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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 in the chadar ochel, as well as the traditional Saturday morning games of Gaga (a sort of dodgeball). Following breakfast, madrichim (counselors) led the chanichim through stretching and a guided meditation. Afterwards, the machaneh divided into small groups to read and discuss the parshat hashavoua (weekly torah portion). We did two sets of Shabbat chugim (interest groups) before lunch. After lunch, the kids went did “Hyde Park”—a time set aside for chanichim to get on their soapbox and give constructive criticism or compliments. The madatz planned and ran the following hour for the chanichim as part of their hadracha (leadership) training. Madatz time was followed by Zman Shichva (age group time) and chofesh. During Musicale, chanichim and madrichim played instruments and sang songs silhouetted by the setting sun before the traditional Saturday evening hamburger dinner. After havdallah under the stars, the entire machaneh went to the medura (campfire) pit for a talent show and kumsitz (sing-alongs).

Yom Rishon (Sunday) was a yom ragil (regular day). The tochnit erev was a wax museum of figures such as Hannah Senesh, Martin Luther King Jr., Crazy Horse, Harriet Tubman, and Emma Goldman. The figures escaped the museum, but were reluctantly captured and returned by groups of chanichim. The groups wrote informational plaques and presented their respective figures to the rest of the machaneh

Later that evening—or some might say early in morning—the chanichim were woken up for Aliya Bet (the Second Aliya) to go on a journey from Eastern Europe to British Mandatory Palestine. They prepared their passports, learned about what to expect once they arrived in the Middle East while making pita over a campfire, and trained to be chalutztim (pioneers) in Palestine. They snuck through the forest, past British troops, into Palestine. Upon arrival in Palestine, they enjoyed pita and hummus and then returned to bed before a late wake-up.

We’ll have more stories and pictures soon!!!

MUSICALE

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