Month: August 2002 – י״א באלול ה׳תשס״ב

Looking to make a Chazaka for 5762, the technicians @ Gan Yisroel, NY are making the final preparations to broadcast Sunday evenings end-of-the-summer grand banquet live over the internet @ CAMPGANISRAEL.com.
The broadcast is scheduled to begin B”EH @ lerech 7:00pm Eastern Daylight Time.

To watch the live broadcast click here

Yesterday afternoon we had a beautiful and exciting color war break out. After hearing on Shabbos about the new property Gan Yisroel is about to purchase, (as was written on shmais) the campers were told that someone had given an extra big donation and therefore the grounds was going to be purchased together with a big celebration on Monday afternoon. At around five o’clock the campers all went up to hill were the ribbon cutting celebration was to take place from a point where you were able to see the new grounds. Rabbi Shemtov spoke about how special this is for the Rebbe’s camp, and just thereafter H.C. Asher Deren announced that the first activity we are going to be doing is COLOR WAR. (the funny part is that the grounds are still going to be purchased)

The campers all went into the Shul to be split up into teams. General Moshe Steiner’s team was called Lehovie Es HaGeulah, and General Mendy Kaplan’s team was called Lilmoid MaiHarebbe.
At night the campers watched four smashing scavengers, about golfing court cases sewing and much more. All the campers left the Shul with a smile on their face eager to jump into their bed for another smashing day of Color War .

Tuesday morning the campers woke up early to begin learning Mishnayos Baal Peh. Followed by Davening in a beautifully decorated Shul prepared the night before by the hard working staff.

As soon as learning classes finished, the kids began practicing there theme song until they were stopped by lineup and lunch. After lunch there was the song presentation followed by races in the indoor pool.

After Minchah the campers watched a gorgeous play. After supper the kids watched a second beautiful play. Right after the plays everyone said Krias Shema, and went to sleep more tired than ever.

This morning camp was in an uproar. Just after the camp woke up there was talk of a special guest coming to camp today, so after breakfast the camp had an extra cleanup. Later on the camp got word that he is not going to come today.
During learning classes the competition continued, more classes went head to head in a game of connect four.
During activities we had Playoffs; there were enough upsets that had the entire camp talking. The number eight seed squeezed pass the number one seed 38 to 34 in a game of basketball. The second upset was when the seventh seed beat the number two seed 6 to 4 in a game of hockey. The championship will be on Thursday IY”H.
For night activity the camp had judgment night were campers bring the staff to court for what ever reason they desire. The three most respected figures that were brought to court were
1) NAD Moshe Markel – for not being funny enough.
2) HC Aher Deren for owing campers pictures of the Rebbe.
3) ECAD Levi Backman for not coming through with the trips he promised bunk Yud Daled. Whereupon found guilty promised bunk Yud Daled together with the entire camp a trip to six flags – great adventures tomorrow.
The campers went to sleep with smiles from ear to ear, awaiting the big day coming tomorrow.

Moshiach day, yes another great amazing day in Gan Yisroel. Truthfully every day in Gan Yisroel is a day that we are working hard to bring Moshiach, but I guess today is something special. “Line up CGI”, line up in one very very very long line to bring out the Achdus (unity) between us all. By Davening all the campers sat together (i.e. the benches were pushed together) also showing the unity between all the campers. After that by breakfast we had a special guest – the food inspector. Then came learning classes. During learning classes the younger Kevutzah’s that are learning Mishnayos Succah (which speaks about different types of Succah’s that are Possul) started building model Succah’s (with Popsicle sticks). They head a competition which Kevutzah can build the nicest one. MEANWHILE the older kevutzah’s are having kevutzah vs. Kevutzah BEES on Shulchan Aruch Hilchos Elul & Tishrei.
During the day the playoffs in the 1st division of athletics kicked off. Additionally the new NBA hoops where in full use. Most of the bunks went swimming, it was a very hot day here in Gan Yisroel. In the evening the staff had an amazing OUTDOOR play. It started off about 7:45 starring all the head staff even Rabbi Baras acted. It had to do with a Chacham in Kabul who didn’t have any children and then Hashem blessed him with a special child but later they got separated. At the end of the play the father and son reunited together again. The “Nimshal” is that we are separated from our father the Rebbe and we can’t see him physically, but very soon we will be reunited together with him with the coming of Moshiach right now.

Good morning Gan Yisroel hey I don’t hear the voice of H.C. Mendy Kornfeld rather the new H.C. for Topsy Turvy H.C. Chaim Asher Landa. Now in the shul for Shachris H.C. Sruly Steiner (brother of H.C. Moshie Steiner) ran Shachris. Learning director Schneur Chein said the Hayom Yom after Shachris. Meanwhile all the New waiters led by head Waiters Sholom Ber Wolberg and J.J. Hecht (nephew of head waiter Ashi Hecht) were setting up the Dining room for breakfast. After breakfast we all ran to our learning classes each of us begging our learning teacher to sub him, so he let each of us say a story to the class at the end if we behaved. Now learning director Menachem Altein came to our class and started screaming at me cause I was kicking the sand so I told him that it’s not my fault Zalmy did it first so he told me this is your last warning next time you’ll be in for serious stuff. After learning classes we had line up led by head counselor Mordy Harlig (I don’t Know If it was worth it for him to get the job. The staff (I mean the campers –at least for today ) drenched him). But anyway after lunch I started walking around the camp square and I bumped into a big cardboard box. I looked at it and it said on it something about a basket ball backboard I looked at the basket ball court and I realized that the hoop is missing I wondered and waited then AT 2:47 CAMP TIME AN AMAZING NEW FIBERGLASS BACKBOARD AND HOOP WENT UP ON THE CGI BASKET BALL COURT Being put up by the G.M. Shmuly Vishedskey and Berel Levy (I guess It was worth it to vote for them) then I got in line and at 3:14 I was the 23rd camper to throw a ball into the all new HOOP. Afterwards I went back towards the main building and who do I meet, the computer lab manger all the way from Riga Mendy Glazman sitting and snapping long range electronic pictures of the new Hoop. What a Day it is still not over finally we have night activity with the amazing NAD’s Sicherman and Saxon. Tonight they called up the staff and believe me it was messy I never saw so much shaving cream in my life. Then after Maariv H.C. M.S. started screaming believe me I was scared, there was only one word that was exiting my mouth “I didn’t do it”. Anyways it ended up to be something like Moshiach day. Tomorrow I’ll let you Know what happened on Moshiach day. Good night. As I’m tossing in bed, hey where is O.D. Y.C. rather the Turvey one Nachi Cohen, Chassideshe Chaloms!!!

To everyone’s surprise today was not a lazy day, instead everybody woke up waiting to hear who won this Hiskashrus war. After a delicious breakfast everyone was back to regular learning classes. Thereafter both teams lined up in front of the outdoor pool. All the judges were at the diving board with their yellow hats on, “and the winners are none other then the team of LEHOVIE ES HAGEULA and all the staff went for the jump. The campers all watched delightfully. Two minutes later there was line up for the entire camp. Head Counselor Asher Deren reminded everyone that we are back to our regular schedule. I just love the ole’ Gan Izzy exciting schedule.

Before activities all the campers received their applications for Topsy Turvy day, which is going to take place on Sunday and all afternoon they were going around receiving signatures from staff and campers to be elected for their positions. At night activity whoever went for one of the head positions got up and told the campers why they should vote for them.

After lights out there was a staff Seder followed by a Farbrengen with Rabbi Yehudah Leib Schapiro, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivah Gedolah – Miami which is still going on.