Monday June 28
Today, we learned about the complicated relationship that David haMelech had with Shaul, his predecessor, and Shaul’s son Yonatan (who would have been king after Shaul). David and Yonatan were best friends, as Shaul was chasing David and even tried to kill him. And yet, still, David was loyal to Shaul’s family and rewarded those who were loyal to Shaul and punished those who crossed him. David shows us that one can put aside his own needs and feelings for the sake of the nation and its stability. The drama came off the page, of course, at lunch and at shekem – in true Camp Stone style – with a big fight between David and Shaul in the Chadar Ochel (that ended with Shaul chasing David out of the Chadar Ochel) and then later with the “famous” Rosh Chodesh meal where David is missing and Yonatan gives him the sign to run from his paranoid father. It is intense here, as we watch the stories of Sefer Shmuel unfold before our very eyes.
The schedule today was normal (some creative and fun peulot were thrown into the schedule, like “hula-hooping” for Eidah alef girls and “Batman’s sidekick” for Daled boys), and then after shekem we enjoyed CHUGIM. That means the chanichim get to choose an activity (for the month) that they love doing in camp (swimming, basketball, horse-back riding, baking etc etc ) and they have that activity twice a week in this slot, with other campers from other eidot. Anyone who enjoys it signs up, and they enjoy it together! Of course, there is also creativity here...tzevet can offer any activity, so we have Tzaha”l and Poetry-reading too!
Tonight after dinner, we enjoyed singing old (and some newer) Israeli folk songs with camp-wide Shira. The slides with the words were projected on the screen, in the Chadar Ochel, so everyone was able to sing along. One of the best moments in the week for many chanichim and members of tzevet!
Machal went white-water rafting today and barbecued dinner.
Make-up Machal split into two groups, when they arrived in Virginia. Half went canoeing and half went hiking…and then they will switch.
