Author: cgi

Like last week, before Mincha the campers were told about a brand new 10-speed bicycle to be raffled off after Shabbos. In the course of the Shabbos there were 1500! tickets given to the campers. H.C.B.H. told the campers a story before Kabolas Shabbos. C.S.B. davened Kabolas Shabbos @ the Umud, and it was very lebedik especially during the singing of Lecha Dodi

This, the 2nd Friday night Shabbos meal in camp was as “lebedik” as ever, most of the songs were focused on Shlichus in connection with last weeks launch of “Project Shlichus”. For the second week in a row camps chef Shlomo Futerfas made delicious knaidelach to go along with the chicken soup.

After the meal close to 50 campers stayed on to Farbreng till 12:00 midnight with H.C.S.A.

Shabbos morning there was cocosh & marble cake, cereal & fruit for snacks. Camper Shimon Shur davened @ the Umud till Shochain Ad, he was taken over by Camper Shnayor Kamensky. Rabbi Avrohom Shemtov was honored with Maftir. The letters for counting during Kriah spelled “Moshiach Now” backwards. Camper Yankie Lokshin davened Mussaf @ the Umud.

Seudas Shabbos began with a story from H.C.B.H. and when the singing began the dining room was rocking. The camp made sure to sing with extra enthusiasm @ 1:30pm which is the time that the Rebbe would come down to Farbreng.

The 3 Head Counselors, Rabbi Baras & Rabbi Mordechai Avtzon from Hong Kong farbrenged during the afternoon learning classes with groups of campers.

It was a very active afternoon for Mishnayos Baal Peh.

For most of the afternoon, Rabbi Shemtov farbrenged in the guest dining room with many members of Yeshivas Kayitz present.

Prior to Mincha there was Seder niggunim in the Shul. This week’s “Shmaryionky” had a guest star from the custodial department of camp.

After Havdola the winners for Shabbos competition were announced. Bunks 8, 12, & 19 won, the runners up were bunks 13, 20.

After Maariv in addition to the regular late night sports activities, Bunks 1, 5 and 10 were privileged to be the first bunks to enjoy the first “night swim” in Camps indoor heated pool, and Bunk 14 enjoyed the newly renovated “game room”!

It was Thursday 2:05 PM, the ground shook in Gan Yisroel as some 20 flags were proudly waved.
Gan Yisroel was announcing their latest event – “Project Shlichus”! A fiery speech was delivered by H.C.B.H. about the work of the Shluchim, immediately following, the camp was allowed to stand in their place and begin marching as they sang “From 770”. As the singing continued the stage curtains opened revealing the counselors waving flags of their newly “acquired” country or state.
Each bunk has now been asked to transform their bunk into a Chabad House. “No longer will you be known as bunk Yud Gimmel, rather ‘the Shluchim of Uruguay’”.
When asked for a Lebedike Bentching the H.C. is heard saying, “Shluchim of United Kingdom show the world what you’ve got”. Many bunks have already placed big signs in front of their bunkhouses. “Chabad of Hawaii”, “Chabad of Alaska”, could be seen standing side by side.
Letters received from Shluchim from around the world are hanging proudly in their respective bunks. “Thank you for joining me on my Shlichus” reads one. “Your involvement will surely give us the Koiches to go on with our work” wrote R.Y.C. Cantor Head Shliach of Bangkok Thailand. Campers and counselors alike with maps and displays of their region are decorating bunks. Pictures of the interesting sights of their respective countries are being put up on the walls.
Throughout the day we were hearing “the Shluchim of Argentina” singing “we want Moshiach now” in Spanish.
Shluchim from around the world have sent Tanya’s, Pushka’s, flyers and brochures here for this spectacular event. “This sounds like it’s gonna be fun” said a camper from bunk Chof Beis. “Yes! We’re Shluchim too!” was said by many children of Bunk Daled. The project, which is planned to continue throughout the summer, is meant to focus on various subjects. Contests on how to publicize Mivtzoim, Yomim Tovim, Chasidish Minhagim, etc. scheduled for the upcoming weeks. “We hope we can teach the children Yidishe and Chasidishe values this way, without having them constrained to the conventional classroom methods” said one of the head staff. “This is a lot of Oros but lets make sure it comes into Keilim” said Rabbi Shemtov.
Rabbi Shemtov expressed his concern that the project be well organized and scheduled in order to insure a proper delivery to the children.
All-in-all camp Gan Israel is in a whirlwind, on a high with excitement. “The iinvolvement of the Shluchim has really been inspiring” said correspondence coordinator L.T. Levi Slonim. It seems that it would be best summed up by the remarks of Shliach Rabbi Yossi Amar from Argentina “this project comes as no surprise, it’s called the Rebbe’s camp for a reason”.

Project Shlichus 7-2001
Counselors in The Rebbe’s camp jumping off the stage in the Shul with flags in their hand for the launching Thursday afternoon of “Project Shlichus”. Full report on this amazing project to follow IYH..

campers, (Shimon Klein & Yanky Teller) in The Rebbe’s camp, posing with camp mascot “Moshe Yukel” on Wednesday afternoon 13 Tammuz 5761

Waiters win by a landslide June 2001
Wednesday, Jul 4, 2001 7:00 am
The CGI Waiters do it again! Coming back to the dinning room with a triumphant 8-0 victory over the Torah Teen “Shtaigers”. Although the “Shtaigers” where reported to be a good team, they were no mach for the “CGI’ers” who have repeatedly shown excellent performance even under the most tense situation.

H.W.S.M. says “this comes as no surprise to me; these boys are constantly putting out their best, serving camp both in and out of the dining room”. Proof to that was their fabulous participation this past Shabbos in MBP. “I don’t think we could have gotten so much MBP done without their help”. Says MBP Dir. C.H.A. The main though will be in the upcoming game with the Kitchen Staff “Kuchers” who are scheduled to play in the near future. An exact date is not yet forthcoming but rest assured you will be informed. For now, the waiters are busy doing their work faithfully and resuming their Norman Seder which includes rising at the very early hour of 6:30am
And learning the Rebbe’s holy Chassidus, which will hasten the coming of Moshiach right now!

CGI’s 22 year old truck 7-4-2001
The 1979 International Harvester truck that has been in CGI’s possession since the summer of 1983 is no where to be found. In the many summers that the aging truck has been shleping from luggage to steel beams and other precious cargo, has finally needed a major overhaul, and is currently being repaired by an International truck dealer in Paramus N.J., it is not clear to how the truck ended up there, but the camp director assures us that the truck
will be back in service shortly.

Tuesday, Jul 3, 2001 6:59 am
In Honor of Yud Bais Tammuz the Campers played an exciting game of “Escape From Russia”, (organized by our very own dedicated Night Activity Director), during activities this afternoon. The objective of the game is to receive a passport and visa to “Escape from Russia” without being caught by the Russian Guards.

A special Yom Tov Seudah was served in honor of Yud Beis Tammuz, during this supper a special atmosphere was felt by all the campers in the beautifully decorated dining room. A special song sheet was printed in honor of the occasion, with songs associated with Yud Bais Tammuz, the campers sang with lots of Chayus and emotion. Executive Director Rabbi Shemtov then addressed the entire camp about the practical implications of Yud Bais Tammuz, and it’s meaning to us Chasidim today, he then continued to speak about the specialty of camp.
In closing of the Seudah, two new projects were initiated, a Chitas Club during rest period, and an essay contest, explaining the meaning of the names of the teams in “Toras Rabbeinu Leagues”, details of the contest will follow.

After lights out the staff had a special “Staff Seder” in honor of Yud Bais Tammuz. A Farbrengen with Rabbi Michoel Seligson followed the Seder, Rabbi Baras later joined as well, after his own Farbrengen with the Masmidim. The Yeshivas Kayitz had a Farbrengen of their own with the Rosh Yeshivah Rabbi Wolberg.