Sunday June 26

Today, our shiur was about the destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash in 586 BCE and the subsequent exile into Bavel. Chanichim learned about the different responses the Jews had to this catastrophe. Some mourned, some turned to avodah zara, and some began to hope and pray for a redemption. And then we learned Yechezkel’s famous prophecy about the dry bones that were resurrected. We will begin learning about Jewish life outside of Eretz Yisrael tomorrow.

We knew rain was on the way, so our Roshei Sport who create the daily schedule, prepared a “rainy day schedule” on the back. When the rain eventually came, later on, we all just flipped the paper and knew where to go! We have many indoor and semi-indoor spots around camp that are perfect for these moments. Chanichim enjoyed activities such as ceramics, baking, basketball (on our covered Indoor World courts), a lip-sync battle, improv games, and music.

Tonight the night tochnit (program) involved taking down the walls of the Beit HaMikdash that we helped decorate on Day 1, burning them and having slow shira in the indoor Beit Knesset as a way to mark the end of an era. A feel of Tisha B’av is in the air…until they get back to their snacks and slumber parties in their bunks after.

Our tzevet (staff) has been enjoying “night seder” in our Beit Midrash, three times a week officially, with people who signed up to learn one of those three nights and tzevet members giving shiurim/chaburot. So we have about 30 members of the staff learning in our Beit Midrash. On other nights, staff come and go with their their own times that they have carved out for their Summer learning lishma.

Kaytana learned about the Imahot  today – – Sora, Rivka, Rochel, and Leah – and baked challah and made some surprise projects in Melechet Yad (You’ll see when they bring them home). They played ultimate frisbee today and had so much fun on our slip n’ slide (before the rain came).

Machal went on a hike today in the Allegheny National Forest and discussed the values that will be taught and cultivated this summer on the Machal program and they learned about chalutziut, being pioneers and creating something new from a dream/vision.

Our “Village” opened today and will be the focus of tomorrow’s blog 🙂