Hello, everybody!
Second Session Arayot is less than a week under way and already off to an incredible start! All things intersession and changeover day went smoother than ever before, and the girls’ smiles truly shone through. Right after all of the chanichim, or campers, settled into second month we kicked off the session with Shabbat. All of the girls and boys came down to Shabbat looking clean and happy – a perfect way to start their summer! Before Kabbalat Shabbat, we all participated in ReleSh, Camp Yavneh’s weekly singing to kick start the Sabbath. Everyone really loves doing all of our Aydah’s very own hand motions to Minyan Man. After davening Kabbalat Shabbat, we sat down as an Aydah for an amazing Shabbat meal complete with tasty chicken soup, veggies, bourekas, chicken, and rice before topping everything off with some chocolate cake. Now that we are in Arayot, the first and youngest aydah in upper camp, we got to stick around for some post-Shabbat dinner zemirot (songs)! The intensity and joy with which we sang helped set the tone for what will be the best summer yet. Finally, we ended Friday night with some traditional upper camp mosh-pitting as only true Yavneh campers can.
Shabbat day was relaxing and calm – the best kind of Saturday – and rolled right into Tisha B’Av on Sunday. Tisha B’Av, a day of sadness and remembrance for the Jewish people on which we grieve over the loss of the Temple in biblical times, is a special time here at camp. Started by a delayed wakeup, the chanichim had the option to fast while we had lots of down time in the bunk with interspersed activities. We attended an educational sicha, helped plant new trees and went to a service at our very own memorial garden. Finally, Arayot as a whole, had dinner (and broke the fast) with a delicious dinner of salmon and garlic bread and french onion soup! That all brings us to Monday which was our first truly normal day of second month! With kitah, an elective, and instructional swim this morning there is bound to be lots to talk about when the chanichim write their next letter home. We are also super excited to start of second session’s special Sadna program in which each camper gets to spend two peulot, or blocs of time, in the afternoon learning a fun and new skill such as cooking or basketball.
We are so excited for all of second month’s amazing potential!
B’ahava,
Jess and the rest of Tzevet Arayot
