Director's Corner - Thursday, June 26, 2025
June 26, 2025
Lean on Me
Lean on me, when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on.
That lyric felt like the unofficial theme song of Maccabiah today. Whether campers were sprinting across the field, searching for hidden items, or just catching their breath on the sidelines, one thing was clear: they were doing it together.
This summer's Maccabiah carried even more meaning than usual. The theme, “Five Decades of Maccabiah Magic,” invited us to reflect on Beber’s long-standing tradition of spirit, community, and unforgettable moments. Since 1976, each generation has added its own chapter to the Maccabiah story. This year, each team represented a different decade of camp history, honoring the past while looking boldly toward the future.
More than a competition, it was a celebration. A tribute to the people, the memories, and the ruach that have shaped Beber Camp across five decades.
We fueled up this morning with cinnamon rolls and eggs, and then hit the fields. Campers rotated between:
- soccer
- ultimate frisbee
- basketball
- human table
- trivia
- sing down
- and nuke ‘em, our camp twist on volleyball
Fields and courts were filled with movement, high fives, and nonstop cheering. Campers gave it their all and lifted each other up every step of the way.
Senior Ramot tackled an Aqua Park challenge at the lake. It was slippery, loud, and hilarious, in the best way. Pios played in a high-energy kickball game and joined Ramot in the morning sports rotations, modeling leadership and team spirit across the board.
Lunch was a camp comfort favorite, grilled cheese and tomato soup, plus a surprise hit on the salad bar: Island noodles, which drew long lines and rave reviews.
In the afternoon, we shifted to track and field:
- 50-yard dash
- 100-yard dash
- three-legged race
- 4x50 relay
- softball throw
- cross-country
Down at the pool, campers competed in:
- medley and freestyle relays
- kickboard and noodle relays
- spoon-and-ping-pong relay
- underwater swim
- backstroke with a book balanced on their head
Meanwhile, Pio campers took on the TLP Digital Scavenger Hunt. Armed with creativity and a camera roll, they searched for everything from vintage Beber shirts and sorority gear to toothbrushes, pyramids made of people, and artifacts from the Burr Oaks days. They laughed, hustled, and bonded as they explored camp in search of clues and history.
Before shower time, the camp gathered for the Beber Relay, one of our most beloved traditions.
- Makor Girls skipped across the bridge, tossed volleyballs, and ran to the hobby wheel
- Makor Boys hit the hobby wheel with a frisbee, kangaroo-hopped to A&C, made bracelets, and walked backward to the playground
- Kesher Boys did 25 jumping jacks and 10 pushups, made a layup and foul shot, and sprinted to tennis
- Kesher Girls volleyed a tennis ball, sang “Tucked Away” at the Blue Swing, passed a hula hoop down their linked arms, and raced to the Green Chair finish line
The relay brought out teamwork, laughter, and classic camp chaos in the best way possible.
At dinner, we gathered for a Maccabiah favorite: Silent Meal and Sloppy Joes. After a full day of action, there’s nothing quite like messy sandwiches, quiet times, and second helpings.
Over the past two nights, we’ve been focusing on our Beber Beliefs. We began with Pride & Ownership, which showed up in how campers took responsibility, stepped into leadership, and cared for the spaces and people around them. Then we moved to Spirit & Fun, which radiated through every chant, dance, and creative moment today.
Tonight, I want to reflect on our fourth Beber Belief of Health & Wellness. At Beber, wellness isn’t just about physical activity or nutrition. It’s about creating a camp environment where everyone feels safe, supported, and able to be their full selves. We know that today’s kids carry a lot with them, and our role is to meet them with care, compassion, and presence. That means providing space to take a breath, offering tools to navigate big emotions, and being a consistent, calming presence throughout the day. Our health center and mental health teams are deeply embedded in the rhythms of camp, not just responding to needs, but helping prevent overwhelm before it starts. I even found moments today to stretch and move with campers, a small reminder that taking care of ourselves is something we can model in big and little ways.
After dinner came the performances. Each team shared a banner, a cheer, a dance, and a song. Somehow, in the midst of everything else, they pulled together creative, heartfelt moments that reflected both their team’s decade and their shared experience at Beber.
In the end, the winning team was GREEN, but the real win was in the energy, unity, and joy that pulsed through camp from morning to night.
As the day came to a close, one lyric lingered: "Lean on me, when you're not strong..."
If you know who originally sang that song, send your answer to trivia@bebercamp.com for a shoutout in tomorrow’s blog.
Yesterday’s trivia question was: Who sang “Don’t Stop Me Now?”
Congrats to those who knew the answer was Queen:
- Debra Katersky
- David Saltzman
- Karen Shea
- Julie Houghton
- Heather Carp
- Amy Bloomberg
- Jessica Fonoroff
- Sarah Salamon
- Jill Rivkin
Tonight is recharge night so all staff are in by 11:00! Peace, Love, 3BC,
Michael