Wed June 19 – Opening Day!!

Welcome back to all of the Blog Readers!! First Session Summer 2024, here we are: Moshevet Rishonim.

Can you believe it??

The Roshei Moshava, Isaac Aboudi and Noa Berkowitz, with all of their hadracha (counselors) and tzevet (specialty staff) have been planning since before Shabbat for today’s opening…and for the whole month really! (Noa and Isaac have actually been planning since January!!)

Eidot Alef through Daled: We will be entering the Gaonic and early Middle Ages for the next 4 weeks (wait until you hear what the bunk names are…) as we learn about the Jews of the Diaspora yearning for Zion, while creating literature, text and a meaningful communal life that sustained us for centuries.  Our national identity continued to be formed  – in isolated segments spread throughout the world, each one influenced by its surroundings.  Of course, we will have time for all the fun of summer camp too: swimming, boating, sports, art, music, horse-back riding, baking, dancing, tefillah and lots of cheering and singing!!

Our opening tochnit revolved around a famous legend, known as “The 4 captives”. This legend/midrash explains how the Jewish people scattered all over Europe after they were exiled to Babylon. The story goes…4 Rabbis were kidnapped by pirates as they were traveling, by sea, to raise money for their Yeshivot in Bavel.  Each one was redeemed by a different community and then became its leader. Each eidah went around to four skits that told elements of the story – we had pirate costumes, funny lines and some great scenery!  You have to see it to believe it…and you will see it, in the camp photos being uploaded soon. We had a scene from Bavel where the Rabbis are sent out to fundraise, the scene on the ship with the pirates, a community in Alexandria (Egypt) redeeming a Rabbi and a community in Cardoba (Spain) redeeming another.

Straight from the round robin of skits, as plugah (our in-house tzevet who does most of the cleaning and maintenance in camp) was delivering the bags and suitcases to the bunks, everyone headed to the outdoor Beit Knesset for Mincha all together. A yummy dinner of chicken, rice and hot veges and salad followed with fruit for dessert. Chanichim spent the rest of the night unpacking and getting to know each other.

There was a lot of hugging, cheering and talking today, as the chanichim (campers) got off the buses, and the chadar ochel  (dining room) was loud and full of happy campers who are in their favorite summer spot! We are all so excited for, what promises to be, a memorable month! Each night, after the day’s activities and learning, a blog post will be uploaded here, under Camp News.  So, check in late at night or first thing in the morning. In case your kids are not writing enough letters (too busy here!!), I will give you all the info you want and need!

Kaytana: These eager big boys and girls began their adventures in Camp Stone with a wagon-ride (that was set up to look like a camel ride) down the road to the horses’ stalls. They will be learning the early early parts of Jewish history with our Avot and Imahot and the adventures revolving around Egypt. They began, as Avraham did, by smashing idols!! These idols yielded quite the reward! They were…pinatas!! They traveled on their wagon, pretending to enter Eretz Canaan and then had dinner and unpacked : )

Machal: At the other end of the camper experience (for some, after 7 years of being a camper here) Machal chaninichim and chanichot began their month with a “shelet eish” which is a ceremony in which they watch their name – Re’im – in wire letters burn bright, right when the sun went down. They received their מספרי ברזל – their numbers, for the whole month, for all roll calls. They sat and had an important initial discussion about the goals for Machal this summer – building community, developing more independence along with a  sense of social responsibility and commitment to your nation. They will learn these lessons, because they will live them! They are sleeping in machane (camp) tonight and then are heading out early in the morning for their first hike.

Looking forward to a healthy, happy, fun and meaningful summer, iy”h!!

p.s. Happy Anniversary to our Rav HaMachane, Rav Adi Krohn and his wife Bracha who celebrated their 27th anniversary today in camp, as they begin their 29th summer in Machane Stone.