Smells like Shabbos up in here!

Another week has passed and Shabbat is approaching! After pizza picnic lunches on Friday’s, we have an activity which we call Hyde Park. Hyde Park is modeled after the Hyde Park in London with a little bit of a Galil twist. Hyde Park takes place right outside the dining hall (chadar ochel) in a wooded area. This is also where all of our picnic lunches take place as well as other activities (peulot). In Hyde Park there is a very large circle formed by benches, a large tire in the middle, and a rock for the campers (chanichim) to stand on when they are speaking to the camp (Machaneh). 

When Hyde Park begins every camper (chanich) has the opportunity to say something...however we have a special way of deciding the order in which the chanichim will speak. Everyone must “strut” to the tire in the middle of the circle in a creative way. The chanich with the most creative strut is able to go to the rock and this is determined by 4 judges that are chosen before Hyde Park begins. The judges are chanichim of all ages and they sit around the tire and decide who they think had the best strut.

When chanichim get to the rock they are able to give compliments, suggestions and complaints (although there are very few of those). For example, today many chanichim said “We loved Kupa Trip, we want to go again second session!” and “The muffins were so good this morning, thanks kitchen staff (tzevet mitbach).” Any suggestions that are said by the chanichim are taken seriously and written down by a member of administration (mazkirut). After Hyde Park is over Mazkirut will look over the list of suggestions and see if there is any adjusting that we can do as a machaneh. 

Hyde Park is an important part of Galil because it gives each chanich the opportunity to voice their opinions. Every chanich has a voice and is a part of the change of Galil.

Shabbat Shalom and just a friendly reminder that there will be no blog post tomorrow!