by Rabbi Jessica Barolsky, Tzofim Segel (Faculty)

Yesterday was a day for our Kallah campers and Tzofim campers to come together for some of their daily activities. The joint activities began with limmud, our daily learning program. Based on the Kallah/Tzofim theme for this summer’s limmud, Bereshit: All in the Family, where we learn how the stories of Genesis apply to our daily lives, this morning’s activity showed how the story of the Tower of Babel can teach us to cooperate and work together.

The chanichim (campers) were divided into small groups including campers from both eidot (units), and each group received a box of building supplies. The task was to build a tower that was as tall as possible. Campers were reminded, however, that at Babel, everyone was speaking different languages, and rather than work together in spite of their differences, people moved off to form new groups. In camp, however, we overcome our differences and work together. While we couldn’t magically make campers begin speaking new languages, we could impose a few “differences” that would encourage them to work together. In each building group, some campers were told that they could not speak. Others were told that they could use only one hand, that they could use no hands, that they were only able to move in tandem with another camper, or that they would be blindfolded. Needless to say, these difficulties made building a tower a little bit more difficult!

It was amazing, though, to watch them work together and step in to help one another. Those who were able-bodied but blindfolded patiently let their new friends guide them–but stepped in to carry supplies for those who were limited in use of their hands. One camper, who could not use her hands, was using her chin to hold up a piece of the tower while another camper taped it into place. When questioned about why she was using her mouth to build, she answered, “I just want to help!!”

In the end, the towers were not all that tall, and not one of the groups questioned why their counselors never actually measured and chose a winner. In the end, it was clear that the goal (of the program, and really, of camp) was not really the tallest tower, but working together–even with others who they had met only a few minutes before–and finding creative ways to do seemingly simple tasks.

Rabbi Jessica Barolsky is the Rabbi-Director of Lifelong Jewish Learning at Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun in Milwaukee and is serving as one of the faculty members in Tzofim Aleph.