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Director's Corner, Sunday, July 27, 2025

Sunday, July 27, 2025

Am Yisrael chai
Im lo nishkach tamid lihiyot me'uchadim
Am Yisrael chai
Ba'aliyot, ba'yeridot, gam basha'ot ha'chi kashot
Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu shomer aleinu
Az mi yachol aleinu?
Ki ein lanu od medina
Ta'aseh shalom beineinu
Shmor al yeladeinu
Ki lo avda ha-emunah
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Am Yisrael, Am Yisrael chai
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Am Yisrael chai

Today was an unforgettable day, celebrating our love of Israel! Israel Day brought non-stop fun in every direction, kicking off at the flagpole. Our Israeli staff, adorned in blue and white with Israeli flags and face paint, emerged from the trees announcing they'd just come a long way from Israel. They then led spirited singing and cheering, culminating in a rendition of Hatikvah sung with such pride and passion that it truly touched our hearts.

Our Israeli staff truly energized the whole camp for Israel Day! I've never seen so much blue and white here before. We are incredibly proud of our Israeli Delegation; I truly believe they are a fantastic group, passionate about their love for Israel and eager to share it with our Beber community.

It was a pretty hot day today. We made sure to hand out Gatorade to hobbies in the sun throughout the day, keeping everyone as hydrated as possible. Besides the heat, the weather was stunning!

For some of us, the day began early as we bid farewell to our Rookie campers. While we're sad to see them go, we're happy knowing they've had a wonderful time at camp, forging new friendships and creating lasting memories. We wish them a year filled with LOVE, HEALTH, and HAPPINESS until they return to Lake Beulah's shores.

We also said goodbye to our PIOs today. Havdalah last night was bittersweet, as the PIOs knew it would be their last night of the summer. We're excited for them to become CITs next year; we know they'll make a great group!

This morning and afternoon, our campers enjoyed a variety of engaging cabin activities led by the Israel team! These ranged from an IDF "bootcamp" and Israeli Trivia to an Israeli dodgeball game called Chayei Sarah (חיי שרה). What a great way to kick off the morning!

Campers wrapped up their Week 2 hobbies today, enjoying final waterskiing rides, bedazzling items in arts and crafts, and recording last songs in the studio. They'll be excited to start their final round of hobbies tomorrow!

We had a fun surprise at lunch today: the Israelis were our servers! I felt like I was right in Jerusalem's Mahane Yehudah Shuk. All I heard in the dining hall was, "Get your Pita Shawarma! Pita falafel! For a good price!" They were expertly pretending to work a food stall, convincing everyone passing by to try their amazing food. It was a beautiful, energetic madness. And by the way, the food was great too! The kitchen staff really perfected their pita, and the shawarma was fantastic, as usual.

Speaking of food, here were today's meals:

Meals:

  • Breakfast: Tater tots, eggs and biscuits 
  • Lunch: Pita, shawarma, falafel, hummus and israeli salad
  • Dinner: Indoor BBQ 

Makor campers had an exceptional evening program where they shopped in our Beber Shuk using shekels provided at the start. They bargained for and bought a variety of fun items ranging from candy to fidget toys, glow-in-the-dark items, and colorful rubber ducks. Each camper left with pockets filled with treasures, getting a taste of a real Israeli shuk thanks to our dedicated Israeli staff. This exclusive program for Makor campers creates excitement and anticipation as they progress through different age groups each year.

Kesher participated in a Euro Vision program, where each cabin was given an Israeli song to create a dance to and perform for the rest of Kesher at the end of the program.  It was a night to remember!

Finally, Ramot participated in a Start-Up Nation program with nine stations they rotated between. The stations were creatively titled Drip Irrigation, Krav Maga, Ben Gurion Airport, ICQ, Fruit Robots, USB, Waze, Olympics, and the Iron Dome—all thoughtfully designed by our Israeli counselors. For example, at the USB station, kids had to run back and forth across a field to uncover a hidden message (an alphabet matched to symbols) and decipher its meaning. In the end, their message was revealed! Kudos to both the Israelis and the campers for being super attentive and engaged in these programs!

As this vibrant Israel Day concludes, filled with joy, learning, and heartfelt connections, the spirit of "Am Yisrael Chai" resonates deeply within our Beber community. From spirited flagpoles to a bustling Shuk and insightful conversations, today reinforced our unity and shared identity. Despite bittersweet goodbyes to our Rookies and PIOs, the strength of our Jewish people lives on, thriving here at camp. We carry this unwavering spirit forward into a week packed with new adventures, knowing that together, our "Am Yisrael Chai" will continue to shine brightly.

P.S. Congratulations to the following who knew that Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark sang "If You Leave”

  • Rob Muriel
  • Wendy Elman
  • Adam Levitt

P.S. - Today’s question: Who sang “Am Israel Chai?” Email your answer to trivia@bebercamp.com for a shoutout in tomorrow’s blog!