This week started off with a bang! Or should I say SPLASH! That’s because our first Achla Yom, trip day, of the session was a camp wide trip to Water country! This Portsmouth-based, aquatic, amusement park brought joy to all ages. For Gurim, it meant walking around in groups led by a madrich (counselor). Each chanich was placed in a group based on requested intensity level: high, medium or low. Everyone had an amazing time: some were content to roam around the adventure river or the wave pool, others eager for a plummet down the “screamer” or the dragon’s den. In honor of such lovely experiences the remainder of the letter will be sprinkled with all the names of water country rides. See if you can spot them all!!!
The following day was a regular, slightly rainy, Wednesday. In the morning, we got to get more involved in our chuggim (electives) and in the afternoon we took cover from the rain with legos, just dance, Dr. Von Dark’s Tunnel of Terror, and Nucom. That night we prepared for KTV (explained below).
Thursday night we all came together for an early dinner before KTV. Kerem Television is the annual lip-syncing competition hosted by Kerem, the CITs. Every year Kerem assigns each aydah a song category. This year Gurim had to choose songs from Movie soundtracks. B8 chose Love is an open door (from Frozen), B9 chose Goofy Goober Rock (from Spongebob), G10 chose Let it Grow (from The Lorax), G3 chose Better when I’m Dancing (from the Peanuts movie), and G4 chose the Greatest Show (from the Greatest Showman). We have great news! WE SWEPT!!!!!!! Gurim tzrifim (bunks) took first, second, and third place. Also, all those adorable, award-winning, videos can be explored online on Smugmug. So hop right in: Double GERONIMO!!!!
Friday morning we woke to a slightly different version of tfillot. Instead of our regular (amazing) gurim minyan, we held a Iyun tefillah (group discussion). During the discussion we played several games in order to understand how Havdallah acts as a beautiful conclusion to Shabbat. Although, the afternoon was again spoiled by Thunder Falls and Wild Canyon, Gurim had the chance to participate in an improvised, shortened free swim consisting of a single file march into and out of the Agam. B8 also had the chance to go jump on the Aquakef – complete with Racing Rapids, and The Plunge.
For Kabbalat Shabbat we made our way in doors for a beautiful rain-free davening. Shabbos per usual wonderful when everyone had a chance to explore their new interests: card games, free swim, Pirate’s lagoon and tetherball. Several bunks also had the chance to have an ice cream party as a reward for great scores on nikayon (clean up). We closed the day with a dance filled Havdallah, and then headed back to the bunks for a night with the CITs.
Sunday Afternoon we had a great Peulat Erev with Maalot. Every year aydat Gurim pairs up with aydat Maalot in groups of two or three. These matches offer the older chanichim the beginning of leadership roles in the machaneh, while providing the younger chanichim with a chance to connect with older, “cooler” chanichim. We call the combo Ma-gu, and we call the peulot that they do together Ma-gu-pu. In our first ma-gu-pu, the partners ran around camp on a great counselor scavenger hunt. The next morning, we continued the fun by showing Maalot exactly how incredible Gurim Tefillot are. That same day, every tzrif got the chance to buy fresh swag with the Kolbo lady where some of us got new pants, shirts or sweatshirts marked with all the coolest camp titles.
B’ahava,
Meital v’Benji