At camp we often say “a day in the regular world is like a year in the real world.”  There is so much magic that happens, so many stories to tell, and so many memories made in such a short amount of time.  Here are some of my favorite memories of the summer so far!

• Halutzim Olympics Opening Ceremony – This brand new competition for Halutzim campers kicked off Wednesday night with a ceremony in the Playhouse followed by a bonfire up top. Campers are split into 4 teams and each team represents a city in Israel.  The teams will compete all session long to win the grand prize at the end of the session – which is a special “night out” in our Camp Director’s house!
• Sabra Sikkum Story time – It doesn’t get much cuter than Sabras in their pajamas. Every Tuesday they have a special story time in our “Sukkah Agam” which means sukkah by the lake.  We project a story on the “big screen” (projector) and have a guest reader read to the entire unit!  All of our Sabra campers and staff bring their blankets, pillows and stuffed animals and “cuddle up” to hear the story.  They even get a special snack!  This week campers enjoyed hearing Arthur’s Birthday from guest reader, Danny Trompeter.
• Tiyulim – This week we had our first Tiyulim overnight. 18 Kineret campers went on an overnight camping trip to Seneca Rock.  They learned important skills such as outdoor cooking, shelter building, climbing, hiking and how to pitch a tent.  This is a program that has been a year in the making and we are so excited our first trip was a success!
• Challah Baking – I love Friday mornings at camp. On Friday mornings at EKC, we do a lot to prepare for Shabbat.  We bake challah, decorate the dining hall, create centerpieces for the tables and make challah covers!  This week our Sabras are making Challah with their Teen big brothers and sisters.
• The First Day of Camp – It’s the most important day of the summer. It’s what we work all year for.  It’s when camp finally feels full of life again.  It’s honking the car horn with excitement as all of our staff is cheering and yelling as the buses pull in.  It’s the excitement of watching our campers reunite with friends they haven’t seen all school year long.  It’s watching new bonds be made and friendships formed even only hours after arriving.

So many great experiences and we are only in week 1!  Keep checking back to find out all the fun we are having!