Sunday July 7
Today, in Camp Stone, it was Yom Kippur 1973.
No “ram kol” to wake them up and everyone came to the Beit Knesset in shabbat blue and white. They had some tunes from Yom Kippur in their tefillah, but then they were able to “break the fast” at breakfast 🙂
In shiur, they learned about the Yom Kippur war, about failures in general and about the lessons we take from them. They talked about Golda Meir being criticized for not being ready and how mistakes are made with the best of intentions. Even by our leaders.
The day continued with peulot that the chanichim/ot love including finishing their projects in the Village in blacksmithing, glassblowing and the woodshop.
Tonight’s night tochnit took us back to the mid 1970’s – after Golda Meir resigned and after Rabin had been Prime Minister for a few years. There were so many parties that were up for the vote. We had “political parties party” which meant all campers went around to different places in camp where the political parties were throwing parties to persuade/motivate people to vote for them. There was some explanation of platforms…and also lots of music and food!! The year is now 1977… The camp voted…you know who won: Menachem Begin! let the late 70’s begin!! (No pun intended…I promise!)
Machal left for their trip to DC, making two stops along the way. They stopped at Corry, PA to learn from the old Jewish cemetary about the Jewish community that lived just a few miles from Sugar Grove, PA. A group of Jews settled in Corry around 1870 and they went up and down in numbers until about 1940. The chanichim/ot talked about community and how an individual sees his role in the greater whole. The next stop was Pittsburgh where they talked to members of the Jewish community about the October shooting in the shul that took 11 lives and how the Jewish community has united and responded in the aftermath.
