Shabbat Korach 2016
What an amazing third week it has been at OSRUI!
After a week of opening days, sports, art, limudim, wilderness trips, ivrit (Hebrew), etgar, biking, hammocks, and so much more, Shabbat is here, a sacred and beloved time at camp.
Before we get clean and we put on our Friday night best, before we join together in prayer, before we tune our guitar strings and warm up our voices, before we prepare to rest, we take a look back at the incredible week that was Week 3 of Summer 2016.
Chalutzim continued their ivrit (Hebrew) immersion in their various kitot (classes). This week they took a trip to the park and went to see a movie about a missing dawg (fish). The chanichim (campers) led a rousing song session after arcuhat erev (dinner) and the future of songleaders is quite bright for OSRUI. They held an ivrit lesson to the theme of the Amazing Race. And they had Yom Pajama and got to celebrate five birthdays on the 4th of July!
Moshavah completed their second trip (read all about it here Here!) going hiking, biking, rock climbing and canoeing. Everyone is back at camp safe, happy, and clean! Do not worry though, they leave again on Monday for trip 3! When they weren’t out exploring the beautiful teva (nature) and wilderness of Wisconsin, Mosh was back home at OSRUI playing a camp-wide game of capture the flag, having a crazy pool party with Tiferet, painting signs and tables and even creating their own musical about the trials and tribulations about M-O-S-H!
Gesher Bet opened for the first time ever this week! It has been so exciting to meet new friends and see old ones as well! They began the session by throwing their fears into the fire on the first night, which will help set them on the path to conquer their fears over the next two weeks and to achieve their goals. They had a wonderful evening of cabin bonding during erev tzrif (cabin night) where some of the activities included campfires and s’mores, folk night, an amazing scavenger hunt around camp, and a great bike ride. Dylan Singer, our wonderful Tzofim s’gan (assistant unit head) led an incredible and intense program about Israel, based on his studies through the Nachshon program, and what it’s like to live in Israel and to try to make decisions with so many various backgrounds, beliefs, and communities to keep in mind and make happy, and how this can be next to impossible. Our chugim began with a smashing success; in addition to our regular chugim, there were several led by our madrichim, like reading, biking, and leadership chug.
Tiferet is working hard toward Mesibah, the first session camp-wide talent show this Sunday! The chanichim are getting ready for their song, dance, and cheers!! They continued their intense and vigorous studio study in drama, art, dance, music, and digital media, yet were able to take a day to relax at the park. They have been using their studio time and focus to explore midrash and its interpretation through various forms of art. On July 4th, they joined Mosh and Chalutzim for a day of slip n slides, BBQ, ice cream, pool parties, massive water balloon battles, and so much more.
In Kibbutz HaTzofim, we welcomed Tzofim Bet to the downstairs zone for an incredible two weeks. They had erev ohel (tent night) where everyone bonded with their friends and new neighbors on a boat with Albert, at a pajama party, on an etgar scavenger hunt, with a fun “Chopped” cooking class, or doing crazy mad science experiments. During one fun ivrit lesson, Tzofim got to watch Frozen in Hebrew! While everyone else in camp eats the traditional grilled cheese and tomato soup on Friday, Tzofim has Fiesta Friday with homemade, made to order quesadillas and this week is extra special as they added basil and chives that were grown in the gan (garden) right in Tzofim. In preparation for Shabbat, Tzofim made Challah to be enjoyed this evening.
Kallah started their best session on July 4th with a celebration of America only for Kallah and Tzofim. Jerry even gave them their own fireworks show! In limud, we are exploring ways in which we can be superheroes in our everyday lives and learn how to support one another! We danced the night away at Naomi’s (our Kallah Rosh Eidah) Bat Mitzvah party! We danced the hora, ate cake, and practiced our written and spoken ivrit by wishing Naomi a hearty and well-deserving Mazel Tov (Don’t worry, Naomi is not 13. She had her real Bat Mitzvah ten years ago). We enjoyed an erev winter, but in July, where we built “snowmen”, had a “snowball” fight, and competed in relay races while dressed in winter clothes. It’s Friday, which means its Facepaint Friday, a tradition unlike any other
It has been an amazing and exciting third week here at OSRUI! This Shabbat we are honored and excited to welcome more than 40 of our 20’s and 30’s alumni for an incredible evening of great times, camp food, memorable songs, great stories, and great memories. Doesn’t matter if you went for two weeks or were a rosh eidah, we can’t wait to see everyone.
Shabbat Shalom from all of us at OSRUI!
Jerry Kaye, Director Susan Alexander, Associate Director
Albert Marks, Senior Assistant Director