Director's Corner - Friday, July 4, 2025
July 4, 2025
Do You Believe in Magic?
If you believe in magic don't bother to choose
If it's jug band music or rhythm and blues
Just go and listen it'll start with a smile
It won't wipe off your face no matter how hard you try
Your feet start tapping and you can't seem to find
How you got there, so just blow your mind
It’s hard to believe we’ve already arrived at our final Shabbat of the session. In true Beber fashion, time flies when we’re having fun, and this week was no exception. From morning until night, today was packed with meaningful moments, joyful energy, and a whole lot of ruach.
We kicked off the day with cabin activities, giving campers the chance to bond as a bunk one more time before our final Shabbat together. B2 got to head out to our Archery course to try their luck at hitting a bullseye. We moved our course over to the pool side of camp last summer and added our slingshot paintball course. It’s Robin Hood's dream! It was heartwarming watching them encourage each other and just enjoy being in that space together. Our Makor campers will be finishing out their swim lessons in the coming days which will culminate in a divisional pool party and games. Mixing learning valuable water skills and safety with supervised fun is quintessential Beber.
Hobbies were buzzing with energy as we dove into Day 2 of our final hobby rotation. I had the chance to see some amazing moments across camp. Over at the farm, campers were connecting with the animals and soaking up the sunshine. In Cooking Around the World, the smell of fresh apple fritters wafted through the air, and they tasted just as good as they smelled! At climbing, the Jacob’s Ladder challenge was filled with teambuilding and encouragement, as campers cheered one another to the top. Tennis brought high-level drills and sharp focus, while Arts & Crafts was alive with creativity—model rocketry, painting, and more were all happening at once.
Our CITs stepped up again today, shadowing in hobbies and supporting staff in leading activities. It was awesome to see two of our interns taking the lead on facilitating trip evaluations with the Kesher and Ramot campers. They learned about the significance of evaluations providing valuable feedback and information for us to continue to offer successful trips and provide for the ever changing needs of the campers. By providing the CITs with behind the scenes knowledge about camp processes just makes them more effective leaders in the future. Meanwhile, our PIOs showed their impact through community service by working with The Ark preparing High Holiday pantry collection bags for distribution across Chicago and the suburbs. With 50 PIOs they were able to assemble over 1000 bags. What a special moment for them to get the chance to give back by donating their time!
As the sun began to set, we came together in the amphitheater for our final Shabbat service. There was something extra special in the air tonight. Lara led us through a beautiful, heartfelt service that included a new song and a camper-written prayer for Israel. The tone was reflective, warm, and unifying.
This week’s Shabbat theme was Leadership, and Ruchel brought it to life with a touching story featuring a special guest—Reuven the Raccoon. In her story, Reuven quietly helped his forest friends find a way to celebrate Shabbat together. The moral? “Leadership isn’t about being the center of attention, it’s about taking responsibility, caring for others, and leading with kindness and action. Like Reuven the Raccoon, we can all be leaders in our own quiet, powerful ways.” This was a message that felt deeply resonant as we round out the session.
As always, Friday night came alive with Israeli dancing, and by now, every camper is a pro. Their stomps, shouts, and cheers rose above even the nearby fireworks. The energy was electric. We closed the night with a spirited song session featuring classics like Mr. Brightside, Don’t Stop Believin’, and Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu, with campers singing loud, proud, and full of emotion.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a Friday night without a Ramot movie night. As older campers stayed up a bit later to watch together, there was a special sense of togetherness in the air, our time is short, but our connections are lasting.
Meals Today:
- Breakfast: Waffles (always a crowd favorite)
- Lunch: Pizza—can’t go wrong!
- Dinner: Our beloved Shabbat dinner—chicken, warm soup, and that comforting feeling of home.
As we look ahead to our final days together, moments like tonight remind us what Beber is all about—connection, joy, growth, and shared memories that will last far beyond the summer.
Shabbat Shalom from all of us at Beber.
Peace, Love, 3BC
Michael
No one guessed that Crowded House sang Better Be Home Soon. :(
Today’s Trivia: Not an easy one, but who sang “Do You Believe in Magic”? Email your answer to trivia@bebercamp.com for a chance to be featured in tomorrow’s blog!