By Micah Brandhandler, Rosh Eidah of Chalutzim

We had a wonderful week in Chalutzim.  We started off the week with Yom Horim, where we had the opportunity to meet family members and were able to show off all that we have been learning so far.  We had Kitot Ivrit with our families and then had some free time to explore camp while the madrichim set up for the presentation that the chanichim planned.  Each chanich was part of a big presentation for the parents that included songs, dances, and skits about Chalutzim.  I was a great day and the kids had a terrific time.

We then spent the next day preparing for our Tiyul Canoe!  We packed our tents and food into a trailer and hopped on the busses to head to our launch point.  We spent three glorious days on the Wisconsin river canoeing, cooking, and spending a lot of time with everyone.  I always say that the canoe trip is one of my favorite parts of Chalutzim for a few reasons.  The first is that we try to split up the chanichim into different groups of friends so that we become a bigger k’hila (community) instead of little group within Chalutzim.  The second reason is that we as madrichim take this opportunity to get to know everyone without the pressure of teaching Hebrew lessons or planning an activity.  We can just have fun with the kids and I know that they really appreciate that time.

The dynamic in Chalutzim shifts after the canoe trip for the better.  Cliques start to disappear, the chanichim want to speak more Hebrew, and they want to get as much out of their last couple weeks as a camper as possible.  It has been a great Summer so far and I cannot wait to see what the last two weeks bring us.