Every Saturday night, the entire camp gathers around the campfire for havdalah (the ceremony separating Shabbat from the rest of the week) and campfire songs. It is a highlight of the week, and always ends with the singing of “Stars in the Sky.” The lyrics of the chorus are “Stars in the sky/bring the summer right back to me/Tell me you’ll try/to think about me whene’re you see those/stars in the sky.” The song is a tear-jerker at the end of the session, as it reflects on memories made at camp that carry over into time away from camp. The other night during our “campout” for the Koh/Sho unit, they sang this song together for the first time this summer. Immediately, it elicited tears from some of our campers in anticipation of missing each other after camp.
We call this missing camp phenomenon being “camp sick.” The opposite of being homesick, it happens when campers go home and miss being at camp with their camp friends. Although we are only one week into the session, our campers are making memories that will last a lifetime. Through fun evening programs, meaningful t’filah and education programs, late night talks during “flashlight time,” and all the little moments in between, our campers and staff are the thick of making camp magic.
When our alumni look back on their time at camp, it is these moments that flood their memories. I am so excited to be able to welcome our alumni and camp community to camp this summer for a Kabbalat Shabbat experience once each session. Last summer, we welcomed over 100 visitors each session to peek inside the bubble, make new memories and revisit old ones, and get a taste of camp for themselves. I invite you to join us this summer (preferably not while you have a camper in session!) to experience a GFC Shabbat for yourself.
“We went away when we were very young
To find the person that we would become,
To find the person that was hidden somewhere inside.
What we discovered there, it still holds true,
The friends you make become a part of you,
The friends you make will each return to you like the tide.”
-lyrics from Stars in the Sky by Rabbi Larry Milder
Our campers and staff come to camp each summer to learn more about who they want to be, make lasting friendships, and create a community unlike any other. For the rest of their session, they will continue to deepen friendships, have fun, learn, and make memories. The little moments are just as meaningful as the big ones and will stay with them. I am so excited to see what the rest of the session will bring!
Shabbat shalom,
Erin