Opening Day!

Dear parents, grandparents, and friends who love their Galil chanichim (campers):

Hello and welcome to Second Session 2017! Our next few weeks will include camping trips, revolutions, ice cream sundaes, spontaneous dance parties, learning about Judaism, playing tetherball, and a whole lot of fun AND educational activities. My name is Becca Neckritz, and I’ll be your friend and guide for the next three weeks. I’m the communications specialist at Galil this session, and this is my 9th summer in Ottsville! In the outside world, I’m about to move into the Honors dorm at Temple University, where I’ll be majoring in psychology and theatre. In our Galil world, I take pictures of your kids and write a blog entry every day. Get ready for this session, because it’s about to be a wild ride.

Becca

Meet the madrichim (counselors) on tzevet Am-Cho! They work with the 9 to 11 year old campers. Julia lived in Israel until she was 4, and she’ll be there all next year with a Habonim Dror gap year program called Workshop. Miriam is related to Dar Williams and Maor is a madricha (counselor) in Israel for Russian kids who made aliya. Eve has an albino frog named Oggle. Alex’s cousin is Albert Einstein! Adam was voted high school class president every year of high school. Benj was born in the same hospital on almost the same day as Miranda, a counselor who is working with the 14-15 year olds.

Julia, Miriam, Maor, Eve, Alex, Adam and Benj

Tzevet (staff) Say-Tzo is pretty cool, too. They work with the 12 and 13 year olds. Adam BW loves actual chocolate, but not chocolate ice cream. Gabi has been vegetarian her whole life. Rachel still has a baby tooth. Benny was on Disney Channel when he was a kid! Dani is from California, where she worked at Habonim Dror Macheneh (camp) Gilboa, Habonim Dror. Mira lived in Switzerland for a year!

Adam, Gabi, Rachel, Benny, Dani and Mira

The BoBo (combined Bonim and Bogrim) madrichim (counselors) are amazing, and they get to be with the 14 and 15 year olds. Adam B can put both his feet behind his head, and Miranda can play the nose flute. Jenna sings like and angel. Yaneev has a birthmark in the shape of a Hebrew letter. Samson is in yeshiva and is learning to be a rabbi. Maya writes for a Jewish feminist archive online and Tal is obsessed with her cat.

Adam, Miranda, Jenna, Yaneev, Samson, Maya and Tal

Mitbach (kitchen staff) spends most of their time making our food, but outside of camp, they have
varied interest and fun facts. Zandra is Beyonce’s 3 rd cousin, once removed. Rachel B has 4 siblings and camp and Eliza has lived on three continents. Jenna can make her tongue into a backwards “S” and Guy can crack his elbows. Ilana is going to culinary school in Tokyo, where she lives. Sarah wore only tie-die for an entire year and Dan is a citizen of the US, Israel, and Great Britain!

Zandra, Eliza, Jenna, Guy, Ilana, and Dan

Meet the mazkirut (leaders) of machaneh (camp): Arik is from Israel; Segev can play the bongos; Naomi enjoys napping in nature; Sarah’s spirit animal is the owl, and Arielle was 6 weeks away from being born a Canadian.

Ariel, Sarah, Naomi, Segev and Arielle

These amazing people are Briana and Blake, who are the Beit Omanut (art) specialists. Briana can lick her elbow and Blake’s left foot is 3 sizes larger than his right foot.

Blake

This is Hannah, who runs the Gan, or garden. Her fun fact is that she only drinks lukewarm water.

Hannah

Meet Tom! He’s the kambatz, which means he’s in charge of the schedule and the logistics of camp. Tom still has no muscles in his fingers.

Tom

Taylor works as melavah, or the camper care coordinator. She really enjoys learning languages.

Taylor

These cool people are Arik and Erica. Arik can play 13 instruments and Erica can eat more spaghetti than anyone you know.

Afik and Erica

Allie is our amazing lifeguard, and our groundskeeper, Jeff, actually told her parents on Visitor’s Day that she is “The best employee this camp has ever seen.” Allie is also a Brazilian citizen!

Allie 

Ella (not pictured) is our driver, and she enjoys meeting people in retail situations. She is a great gal who writes amazing original raps about thresher sharks!