Greetings, salutations, and Shalom fellow members!
I hope all of you are doing well.
If you ever wondered about the future of our congregation, a visit to Camp Chaverim or Camp Invention would put your mind at ease. Embodied in our children is the future of our synagogue, and a bright one it is.
Week one had 38 young participants, many of them members of CBS; week two had 28. For Camp Invention the total came to 50. Yes, fifty, a record, a testament to a whole host of people who made the experience special.
For example, during the first week of camp, in commemoration of Earth Day, campers organized to pick up trash in Fuller Park. There also was an “Israel Day,” where they learned about the country from the two Israeli counselors who joined us for the two weeks (more about them in a moment). For a Friday Shabbat, everyone learned how to make challah.
In the second week of camp, there was a day of races, a day of what we called our own Maccabiah Games, along with lots of arts and crafts and Israeli dancing.
For those of you who don’t know, "Chaverim" is Hebrew for “friends;” the description is apt, given our day camp brings children of all faiths and backgrounds together in friendship and play for meaningful, engaging, and inclusive experiences.
About those two Israeli counselors: last year, you might remember Yaara and Danielle, the fantastic Israeli teenagers who volunteered to join us. They weren’t back this year, but we had two new Israeli teens to serve as counselors, Amit and Luna, who joined us from the same school in Haifa.
We were able to have them join us due to the generosity of Martha and Richard Pastcan, who helped cover the cost of their airfare, along with Rabbi Niles, who contributed funds from the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund. Of course, they needed places to stay while here; to the rescue came four families, who graciously served as hosts. Many thanks to the Mouriski, Wasserman, Ewig, and Miluso/Shumer families.
I was very glad I got to visit while the camp was in session to witness how a day unfolded, but if you weren’t able to drop by, here are some photos that will give you a sense of the many activities that kept campers engaged.
But first, how about a group photo:
Here’s shot of our teens:
Recognize this guy? He’s working undercover, but that’s Gordon, leading the group in song; go Gordon, go!
It’s great to be known as “the Shul with the Pool,” of which campers took full advantage:
Okay, I admit it’s not the Olympics, but it is our very own Maccabiah Games:
It’s time for arts and crafts:
Here’s a shot of Israeli dancing:
And here’s one of the kids making challah:
“Did the kids have fun?” you ask. They had a blast. Isn’t that what camp should be all about? I think so!
I’m about to take my leave, but before I do… I included this in last month’s message, but it bears repeating now: I hope to see you sooner than this, but if I don’t, then certainly at our L’chaim Food and Wine Festival, happening Sunday, August 27, from 3:30 to 7:00 pm, at CIA Copia. Last year’s event was nothing short of amazing; this one promises to be even better!
B’ Shalom, Roberta
Congregation Beth Shalom Napa Valley 1455 Elm Street Napa, CA 94559
