GAN YISROEL LEAVES THEIR MARK AS THEY ROCK 770
For Gan Yisroel, NY Chof-Av is a very special day, and this year was no exception. On Thursday morning after breakfast the whole camp went to the Mikva in the pool in preparation for trip to the Rebbe. During learning classes everyone wrote a pan.
After an earlier than usual lunch 12 buses each “equipped†due to the hot weather with over 12 gallons of ice cold water and filled with over 500 campers, Masmidim Yeshivas Kayitz & staff members left to the Ohel & 770, keeping a tradition of over 20 years now that, CGI has gone to visit the Rebbe. A tradition much appreciated by the Rebbe all the years, when the Rebbe would give the children special attention.
Upon arriving at the Ohel, at 5:00pm, the campers entered the first tent that was lined up with benches for a rally. During the rally the campers davened a smashingly Lebedik Mincha, recited the 12 Pesukim and sang various songs. After Mincha the bunks were dismissed to the Ohel where the campers said Tehillim and read their Panim.
When the campers left the Ohel they washed their hands and were given cold cups of spring water. Afterwards they went into the second tent for supper. The tables were set up in an orderly fashion with each bunk given their own table, just like in camp. Salami sandwiches with ketchup or mustard, tuna sandwiches as well as cold drinks and fruit were served for supper in a very orderly fashion.
At 7:00pm the camp once more boarded the buses to go to 770. They arrived @ 770 @ 7:45pm. All the campers with their counselors and staff went in to 770 and sat down on the benches in the front of the Shul. Everything was set up in 770 thanks to Y.K. Director Yirmiya Berkowitz, Masmidim Director Yossi Waks and Yeshivas Kayitz & Masmidim members.
All the benches on both sides, in the front of the Shul until the Bima Hakriah were filled with over 360 kâ€ah campers, Masmidim & Yeshivas Kayitz members. The 150 kâ€ah Staff members of CGI were all standing on benches around the campers.
H.C. Sruly Altein conducted the singing and davening in 770. @ 8:00 the camp started singing camp songs. The singing and chayus reverberated throughout the whole 770 where everyone stopped what they were doing and focused on the Rebbe’s camp “Shepping Nachasâ€. The type of chayus displayed by camp is hard to put in to words and had to be seen to appreciate. 770 was more full than usual, with lots of extra people coming to see the Rebbe’s Camp. The following were just some of the songs that camp sang. “Gan Yisroel hoo Machanaynuâ€, “Al hasela hoch†(a song the Rebbe started when he visited camp), “Atah Vechartuhnu†and “A small tree growsâ€.
H.C.S.A. told all the campers that they were now presenting Project Shlichus to the Rebbe. Following the explanation of the Project, the camp began singing “From 770… Shluchay Adonaynu†with unsurpassed Chayus & vigor. This song was so lebedik, because Project Shlichus this summer in Gan Yisroel is having an amazing impact on the campers. The word “nation†in the song “Nation after nation we are conquering….†was sung 23 times corresponding to 23 countries & states involved in project Shlichus. Maariv led by a CGI Alumnus Yossel Keller started @ lerech 8:45. More rocking singing followed Maariv.
During the entire time that camp was in 770 Camp Executive Director Rabbi Avrohom Shemtov & Director Rabbi Yossie Futerfas were watching on and “shepping†much nachas.
As the campers left 770 a grand finale of singing “Kesiva Vachasima Tova†was sung with great chayus. Outside of 770 the sweated up campers were cooled down from the excitement with ice-cold spring water and soda before they boarded the buses that were lined up on the service lane of Eastern Parkway stretching all the way from Kingston Ave. till Brooklyn Ave.