Director's Corner, Saturday, July 4, 2026

Saturday, July 4, 2026

So, I put my hands up
They're playing my song, the butterflies fly away
I'm nodding my head like, yeah
Moving my hips like, yeah
I got my hands up, they're playing my song
They know I'm gonna be okay
Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A.
Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A.

One of the things I love about Shabbat at camp is that it gives us the chance to slow down just enough to notice things we might otherwise miss.

As I said last week, I've never been very good at slowing down and reflecting on the week's Torah portion, but I'm trying again. This week's parsha, Pinchas, includes an interesting moment. Moses knows that his journey is coming to an end, and God instructs him to prepare Joshua to become the next leader of the Israelites. Leadership is passed from one generation to the next.

It reminded me that leadership isn't something that suddenly appears one day. It is built over time. As I walked around camp today, I saw leadership being built everywhere.

I watched older campers helping younger campers without being asked, especially during Mishpacha time. I saw counselors giving campers the confidence to try something new in our sports program. I watched our CITs and TLP participants stepping into responsibilities that would have seemed intimidating just a few summers ago.

One of the things that makes Beber special is that every camper is both learning from someone and becoming an example for someone else.

• A Rookie watches a Kesher camper.
• A Kesher camper watches a Ramot camper.
• A Ramot camper watches a TLP leader.
• A TLP leader learns from a counselor.
• And our counselors continue learning from one another.

That chain of leadership stretches across generations of Beber campers and staff. Long after camp ends, I hope our campers remember not only the fun they had, but also the example someone set for them and the example they set for someone else.

Joshua was ready because someone had prepared him.

Every summer at Beber, we are preparing the next generation of leaders. Not because they're going to lead a nation, but because someday they'll lead a classroom, a business, a family, a community, or simply be the kind of friend who makes someone else's life better.

I think that's where leadership begins.

Today was a very special Shabbat. Not only was it Shabbat, but it is the 4th of July! Campers celebrated through our Saturday mishpacha and divisional rotations in festive red, white, and blue outfits. Our mishpacha program today was, as always, an exciting opportunity for campers of all ages to reunite with their mishpacha “siblings” and “parents.” Campers and counselors worked together to create beautiful, welcoming signs (that may just find their way to different places around camp!). Moments like these remind us that one of the greatest gifts of Judaism is the sense of belonging it fosters, and our mishpacha program brings that value to life by creating meaningful connections that make camp feel like home.

Between delicious meals of breakfast on the island, cold cut sandwiches, and baked ziti, our campers also enjoyed Saturday divisional rotations. There were Maccabi games, Jewish life learning, and, of course, pool parties galore! We enjoyed fantastic weather today–warm and pleasant, with a great amount of sunshine.

We wrapped up our week with a beautiful Havdalah service, gathering together as one camp community to mark the closing of Shabbat and to welcome the new week ahead. The word I’d use to describe the atmosphere in Crown Hall is loving. There was a palpable sense of warmth, joy, and togetherness that filled the room. As campers put their arms around one another, smiled, and swayed to the songs and prayers, it was impossible not to be moved by the connections that have blossomed over the past three weeks. Watching even our first-year campers sing with confidence and embrace their cabinmates as longtime friends was a powerful reminder of how quickly this community becomes a home. Occasions like Havdalah capture the magic of camp and the beauty of Jewish tradition, bringing us together in gratitude, friendship, and the shared experience of beginning another week side by side.

On this end of another incredible week, I wish you all a Shavua Tov–a good week, a week of peace.

Peace, Love, 3BC,
Michael

Yesterday's song was "Kids in America" by Kim Wilde. Congratulations to our correct answers:

• Yoav Lurie
• Meredith Lang

Can you name the artist behind “Party in the U.S.A.?” Send your guess to trivia@bebercamp.com, and I'll reveal the answer in tomorrow's blog.