We’ve had an amazingly busy week at Gilboa!
The day after visitor’s day, the Madatz kvutsa decided they were tired of being left out of tzevet (staff) planning, so they staged a revolution and kicked the madrichim out of camp! The chanichim walked into breakfast to find that they had been transported to the Garden of Eden. The trees were in bloom and the water was crisp and fresh as the chanichim enjoyed a meal of fresh fruit, yogurt, pancakes, and froot loops. The chanichim remained in paradise until lunch, when they ate from the Tree of Knowledge. After expulsion from the garden, the chanichim learned to survive in a barren wasteland by playing games and building up the community. In their kvutsot, the chanichim explored ideas of ignorance versus knowledge, as well as the difference between competitive and shared learning; ultimately, they came to the conclusion that sharing knowledge is more synergetic and positive. The revolution ended with a machaneh-wide game of human Stratego to practice working together.
Our only yom ragil (regular day) of the week followed Revo, because this Wednesday and Thursday were Tiyul (hike) days! On Wednesday, the chanichim set out on various tiyulim. The length of the hike varied according to the age of the chanichim. While the Amelim, Psycho, and Shomrim took a trail from South Fork to Poopout Hill, the Bonim and the Bogrim hiked five miles beyond Poopout Hill to another trailhead off of Highway 38. The Madatz set out on a two days hike to the top of Old Greyback—the tallest mountain in Southern California! Everyone spent the night under the stars at the “Pa Pa Tuchus” campsite before heading to swim in Big Bear Lake the following day. We spent Thursday at Big Bear Lake playing card games, tossing around Frisbees, digging moats in the sand, and splashing around in the water! Exhausted but happy, we returned to the warm food and showers at machaneh. In the evening, the whole machaneh cuddled in sleeping bags in the chadar ochel while we watched “The Princess Bride.”
Now we are getting ready to ring in Shabbat with clean tzrifim, showers, and some necessary rest and relaxation!
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