Session 3 – Day 6: Building our Future

Hi Herzl Family!

It’s election season here at Herzl Camp… and no, not that election. I’m talking about the Amudim & Habonim Presidential Race, and it’s as spirited, dramatic, and joyfully absurd as you’d expect from middle schoolers who just learned the word “caucus.”

Each cabin chose a nominee, and from there, it’s been a full-blown campaign blitz. Posters have taken over the Chadar. Campaign teams are canvassing every inch of camp like seasoned operatives (or at least like kids who think shouting counts as strategy). At lunch, the candidates, flanked by their running mates, introduced themselves and unveiled their platforms.

The promises had a level of unrealism that was pure comedy. One candidate vowed to bring back dessert at lunch (actually, we’re doing that). Another insisted we install an ice bucket at every water station. And my personal favorite: a soda machine in every cabin. I look forward to reading that camper’s business plan and financial proposal.

One visionary even proposed waterskiing as part of the daily wake-up program. Imagine: alarm clock goes off, and boom, straight into a lifejacket and onto a ski. Bold. I’m not saying no… I’m just saying I need coffee first.

The debates were held in the Ulam last night, where candidates faced tough, thoughtful questions from our own camper press corps. In the end, the votes were cast, and we’re down to our final two: one from Amudim, one from Habonim. It’s heating up, and I, for one, am here for the drama.

But speaking of leadership… allow me one more little tangent.

Because kids are kids, and if they didn’t occasionally mess up, they’d be violating some kind of sacred childhood clause, they sometimes miss a beat. That’s my gentle way of saying: they make mistakes. Bad judgment. Wrong place, wrong time. Something they knew better than to do, but did anyway.

Now, I know I was a perfect child, my parents still send thank-you notes to all the principals, camp counselors, coaches, neighborhood watch captains, and possibly a few police departments. But I digress…

What I’m proud of here at camp is what happens after the mistake. We don’t just correct behavior, we shape character. We take those tough moments and turn them into teaching moments. And over time, those campers… They grow into thoughtful, kind, responsible leaders. I get to watch it and be a part of it!

Kids who stumbled on Day 3 are using better judgment by Week 3, not because someone’s watching, but because they’ve learned. That’s leadership. That’s community. That’s the real stuff.

And while we may not be installing soda machines in the cabins anytime soon… we are building future leaders. One debate, one mistake, one breakthrough at a time. I watch them use their judgment and the things that they’ve learned it brings us Nachus! 

So I bid you a good night and a pleasant slumber, because…

All is well, safely rest. 

Thank you for sending your kid to Herzl Camp. 

‏לילה טוב

Tommy