On the first night of camp, our Unit Heads shared blessings over their units during our Opening Ceremony. These were beautiful blessings for the summer, and we wanted to share these special moments with you.
Shorashim
My blessing to you is to laugh often, sing loud, and love with your whole heart.
Take a moment and look at the people sitting around you. You may be friends from home or just met . No matter where these friendships began, these people are now your camp friends. Now let me tell you something special about camp friends… they fall into a super special category called “forever friends.” I pray that you and your forever friends will come right back here to Bruceville, TX year after year to make new wonderful memories, just like the ones that you will make this year.
Niviim
Today is a very special day! (How special is it?)
It is so special because we are going to make today so awesome that yesterday is jealous. In fact, we’re going to make this summer so awesome that last summer is jealous.
Each and every one of you is such an important part of this community. Without all of you here today, this community, this kehilah, wouldn’t be as special. My wish for you, Niviim, is that you form new friendships with new faces and strengthen the ones that you already have.
Be like a pineapple. Stand tall, wear a crown, and be sweet. Throw kindness around like confetti. “Root” for one another and watch how that makes a person grow. Get it? Root, grow, roots grow…
And finally, remember that you are always a winner at GFC. Because, here, winning doesn’t mean being first. Winning means that you’re doing better than you’ve ever done before. Together, let’s do this summer better than ever before.
Kohanim
I’m so happy to see you all at camp tonight. The first night of camp is so special because it is the first night of camp that we get to spend together. I want us all to take a breath so we can remember this moment – one of many memories I hope you all make this summer. I hope you all make new friends, try new things, and enjoy every moment at camp this summer. These are some of the most special weeks of the whole year, and I hope we all have the best summer yet!
Shoftim
Wow. I am so excited for this summer. I know that a lot of you are ready to see your camp friends, make new friends, and have an awesome summer. I also know that some of you, like me (it’s my first summer at Greene), are feeling overwhelmed, scared, and a little nervous. I know, though, that all of you will leave this summer with smiles on your faces. So, I have a challenge for each and every one of you. Make a new friend this summer. Find a new passion. Leave camp having smiled one more time than you did last ever. I know that we can all work together to make this the best summer ever at GFC, summer 2019.
Melachim
Some of you I’ve watched grow up since Shorashim, some of you I met last year as the Shoftim unit head, and some of you I got the pleasure of meeting today. My wish for all of you this summer is that you will have a session filled with laughs, friendships new and old, and that you will go home with a trove of happy memories of your time at camp. You are now the oldest unit on main camp and you set an example for our younger campers. I know that each of you will be an amazing role model, and I cant wait to see Melachim shine! It’s going to be a great summer!
S’ganim
The story about the peace of the soul
After god finished the creation of the world he sat down and had a little rest up in the sky. All the sudden he heard a knock on his door. Who dares to interrupt god during his rest? Then he opened the door and saw a cute little creature. God asked him: “who are you?” and the creature said: “I’m the peace of the soul” and then god said: “and what is your wish peace of the soul?”
The little creature opened his little mouth and said: “oh dear god you created such a big wonderful world, you have place for all the things you created but you forgot to make a little space for me. Ever since I have been wondering around restless.
God smiled and decided to make some room for the little cute creature. So he took his little hand and they both want on a tour around the world. They had been to so many places, before they arrived here. The peace of the soul and god knew this was the place. Then god returned to the sky peacefully.
Now if you are quiet and you listen very closely you can hear the peace of the soul inside of you.
S’ganimers I wish y’all a great summer. May you find peace of the soul here at camp.
Kibbutz
My wish for all of you is for an unforgettable summer. On Kibbutz, we have our own special community. This is a time for you to build friendships that last a lifetime. Treat each other well, be brave, try new things, push your comfort zone, find the joy in every moment, get to know new people. Each of us are individuals, but together we are one community… and together we can change the world.
Avodah
Today we saw you work as a team. Through the years at camp, you have learned many Jewish values that have allowed you to work as a team.
Emun: Trust
Trust that each person will lift their weight. Trust that each person will be their best. and trust that each person will always be there.
Manhigut: Leadership
Leadership on the field. Leadership in the chadar and leadership in our unit
Reut: Friendship
The constant want to develop and foster new and old friendships.
The work has just begun, and we can’t wait to see how Avodah Session 1 2019 will continue to work as a team and bring positive change to this camp.