Director's Corner, Sunday, July 12, 2026

Sunday, July 12, 2026

You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed
Just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you've got a friend in me
Yeah, you've got a friend in me

Every summer, I look forward to this day. There is an energy around Beber that simply can't be replicated. Watching campers step off the bus, reconnect with old friends, introduce themselves to new cabinmates, and begin settling into camp reminds me why I love this place so much. It's amazing how quickly a group of individual campers begins to feel like one community. By the end of today, I was already hearing laughter echo across camp, seeing counselors and campers building connections, and watching the first pieces of this session's story come together.

The first day is always a whirlwind in the best possible way. Cabins unpacked, name games on Hobby Wheel Field filled the afternoon, and campers started exploring all the places they'll soon know by heart. Whether it was taking their first walk over to the lake, sitting on the Green Chair, or finding their favorite spot around camp, every moment brought a new opportunity to feel a little more at home.

One of my favorite parts of opening day is watching those first friendships begin. Sometimes it's two campers discovering they live in the same city. Other times it's a shared laugh during an icebreaker or singing together during our Opening Ceremony in the Amphitheater. Those small moments often become the foundation for friendships that last well beyond the summer.

As campers arrived throughout the morning and into the afternoon, they were greeted by our enthusiastic counselors with hugs, high fives, fist bumps, and excited waves. Our incredible counselors showed their campers around the cabin and then walked with them to the Island, where everyone enjoyed a rolling barbecue lunch. Our Island lunch on the first day is the perfect place for conversations to start, smiles to spread, and the first friendships of the session to begin taking shape.

Throughout the afternoon, I watched campers who were strangers just a few hours before become cabinmates. Through name games, hobby signups, life jacket assignments, and fun activities around camp, they began learning about one another, sharing laughs, and building the friendships that will make this session so memorable.

The first day of the session is a special day because it allows for campers to explore and experience areas of camp that they might not have seen before. While waiting for all of their cabinmates to arrive, campers had the opportunity today to explore camp with their counselors. Some campers said hello to our animals at the farm (including three miniature horses this year!), while others played games including gaga, 9 square, tetherball, and ultimate frisbee. We had lawn games like cornhole set up on lower camp, and I saw lots of laughter between friends old and new (and some impressive throws!).

After our campers arrived and bunks unpacked, each division gathered for their divisional opening program. We have three age divisions here at Beber: Makor (entering grades 2-5), Kesher (entering grades 6-7), and Ramot (entering grade 8-10). Led by our incredible Division Leaders and Head Counselors, our divisional opening programs helped welcome campers into the Beber community, encouraged them to step outside their comfort zones, and created opportunities for new friendships to begin. Also within each divisional program were introductions of each bunk’s counselors. Click here to meet your campers' counselors!

One of my favorite moments on the first day of camp is gathering for our first flagpole as a kehilah kedoshah—a sacred community. Standing together in one giant circle on Crown Hall Field, you can truly feel the excitement in the air. New campers quickly catch the contagious energy, while returning campers eagerly jump into the songs and traditions they know and love. To add to the fun today, I ran around the entire circle giving high fives before breaking out a few of my signature cartwheels to really get the ruach (spirit) going.

Dinner in the dining hall tonight was a camper favorite: chicken nuggets! The room was buzzing with conversation as campers shared stories from their first day, got to know their cabinmates, and sang along to the Birkat HaMazon, our end-of-meal prayer. 

One thing I'm especially proud of at Beber is the way we make sure every camper has delicious, nutritious options at every meal. For campers with food allergies or other dietary needs, our dedicated allergy window is staffed by an incredible team that carefully prepares meals while following strict protocols to prevent cross-contamination. Campers looking to add extra protein, fiber, or fresh produce to their meal can also enjoy our expansive salad bar, which features a rotating selection of creative protein- and fiber-packed salads, fresh fruits and vegetables, a variety of toppings and dressings, and plenty of options to build a meal that fits their tastes and needs.

After dinner, we wrapped up the first day of Second Session 2026 with our Opening Ceremony in the Amphitheater. We sang camp songs, met our leadership team, and welcomed our CITs, who are in bunk for the first time this session! It was an incredibly joyful evening filled with ruach and excitement for what’s ahead this session.

At this point, all parents and guardians of Second Session campers should have received an email confirming that their camper arrived safely and is settled in at camp. This notification lets families know that everyone made it to camp safely and that the session is officially underway. If you did not receive this email, please check your spam or junk folder, or contact our office manager Amy for assistance.

As the sun sets on an extraordinary first day of camp, I find myself thinking about how excited I am to wake up tomorrow and watch our campers become a little more comfortable, a little more confident, and a little more connected to the people and place around them. Day by day, these small moments add up to an unforgettable camp experience, and I can't wait to see all that this session has in store. Wishing everyone a restful night! We're looking forward to another incredible day tomorrow!

Peace, Love, 3BC,
Michael

Thursday's song was "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by John Denver. Congratulations to our correct answers:

• Tobi Pinsky
• Yair Bernstein
• Andy Whitman
• Amy Bloomberg

Can you name the artist behind “You’ve Got a Friend in Me?” Send your guess to trivia@bebercamp.com, and I'll reveal the answer in Sunday’s blog.