It was Thursday 2:05 PM, the ground shook in Gan Yisroel as some 20 flags were proudly waved.
Gan Yisroel was announcing their latest event – “Project Shlichus”! A fiery speech was delivered by H.C.B.H. about the work of the Shluchim, immediately following, the camp was allowed to stand in their place and begin marching as they sang “From 770”. As the singing continued the stage curtains opened revealing the counselors waving flags of their newly “acquired” country or state.
Each bunk has now been asked to transform their bunk into a Chabad House. “No longer will you be known as bunk Yud Gimmel, rather ‘the Shluchim of Uruguay’”.
When asked for a Lebedike Bentching the H.C. is heard saying, “Shluchim of United Kingdom show the world what you’ve got”. Many bunks have already placed big signs in front of their bunkhouses. “Chabad of Hawaii”, “Chabad of Alaska”, could be seen standing side by side.
Letters received from Shluchim from around the world are hanging proudly in their respective bunks. “Thank you for joining me on my Shlichus” reads one. “Your involvement will surely give us the Koiches to go on with our work” wrote R.Y.C. Cantor Head Shliach of Bangkok Thailand. Campers and counselors alike with maps and displays of their region are decorating bunks. Pictures of the interesting sights of their respective countries are being put up on the walls.
Throughout the day we were hearing “the Shluchim of Argentina” singing “we want Moshiach now” in Spanish.
Shluchim from around the world have sent Tanya’s, Pushka’s, flyers and brochures here for this spectacular event. “This sounds like it’s gonna be fun” said a camper from bunk Chof Beis. “Yes! We’re Shluchim too!” was said by many children of Bunk Daled. The project, which is planned to continue throughout the summer, is meant to focus on various subjects. Contests on how to publicize Mivtzoim, Yomim Tovim, Chasidish Minhagim, etc. scheduled for the upcoming weeks. “We hope we can teach the children Yidishe and Chasidishe values this way, without having them constrained to the conventional classroom methods” said one of the head staff. “This is a lot of Oros but lets make sure it comes into Keilim” said Rabbi Shemtov.
Rabbi Shemtov expressed his concern that the project be well organized and scheduled in order to insure a proper delivery to the children.
All-in-all camp Gan Israel is in a whirlwind, on a high with excitement. “The iinvolvement of the Shluchim has really been inspiring” said correspondence coordinator L.T. Levi Slonim. It seems that it would be best summed up by the remarks of Shliach Rabbi Yossi Amar from Argentina “this project comes as no surprise, it’s called the Rebbe’s camp for a reason”.
Parksville, NY