Judaism at Camp: Part 2

This is a continuation from last week:


The Good

Shabbat- A few weeks ago, I asked on my blog poll what are the three great hours of camp. Rather than choosing something that only happens once every summer, 55% of you chose the only item on the list that happens 7 times. Shabbat at Yavneh is extremely unique and memorable. The energy and spirit that are channeled into the day go unmatched, from the moment that kids start getting into Friday Night ruach, all the way through Kabbalat Shabbat, Birkat, Musaf and finally Havdallah. As much as I hate using the word magic when  referring to camp[1] I feel that there really is something magical about the day. Including staff week, but excluding the Shabbatons at camp, I have spent 81 Shabbatot at camp, all having more or less the same feel and structure. The lack of change from one Shabbat to the next actually enhances the experience and creates a feeling of continuity from one Shabbat to the next.  No matter how much things chance inside or outside of camp, Shabbat is a constant and a comfort that we can depend on, week after week.

Hebrew- Even though I know some people might put this in the “Things to Improve” category, I think we really do a good job. We have integrated many Hebrew words into everyday conversation and there is always an emphasis on learning more. That the daily schedule is in Hebrew, the announcements are often in Hebrew, and the D’var Torah in the Orthodox minyan is in Hebrew are all signs that we don’t give ourselves enough credit. Often, the problem is that there are a few people in each aydah who constantly remind us that they don’t know Hebrew, and they resent the fact that they don’t understand much of what is being said. To half of them I would say a little bit of effort goe a long way: most of the Hebrew we use is so repetitive and simple that catching on is far easier than you think. To the other half, I would tell them they should make a good friend who knows Hebrew and can translate for them. I would love to hear more Hebrew used throughout the day. All upperstaff announcements should be in Hebrew, the D’var torah by Kerem during Shabbat Musaf should be in Hebrew, and even though it’s hard, counselors should also try to speak as much Hebrew as they can. Roshei Aydah nominations each week for counselors speaking in Hebrew worked surprisingly well this past summer. Maybe we can pass this system down to the ‘chanichim’ as well. LOL.

Community- One of the strongest features of Camp Yavneh, and part of the reason why this blog is possible, is its community. There is such a cohesive bond between all members of Yavneh that exists solely from a collective memory and a common experience. Even when I question my belief in God, or ask myself why I uphold the Jewish observances that I do, I always know that the reason why I love Judaism so much is because of the community that it cultivates. I know where ever I go in the world, there will always be another Jew that I will have an instant connection to just because I am Jewish. Yavneh, to me, is the epitome of this. The sense of a Jewish community is emphasized over and over again and has really affected me and my commitment to Judaism.

The Not as Good

Holidays- To me, one of the most irritating facts about camp’s overall schedule is the fact that there is only one Jewish holiday that occurs during the summer months, and it happens to be one of the most depressing and sad ones  of all. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is important to learn and be knowledgeable about Tisha B’av. But in the grand scheme of things, there are many more important Jewish holidays during the year, that from an educational perspective, we completely miss out on. I have always imagined how we would celebrate Sukkot by building our own sukkah, or what we would do for the Hakafot for Simcat Torah, or how we would orchestrate a camp-wide Passover seder. There are so many fun and exciting Jewish traditions that we dismiss because they don’t fall during the summer. I don’t know a way to remedy this, but it’s a shame that we miss out on such good learning and experiential opportunities.  Just to note, camps in the South always start a few weeks earlier than those in the North. On years when the Jewish calendar is really late, (like when Tisha B’av falls during Maccabiah), Shavout actually falls during the summer. Someone from Ramah Darom in Georgia was telling about a summer a few years ago when camp started on a Tuesday, and that Thursday/Friday was Shavout. This meant that they had three Shabbat-like days in a row starting on the third day of camp. While in theory, camp couldn’t ask for a better start than that, the Gurim-age kids were completely in the dark aboutwhat was going on.

Translation of Observance- There is a very strong emphasis on observance at camp, especially pertaining to Shabbat activities. Even Shabbat is a very positive Jewish experience, there is usually very little translation of activities and observance from the camp environment to the rest of the year. Once campers and counselors are old enough to make decisions about their own level of observance, most choose not to be, and those that are, are usually affected by another factor. This fact might be indicative of the generation today and the view toward identity versus religious observance. However, I think in camp there should be more structured conversations about how to bring the Yavneh culture back home.

Charity- It has always annoyed me that there is a minimal effort at camp for actual Tikun Olam opportunities. Every summer, each aydah is required to do a Tikum Olam project. Some are more substantial like a book drive, going from bunk to bunk and raising Tzedakah, and piñata making out of papier-mâché. Others are not as Tikun Olam-oriented, things like painting a fence, Maalot-Gurim buddies, or creating the Mechitza each year. Even though every summer there are one or two that are half decent, almost all of them are contrived and require an art project that a Kfirim kid will forget about within 5 minutes. I know in 2009 the roshei arayot, Aaron Lyon and Ayelet Schieber, tried as hard as they could to find a place to bring their kids to engage in a meaningful Tikun Olam activity. Besides the financial constraint of providing a bus, they had a very difficult time finding a place close enough to camp that would take an aydah of 13year-olds.  We are instructed in the roshes room to only think about in-camp projects, but ultimatelyI’m not sure thatcreating a pretty piece of artwork constitutes repairing the world. The only real significant event that Yavneh allows is when Kerem has the opportunity to participate in a breast cancer walk at York Beach. Usually kids are asked to raise money before camp, but this past summer I had each camper participate in a phone-a-thon during the camp session. They were instructed to call 3 people (usually family members) and ask for sponsorships.  Each kid took an active role in raising money, and as usual, had a great time on the walk, but more importantly they were able to take ownership of the project and felt they made a difference. We ended up raising more than $4,000, well outpacing Kerems of the past. We need more events like this. I propose organizing a camp wide walk-a-thon around a section of Northwood where we would invite Northwood residences to raise money for a Jewish cause and local cause. Kids should be given the opportunity to call home and raise money, as well as contribute a dollar or two of their own. If done correctly, this event could be a wild success, it just needs a bit of planning , energy and vision.

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[1] I have a whole theory about the feeling of magic at camp. If you want to know what it is, check back in a few weeks for an upcoming blog entry.