Thursday Aug 21

Today we all learned about the question of how does Zionism really work? Do we try to actively return after 2,000 years of exile or wait for Hashem to send a Messianic figure to bring everyone home? The chanichim read some opinions and talked it out.

Since everyone is done unpacking, the day was spent in a regular camp routine with peulot (activities) like drama, basketball, baking in the “babybach” (our little mitbach – kitchen – that cooks for programs and all special diets), dance, ceramics, ropes course, swim etc etc. Six activities per bunk! At the end of the day, the chanichim had “sichot” which is an opportunity to sit in small groups within each eidah and discuss a topic related to Shivat Zion, with their counselors. The chugim (electives described in yesterday’s post) and sichot switch off daily. It was a really full day of camp and it feels like we’ve been here for a week!

The night tochnit was a very creative activity in which, after having learned about Herzl and his dream to buy land in Eretz Yisrael,  each bunk had “stone money” to bid with to try and acquire a piece of Eretz Yisrael (well, technically, camp, but use your imagination…) which they will build up and develop this month. Each section had an incentive and bunks had to discuss and reach a conclusion about which area to buy and call their own. For now, the bunk left a sign marking the area as their own. We will follow that throughout the month and see what bunks do to develop their small area 🙂

Kaytana studied the attributes of Yitzchak in shiur and discussed the marriage of Yitzchak to Rivka…actually, they attended the wedding!! Rabbi Adi Krohn, our Rosh Beit Midrash, officiated and a festive dinner was served after the ceremony. Mazal Tov!  The chanichim created challah boards to take home, after learning about the special way that Rivka filled the home with a Shabbat holiness just as Sarah had done. Other than that, just a regular day at camp 😉

Machal spent their second day in the Allegheny National Forest hiking another trail and learning how to pitch a tent. They ate dinner at the Machal Chutz site near camp and had a BBQ with marshmallows. They are all excited to return to their beds over Shabbat and finally see the rest of camp in the Chadar Ochel.

We cannot believe it is Thursday, which means Friday hikes tomorrow and then our favorite hour of the week, a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat tefillah!! Stay tuned for everyone’s first Friday hike and for Machal’s special activity…