One of my roles at camp which I enjoy the most is making rounds throughout camp each day.  The routes I take and the activities I see vary from day-to-day.  Sometimes I get to watch campers use The Blob for the first time at the Lake, other days I am jumping into a game of basketball or soccer, or revisiting my days as a counselor by giving out some advice at the Archery range.  Recently, I had a the opportunity to take the reigns as Camp photographer for Friday night and Saturday morning – and it gave me the chance to look at Camp threw a different lens, literally.

I first made my way down to the Park and the Halutzim Unit.  We had decided to have services in the Playhouse (housed in the Park), since the rest of Camp was still wet from the rain that made its way through in the afternoon.  I got to the Park in time to see the last little bit of Shabbat prep, with everyone in their whites.  Campers and staff were posing for pictures, smiling, laughing  and having a grand old time.  You never would have known that we had just endured about 90 minutes of intense rain.  I stopped and snapped a few candid pictures of some of the campers – then, without any hesitation, they began organizing photos for me to take. The mood was so positive, and I felt that Shabbat’s arrival was putting our entire Camp in this happy place, knowing that we were about to spend some quality time together, regardless of the weather.

Services in the Playhouse definitely feel different than when we’re in the amphitheater.  And it’s not better or worse, just different.  Camp is in a smaller space, closer together, and the vibe we get from this reminds me of the closeness one can feel with their family as Shabbat is welcomed.  EKC is one giant family and it was incredible to get those goosebumps, as we said and sang our prayers together.

Shabbat Dinner in the dining hall.  The Matzah Ball soup is the main attraction and the entire dining hall has a refreshed energy about it.  Our teen campers, who used the Dining Hall to avoid the rain earlier in the day, had taken the time to write little Shabbat notes on the white paper we cover the tables with.  Campers were writing Shabbat-O-Grams, which are notecards they write to each other that get delivered on Saturday morning.  There was also a little proud Camp Director moment, as I watched our campers and staff covering each other’s heads as we said the Blessing over the Children and our other prayers before the meal.

Our song session after dinner isn’t something that’s easy to describe, or even show through pictures.  While I was behind the camera, I noticed some great moments that are hard to see at full speed.  First, our campers adore their counselors.  As the music fills the dining hall, the campers immediately take their spots near their counselors, either holding their hands or jumping to the beat of the music.  The smiles (from ear to ear) tell the entire story about the bond that has been created at Camp.  Then, what happens to our Camp when we play Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” is really something else.  Nobody is sitting; everyone is jumping to the music, either with their units or cabin groups.  As the chorus rings through the dining hall, it’s impossible not to be engulfed by the moment and let the energy take you away.  Add in that it was the final Shabbat song session of first session and the emotions were running high.

Saturday morning lazy breakfast may be a camper (and staff) favorite – and it’s surely for different reasons depending on how old you are.  For our younger campers, it’s the opportunity to choose between a bagel, sticky bun, fruit, yogurt, cereal, or maybe all of those items.  Campers are allowed to sit wherever they want in the dining hall and the groups of campers that gather together share one thing in common – the icing from the sticky buns gets everywhere!  Our older campers enjoy the meal options too, but perhaps not as much as they enjoy the late sleep-in that they get.

My final hours as Camp photographer were spent walking around Camp as we had Unit Programs before our Saturday morning Shabbat services.  The quiet, reflective time that I observed throughout Camp spoke volumes to me about how this Camp relishes in the opportunity to celebrate Shabbat together and embrace it being different from the rest of the week.  As I visited many of our cabin groups, I saw campers and staff reflect on the week that was, while simultaneously preparing for the week ahead, our final week of Session 1.

In the spirit of camping,

Aaron Cantor