Shabbat Shalom from Camp!

And in a blink of an eye, we’ve reached our final Shabbat of Session 2 and our final Shabbat of the summer – where did the time go? I am so proud of our staff team and camp community for working together to help us deliver an incredible session and summer. Walking around Camp it has been wonderful to hear the sounds of summer – laughter, joy, and fun – resonate throughout. Summer 2021 was the summer we needed, and we are grateful for every minute we have together, even as we approach the end.

As we enter the final hours of summers, I am fascinated by the similarities between how we celebrate when we’ve reached the end of the Torah scroll (Simchat Torah) and the end of Camp. Simchat Torah is the holiday where the Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and carried throughout the synagogue seven in a joyful procession, often followed by singing, dancing, food, and fun. At Camp, our Final Night, will feature many of the same components as the Simchat Torah celebration. We will spend the evening enjoying each other’s company, reflecting on what we’ve just accomplish together (and share favorite memories and stories), then sing, dance, and enjoy some final snacks. Of course, at Camp we do not start right up again, like the holiday. Instead, we live 10 months – for the 2 months we get to spend at Camp. For our campers and staff, it’s an opportunity to remind them that at Camp, it’s not good-bye, it’s see you later!

In this week’s parashah Re’eh, Moses instructs the Israelites to establish God’s name in a place of God’s choice. Spoiler alert: That place, which is established became the Temple, capital T, in Jerusalem. Living a Jewish life that is both post-Temple and not interested in reestablishing one, it can be hard to relate to Torah portions such as Re’eh. The ritual minutiae of Temple life, the specific timing and sacrificial offerings, are foreign to our daily lives. Yet maybe the idea of a temple, lowercase “t,” isn’t. What is a temple? One version of a temple is the synagogue, which is also known as a “mikdash me’at,” or small temple. According to this week’s parsha, a temple is a place where we are happy with what we have been blessed with, where we gather in community at specific times, where we protect life, and where we do specific actions again and again. Just like our Camp Amphitheatre!

For now, we’re off to enjoy one final Kabbalat Shabbat as a EKC Camp Community.

Shabbat Shalom!

Aaron