Month: July 2011 – י״ב בתמוז ה׳תשע״א

Campers at Camp Gan Israel – Parksville enjoyed an overnight camping trip, setting up tents and campfires followed by barbecuing and farbrenging with their counselors.

The very-long-awaited-but-seemed-it-it-would-never-come VISITING DAY arrived. It started early Sunday, and as hundreds of family and friends streamed in, the camp became even more packed than it ever had been. As the visitors arrived there were many exuberant shouts from campers who were overjoyed to see their parents and siblings. Still others were happy to see friends and former counselors and learning teachers come back to visit. Parents and siblings, Bubbys, Zeidys, Aunts, and Uncles. Campers running jubilantly in every direction. Ice cream being eaten like it’s going out of style. Counselors, Learning Teachers, and waiters are sought after for discussion and appreciation. Yup it’s Visiting Day.

Many of the families left camp for a while to go spend the day together, while others spent time together in canteen or the square. In addition to the excitement of visitors, there were several attractions set up for the campers. Campers shot hoops on the inflatable basketball court, while others were running an obstacle and rope course. There were many campers playing on the blow-up slides and moon-bounce, while still others were having amazing time trying out the rock-climbing.

All in all, there were many happy faces to be seen throughout visiting day, as campers and company spent time catching up, eating delicious food, and just having fun. As the day wound to a close, bunk houses were stocked and restocked with enough nosh for an army. Campers gave emotional goodbye hugs to their families and told them they want to stay for another month. Parents gradually made their way to the exit as the campers lined up for Mincha.

Visiting day took place today, Sunday. Parents came in from the city and nearby bungalow colonies to spend the day with their children in camps in the Catskill Mountain region.

Published: July 10 2011

Leagues kicked off the beginning of this week with a bang and all the teams are racing for the top. Each division has a different theme featuring elter Chassidim like Reb Hillel Paritcher and Binyomin Kletzker, old shtetlach, like Nevel or Kremenchug, or the Rebbes niggunim – Anim Zemiros, Stav Yapitu, and so on. I have to say, it’s pretty cool to see campers sitting by their teams, singing niggunim, or yelling names of towns rarely ever spoken of any more.

Tuesday the whole camp went to New York for Gimmel Tammuz. In the morning all the campers were encouraged to go to mikva, daven and act as a Chossid should on such a day, in order to truly be the Rebbe’s children. Following breakfast the camp divided into three groups for a general learning class featuring stories and lesson from the Rebbe, Then, together with their learning teachers, they all wrote panim. Lunch, Mincha, and onto the buses for a trip to the Ohel. The bus trip flew by while the campers enjoyed special videos prepared by the staff. At the Ohel all the campers read their tehillim and panim as they slowly filed into the Ohel. Next they were off to Campus Chomesh for a delicious supper and farbrengen , along with singing and live music. Then back onto the buses and before you knew it, we were back in camp, exhausted and inspired.

From good gashmius comes good ruchnius or in the words of the Mishnah in Avos: “im ein Kemach ein Torah” – if there is no flour [i.e. food] there is no Torah. On Thursday evening, campers watched, befuddled, as the dining room was emptied of tables, but all soon became clear as they were brought to the square and grills were fired up for a grand barbeque outside! Following the delicious food the whole camp participated in a game highlighting fun trivia questions about camp. What a night!

From Gan Israel, here’s wishing you a Good Shabbos!

Shortline is requiring Paid (refundable) reservations by 6:00PM Wed. July 6 at Flash 399 Kingston Ave 718 604 0500

B”H
The first Shabbos in camp was beautiful to see! From Friday night singing to mishnayos bal peh, all the bunks were trying so hard to win Shabbos competition that it took head counselors Raphi, Moshe and Shmulik quite some time to decide. After talking it over for a while they decided that the winners were Bunk Bais from N.O.D. and Bunk Zayin and Chaf Daled from the two older divisions. As head counselor Raphi Steiner said before the winners were announced: “These bunks were outstanding, from bedside inspection on Erev Shabbos until the end of Havdalah, and the entire time in between, whether it was singing davening or benching”. Mazel Tov to the winners!

A Chof Ches Sivan farbrengen was held Thursday for the staff of Camp Gan Israel in Parksville, NY, with the camp directors Rabbi Abraham Shemtov and Rabbi Yossi Futerfas.