Thursday June 22

We learned about the Oral Law today, Torah sheBe’al Peh, and our chain of mesorah all the way back to the day Moshe received the 10 commandments at Har Sinai. After shiur, everyone had a full day of peulot with sports, swimming, archery, ceramics and water activities at the agam, our lake!  The Village will be opening next week for many new and exciting peulot…stay tuned!

Before dinner, we had the annual Chugim Fair, where many many many options where showcased for an elective peulah that the campers have three days a week. Chanichim can choose their favorite activity here in camp and know that they will have it three times a week with all others who chose it. This is a fun way to mix the ages and give everyone something to look forward to.  Some members of tzevet volunteer their time and offer fun activities like army boot camp or poetry reading or slip n’ slide!

Each day in camp, two bunks (one gender from an eidah) set up for meals, serve and then clean up; this is referred to as toranut. That is one way we all “pitch in” and create a feeling of community and equality. Today it was Eidah Daled boys, and we thank them for their service : )

Tomorrow is Friday…Hike Day!! More on that tomorrow…

Kaytana learned about Yitzchak and the ultimate sacrifice that he was ready to make. The campers talked about challenges in life and played minute-to-win-it for a chance to overcome their own challenges. The girls and the boys each had time in the agam today, our lake, where they jumped on the water trampoline and tried to climb up the water climbing wall. After dinner (which is always earlier than the rest of camp) they attended the wedding of Yitzchak and Rivka (played by our newleywed couple Roni and Ariella Etshalom!), officiated by Rav Adi Krohn, our Rav HaMachane. They enjoyed some “fancy foods,”  signed a guest book and danced with the chattan and kallah. Now that is some experiential education!! Pictures of the wedding are already on instagram – check it out!

Machal spent the day hiking a trail called Tracy Ridge – a nice ten mile hike in the Allegheny National Forest. They arrived at their campsite with plenty of daylight hours to pitch tents and make a hamburger dinner. Each day the Machal campers spend some time learning, in a small group with a counselor, from Sefer Yehoshua which teaches us about leadership and community building.