A Beautiful Monday!

The romkol (loud speaker) went off at 8 in the morning as it does every day with Magic by B.o.B and chanichim (kids) got out of bed dancing. Hitkansut boker (morning flag raising) started with the chanichim singing Power and Glory, as every morning. Ivrit Shimushit (hebrew word of the day) was "boker" which means "morning" in English. The chanichim walked to the chadar ochel (dining hall) excitedly as rumors of pancakes floated around. Once inside, there were chocolate chip, regular and sprinkle pancakes along with our breakfast buffet of yogurt, fruit, granola and cottage cheese. After aruchat boker (breakfast) the chanichim went to their daily avoda (chore) and cleaned their tzrifim (cabins) during nikyon tzrif.

A Boger practicing hurdling

I went on my usual sivuv (walk around camp) to see each of the different shcavot (age groups) and what they were doing during peula shichva alef (first age group activity). The Amelim (post 4th graders) were having a discussion on Israel and if they felt any connection to it, and the Chotrim (post 5th grade) had their turn at instructional swim. The Sayarim (post 6th graders) were having a discussion on Judaism, its correlation to Israel and their feelings towards both of these subjects. The Tzofim (post 7th graders) were getting ready for tiyul (camping trip) tomorrow and starting to pack their sleeping bags and clothes they are going to need, while also spending time with each other and bonding as a kvutza (age group). The Bonim (post 8th graders) had a really interesting conversation based on the movie In Time; the movie is based on the idea that your life has a clock and time is the only form of currency. For example, a cup of coffee may cost someone 5 minutes on their clock. They are going to continue this conversation and also continue discussing and planning aliya bet (a night where the Bonim take the chanichim on a journey through the woods) during peula shichva bet (second age group activity). Lastly, the Bogrim (post 9th graders) were having a discussion on MBI, which is the summer program for post 10th grade chanichim in which they go to Israel for five weeks with their national and international kvutza. All of the chanichim that age that choose to go from each of the six other machanot (camps) will be in Israel and experience what it is like to live there and explore that culture.

After pish ( combination of peula shichva) sports began and its always exciting to see who is doing what. I found one Boger practicing hurdling, so he could get in shape for the following track and field season. There was a game of five on five basketball happening on the court with a seven on seven game of frisbee right next door on the frisbee field. Meanwhile the soccer field had an intense game of world cup taking place, where there are two people to a "country" and you try to score on the goalie to advance to the next round, it can get pretty crazy. The Just Dance sport was rocking out to some Rihanna when I stopped by the moadon (large gathering place) and from there I could see a number of kids swimming laps in the pool. Following sport was schiya chofshit (free swim) and many kids just went to jump in the pool to cool off before aruchat tzohorayim (lunch).

Pierogies were served for lunch along with a side of coconut chick pea curry and a huge buffet at the salad bar. The chanichim then had some rest time before chugim (electives), and as I walked around I saw some chanichim playing magic the gathering, shooting some hoops, or just lounging around and reading. During chugim much of tzevet planned really exciting activities; for example, The Eccentric Scientists are making volcanoes that actually bubble. Portlandia chug has a bird stencil and they are going to make shirts and put paintings of birds in different places at machaneh. 

An amel during Yom Meyuchad

Later on today there will be some zman meyuchad where the chanichim work with the specialists and do things related to the specialists' tafkidim (jobs). For example, two shcavot (age groups) are doing a nature walk with our teva (nature) specialists and others will be in the beit omanut (art shed) with the art specialists. Its a great chance to meet tzevet members that the chanichim may not interact with as much. For tochnit erev (evening activity) there will be a movie night because everyone is pretty tired today and the heat has been exhausting. The chanichim always bring sleeping bags and pillows and tzevet serves a late night snack; its typically a really nice time. Tonight we will be watching "The Princess Bride" which is a personal favorite of mine.

Until tomorrow, erev tov (have a good night).

-Mike