Monday July 4

Kaytana, don’t leave : (

We will miss all of these cute chanichim who have been so happy here in camp with all the big kids! We hope to see them next year in Eidah Aleph! They spent their last day at their favorite peulot in camp and then packing. They learned about when Am Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael, after their 40 years wandering in the desert. To feel that excitement that the Jews must have felt, we had to give them a similar feeling, so they had a carnival with a blow up house and trampoline etc!! It also turned into a great last night at camp, and a perfect way to celebrate their first summer at sleep-away camp : )

Machal spent some time biking at Presque Isle, making a BBQ dinner on Lake Erie and then traveling towards DC, where they will spend some time this week. More about that tomorrow…

Eidot Aleph -Daled learned about Shimon haTzadik today in shiur. He was one of the last sages of the Anshei Knesset haGedola (Men of the Great Assembly). We discussed his leadership during the era of Alexander the Great and the rise of Hellinism. At our Aruchat Eser this morning we had a showdown between Alexander the Great and Shimon haTzadik (the costumes of a kohain gadol and a Greek general were pretty elaborate and impressive, as you will see in the photo gallery).  Alexander was about to conquer Yerushalayim but the he turned to his army (all of the campers standing around eating their cheese sticks and apple slices and drinking their chocolate milk) and said “let’s go to the Chutz instead!!” and off everyone went to pack for the Chutz and to walk to the Chutz site about a mile away. Each eidah “set up camp” there and helped to build the mechitza and a  volleyball net and collect wood for their fire pits. It was a beautiful-weather day, and everyone really enjoyed the slower pace – spending time playing sports, doing some arts and crafts and beading under the Melechet yad tent, cooking food, hanging out with friends and really enjoying the sun and the break in the routine.  We are so proud of our Eidah Daled campers who are the leaders at every fire pit for each meal.