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Finding My Place at Camp
When I started the summer, I wasn’t really sure why I volunteered to be faculty this summer. I am a Jew by Choice and a Jew of Color and while my home congregation, Temple Emanue El in Dallas, is a wonderful place, I have had trouble feeling like a part of the community. These past several months I have felt a sort of rift between me and the religion I love. I don’t always get a chance to celebrate Shabbat or the holidays because I don’t always have a place to go.
Shabbat ShaPOOL: Thinking Creatively in the Heat
Second Session is off to a great start at GFC this summer – we have had an incredible first week! Our campers bring so much energy, fun and spirit to the entire community. This week, in addition to the many activities the campers choose each day, we celebrated Earth Night and learned about our farm at camp, planted seeds, and heard from master gardeners in our area. Campers have been riding horses, jumping in the pool and lake, and are continuing to build the lifelong friendships they create at camp.
The Rhythm of Camp
I awakened to the high-pitched beeping of my cobalt blue Ironman watch. It was hidden in an unknown part of the room that was of course not my night stand. In a mild attempt to not wake up my family, I quickly disarmed the alarm, delayed only by my still-sleeping foot’s reluctance to hold my weight. I got ready by the light sneaking in between the black-out curtains.
From Camper to Faculty to Camp Parent
The year is 1987. It’s my first full summer as a camper at the URJ Greene Family Camp. As the kid of a faculty member, I am already familiar with a few camp traditions. We have just finished dinner and are excitedly clearing our tables.
Camp is for Parents, Too
GFC Session One, 2018 has officially come to a close. With Caleb and Chloe unpacked, laundry started, and the kids tucked into their own beds for the first time in several nights, it’s time to reflect. Why do we send our kids to camp? How do we explain this investment to friends outside the Jewish community or those who don’t send their kids to any summer camp?
Am Yisrael Chai – Connecting Israel to Camp
On a recent congregational trip to Israel, I heard from Rabbi Gilad Kariv. Rabbi Kariv is the President and CEO of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ). Rabbi Kariv spoke very openly on the important relationships between the Israeli and American Reform congregations. Not unfamiliar to many of us, he emphasized the importance of relational Judaism.
Finding Our Strength in Avodah
Throughout this past year, I remember impatiently waiting for the opportunity to return to camp. After not seeing many of my camp friends for the last two years, I was beyond excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the Avodah unit at GFC and strengthen my identity as a Jewish teen.
How We Create Magic at Camp
Many of us grew up as campers here… looking up to our counselors, watching them in wonder and awe, and dreaming of the day that we could grow up to be just like them. They took these actions and created magic for us, making GFC into the special place that we know and love today.
How Two Days at Camp Changed my Life
I have the best job in the world. As a singer/songwriter, songleader, and Jewish educator I get to travel around the country singing and making memories with communities of all kinds. Over the summer I enjoy visiting different Jewish summer camps and spending time building relationships with campers and staff. I’ve learned that the connections you make in the chadar ochel (dining hall) or on the court are sometimes more meaningful than the ones you make during song session.
Blessings from Our Unit Heads and Directors
Roman Mars, host of the radio show 99% Invisible said that “we make the most marvelous things when our reach exceeds our grasp.” He’s talking about the moment when we strive for something just outside our comfort zone, take the basketball shot just a few feet farther out than we think we can make it, say hello to that new camper in our bunk that we don’t know yet, or set our goals just a little higher than what we think we can accomplish.