Aliyah Bet and Alumni Day

We’ve had an exciting past two days. After a relaxing Shabbat, last night the Bonim ran aliyah bet for the campers. Aliyah bet is one of our special activities that we have every summer at camp (machaneh). This is the first time the Bonim plan a machaneh wide event and the first time they have responsibility of leading campers (chanichim). After ice cream (glida) last night all of the chanichim went back to their cabins (tzrifim) just to discover the Bonim telling them to get dressed for aliyah bet. During aliyah bet at Galil the Bonim create a simulated Aliyah Bet from the early 1900’s. They plan different stations around machaneh with counselors (madrichim) acting as different characters. At the beginning of the stations, each camper (chanich) recieved as passport of someone that lived during the early 1900’s that weren’t Jewish in order for them to make it to Palestine. The chanichim had to memorize their new identities for “their journey to Palestine.” Some of the stations the chanichim went through were Jewish bribers who asked the chanichim to give them their passports in exchange for money, an interaction with British soldiers and a simulated fight scene between a British soldier and a Jewish man on the ropes course. 

At the end of the stations, the chanichim ended in the parking lot which was Palestine. At Palestine there were various treats and hot chocolate for the chanichim made by the Bonim.  After their treats, everyone went to bed.

Today, after a sleep-in, we welcomed Galil alumni and donors to machaneh. In the morning we had a special ceremony for the donors that helped us to create our two new buildings, the MoAdina and Beit Adina. The ceremony included speeches by the Camp Committee Chair, Joe Ross, Rosh Machaneh Kali Silverman and a member of Madatz, Segev Yarden. After the dedication ceremony, Galil alumni arrived for a picnic lunch with the chanichim. 

We had a barbecue picnic lunch in hyde park. Many of the alumni sat with the chanichim asking them what Galil is like today and they shared stories from when they were chanichim here as well. After lunch, the chanichim went back to a normal schedule and had their age group activity (peula shickvah). The alumni had their own programming and spent the afternoon taking tours of Galil and having Israeli dancing (rikud). 

The chanichim had a great time interacting with the alumni today!