Welcome back!
This week has been unbelievable. We started with an Achla Yom (trip) that we will never forget – Water Country! We went to the water park in Portsmouth with perfect weather (not too hot/not too cold). We were split up into groups and got to venture out. We went on every ride imaginable, except Geronimo because it was closed for the summer. When we got back to camp, we ate our delicious barbeque, and then it was off to our special Peulat Erev (night activity).
The peulah was “Erev Musical.” The chanichim were given a script and split up into groups. The script had dialogue, songs and movement, but there was a catch. By the climax of the mini musical, the script stopped, and it was their job to finish the story. They had to incorporate dialogue, movement and song (all the things that make a musical, a musical!) They had an absolute blast. They were so creative and really put their own spin on things. We ended the night by starting to watch the movie Camp (a film about a theater camp and the “misfits” that go there).
The next day we started our Sadna (extra activity in the afternoon). Some made art pieces (a fountain for camp), some took photography, obstacle course, basketball, baseball or cooking. This lasted through the week. The same day, we started learning our Rikudiyah dance (Rikudiyah is our dance festival at Yavneh). Lily (madricha) and I choreographed it. We cannot wait for Wednesday so that the camp can see the kids shine.
The next day, the banot (girls) started working on their flag dance for Yom Yisrael. It is mesoret (tradition) for the Leviim girls to do this dance for the camp. They were very enthusiastic and excited to learn it!
After another amazing Shabbat, we had a wonderful normal day at camp.We had our kitah (class), chug (elective), and schiah (swim) in the morning, and then some fun activities in the afternoon like tennis baseball, and our last day of sadna. That night, after we ate some delicious shepherd’s pie, we had an EPIC Peulat Erev…Erev High School.
The night started with a round robin of sorts. The chanichim were split up into groups and then rotated through five different stations relating to High School. The stations were: PE (Volleyball), Yearbook Photo Booth, Civic Engagement (Cleaning the goat pen), Detention, and Driving School. They had so much fun! The next part of the night was of course the Prom. When entering the Ben Zvi, they were each given a flower; there was punch and pretzels for them to nosh on. Then we played some games like Coke and Pepsi, Snowball, and Cinderella. The night ended with an amazingly embarrassing slide show of the madrichim in High School. The night was a total HIT!
That’s all for now…
B’ahava,
Jonathan Gomolka (Rosh Aydah)
