Author: cgi

This morning Cocoa Club Started off with a bang! A record breaking 73 campers showed up this morning at 6:45 to learn mishnayos baal peh. Some were even in middle of an early morning baseball game (!) and decided to stop, to learn mishnayos baal peh. Most children memorized mishnayos from Pirkei Avos. Some learned Mesechos Megillah and Berachos. At the end of the session the children were asked who would like to come tomorrow. All 73 of the campers (and also some more) said they will come back tomorrow, so we are looking forward to an even better attendance tomorrow!

Today, Sholom Ber Dubinsky from Bunk Yud memorized the most Mishnayos and Yehudah Gurevitch from Bunk Hey wowed everybody by memorizing two p’rakim of Tanya! Yasher Koach and keep up the good work!

Five of the attendees were awarded each with a stainless steel coffee mug. The winners were: Dovid Posner, Bunk Yud-Gimmel; Shneur Nagar, Bunk Daled; Steven Kalish, Bunk Bais; Mendy Brafman, Bunk Tes-vov and Yisroel Slonin from Bunk Alef. Every week a ten speed bike will be raffled of among the attendees of Cocoa Club. There are plans that every Wednesday should be “Whipped Cream Wednesday”, however this past Wednesday, there was no Cocoa Club, so tomorrow will be “Whipped Cream Friday.”

Today during lunch camper Yiroel Slonin was the first camper to raise his hand when Head Counselor Yudi Steiner asked for quiet, he also encouraged his bunkmates to be quiet. He was awarded with being able to choose anything he wanted from the canteen! Keep up the good work Yisroel!

This week was Yossi Sharfstein’s birthday, and today was the birthday of Yitzi Zakon. Happy Birthday!

Rabbi Bentzion Korf, of Florida, Farbrenged with the Bar Mitzvah Division and the Masmidim during the time of the afternoon learning class.

Tonight, in honor of Yud-bais Tammuz, the campers enjoyed the first bonfire of the summer. As the children sat on the hill waiting for the fire to be lit, they were surprised when several fire works were set off. We then sang a couple of camp songs. Rain threatened to ruin our bonfire, but Head Counselor Yudi Steiner instructed all the campers to point their flash lights to the sky and to repeat word for word the following prayer: “Hashem, Please help us enjoy the Rebbe’s bonfire tonight; indeed, here we sit poised and prepared to light the fire.” And what do you know? Miracle of miracles the fire caught! As the fire cackled loudly, and thousands of sparks flew into the air Yudi related the following story, “365 days ago campers of Camp Gan Yisrael sat here on this same hill, facing this same wood and tried to light a bonfire. But Hashem said no. Today, 365 days later, the time has come.” Marshmallows were distributed among the children. Meanwhile, Rabbi Baris told the children the story of the rise of communism and the frerdiker Rebbe’s arrest. As the campers were dismissed to maariv several more fire works were set off.

Tonight Rabbi Efriam Pikarski, Menahel of Oholei Torah came to farbreng with the staff.

Today was the first day of camp following the usual schedule. The campers woke up at 7:00, cleaned up, ate snacks and then lined up by the flag pole for the morning line up. Afterwards we davened shachris with the enthusiasm and chayus that characterizes all CGI tefilos.

After davening the campers went down to breakfast, after which the Learning Directors, Mendel Chaikin and Asher Hecht informed the campers of the structure and rules of the learning classes. In addition to the usual incentives, of selecting one talmid hashavuah from each class, every week, and one “kevutzah” (learning class) to win “kevutzah competition” at the end of each month, this year our learning directors are introducing several new programs; including a weekly raffle from tickets earned by good behavior. If a camper doesn’t win any of the raffles, the tickets can be used for to buy prizes from the CGI store. Camp will be providing the learning teachers with prizes and pictures of the Rebbe to give to their students. The youngest children will be learning Parshas Shelach. The older children will be learning Mishnaios Mesechtos Megillah and Chagigah. The oldest children will be learning Gemara Mesches Menachos, beginning Daf 29b (which deals with safrus). We will also be learning Inyonei Geulah U’Moshiach, and a collection of sichos about the various MIvtzoim.

At 12:40 everybody lined up to eat lunch – but only after washing their hands to maintain hygiene. After lunch there was a 15 minute rest period, followed by ACTIVITIES!!!! Each bunk was assigned an activity, including baseball, basketball, Frisbee football swimming and outdoor survival! After each bunk went through their three activities, the children davened Mincha, arranged by kevutzah, together with their learning teachers. During the afternoon learning class we will be learning the laws of tefilah, and a special booklet of sichos and letters about hiskashrus. Today, in honor of Yud-Bais Tammuz, we learned a bit of the history of this special day.After learning class the flag was lowered and the campers ate supper.

For night activity, we played the exciting game of “Who is That Guy?” The entire camp was shown slightly distorted video clips of various staff members. Three campers were selected to geuss who these guys might be. The accuracy rate was approximately 5/6. After maariv the Mishnios Baal Peh Director, Moshe Frank, explained the system for mishnayos baal peh for this year. It really well worked-out and exciting, so make sure to check out this spot in the future to read the news as it happens!!

The campers of CGI Parksville arrived at camp early Tuesday afternoon. After their welcome speech by the Head Counselors – Chezzy Deren, Yudi Steiner and Shaya Goupin – they were split into bunks, and went off to unpack their baggage. At approximately 6:00 they lined up, and then ate supper, followed by Mincha. Our new Night Activity Director, Dovid Taub, kept the campers rolling from laughter with the game “How Well do You Know Your Shoes.” The Head Staff say that they have an exciting schedule worked out for the coming weeks, and it only gets better at CGI! So keep looking at this spot for daily updates of what’s happening CGI New York!

Interview by Yosef Shidler – play presented by winning team shliach.

The high spirits that were felt at ‘Camp Gan Yisroel New York’ during the past few days reached their peak at the melave malka on motzei shabbos, the central event of ‘Yarchei Kallah’ which was founded thirty years ago in memory of the Rebbe’s father.

Gedolim, Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshivot, and mashpi’im graced the evening with their presence and words of Torah, while hundreds of tmimim and Anash listened intently, amazed at the scene which had been organised by Rabbi Avraham Shem Tov, who heads the international ‘Agudas Chassidei Chabad’.

The evening was competently chaired by Rabbi Sholom Ber Lipskar, shliach in Bal Harbor Florida. Dvar Malchus was said by Rabbi Yoel Cohen, the Rebbe’s ‘chozer’ and words of blessing were spoken by Rabbi Shem Tov, Rabbi Lipa Shapira, Rabbi Yitzchak Yehuda Yuroslavski and Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Askenazi, Rabbi of Kfar Chabad.

Words of halacha and pilpul were heard by Rabbi Dov Brisman and Rabbi Chanania Yosef Aisenbach, Rosh Yeshiva of chabad in Bnei Brak.

At this very moment, the Torah event of the international ‘Yarchei Kallah’ is taking place in the large shul of ‘Gan Yisroel New York’ with the participation of many gedolim, Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshivot, and mashpi’im from around the world.

Our COL team on the scene are broadcasting the event live , in co-operation with the virtual team of Gan Yisroel: Hershi Chitrik and Zalman Shapira.

This years hundreds of people from all over the globe watched the 30th Yarchei
Kalah live online. The news of the live event was published on two major lubavitcher
websites, COL and Shmais. B”H the network grid held up to the high bandwidth
demand even though it was broadcast at 196kbs. To watch this years yarchei kalah

Despite the massive blackout, the 30th annual Yarchei Kalla program @ Gan Yisroel, NY which this year has over 30 Rabbonim, Mashpiim, Roshei Yeshivos & Shluchim from around the world continued.
Thanks to good olde tea light candles, battery powered lanterns and the bright beams from a couple of cars, the learning and discussions in Torah did not stop.

As we finished typing this article @ 9:04pm EST, the lights went back on and loud cheering and applause was heard throughout the grounds of Gan Yisroel.