’s what I think they’re saying to themselves.

The unique thing about third session is that it’s predominantly Camp veterans and those who aren’t veterans are a little older and find themselves swiftly into the mix. Walking toward the flag circle this morning with everybody’s favorite dog on Herzl campgrounds, Enzo, I saw kids over by Tzrifim one through four already playing roof ball, already throwing frisbees, already playing 500, standing around with their friends as if camp had been going on all year. It is straight on into the flow.

I had to conduct some camp business this morning, so wasn’t able to get out to the morning Chugim, but I did catch the tail end of Tochnit Boker (morning program) and saw a really cool program that we did in second session as well, where the campers tie the pillars of Judaism to the beauty of nature around us…because after all, we’re here to raise proud Jews with a devotion and love of Israel.

This afternoon I got to swing around camp and check out Chugim. I couldn’t help myself but the Pickleball court just took me in and in no time flat I found myself playing doubles with a Ozo and two campers. I won’t tell you the outcome because I hate losing. But as I was sitting there between points, watching the West end of camp going on around me, here’s a glimpse of what I saw. I saw some B’yachad campers doing swinging and putting drills on Ha Yarok (the green), I saw our campers in the farm Chug tending to the goats, tending to the chickens and coming up with a plan for a late-season sensory garden. And then off to my left was the sports field where the ultimate chug was in full practice mode preparing for a series of games that start tomorrow and last through the early part of next week. 

It’s a beautiful site, camp in full swing. The sun shining high and while most participate there are some who just get a little too hot and wanna cool down a bit, so they go off to the side and they sit and they talk and they bond and they get to know each other. Free from technology, away from the hustle and bustle of their world and into a world where they feel the warm welcome of friendships, conversation, and these magical grounds of Machaneh Herzl! 

This evening, as I was taking Enzo around camp during lights out festivities, I had one of those proud camp moments, where the symphony of camp was in peak crescendo. Every cabin was doing something separately for their lights out programs, yet they were doing it in the herd around them. There were trust walks, there was a short field ultimate game in front of a cabin, there was a group of girls sitting in their porch, singing some song that they knew all by heart, and I’ve never heard of in my entire life. There was a cabin sitting in a k’far playing some “get to know”  game to have these kids continue to enhance these pure friendships. 

And now I sit here in the Directors Porch, listening to the waning sounds of our older campers settling into their cabins and the loons song across the dark space of Devils Lake, I smile. 

This is the best symphony there is. 

All is well, safely rest. 

Thank you for sending your kid to Herzl Camp. 

‏לילה טוב

Tommy