Galil Blog
Friday
Shabbat Shalom! After a sweaty tiyul (camping trip), Machaneh (camp) Galil was excited for a relaxing Shabbat. Alas, with the air quality being low and the chance of rain being high, our Shabbat festivities this weekend were a bit different than anticipated. Nonetheless, we made the most of our time together for the final Shabbat of the session.
Waking up in the morning, we cleaned up camp before the air quality was too bad. All the chanichimot (campers) cleaned their tzrifim (cabins), while a few volunteers helped clean and prepare the moadon (big community space) for the day. Many of our activities were moved inside, away from the smokey atmosphere headed our way. The day was spent watching movies, playing chess games, Magic the Gathering, Catan, and monkey in the middle. The chanichimot also had a carnival style activity run for them, allowing them to choose different activities to participate in at their choosing, including a Euchre tournament (a popular card game at Galil), a Finesse Ball tournament (an indoor version of the game Spike Ball), a bedazzling station, and a chill reading/napping option. We ate our lunch in the moadon as well!
In the afternoon, we were incredibly excited to discover the AQI (air quality index) had dropped into a safe zone, meaning we could be outside! The chanichimot (campers) quickly changed into their bathing suits for a pool party, where they splashed and played for as long as possible before it was time to freshen up for Shabbat. After meeting at the toren (flagpole) to hear where to go, the chanichimot split into their mishpachot kvutsot (family groups) to spend quality time with the people from the same places as them. It’s always nice to have a check in and the end of the week to see where everyone is at. We ran through our Thorn (something not-so-great from the week), our Rose (something very good from the week), and our Bud (something we’re excited about/looking forward to) and talked about how we were feeling. Afterwards, we all came back to the toren to listen to the Kartivimot (youngest campers) sing, before beginning Kabbalat Shabbat. With the AQI still showing good numbers, we commenced dinner in the chadar ochel (dining hall) like a classic Galil Shabbat! Rikud (Israeli dancing) was a blast as always, and we twirled and jumped in the moadon, before moving to a smaller indoor space to allow younger chanichim (campers with male counselors) to begin going to sleep there, as the AQI numbers were expected to rise unhealthily again overnight. The chanichot (campers with female counselors) slept in our newer tzrifim (cabins). What a fun sleepover!
Saturday
The next morning, unfortunately, the smoke was back, and a storm was rolling in. But here at Galil, we make the most out of everything, and we always know how to pivot! After a nice sleep in, the chanichimot (campers) ate a delicious breakfast of donuts in the mini-moadon, a smaller collective space indoors. We continued the day with our normal Seder Yom (schedule), and just moved activities inside and away from the weather. The first half of the morning was spent with the Bogrimot, as they ran fun activities for all of camp, while the second half was spent in Chugim Ritzinim (serious topic learning). Some topics spoken about this week were the idea of ‘What is Art?’, which questioned at what point something is no longer art, or when does it become art, and where is the line between the two, as well as a conversation about open-mindedness, and what it looks like to open your mind more.
We reconvened in the moadon (big community space) for lunch, and afterwards gave the space a big reset after multiple nights spent sleeping and many meals enjoyed. In the afternoon, the Madatz ran some chill, rainy day peulot (programming) for the chanichimot (campers)! Much of the rest of the day was spent doing similar indoor activities, continuing Spike Ball tournaments and the like. After spending dinner in the moadon as well, and a short chofesh (free time), it was finally time to close out Shabbat. We spent a long while singing songs for kumzitz (collective songs) and finished with the song Rivers and Roads. This song is significant to every chanichol (camper), as we always play that song at the end of every session, as all the chanichimot say goodbye to each other. Of course, it was an especially emotional way to lead into Havdallah. As the chanichimot laid on each other in a circle, rubbing each others shoulders and playing with each others hair, the leaders of Havdallah sang songs like Landslide, drawing out more tears and sentimentality for this incredible place. We finally ended the night with Medurah (bonfire), which looked a bit different inside the moadon and away from the rain, but was no less special. Though unconventional, it was still a beautiful final Shabbat!
