Monday saw particularly bad weather. It rained most of the day. In the afternoon a sign was put up on the bulletin board, purportedly printed off the internet, predicting bad weather, and possibly a hurricane in the Catskill Mountains. Next to it was a printout from Shmais.com reporting how the Catskill Mountains may be evacuated.
Inspectors came to camp on Tuesday. Overall they were impressed with camp. It continued to drizzle most of the day.
Before supper tape was put up on most of camp’s windows to minimize damage done by shattered glass. At the end of supper Head Counselor Chezzy Deren got up on the table and gravely announced that all counselors should get bentchers for their bunks and begin bentching immediately, regardless of whether their table was cleared or not. “Let no camper allow the words “BOG War” leave his mouth!” he warned solemnly.
After they finished bentching the campers were herded into the basement, followed by the staff. As everybody sat down on the floor, Chezzy told everyone that the storm would not hit us with full intensity for quite some time. Meanwhile horrible banging and shaking could be heard upstairs. Chezzy then demonstrated how to sit cross legged and hold our hands over our heads in case thing should fall from the ceiling, when…
the BMD came running into room, “BOG WAR!!!” Singing and dancing broke out, simultaneously with cries of “I knew it the whole time!” “I saw through the window that everything was fine.” Everyone then proceeded to the shul were the benches had been moved into three groups.
Everyone sat down and Yudi began to explain the theme of BOG War. “This war is to be called Chosid War. Each team will try to demonstrate who can be more of a chosid. There will be three teams. The first team is called Yosef. Yosef lived in Egypt. He was in golus for 22 years. This team will show how horrible golus is, and the life of a Jew in golus. The second team is Menashe. Menashe symbolizes the desire and yearning to leave golus. The third team is Ephraim. Ephraim symbolizes how a Jew can be fruitful, and maintain a connection to Hashem even in the golus, and on the contrary, strengthen his bond through the golus.”
He then split up the teams, and announced the staff members to be on each team. Then the lieutenants and generals were announced. Each team loudly expressed their confidence and pride in their team. Shaya Goupin then asked for silence. Some time passed and the campers continued to talk. “Menashe, you have lost a point!” Shaya bellowed.
Menashe’s general, Counelor Ruvain Gidder stomped to the front of the shul “What? A full point? Maybe a quarter of a point. Not more than half a point!”
“That’s it!” said Shaya, “If you can’t have BOG War, then there will have to be-”
“GRAND TRIP!!!!” screamed the lieutenants of Team Yosef. Once again singing and dancing broke out. A couple smart alecks still insisted on screaming “I knew the whole time!” but many campers were just confused.
Shaya got up again and explained “Tomorrow will not be not be BOG War. Tomorrow will be the Grand Trip to the Great Escape!”
Confused looks continued to be seen on many of the campers’ faces. “Let me explain,” said Yudi, “Inspectors, yes. Hurricane, no. BOG War, no. Grand Trip, yes. We will not be davening by team. We are davening by bunk like every usual night.”
