Camp Life: Being in the Bubble

Being at OSRUI for 2 weeks is like living in a bubble.  I don't watch television nor read a newspaper; I don't really have that much free time.  I do peruse Facebook and twitter but this year our internet connection was not strong and some days I did not see what was going on in the world.  I have to say that it was a good 2 weeks not to be "in the know".

It was disturbing to come back to so many hateful and brutal stories.  I came home on Sunday July 17 and couldn't really believe that another shooting was happening in Baton Rouge as I hadn't processed the tragedy of the previous week.  As the world keeps spinning and I am back in the "real"
 world with access to television and newspapers I long to be back at camp in our bubble.  I was working with a younger eidah, unit, Tzofim.  I did not bring up the current events that filtered through to me.  There was no reason not to keep my chanichim, campers in the bubble of camp.

Actual OSRUI Camper in Actual Bubble

I know that kids feel comfortable at camp and can relax and let their hair down so to say.  They make new friends, try out new activities and sometimes reinvent themselves.  I am glad that no one, including our Madrichim, counselors asked me about the news while I was at camp.  Sometimes they wanted to know the sports news, the baseball statistics or news about the world cup but other than that chanichim, madrichim and even other faculty were happy to live without word from the outer world.

Coming home and listening to the news was not unlike coming out of a fog and being conditioned to once again hear bad news from sun up to sun down.  Although I know we need to address current events and everything that is happening in the news I don't even know where to begin: Race, violence, derech eretz (treating each other kindly) or just peace.  National and world events seem to explode before our very eyes.  When CNN first became  a 24 hour news station in June of 1980 who could have predicted the escalation of the news cycle, cell phone videos and making the world seem small would keep this news station afloat. 

I know that my colleagues at camp now are probably also happy for their respite of not being bombarded by news, twitter feeds or even newspapers.  I hope that as I ease back into life at home I will find a happy medium of keeping up with current events,  continued reading all of the books on my To Read list  and not getting too worked up over  news; political and otherwise.  When I find that happy medium by the way I will let you know and for now I am already thinking about OSRUI 2017. 

How to succeed at bringing camp values back to your home without even trying.

From my time at OSRUI this summer. 

How to succeed at bringing camp values back to your home without even trying.

We have been in Kibbutz HaTzofim Bet for over a week and the chanichim (campers) and Madrichim (counselors) are settling into their groove.  When your chanichim come home happy and tired this Sunday here are few things we think you can incorporate into your family discussion:

• Helping out in our community:  In Tzofim we helped each other out all day every day.  Your child has been on Meal prep: setting the tables and doing some easy food prep, clean up: cleaning our eating areas and doing dishes as well as Nikayon (general clean up).  Most days, except Shabbat, we give Nikayon scores to every Ohel, tent.  Chanichim work very hard to earn top scores by organizing their belongings and making their beds!

• D’bar Ivrit: Speak Hebrew every day: Your child will come home with dozens of new Hebrew vocabulary words.  Ask them their favorite words and write them on note cards to post around the house.

• Enhancing spirituality:  Our chanichim have all prepared daily t’filot, services, for our community.  Through their beautiful words and images they lead us in prayer.  They also began every meal with the Motzi prayer and end every meal with the Birkat Hamazon, grace after meals. Try adding  the blessing over the bread on Fridays to make Shabbat a little more special.  

• Being kind to animals and tending the garden: Our chanichim take care of all of the animals in our refet, farm.  They feed them, pet them and as they answered when we asked, “we hang out with them”.  Chanichim also tend our garden by watering, weeding, and hoeing the ground.  They attend to these duties every day except on Shabbat.

• Trying something new:  Our limud, leaning activities has revolved around heroes and we encouraged our chanichim to try something new every day.  They climbed Etgar our high ropes course and were challenged on our low ropes course where they had to spot one another as the ropes were about one-foot off the ground.  We have more surprises for the end of our week and be sure to ask your chanich about what super power they chose for their cape. Try to keep the challenge going at home and plan something small for you and your child to try that is different from your everyday routine. 
  

• Ending the day: Every Ohel, tent (and in other eidot, units, this happens as well) our Madrichim create a special experience for our chanichim.  Every night “lights out” is different.  It could be “meet the Madrich”, story time, music or just about anything that will calm chanichim and bring them together as a chevre, friend group. Most of the girls Ohelim sing the moon song (ask them about it!) and all of the Ohelim end the day with singing Shema together.  We know that when your child gets home they will miss their friends, their madrichim and saying good night in this special way.

We are so proud of everything that we have taught, learned and experienced over these past two weeks.  Don’t be afraid to ask your child to clean up their room, do the dishes, set the table or try out something new.  They may be ready for a new pet or to help out in your garden.  They have been all doing these activities and so many more and we hope they will continue their quest for enriching their Jewish identity, friendship connections and independence.

Vanessa M. Ehrlich is the Director of Lifelong Learning at Lakeside Congregation in Highland Park, Illinois. Nicole A. Jahr is Director of Lifelong Learning at Temple Beth El Madison, Wisconsin. Together, they proudly serve as Segel for Tzofim Bet.