Sprinklers, Water Hoses, Water Misters and more!

After a very hot Shabbat everyone is excited to be back to a normal schedule. Sadly, we said goodbye to our two weekers today but we can't wait to see them at ken events and again next summer! The ken (literally "nest") is our year round program and we typically have one or two events a month (more information to come later in the summer). 

Today the Tzofim (post 7th grade campers) left for their hiking trip (tiyul) and will return tomorrow afternoon. We can't wait to hear all about their adventures! 

We've had a bit of a heat wave here at Galil but we've been having a lot of fun in the water to keep cool! Yesterday we had water misters on the volleyball courts, sprinklers in the fields (kikar), and hoses set up all around camp (machaneh)! Many of the activities during Shabbat this weekend included water games and anything involving the new water toys! And of course there was free swim in the afternoon. But... before any campers (chanichim) can participate in an activity they MUST have a water bottle. Hydration is the most important part of the day. 

Today during workshops (sadnaot) the Bonim learned camping and survival skills! They split up into groups of 6 and each were taught how to make a camp fire. 

The nature (teva) specialists showed the Bonim (post 8th grade campers) what materials they would need for the fire and where to find the materials as well as how to actually build the fire. After they created their fire each group roasted apples and brown sugar! The skills they learned today will come in handy when they leave for their tiyul trip later in the summer! 

Tonight for the evening activity (tochnit erev) we will be having a game show about Zionism. We will be learning about different Zionist thinkers and about Israel while completing fun challenges in teams! 


We miss you two weekers! 

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! 

Kupa Trip!

Today was Kupa trip! Kupa trip happens once a session and is a day trip outside of Galil with the entire machaneh. Kupa trip is always a secret from the chanichim because it is more fun as a surprise! This morning the chanichim woke up to what they thought was going to be Revo (another special day run by the CITs (madatz)). After breakfast the chanichim were instructed to go back to their cabins (tzrifim) and put on a bathing suit, grab a towel and head down to the parking lot for a water activity. When the chanichim got to the parking lot, there wasn’t a water activity...but there were busses! All of the chanichim boarded the busses and we were off to Sahara Sam’s, an indoor water park! 

When the chanichim were on the bus they still did not know where we were going because we like to keep everything a surprise! Of course, the bus ride was filled with singing and cheering because everyone was so excited! Once we got to Sahara Sam’s all of the chanichim got off the bus very eagerly and headed inside. 

The day was filled with water slides, water playgrounds, water obstacles, a simulation surfing game and a lazy river! There was something for everyone and the chanichim and madrichim had a great time! 

Today was so much fun, and to top it off, tonight is movie night to let everyone relax a bit after such busy day! 

It’s almost Shabbat and another week has passed already! Check back tomorrow! 

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Today we had a fantastic time in our organic garden (gan) harvesting vegetables and taking care of the sheep.  In our gardening work group (anaf gan), we harvest lettuce almost every day and have regular harvests of basil, mint, and oregano. The vegetables are all starting to develop, with the tomatoes almost ready to be picked! These vegetables are all brought to the kitchen (mitbach) to be put in our salad bar and other dishes. Last night we had lettuce from the gan and garlic bread with fresh basil to complement our spaghetti dinner. So far, we have harvested 70 ounces of lettuce, and it’s only the second week!

The gan is a Galil favorite, but the sheep are even more popular. The campers (chanichim) enjoy learning about our two lambs, Barbara and Tsivya, who were born in May. The campers in anaf gan take the sheep for walks. Campers stop by the gan during free time and sadnaot (workshops) to learn about environmental issues and play with the sheep. Yesterday the Bonim (post 8th grade campers) learned about sustainability within large companies and today we had a water fight to learn about drip irrigation with the Tzofim (post 7th grade campers)! The past two weeks have been blooming with activity in the gan! 

Later in the summer we are looking forward to harvesting tons of tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumber, peppers, and beans. Be sure to look for pictures as the vegetables get ready to be picked! 

Afternoon Electives: Music, Art, Improv, Adventures, and More!

The Amelim and Chotrim have left for tiyul! We can’t wait for them to come back with pictures and stories to share! Galil is just not the same without them here!

Everyday in the afternoon we have a special time called chugim (interest groups/electives). The campers (chanichim) choose their chug at the beginning of the summer. On the first night of camp, counselors (madrichim) and counselors-in-training (Madatzim) put on short skits about the chug that they are running to attract as much interest in it as possible. Usually these skits are a crowd pleaser and absolutely hilarious!

The chug that the chanichim choose is the one that they will go to for the entire session. There are usually about 15-20 chanichim in each chug and there is a mixture of chanichim from the youngest age group to the oldest. This gives chanichim of all ages a chance to interact with each other as well as develop a bond over a common interest.

Today the music chug split into different groups and formed mini-bands! At this chug the chanichim practice musical instruments, write songs, form bands, and even learn an instrument! We hope that by the end of the summer one of the bands will play the machaneh a song they wrote!

The Stick With It chug also allows the chanichim to practice something and “stick with it.” At this chug each camper chose an activity or skill that they wanted to stick with the entire summer. Every day when the chug meets the chanichim practice that activity they chose on the first day. Some of the activities include: juggling, reading, and knitting.

Other chugim this summer include:

• Public Art: creating public art around camp such as moss graffiti, chalking the basketball court, and painting murals
• Sports: every day the group plays a different sport.
• You Can Do It: activities to build confidence in our teenage and pre-teen campers
• Creative Writing: helping campers develop their writing voice and style
• Improv Everywhere: creative improvisational games for campers with a flair for dramatic arts.
• Object Manipulation: learning to juggle, do Poi and other fun activities.
• Extreme Makeover Clothing Edition: making new clothes and updating campers' wardrobes with the help of our arts & crafts specialists.
• Soapstone: Bart teaches campers to create sculptures out of soapstone which they can take home at the end of the summer
• Camp Galil Explores the White House: every day the campers "visit" a new room at the White House and participate in the activities that take place there

Your chanichim can’t wait to show you everything they’ve learned this summer!

More Galil fun!

We are finally back to a normal day schedule! These past couple of days have been so much fun but it’s always nice to return to the schedule we know best. Every normal day we have a special time for the specialists (mumchim) to prepare a project, activity (peula), or a crazy game for the chanichim. This time of the day is called Sadnaot (workshops). The mumchim are able to interact and plan fun activities with the chanichim in an area of their expertise. Each day, the age groups (shkavot) will go to a different sad’na and are on a rotation so they don’t have the same activity two days in a row. 

Today, the Amelim went to the Israeli dancing (rikud) sad’na. At this sad’na the chanichim are taught various Israeli dances that we do on Friday nights. Our rikud specialists pick out new dances every day to teach the chanichim. This sad’na is very helpful for our newest chanichim who have never been exposed to rikud because now they are able to participate in Friday night rikud with the entire machaneh. 

The sayarim went to the newest addition to the sadnaot rotation, the Drama sad’na. At this sad’na the chanichim play improv games as well as learn different acting techniques. This sad’na is challenging for some but always ends in laughter because its rare that the chanichim  keep a straight face through the entire game. 

Other sadnaot that the chanichim go to are the garden (gan), nature (teva), arts and crafts (beit omanut), and spa-bo (spa and Habonim history). The chanichim really enjoy spending time with the mumchim and participating in a new sad'na everyday! 

Check back tomorrow! 

We Love Israel!

Today is Israel Day (Yom Yisrael)! Yom Yisrael is one of the specials days we have at camp (chanichim) each summer. It is a day devoted to educating the campers about Israeli history, culture, and of course food! Many of the fun and crazy activities that are planned also have an educational component to it. Every summer the theme and story plot behind the day is different. 

Today, when the chanichim woke up it was 1946 at Machaneh Galil. All of the chanichim gathered in Hyde Park and were all told that we were going to move to Israel but we needed to train for the journey. The rest of the morning was dedicated to training and building the necessary skills in order to make it to Israel safely.

All of the chanichim were split up into groups and participated in a round robin. Each station the chanichim were taught a new survival skill they would need throughout their journey. Of course one of the stations was a hydration station, because hydration is the most important thing during this hot weather! One of the favorite skills was learning Krav Maga. Here the chanichim learned self defense and were able to safely practice their new skills with their friends. 

Right before lunch all of the chanichim went to the barn (refet) to see one last skit before we all finally made it to Israel! 

Lunch had an Israeli twist: falafel, pita, hummus and Ssraeli salad. Machaneh also was decorated with lot of Israeli flags, posters and stickers. 

This afternoon the entire machaneh had a pool party! All of the chanichim were really excited about that because of the heat! The pool party was filled with pool toys, music, and of course lots of sunscreen and water!  

Later tonight we will be learning about the Hanoar Haoved youth movement in Israel.  Hanoar Haoved is the sister movement to Habonim Dror, the movement to which Galil blongs. This will take place in a carnival and each station will have a fun activity such as bowling, hair wraps, chocolate ball making and more as well as an educational component about Hanoar Haoved. 

Today has been so much fun and we love Israel!