Category: CGI News

Sunday night was the overnight for bunks Yud-Daled through Chof-Hey. Bunks Aleph through Yud-Gimmel went on their overnight Monday night. Bunks Aleph through Daled camped out in “the Rebbe’s Forest,” a short walk from camp. The older bunks camped out further from camp.

Although the specific schedules varied from one bunk to another, the general schedule was as follows: When the campers arrived at their site, they unpacked their bags, and then went to collect wood for the bonfire. The bonfire was lit, and everyone ate a barbeque supper. As the night wore on, the campers sat around the bonfire and sang songs and heard stories from the staff members. Although they were not in camp, the next morning Cocoa Club was held, as usual. Over 85% of the campers at both overnights attended Cocoa Club! Everyone then davened Shachris, ate breakfast and packed up to return to camp.

Sunday Morning, three campers put on tefillin for the first time. The names of the campers are: Yaacov Kaplan, Levi Sharfstein and Levi Hassan.

Sunday was the first day of the leagues! For one activity each day, the campers are divided not by bunk, but by team. The performance of each team is recorded. At the end of the summer, the top teams will play each other in playoffs, culminating in a championship game. The camp is divided in three divisions, according to age. Each team has campers of all ages from within that division. On Sunday, as it was the first day, the scores did not count for the record.

A new system has been introduced for the Bar Mitzvah Division’s seder chassidus. Previously, chassidus was learned with the same learning class as the other sedarim. Since Friday, a class of chassidus consists of two to four boys. Many learning teachers of younger classes, as well as some general staff, were asked to teach chassidus. Each learning teacher can teach what he feels suits his class, however most classes are learning selections from a sefer called “Mehusom Shel Yisroel” by R. Yoel Kahn.

This Friday night, the Number One Division, Bunks Aleph through Daled, had a separate minyan for Kabbalas Shabbos. They davened in the BMD Zal.

The yearly Dance Night took place this Motzai Shabbos. The benches in the Shul were moved to the sides, and the center of the Shul became the dance floor. Kitchen Manager Dovid Altien played the keyboard. Bar Mitzvah Division Head Shumly Friedman and Counselor Yehudah Friedman sang. At one point, General Manager Mendel Traxler juggled fire, much to the delight of the crowd. Snow cones were given out to all the campers. The singing and dancing lasted well over an hour, and a great time was had by all.

This morning, the Talmidei Hachodesh were announced. The best student from each learning class was selected as the winner. Each winner received a certificate, and a picture of the Rebbe. The winners of Kevutzah Competition were also announced. The members of the winning classes each got a plaque with a picture of the Rebbe on it. The winners are Shmuel Dovid Hurwitz’s class, Kevutzah Hey; Baruch Hecht’s class, Kevutzah Vov; Menachem Benchimouhn’s class, Kevutzah Chof-Aleph and Yitzi Kleinman’s class, Kevutzah Lamed.

From each division, one camper was given an award for the most Mishnayos Baal Peh in his division. From the first division, Menachem Mendel Rosenblum earned one crown and one gold. In the second division, the winner is Menachem Mendel Spalter, who earned one crown and one red. In the third division, the winner is Menachem Mendel Zirkind, who earned one flag, one gold and one red. From the fourth division, the winners is Avremi Zippel, who earned one crown and two golds.

After Breakfast, learning classes were held as usual. After learning class, the campers who were leaving went to get their stuff. Some were picked up by their families directly from camp. Others went in camp’s van to the airport. Most campers went by bus to Crown Heights, New York City, where many of them live. Some will fly home from there.

Later on, the new campers arrived. At 2:00, the head counselors gave their welcoming speech. After the speech the campers were split into bunks, and went to unpack their stuff. Everyone met in the Shul for Mincha, followed by supper.

After supper, it was time for the first Night Activity of the second month! Night Activity Director Dovid Taub came up with the innovative idea of playing “musical chairs” and “Simple Simon says” simultaneously. Several selected campers went up on stage, and had to dance around the chairs, while following the instructions given by “Simple Simon.” At the same time, they had to make sure to grab a seat as soon as the music stopped. After night activity, Maariv was davened and everybody went off to sleep, to prepare for tomorrow, the first day of the second month.

121 Campers came to Cocoa Club this morning. If all the campers of any bunk came, each one received a picture of the Rebbe. Meir Blesofsky, of Bunk Chof-Aleph won a bike in a raffle, from among all those who learned at least two yellows last shabbos. A bike is raffled off every week.

Today was the first trip of the second month to… Skaters’ World! Bunks Aleph through Yud-Gimmel left camp at 3:10, and left the rink at 5:00. Bunks Yud-Daled through Chof-Hey left camp at 5:00, and left the rink at 7:00.

For supper tonight, the hard working kitchen staff put together a barbeque. Everybody ate outside. In addition, Camp bought soda and corn chips to complement the meal. Songs were sung during the meal, and afterwards we played a special round of Simon Says. Some of our talented staff got together their instruments, and played music for the campers during the meal.

Tisha Bav morning, after davening, bunks Aleph through Yud went to eat breakfast, while the older bunks remained in Shul for Kinus.

Throughout the summer, the campers have been receiving cards of pictures of the Rebbe as rewards. The cards are part of a set. Camp gave out special albums in which to keep the cards. Many campers have doubles of some pictures and are missing other pictures. Today everybody gathered in the dining room to trade pictures. There will be another set given out next month.

By lunchtime, bunks Aleph through Yud-Daled ate lunch.

Today was the auction, for which the campers have been earning money the entire week. Bunk Aleph won a box of Twizzlers.
Bunk Beis won two oversized beach balls.
Bunk Gimmel won 60 seconds of free canteen.
Bunk Daled won a box of assorted candy.
Bunk Hey won hula hoops for the entire bunk.
Bunk Vov won large, multi-colored cups, straws and Kool-Aid.
Bunk Zayin won picture of the Rebbe cards 1-45.
Bunk Ches won a glow-in-the-dark, miniature air hockey.
Bunk Tes won camp yarmulkes for the entire bunk.
Bunk Yud won a pizza party.
Bunk Yud-Aleph won smiley-face tennis balls.
Bunk Yud-Beis won framed pictures of the Rebbe at the Lag B’omer Parade of 1950.
Bunk Yud-Gimmel won Frisbees for the entire bunk.
Bunk Yud-Daled won Bissli snacks for the entire bunk.
Bunk Tes-Vov won bottles of bubbles for the entire bunk.
Bunk Tes-Zayin won goggles for the entire bunk, plus a floating-ring-toss-set and six rolls of scotch tape.
Bunk Yud-Zayin won kites for the entire bunk.
Bunk Yud-Ches won camp hats for the entire bunk.
Bunk Yud-Tes won two boxes of graham crackers and a jar of marshmallow fluff.
Bunk Chof won 1,000 ices. (That’s approximately 100 per camper.)
Bunk Chof-Aleph won two jars of pickles.
Bunk Chof-Beis won a box of assorted candies.
Bunk Chof-Gimmel won a postal box of cans of coke.
Bunk Chof-Daled won miniature fans for the entire bunk.
Bunk Chof-Hey won flutes for the entire bunk.

Unfortunately, due to the rain, the annual camper-counselor baseball game had to be canceled. The campers played board games and watched videos in the Shul. One the videos watched was “Al Naharos Bavel,” a vivid depiction of the Churban Bais Rishon. The play is performed in Polish Yiddish, so Rabbi Baras gave a simultaneous translation into English.

After Maariv, and breaking of the fast, it was time for the awards ceremony. The best campers from each bunk were announced, and were given their plaques and certificates. The winners of Bunk Competition were given their plaques, as well. The winners are bunks Zayin, Yud-Bias and Chof-Aleph. The winners of the championship, as well as the MVP of each division were given trophies. From Division 1, the MVP is Yanky Greene, from Division 2, Moshe Epstein, and from Division 3, Mendel Kranz. The winners of Kevutzah Competition and the winners of Talmid Hachodesh will be announced tomorrow. Everybody then trekked up the hill, to what will be (for some of us) the last night at CGI!

Erev Tisha Bav, learning classes continued as usual, despite the fact the from midday on most learning is prohibited. The laws of Tisha Bav were taught. Some classes learned the stories from the Gemara about the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash.

After learning class was the championship games! The winners were the Holtz Hakkers, the Miki-Dippers and the Kaliskers.

In the afternoon, everyone went into the dining to eat supper. After supper, everyone went to change into non-leather shoes, and then came back for the seudas hamafsekes. We then davened Maariv, and recited Eicha and Kinus.