Tisha Be'av

This morning there was a different atmosphere than usual at camp (machaneh). While usually machaneh is full of happiness and excitement, we like to take a day to reflect on serious issues in the Jewish and global community. Tisha Be'av, the Jewish fast holiday is the perfect time for us to discuss these problems and spiritually reflect on our lives. Every year, we have special programming to provide a serious and meaningful day for the campers (chanichim). We began our Tisha Be'av with a ceremony during the evening activity last night, where every age group (kvutza) presented songs, speeches, and poems that were in keeping with the somber tone of the night in front of the rest of the camp. Afterwards, the older chanichim watched a powerfulplay called "The Conscience Play," about the role of conscience in the Holocaust and the bystander effect. It was an impactful experience and it set the mood for the day that was to come.

Today ran on a different schedule than usual. In the morning, we sang different songs during flag-raising, and those who chose to fast went to reflect on while the rest ate normal breakfast. Before noon, everyone rotated between a spiritual activity (peula) at the pool (like a mikva), a peula about Jewish history and exile, and an exhibit about Yitzhak Rabin, the prime minister of Israel who was assassinated in 1995. In the afternoon, the younger chanichim watched "Chicken Run" and the older chanichim watched "Patch Adams," and reflected on the relevance of the movies to today. The day ended with an empowering machaneh-wide program on Jewish heroes.

Check back tomorrow for another exciting day as we transition back to our normal schedule.

Yom Tzophim and FJC Visit

This morning everyone woke up happy and excited, as the last week of first session started. Today was the Tzophim's (post-7th graders) special day; after a sleep-in, their counselors (madrichim) ran special programming for them the rest of the day. In the morning, they went hiking and had an activity team-building (peula). After a specially made pasta lunch, they built forts out of mattresses and went on the slip-and-slide. The Tzophim then had a dance party to finish off the day. The rest of camp (machaneh) ran on a normal schedule. During chugim (special interests time), chug ivrit (Hebrew) and "Defying Gravity" went down to wade in the creek and skip rocks. Tonight we will be preparing for Tisha Be'av tomorrow, a solemn fast day.

We had a special visit from the Foundation for Jewish Camping today! Our educational director (chinuch) and 5 counselors attended the FJC's conference, Cornerstone, prior to the summer. They underwent leadership training and were given a space with resources to plan and implement Jewish programming. Our Cornerstone adviser came to see how Camp Galil operated and touch base about this summer. It was exciting to show off Galil and overall, the FJC seemed very impressed with the Galil programming and overall atmosphere.

Visiting Day

Camp Committee Chair, Joe Ross, getting ready to donate blood

Today, after a relaxing Shabbat, everyone awoke excitedly for visiting day! Following our Sunday bagels and cream cheese breakfast, we got to work cleaning and making Galil beautiful. Before the morning work time (avoda) was over, we said goodbye to the campers (chanichim) who stayed three weeks. After cleaning, we were ready to receive all of our beloved visitors! Everyone greeted their guests and ate a lavish picnic lunch, or visited other families. It was a great time to catch up on what happened during the summer both at camp (machaneh) and at home.

After the picnic, visitors had a chance to come to the moadon and visit a fair displaying the skills chanichim learned and improved during their time in special skill groups (kishronot). During the day, we had another visit from the Red Cross blood donation-mobile, where visitors and other eligible volunteers donated blood; we had over 30 volunteers who donated enough blood to save over 60 people!

After the picnic and kishronot presentation, everyone was invited to the pool for free swim (schiya chofshit). At four, the chanichim said their goodbyes to the visitors and three-weekers, and relaxed and went to special interest groups (chugim) before dinner. Though most were still full from lunch, dinner was a tasty meal of pizza and other assorted leftovers. Tonight, we will play a huge machaneh-wide game of capture the flag and relax from today's excitement.

Keep checking back with the blog for the coming exciting weeks!

Shabbat Preparation

Shabbat is definitely a favorite time for most of us here at camp. We get to eat home-made matzoh ball soup, we get to sleep in until 10:30, and a new schedule makes the whole experience feel special and different. It would not be a Galil Shabbat without some heavy avodah (work) and other cleaning. At the beginning of the summer, everyone split into work groups so that we all can take responsibility over an aspect of machaneh (camp), keeping it clean and it keeping it ours. Some sweep public spaces, clean the pool, work in the garden, and the some of the older campers get to prepare the Saturday night bonfire. After avodah, everyone goes back to their tzfirim (cabins) and has to clean their personal areas. We make our beds, fold our laundry, sweep inside and out, so that the entire tzrif stays cleans for Shabbat. On Friday, the cleanest bunk wins the coveted "Golden Broom" (both a title as well as physical broom, spray-painted gold). This week the Bogrot (post-9th grade girls) won the broom, along with the bragging rights that come with it.

The Tzophim being silly on Shabbat

Most important part of Shabbat: relaxing!

After we have a special Shabbat Shira (time to learn camp songs) in costumes and full of energy, we stop over to get lice checked and then have plenty of pizza: the first sign that Shabbat has arrived at Galil. All afternoon we play soccer (counselors vs. campers), go swimming (more popular on days a bit sunnier than today) and have time to get ourselves ready for shabbat. After everyone has showered and put on their nicest camp clothes, we split into our camp families. We discuss our week and then watch the Kabbalat (Friday night performance), this week by the Sayarim (post-6th graders). They sang Im Telech by Idan Raichel and danced to the rikud (Israeli folk dance) Shalom Al Yisrael. For a special treat, their counselor arranged a mash-up of the songs "We are Family" and "R-E-S-P-E-C-T". After our home-cooked Shabbat dinner we enjoyed the oneg (Friday night performance) by the Bonim (post-8th graders), poking fun at various aspects of camp culture. We ended the night with some Israeli dancing and tasty watermelon. We looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday!

Revo!

Today was anything but a normal day at Galil as the Madatz (counselors-in-training) ran Galil for an entire day, from activities to meals! This special day, Revo (abbreviation for Revolution), happens once a session and is when we, the Madatz, plan an entire day's worth of special activities and events for the chanichim (campers). I'm Ross Weisman and being a part of the Madatz program, I'm here to update you on all of today's fun and exciting happenings! The reason we do Revo at Galil is because it allows me and the rest of the Madatz to truly learn all aspects of being in charge of machaneh (camp), really putting into practice all of the training we have had thus far.  To ensure safety and all campers (and our) well-beings, the madrichim (counselors) were just a walkie-talkie away in the camp offices to guide us.

Cotton Candy makes any day special

This session's Revo theme involved the chanichim experiencing various parties including a carnival and a birthday party featuring a pinata. We even had a cocktail party featuring delicious appetizers before a fancy dinner (at "Donald Trump's house"!) Lastly, no day at machaneh would be complete without some bricha (pool) time! One thing I learned from Revo are responsibilities that madrichim have every day. The Madatz plan peulot (educational activities) once a week and put kids to bed twice a week. By having us run a full day, it made us appreciate everything that the madrichim do and it gave us a more realistic taste of what it takes to be a madrich. I think that when we run our activities for the campers we work with tomorrow, it will be with a new and more appreciative light.

Youth Leadership

Amelot acting in the morning Hebrew skit (ivrit shimushit)

Today was a normal day and everyone woke up rejuvenated and ready for another day. This morning, the youngest campers (chanichim) from the Hebrew special interest group (chug ivrit) ran the morning skit to introduce the Hebrew word of the day, which was victory, or nitsachon (נצחון). Keeping with the sports theme from Maccabia, during the morning age-group activity, the Amelim (post-3rd and 4th graders) learned about compost and ate green beans they picked from the garden (gan). The Tzophim (post-7th graders) planned and ran their own activities for each other today. During the garden skill group (gan kisharon), chanichim made mulberry jam from mulberries from around camp (machaneh).

Bogrim (post-9th graders) in the pool after a leadership activity

At Galil, one of the main ideas about we educate is youth leadership. Chanichim as young as Amelim learn the importance of leading others and valuing one another's opinions. As they get older, chanichim explore the positive effects they can play on their peers as well as younger chanichim. We exemplify this by allowing  our eldest campers and junior counselors chances to plan and lead evening activities, half-days, and full-days by themselves to strengthen their leading ability and give them a chance to be the next Jewish leaders.

Amelim in the gan learning about compost

Music skill group (kisharon) playing "Wagon Wheel"

Yom Maccabia!

Today everyone woke up energized and ready to compete in Maccabia (our version of color wars). Before the rest of the campers (chanichim) from the other machanot arrived, the Bogrim (post-9th graders) and Madatzim (junior counselors) from Moshava helped during morning work time (avoda). Right afterwards, we welcomed the remainder of Moshava and Na'aleh. We started off with some ice breakers and then headed to a huge outdoor chicken nugget and sandwich lunch. Once everyone was introduced, we crowded around for the torch lighting ceremony, followed by the main event!

There were a variety of sports to play at Maccabia this year, including basketball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, and Ultimate Throwing Championship (group catch). Each color team also had the chance to paint signs and paint a mural commemorating today's event. After an exhausting day of sports, many, many new friends were made, and everyone had fun. As the day drew to a close we said goodbye to our friends from Moshava and Na'aleh and relaxed with a movie night and a falafel dinner.

Tomorrow we will be continuing with normal day programming. Check back with the blog and don't forget to like us on Facebook and Google+ page!