Monday June 23
Today we learned about how we define Am Yisrael: more of religion or more of a political entity? What do you think? Our morim brought sources to support both sides. The morim are 17-20 year olds, by the way…did you know that? Our Beit Midrash staff is our core group of morim, but since we want to have small learning groups, we have many tzevet members join in as morim. Each morah/moreh has 5-7 campers and has 35 minutes to teach the shiur of the day. Our Roshei Beit Midrash, Reuben and Ariella, prepare the content with trigger questions and discussion questions. They present it at a Morim meeting each day after lunch. What an unbeleivable teaching experience! These young high school and college kids are all learning how to engage 10-14 year olds in a meaningful discussion over Torah.
The pool and agam were in full use today and were definitely favorite peulot by everyone during these hot and humid days! Ceramics, soccer, slip n’ slide, music, Master Chef, Lemonana (making lemonade with fresh lemons, mint and ice), archery and candle-making were some other highlights for bunks today.
Each day, two bunks have Toranut for all 3 meals. That means they set up, (eat before everyone arrives), put out the food, get refills for bunks during mealtime, and clean up (sweep and take out all the garbage bags). It is a lot of work, but with around 40 kids, it gets done quickly and efficiently! Roni, our Rosh Chadar Ochel manages and directs them all. This is one of the special features of our machane. Now you know your child is capable of way more than he/she is probably doing at home 😉 When Shabbat comes, our tzevet gets a turn for two meals. And then the adults in camp, our mishpachot, take care of Seudah Shlishit. #fair
Our village started running peulot today but will be in full-swing tomorrow, so more about that corner of experiential learning tomorrow!
At shekem (snack of ice cream and some veges or fruit) today, the Roshei Eidah acted out the conference about the va’ad arba aratzot that the chanichim learned about in shiur. That was a body of rulers that governed the Jewish communities during the period of history we are studtying. They took care of taxes and ruled cases of disputes etc. It was a way to be autonomous in exile. The Roshei Eidah anounced that the conference was offer and all delegates should travel home, returning to where they had come from…which led to “we are all dispersing and leaving here…for the LINA!” Each eidah has their campout site right around our main camp, and tonight was eidah time for grilling and singing and roasting smores. Really fun bonding eidah time! Each eidah has some tzevet members who join for night activities and the daily tefilot, and they went with their eidah for this sleepout. The heat of the day means a really comfortable warm night to be outdoors, b”h!
Kaytana learned about leaving Egypt today, so their leaving camp for a sleepout worked perfectly with their tochnit. The young campers were so excited for this!!
Machal had another hike in the area of Lake Erie today and then were treated with bowling as their night activity, followed by sleeping back in Machane.
Layla Tov Sugar Grove…zzzzz…..
