Director's Corner, Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
Eye of the Tiger
Risin' up, straight to the top
Had the guts, got the glory
Went the distance, now I'm not gonna stop
Just a man and his will to survive
It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
That lyric felt like the unofficial theme song of Maccabiah today. "Had the guts, got the glory!" Maccabiah demands courage, whether it's performing a skit, giving maximum effort in a relay, or cheering tirelessly for your team. The song reinforces that those who "have the guts" and put in the effort will achieve "glory" in the form of points, team pride, and unforgettable memories.
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 true celebration. It was a tribute to the people, the memories, and the ruach (spirit) that have shaped Beber Camp across five decades.
We fueled up this morning with yummy french toast, and then hit the fields. Campers rotated between:
- GaGa
- Dodgeball
- Nukem
- Trivia
- Soccer
- Human Table
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Sing down
PIOs and CIT Bet participated in Ramot team sports for the late morning.
Fields and courts were buzzing with activity, filled with high fives and nonstop cheering. Campers gave it their all, lifting each other up every step of the way.
Senior Ramot tackled an exciting Aqua Park challenge at the lake today! One of the boys absolutely "killed it" with a blazing fast time of about 30 seconds. It was slippery, loud, and hilarious, in the best way possible!
Lunch today featured loaded nachos with all the fixings: guacamole, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and beans. Campers had plenty of options to customize their own perfect plate of nachos!
After lunch, the campers definitely deserved their rest hour. They enjoyed hanging out with their bunkmates, back together as a cabin and leaving their "team color rivalry" on the fields. They simply rested and relaxed before a packed afternoon. Some kids had even painted their entire bodies with their team color and needed to shower and wash their hair out in the sink during this time - what a hoot!
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 while reading a book
Meanwhile, CIT Bet took on the TLP Digital Scavenger Hunt! Armed with creativity and a camera, they searched for everything from vintage Beber shirts and sorority gear to toothbrushes, pyramids made of people, and artifacts from the old Burr Oaks days. They laughed, hustled, and bonded as they explored camp in search of clues and history.
PIOs had the option to join the scavenger hunt, participate in track and field with Ramot, or work on the banner
Before shower time, the entire 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 Arts & Crafts, made bracelets, and walked backward to the playground.
- Kesher Boys did 25 jumping jacks and 10 pushups, made a layup and a foul shot, and sprinted to the tennis courts.
- 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 truly brought out teamwork, laughter, and classic camp chaos in the best way possible!
While Makor and Kesher were running the relay, Senior Ramot got to participate in the exciting tradition of fire building and the burning of their team color's ropes. TLP campers who were coaches also helped with the fire building.
What a fun tradition it is! It was great to see each team work together, with sunglasses on and bandanas over their faces to avoid the smoke, as they ran back and forth to blow on the fire and get it roaring. They were so incredibly into it!
At dinner, we gathered for a Maccabiah favorite: Silent Meal and chicken fajita tacos. After a full day of action, there's nothing quite like messy tacos, quiet times, and second helpings!
After dinner came the highly anticipated Maccabiah performances. Each team proudly shared a banner, a cheer, a dance, and a song. Somehow, in the midst of all the day's events, they managed to pull together incredibly creative and heartfelt moments that beautifully reflected both their team's assigned decade and their shared experience at Beber.
In the end, the winning team was BLUE, but the real win was in the incredible energy, unity, and joy that pulsed through camp from morning to night.
As the final notes of "Eye of the Tiger" faded, echoing the fierce determination and triumphant spirit of Maccabiah, it was clear that today was more than just a competition. It was a testament to the "guts" and "glory" found in every camper, whether they were racing across fields, building fires, or pouring their hearts into performances. Blue Team may have taken the victory, but the true win was in the palpable ruach, the unbreakable unity, and the sheer joy that enveloped Beber Camp from dawn till dusk. We truly went the distance today, and we're not stopping now!
If you know who originally sang Eye of the Tiger, send your answer to trivia@bebercamp.com for a shoutout in tomorrow’s blog.
Yesterday’s trivia question was: Who sang “Footloose”
Congrats to those who knew the answer was Kenny Loggins:
- Karen Rothbaum
- Ronit Ripes
- Michelle Wasserman
- Lindsey Lurie
- Lauren Pisick
- Lindsay Gore
- Brian Berns
- Wendy Elman
- Patty Shalhav
Tonight is recharge night so all staff are in by 10:30! Peace, Love, 3BC,
Michael