Dear CW Families and Friends,
We have had such a full and busy week! On Sunday, as we welcomed campers from the Columbus and Akron JCC Day Camps we also sent our 8th grade Noar campers out on the first trip of the session. The campers had a great afternoon and evening touring the Kent State campus and learning with staff at Kent State Hillel. The next day the campers spent the day doing outdoor adventure activities like High Ropes at the KSU Rec Center and kayaking on Mogadore Lake.
On Monday, Solel left for their 3-day trip. Their itinerary was packed full of exciting activities like a day at King’s Island amusement park, exploring and touring at Mammoth Cave and canoeing in Hocking Hills. On Wednesday the rest of camp got to escape for the day as well. Our Chalutzim campers enjoyed a day in the sun at Pioneer Waterland, Ohalim spent the day indoors at Splash Lagoon, and Noar had a day of thrills at Cedar Point. While we enjoyed some quieter moments in the chadar (dining hall) while groups were away, it was a pleasure to have everyone back in camp on Thursday!
Additionally, campers have been raving about our new podcasting program. With the addition of brand new Apple computers, campers have been able to record their own podcasts with their friends in cabin activities and chugim (elective activities). Listen to our podcasts at Podcast Central: http://www.campwise.org/podcast-central/.
This week Ohalim is leading camp in Shabbat. In their Shabbat prep (planning sessions) with Rabbi Shana and Judaic specialist Sam, the campers learned about this week’s parsha (Torah portion).Here in Masei, God gives Moses detailed boundaries that lay out exactly where the Israelites will live when they actually arrive in the Land. Each of the 12 tribes are assigned hefty chunks of land. One tribe however is left out of the plans, and that’s the Levites. The Torah insists that, as teachers, the Levites be treated as serious VIPs. And this is when the real city planning kicks in. Each of the 48 Levite cities are models of great design, spirituality, and urban harmony. In other words, it was a utopian community or a model society for the respected tribe of Levites. Even when you don’t pay rent in physical money, you still have to hold up your end of the bargain. If the rest of the tribes are to look up to the Levites, then the Levites have to continue to be worthy of being looked up to. Our campers connected this to the Camp Wise Core Value, Kehilla (community. They learned that if we want to create a kehilla kedosha, a holy community, we all have to live up to our responsibility and do our part. This is what we do every day at camp; from Nikayon (cabin clean up) to team building on the ropes course, and special village campfires.
Shabbat Shalom
Rachel
CABIN PHOTOS
CHALUTZIM
C1 – This week C1 went to the Chalutzim goes to the mall themed carnival on Monday night and played lots of fun games. Their favorite cabin activity was basketball, where they worked on some skills and played a pick-up game!
C2 – C2 had a blast on the water slides and lazy river at pioneer water land this week! On Tuesday night, they had an awesome paint party with the village.
C6 – C6 had a fun filled week full of lots of fun activities! They got to ride our horses in horseback riding, sing in our fun song sessions, and create a cabin plaque that will be hung up after this summer in their very own cabin! That cannot wait to see what else camp has to offer for the next couple weeks.
C7 – C7 had so much fun at all of our incredible programs this week! They participated in Chalutzim’s one and only b’nai mitzvah party and had a military paint party that got them all messy with colorful paint! They were so crazy and had such an incredible time.
C8 – C8 got to show off their incredible archery skills at their cabin activity! They were incredible at hitting the center of the target! C8 also had the opportunity to have a fun filled day at pioneer water land with the rest of Chalutzim! They LOVED the slides and the lazy river.
COLUMBUS/AKRON DAY CAMP – This week the Columbus and Akron Day Camp group have had and amazing time! We had 12 campers join us last weekend and decide to stay at camp for the week. While they were here they jet skied, rode horses, went to the ropes course, tie dyed and even got to go on the day trip to Pioneer Waterland. They finished their stay with a surprise evening pool party and bonfire where they made s’mores! We have loved having them here and hope to see all of them back at camp next summer!
OHALIM
O1 – O1 had a ton of fun bonding and doing so many fun things around camp! The boys enjoyed tie dyeing their awesome CW t-shirts, participated in the “leap of faith” on our ropes course, and loved prancing O6 while the girls were gone on their overnight!
O2 – The spirited cabin of O2 had a great week! They are always the first out in the village and have quickly become pros at Gaga, Roofball, and tetherball! They like to end their nights as a cabin playing cards, singing songs, and telling funny stories.
O3 – O3 is crazy and silly, and is one of the loudest cabins in the dining hall every day! They loved going horseback riding, and their counselors surprised them with cheese fries one night!
O4 – It has been a great week for O4! They worked together to make a new cabin sign, after their original sign was washed out in the rain, and loved speeding around the Camp Wise lake on a jet ski! O4 is also the first to stand up on their benches and lead Ohalim in a cheer at meals!
O5 – O5 has done a ton of low ropes team building activities this week and has really come together as one unified cabin. The boys enjoyed their outdoor cooking activities, and they also are very excited about their new cabin mascot, Edward, who is a beetle!
O6 – The cabin of O6 is a ball of energy and ruach (spirit)! They give 100% to every activity they do. Whether it is sports on the Ohalim Rec Field, playing tetherball in the village, a nighttime meditation session, or cheers in the Chadar, these girls always bring an added fun-factor to everything they do!
O7 – O7 did so many fun things at camp this week! From jet skiing to tie dyeing, the girls are really getting into the swing of camp. The cabin had a “sweet and salty party” for the campers where they reflected on their time at camp thus far and talked about the coming weeks while eating salty French fries and sweet cupcakes!
O8 – “Boxed water is better!” is a cheer that you constantly hear when walking through the village! O8 celebrated Mariya’s birthday in a big way by enjoying funfetti cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries! They also conquered their fears and cheered each other on when they did the Leap of Faith and Vertical Playground as a cabin!
O9 – O9 made some delicious food in outdoor cooking, sang some beautiful songs in their song session, and made some crazy awesome tie dye shirts this past week! The cabin is really enjoying each other’s company and they love saying goodnight to the camp wise horses each and every night!
O10 –The Smart Water cabin has a tight-knit bond and love experiencing camp as an O10 family! They have shared lots of special moments together. From an Unbirthday Party to celebrate no one’s birthday, to watching sunsets on the Ohalim Hill while eating cupcakes, cheering each other on at the Giant Swing during Chofesh, or the campers planning a surprise appreciation party for their counselors, O10 makes every moment one to remember!
OT – From archery to arts and crafts, OT has had so much fun this week! The girls had a blast at Splash Lagoon, and they were so excited when their counselors planned a chipwhich surprise night for them this past week!
NOAR
N1 – N1 got to explore nature in their teva cabin activity and even got to sing their hearts out at song session together! They especially enjoyed getting close with N2 on the 8th grade Kent State overnight in their deep talks together.
N2 – N2 had such a great time at Kent State with N1 and all of 8th grade! They absolutely loved rock climbing and hanging out at the lake at Kent. They even got to show their talent at soccer together.
N3 – The boys of N3 had special late night basketball before bedtime just with each other! They even got to serve lunch to the SITs to show their appreciation of them and had the best time!
N4 – N4 keeps showing their support of each other, especially during their high ropes cabin activity. They’re having so much fun together cheering in the dining hall and continue to make themselves known by all of camp for their spirit and enthusiasm!
N5 – N5 got to ride the horses around camp this week. They got to share a late night fruit platter and even had story time! They can’t get over how much fun they had on the 8th grade overnight and are continuing to bond with everyone!
N6 – In N6 they got to exchange gifts with their cabin Shabbat buddies and were all so excited about their presents for each other! They celebrated a birthday in their cabin with a surprise giant swing activity. All eyes in camp were on them when they wore crazy hats to lunch; they are so excited for more fun together.
N7 – N7 had a special campfire together and have been getter closer every day! They especially loved when they got to set up for dinner and so much fun having the dining hall all to themselves. They even had a pool party; it’s been such a busy week.
N8 – N8 got to perform their cabin theme at lunch and loves how well known they are around camp. They had a time with all 9th grade jet skiing at the lake too! What a great week these girls have had!
SOLEL – Week two for the Solel village was one of high energy! After a relaxing Shabbat at camp, we rode off into the southern sunset for an action-packed three-day trip to Cincinnati and Kentucky! Between high-octane thrills at King’s Island and the Kentucky Action Park, as well as hours of exploring at Mammoth Cave, Solel has already had some crazy adventures. We are exhausted from an amazing trip, but excited to spend some time at camp as our unique Solel Special activities begin this week! Thursday night we explored music through the ages at our music festival evening program, and we cannot wait to see what surprises lie ahead in the next week of camp!
SIT – In Camp
Following another meaningful Shabbat, the SITs have jumped right back into the swing of things. Most importantly, they have gotten a chance to continue working within their assigned locations, whether that is a specialty area such as soccer or tennis, or within a cabin. The continuity of doing the same job each week is something that is unique to second session for our SITs, as they remain in the same role the entire 3 weeks. This allows them to continue to work on and build specific skills that they have personal interest in and passion for. Additionally, the group has continued to learn valuable skills during SIT hour. Not only are they getting a chance to learn during these sessions, but SITs are working together to plan and lead them as well. This week, Shane Friedman, Yuval Safari and Sam Richards worked with me (Ben Stallsmith, SIT supervisor), to develop and lead a workshop that mirrors similar training to what staff members experience during staff week, helping to better build skills involved in camper care. Last session, SITs spent day trip on their own, but this week, they got a chance to join their villages for day trip day, joining groups of staff and campers at Pioneer Waterland (Chalutzim) and Splash Lagoon (Ohalim)! Finally, the group began the second session SIT building project, designed to help not only leave a legacy and mark on camp to be enjoyed and admired for years to come, but also to produce something that helps camp in functional and meaningful ways. This session, we will be building 4 picnic tables! With the help of our tremendous maintenance team, especially Zach Rheaume and Nate Ramos, we have already successfully completed two picnic tables which will be put into use immediately!
SIT – Israel
Our Israel SITs have been busy and on the move! This past week they went snorkeling and tubing in the Red Sea, visited the Arava R&D Center for Agricultural Training, rode camels in the Negev, slept in Bedouin tents and explored their unique culture and food and learned how they are using natural resources to survive! There is no rest for the weary- the next day they were off to climb Masada, float in the Dead Sea and visit Ein Gedi, the largest oasis in the Judean Desert. Finally after a week, they left the Negev and arrived in Jerusalem! They are so excited to celebrate Shabbat this weekend in Jerusalem!!
