Monday June 24

Wake up today was our regular “Boker Tov Sugar Grove” over the ram-kol at 7:30 (“camp time”, an hour behind “city time”) The chanichim have a half hour to get out of bed, take turns in the bathrooms, get dressed and head out to 8:00 a.m. mifkad. Music plays over the ram-kol for that half hour! Mifkad is held by eidah and it gives a chance for the Rosh Eidah to speak to everyone, do some morning stretches and sing haTikvah and the Bnei Akiva anthem. Tefilah is by age group: kaytana, alef and vav; bet and gimmel; daled alone.

Today we learned about Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon Maimonides and his philosophical work, the Moreh Nevuchim. It was controversial, since it harmonized Jewish tradition and Greek philosophy. He made a case for Jewish theology to be learned through logical argument and that it was supreme, with mitzvot being subservient to that goal. The chanichim learned about people who were very against the Rambam’s ideas and even burned his books in 1234 and again in 1305.  Intense but true! Should we learn philosophy? What are OUR big G-d-questions? Does it help us observe mitzvot better to think about those questions? What do we do when we disagree with people? These were the topics in shiur today!  It is a wonder the chanichim could move on to the fun of the day so easily! It probably helped lighten the mood when they had chocolate milk and peaches for snack after shiur and bunk clean-up 🙂

We had beautiful perfect weather and a regular day of peulot. After shekem (afternoon canteen) the chanichim had their annual chugim fair – a time to learn about different activities that will be offered a couple times a week in the evening pre-shower slot. They can choose which chug (club) they want to be a part of, and it is with all ages together. Extra volleyball time or bike riding time, for example. In your next letter or email, ask your child what chug he/she signed up for.  Some of them are funny or creative activities that staff offers, like slip n’ slide, Tzahal boot camp, poetry reading or “foods that are orange”.

Today, during shekem, Ramba”m himself rode in on a horse and told everyone that due to economic hardship he was leaving Eretz Yisrael and going to Cairo!! That signaled…the LINA is tonight and everyone will be leaving camp for yummy dinner at a campfire and a sleep-out with friends. All staff (non-counselors) joins the various eidot and adds to the fun and bonding.

Kaytana will have a lina too (a two-minute walk from camp), and they are all excited to be like “the big kids”. They learned about Yosef today and how people need to get along within a family or when on a team. A special activity for them was tie-dying shirts, so they could have their own “technicolor dreamcoat”! These youngest campers look like pros here.

Machal is sleeping out the next few nights, hiking during the day and setting up camp each night with a dinner around the fire and lots and lots of shmoozing time (no phones!!!)