Tuesday Aug 4 – Chutz Day 2

The pictures say it all – it has been very sunny and warm weather at our Chutz this session, and so fun and relaxing to hang out cooking around the fire for hours. There is so much shade from the hundreds of trees, and there is plenty of water, so it is easy for everyone to cool off when they want a break from the heat. The campers really enjoy getting to know nature, while playing and talking with others of all ages. The Melechet Yad tent was open for activities all day, and tefillot broke up the day and helped us keep to some sort of schedule – otherwise we really wouldn’t know what time it is 🙂

After tefillah, everyone was served a simple cereal-and-milk breakfast before shiur began (the real meal came after…stay tuned!) The Shiur today was by eidah, and each eidah learned about various episodes where the Aron, from the mishkan, played a main role. For example, when the Plishtim stole it during a war or when David refused to take it out of the mishkan to have it protect him as he ran from Shaul.  Thank you Hillel and Naama, our Roshei Beit Midrash, and the morim for this excellent presentation done in 5 stations with 5 skits! The chanichim were able to think about the relationship Am Yisrael had with the aron and the way the non-Jewish nations thought about it.

Following shiur, the fires were lit and away the kids went…for hours… Each group (a plugah, led by eidah daled campers and supervised by madrichim) was given ingredients (bread, eggs, cheese etc) and they spent hours making whatever they could think of to eat: scrambled eggs, french toast, grilled cheese… the traditional and legendary never-ending breakfast 😊 It was yummy and fun!

Ma’ayan, our Rosh Moshava, gave the 301 today (a 301-second Dvar Torah to whoever wants to come!) to about 40 chanichim. She spoke about tithing and how Hashem rewards us when we share our money. When we are in camp, the 301 is offered each day during Hachanot Erev.

This evening we had Sichot, which were led by the Eidah Daled plugah roshim. Each “fire pit family” discussed the concept of leadership as it relates to confidence AND humility. They had a guide sheet and ran the discussion, giving examples from Shaul and David, our first kings, and from life in camp.

Both nights of this session’s chutz have had a perfectly clear sky, where hundreds of stars are visible. Benji Shiller, long-time tzevet and mishpacha member, has given a star gazing session each night. He points out constellations and teaches about other planets and our universe. He has telescopes and last night we saw Saturn and its rings! מה רבו מעשיך ה’ right here in Sugar Grove!

Another movie will be projected up on the big screen tonight, and then tomorrow morning the whole camp returns after tefillah, breakfast and shiur. Eidah Daled stays behind to help Plugah do the clean-up. With great privilege comes great responsibility 🙂