Wednesday July 29

Today’s shiur focused on the tefilah that Channah recited in the mishkan, begging for a child. The High Priest, Eli, thought she was drunk from the way she looked from afar – she was very emotional and seemed to be speaking nonsense, to him. Channah chastised Eli for suspecting her and went on to explain what she was doing. The chanichim talked about Channah’s sincere prayer and how that contrasted with the corruption and hypocrisy that the priests were exhibiting! Hashem answered Channah’s prayers and gave her a son. Channah “dedicated” that son, named Shmuel, to Eli to work for Hashem full-time in the mishkan!

In our machane, our Roshim put on skits to make the tochnit come to life, and today we had two such skits: during mincha, the chanichim watched “Channah” daven and “Eli” accuse her. Later on, at shekem today, “Eli’s sons, Chofni and Pinchas” stole shekem from the children and “Shmuel” reprimanded them. Often the tzevet actors wear elaborate costumes that are extremely entertaining and quite memorable. (Another example from Kaytana later on…)

We have fully opened the Village for this session! The peulot in our Village every year expose campers to some of the lost arts such as glassblowing, blacksmithing, baking in a brick oven, carpentry, etc. Every session some of the activities change, but a few are always there. Everyone has a few peulot in the Village over the course of the month, so they can experience all of the hands-on activities. We have named the village “Shiloh” since that is where the mishkan stood for over 350 years during the time we are studying and recreating.

Our campers have a few projects they are working on in the village this year. I will save the project involving glassblowing and blacksmithing as a surprise/secret for you parent readers, but here are some other fun peulot they have:

• Pita baking in our brick-oven
• Carpentry workshop where they are creating panflutes, traditional wind instruments consisting of multiple hollow tubes of varying lengths
• An escape room with the theme of King Sha’ul pursuing David (before he was David haMelech)
• A planetarium (yes, you read that correctly!!) where the chanichim are learning about navigating by the North star and using an instrument called an astrolabe to navigate one’s latitude. (They connect it to the tribe of Zevulun, the maritime tribe involved in seafaring, shipping, and ocean commerce)

Our chanichim look forward to seeing the double peulah of North Shiloh (baking, glass blowing and blacksmithing) or Central Shiloh (the other 3 activities) on their schedule! Ask them more about it when you see them in 3 weeks

Once or twice a week, we have an evening peulah called Sichot. Each Rosh Eidah writes up a discussion guide for their bunks to have a meaningful tochnit-related schmooze with the hadracha. Usually, a bunk is busy with activities and sports and cleanup and meals…no time to have a deep and meaningful conversation. So this becomes an hour or two a week where the bunk can sit together on the grass and have a group discussion about an idea, sharing thoughts and opinions. Today’s sichot came from the story they learned about in shiur. Younger ages talked about leadership and older bunks spoke about personal expression in religion.

Fun fact: we have a new Tzevet Lodge!! This beautiful building (both inside and outside!!) is a huge room for our tzevet and hadracha to hang out in at night while they enjoy talking, playing games and catching up on whatsapps and emails – IF they haven’t put their phone into orbit (the term for locking up one’s phone for the month, which almost half the staff chose to do!!) The room has couches, tables, board games and card games, a ping pong table, foosball, and a pool table. Soon the fire place will be working 😊 Our staff is loving this new room that gives them an opportunity to rest and relax and socialize after a very busy, hectic and tiring day.

Another fun fact: under this new beloved lodge, on the ground level, is our new laundromat at camp!! Yes, you read that correctly, a real laundromat (also known as a washeteria in the American south!)  This facility is managed by longtime tzevet member Jake Tokayer (a chatan here at camp, engaged to our Rosh Melechet Yad Maayan Braha – mazal tov to them, one of over-ten-camp-stone-alum weddings which Yakov and Estee will be dancing at this year!) We have over 50 machines, washers as well as dryers, and members of tzevet work four nights a week moving camper laundry through the machines. They have fun playing on the Original Pac Man, Original Donkey Kong and Original Pin Ball machines that are there for them, and they receive lots of snacks and yummy treats! Everyone takes a turn and some volunteer to go twice – partly because it is fun, and partly because you get to have a late wake up the next morning, since the laundry service runs from 10 pm – 2 am!! This facility is a great addition to camp!

Kaytana had a memorable day leaving Egypt! They learned all about it in shiur and then lived it when Pharoah chased them (Yakov’s ATV pulled a chariot with “Pharoah” yelling at them to leave) all the way down the road to their קריעת ים סוף moment at the boys’ shower house/car wash. They all went through the water and celebrated their freedom. They had a seder tonight for dinner, with grape juice, charoset, little plastic frogs and finger puppets for all of the plagues and of course marror. They sang some of the Haggadah and talked about memory. Then…they broke out color war by telling them they have to go back to the lina site for another night of outdoor camping, since their bunk had mold. Some campers believed it and some started shouting “color war!!” Those disbelievers are the chanichim who have older siblings in camp probably, who know that the crazier the situation, the more likely they are experiencing a color war breakout. The teams are Moshe and Aharon, and everyone is really excited for a fun day tomorrow.

Machal is doing really well, learning how to work together to set up camp in the evenings and then pack it up in the morning. Today’s hike was 9-miles of the Tracy Ridge Trail, a scenic 33-mile network of interconnecting loops in the Allegheny Forest. They cooked hamburgers for dinner.

Rumor has it that Boaz and Rut are getting married here tomorrow!! Stay tuned for the festive wedding details… (you can review Megillat Rut if you hate surprises)