| Once, Honi “Circle Maker” was walking on the road and saw a man planting a carob tree.
Honi asked him, “How many years will it be until this tree bears fruit?”
The man replied, “Seventy years.”
Honi then asked the man, “Are you sure that you will live another seventy years?”
The man replied, “I came into a world with carob trees. In the same way as those who came before me planted for me, I will plant for those who will come after me.” (Talmud Bavli Ta’anit 23a)
This summer, our theme is אחריות – responsibility. We, as a community have great power and, as we all know from Uncle Ben of Spiderman fame, that comes with great responsibility: Responsibility to ourselves, our fellow campers, our people, our fellow humans, and our world.
This summer we will strengthen ourselves, our relationships, and our kehillah (community) by taking אחריות and by living the teaching of the sage Hillel, “If not me, then who?” This summer, campers will be encouraged to find paths of collaboration and commitment to each other and their surroundings – whether on the Agam (waterfront), in the chadar ochel (dining hall), on migrash sport (sport field), in the tzrifim (bunks), in kitah (lessons), and during Zimriya and Maccabiah.
With a commitment to taking אחריות, both as individuals and as a community, we will grow as leaders and shape a strong kehillah that works to improve ourselves and the world around us.
Like the man who took it upon himself to plant trees as people more than seventy years prior did for him, we will add our own contributions to the great Yavneh experience that began more than seventy years ago and thereby continue the creation of a special environment for those future campers to come.
Looking forward to an amazing kayitz (summer)! |
