Author: cgi

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.

We’re up and rolling again!!!!

CGI got off on an amazing start with a smashing first three days, and as always – “has it really already been three days?” – each day is so full of fun and excitement it just flies by, and by the time you stop to think, a whole day’s gone and another’s coming up. So let’s see… Tuesday everyone arrived to a greeting of chocolate and cinnamon danishes with a glass (alright plastic but it sounds better) of cold milk. The scene of every year repeated itself as old campers, counselors and learning teachers greeted each other and everyone got ready to begin another amazing summer. After a speech from the head counselors the bunks were split and everyone got settled in. Wednesday began the learning program with the splitting of the kvutzas, and the first couple of classes. Thursday was the first trip, to Skate Estate, where the campers spun themselves dizzy on the roller skating rink got soaked on the water slides and then tried target practice (on each other) in the laser tag area. In short, between great cookies in the morning, great activities, great learning program, great meals and one great trip, I’d say we’re off to a great start!