The Camp Gilboa Blog

It’s Friday evening and we are currently in the middle of some energetic rikudei am (Israeli folk dance).   We just saw an oneg performed by the Amelim and the Chotrim after a chicken and matzo ball soup dinner. Yesterday was our last Yom Ragil (regular day).   In addition to our normal activities, we did a peula (activity) for Tisha B’Av.   The chanichim walked through a museum of tableaux representing various tragedies in the history of the Jewish people.   Then each shichva had a sicha (discussion) related to Tisha B’Av and prepared a speech to give at the machaneh-wide tekes (ceremony) that followed.   The mood was somber and commemorative as the tekes unfolded. Emotion is at a high right now as we enter our last Shabbat of the summer.   Already we have seen the tears of several chanichim who are going to miss being at Gilboa.   We are going to make the best of the last two days of the summer!

Shalom! Second session has been packed!  Take a look: The day after Revo—Yom Sheni (Monday)—was a yom ragil (regular day).   The tochnit erev (evening activity) was a variant of “Zap,” a Gilboa tradition.   During Zap, the chanichim (campers) wear dark clothing in order to sneak across the machaneh (camp) with getting “zapped”—a madrich/a (counselor) shining a flashlight on a chanich/a and saying “Zap!   Go back!”   This year, the chanichim sneaked from the medura pit to the migrash sport in order to escape the oppressive political regime of their home country. Yom Shlishi (Tuesday) was tiyul.   However, instead of going on a hike, the machaneh took a day trip to a local apple farm.   The Bonim and the Bogrim left for the farm first.   Upon arrival, they were greeted with a delicious caramel apple snack.   On the farm, they learned about apple farming, rode a tractor, shot BB guns at soda cans, tasted preserves and apple butter, used a cider press, brushed a pig named blossom a...

Shalom! The weekend saw another beautiful Shabbat with rest, relaxation, and a little bit of rain to settle the dust.   If you haven’t been following the blog all summer, the post from Tuesday, July 7, 2009 can give you a better idea of what makes a Gilboa Shabbat so special. Yom Rishon was Revolution, when the madatzim (counselors-in-training) kick the madrichim (counselors) out of camp and assert their hadracha (leadership)!   This year, Revolution was circus themed.   The chanichim (campers were divided into different circus members—acrobats, fire-breathers, jugglers, etc.   Throughout the morning, they did fun activities to fine-tune their circus skills. Later in the day, the kids discovered that the circus had been purchased by a couple of wealthy entrepreneurs.   Although this did not seem initially problematic, it became increasingly clear that the new owners were attempting to eradicate the individuality of circus members. Unwilling to put up with the oppression, the ...

Shalom! Second session is off to a great start! After the arrival of new chanichim (campers) on Yom Shlishi (Tuesday), the kids spent the day getting acquainted with the site and their new kvutsot (groups).   That evening, the schavot (age groups) became a group from the “Lord of the Kvutsot” (Amelim - Hobbits, Chotrim - Dwarves, Shomrim - Elves, Bonim – Men of Rohan, Bogrim – Men of Gondor).   In these groups, they worked to destroy the all-powerful ring of apathy. The first Yom Ragil (regular day) of the session was filled with tons of ruach (energy/spirit) and collective cheering.   In the evening, the chanichim celebrated Habonim Dror North America’s 75 th birthday party by bringing presents and toasts from various other Habonim Dror countries around the world—including Uruguay, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Mexico, Turkey, and New Zealand. Yom Chamishi (Thursday) was Yom Israel!   The day began with a shakshouka breakfast, followed by a co-existence round robin.   T...

We are sooo happy to let you know that the campers arrived safe and sound with bright smiles and couldn't wait to get rolling. Below are a list of counselors broken down by age group: Nitsanim (Entering 3rd and 4th Grade): Zak, Alysse, and Miya Amelim (Entering 4th and 5th grade): Zev and Noey Chotrim (entering 6th and 7th grade): Emily and Hasaki Shorim (Entering 8th Grade): Emma and George Bonim (Entering 9th grade): Niki and David Bogrim (Entering 10th Grade): Noah and Sarah

Well, first session is over and it flew by! After Yom Meyuchad (Special Day) on Yom Shlishi (Tuesday), we had two yamei ragil (regular days).  Celebration of Shabbat happened in the Gilboa tradition.  However, the weekend was spiced up by Final Mesiba (party) on Saturday evening.  The chadar ochel transformed into a miniature county fair, filled with cotton candy, soda, ice cream sundaes, and snowcones.  Inside the chadar ochel, chanichim were dancing, sending notes of appreciation to one another, and having their fortunes told.  Outside on the kadur af (volleyball court), chanichim in socks jumped around on a moonbounce.  After the younger chanichim went to bed, the older kids watched a late-night movie. Tired and happy, the kids brought their bags down and gathered for the last hitkansut boker (morning gathering) of the session.  This was followed by breakfast and then by many tearful goodbye hugs.  The first bus left with the chanichim traveling to the Ontario airport, Irvine, and S...

It’s been an exciting week here at Machaneh Gilboa. Visitor’s Day was a great success. Everyone enjoyed meeting and seeing each others’ families. The weather was great, the food plentiful, and the ruach (spirit) was at high. For those of you that were able to visit, we loved meeting you and hope you enjoyed your time here. Tuesday was Yom Meyuchad (Special Day), a day where a special theme is chosen and the day’s activities are devoted to that theme. This year’s theme revolved around examination of the labor practices on cruise lines. The chanichim (campers) awoke to being passengers on a tropical cruise, complete with a stately dining room, leis, and a peppy crew. The morning's activities included a pool party, karaoke, human checkers, and dancing. But it soon became clear that there was something amiss on this particular cruise ship. At lunch the ship’s crew showed fatigue and the burdens of their hard work under the rule of their overbearing captain. Suddenly, the ship w...

Monday and Tuesday were yamei ragil (regular days).  On Tuesday night, however, an evil alien queen, who had been plotting to take over Gilboa, abducted one of our madrichot and placed her under a mind control spell.  In order to break the queen’s spell, the chanichim joined the elite forces of the P.I.B. (People In Black) and searched the site for aliens.  The meandering aliens obliged the chanichim to solve perplexing puzzles in order to obtain clues as to the best way to approach the queen.  After much sleuthing, the chanichim succeeded in converting the evil alien queen from an invader to a Gilboaphile. On Wednesday and Thursday, we took an overnight tiyul (hike). Wednesday morning, chanichim packed lunches and filled their backpacks with jugs of water.  The Amelim (entering 4th and 5th grades), Sayarim (entering 6th grade), and Chotrim (entering 7th grade) took the 3 mile round trip hike to Poopout Hill.  The Shomrim (entering 8th grade), Bonim (entering 9th grade), Bogrim (enteri...

Much has happened since our last blog post! Our celebration of Shabbat began when the whole community—dressed in our nice Shabbat clothing—gathered at the toren (flagpole).   We sang Hatikva before dividing into mishpachot (families) by eizor (geographical area).   The entire Machaneh then walked down to the migrash sport (sport field).   Seated in a circle, we watched the Bogrim perform a Kabbalat Shabbat song before listening to the Rosh’s Shabbat story.   Then we rose to greet the Sabbath Queen by singing Hachama Merosh towards the setting sun.   Salutations of “Shabbat Shalom” and hugs followed. After a matzo ball soup and chicken dinner, the voices of chanichim filled the chadar ochel (dining hall) with Shabbat Shira (Shabbat singing).   The chanichim had a short chofesh (free time) before the Madatz oneg (play) and hours of rikudei am (Israeli folk dancing). The following morning, the chanichim had a late kima (wake up).   For the early risers, there were games and breakfast ...