Over the past 24 hours we have had some inquires about a day camp option. We have a very devoted staff that feel extremely motivated to make it happen and be able to give the kids a chance to spend most of their week in Gan Yisroel.
This is a brand new idea for us and we need to know how many parents would be interested in this option. The day would start at 10:00am and end at 9:00pm Sunday through Thursday and half day on Friday giving the boys a true full day of camp. We would serve the boys 3 meals a day plus snack. Camp would start on July 6 and run through August 26. It would be for boys in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade.The boys would have a full program of learning classes, variety of sports and leagues, swimming, boating, biking, arts and crafts, cook outs even experience a Gan Yisroel color war and lots of in house entertainment. We are looking into offering bus transportation from 3 or 4 central locations in the Catskill area.
If there are any boys that may have non immediate family that live upstate for the summer perhaps they can stay with them. We are working feverishly on all the details of how to make a smooth transition from overnight camp to day camp. It really depends on how many families are interested in order to make it work. Again we stress how we will need a few days to see how many people get back to us and confirm that they are indeed interested and than we can open registration for Gan Yisroel day camp.
The week started off in the Turkey basketball where campers prepared to leave camp due to numerous code violations, when in fact it was a breakout for color war! Teams Tevia and the winning team of Kmoso battled it out through the plays and skits, from MBP to cheering, from the beginning this was a hard fought battle.
The week continued when we visited the Rebbe on Chof Av. The campers reported to their general their various achievements throughout the summer.
But the fun did not end there, CGI visited Six Flags Great Escape for the most grand trip of all time. From the water slides to the the roller coasters this was most definitely- a grand trip.
It was a meaningful tribute when a group of esteemed rabbis visited the grave site of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson OBM, the mother of the Rebbe, in the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, on Wednesday.
Together, they recited Tehillim at the gravesite on Chof Av, the day of the yartzeit of her revered husband, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson OBM, the fearless Chief Rabbi of Ekaterinoslav (today Dnipro).
Both Reb Levik, as he was called, and Rebbetzin Chana sacrificed their lives to sustain Judaism behind the Iron Curtain. When the Communists exiled him to Kazakhstan, she dutifully joined to assist him.
To honor his pious memory, Rabbi Avraham Shemtov organized the first Global Yarchei Kallah gathering of Torah learning 45 years ago in 5734 at Camp Gan Israel, the Chabad boys summer camp in Parksville, NY.
The plan was accepted and approved by the Rebbe and the Rebbe himself identified with this initiative. Once, in the midst of a farbengen held on the same Shabbos as Yarchei Kallah, the Rebbe referred to the gathering, saying “This is my project.”
When Mexico’s Chief Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Hirschberg mentioned that he had participated in Yarchei Kallah, the Rebbe highlighted the connection to his father, explaining that the mitzvah of honoring one’s parents continues after their passing and that the most consummate honor that can be paid is the study of the Torah.
Rabbi Shemtov, Chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad International and organizer of the Yarchei Kallah, accompanied them there and at the Rebbe’s Ohel.
In this spirit, the participants of this year’s Yarchei Kallah joined for a shiur in Likutei Levi Yitzchok on Reb Levik’s teachings presented by Rabbi Sholom Charitonow, Mashpia in Beis Medrash Oholei Torah in Crown Heights.
The rabbonim of the annual scholarly gathering of Chabad’s Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshiva and Mashpiim then held a Chassidic farbrengen in honor of Chof Av at the Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch.
From there, they traveled to the Catskill Mountains where they will be spending the next few days in deep study and discussions, alongside the staff members and campers of Gan Israel, directed by Rabbi Yossie Futerfas.
The gathering will culminate with a Grand Melave Malka on Motzoei Shabbos, 10:30 PM, at the Main Shul of the camp. Open for the pubic, with a program for men and women, the event will feature speeches and a Siyum Haramabam by the Rebbe’s Choizer, Rabbi Yoel Kahn; Rabbi Shemtov and Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Kalmenson, Rosh Yeshiva of Chabad in New Haven.
By COLlive reporter Photos Itzik Roytman
It was a meaningful tribute when a group of esteemed rabbis visited the grave site of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson OBM, the mother of the Rebbe, in the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, on Wednesday.
Together, they recited Tehillim at the gravesite on Chof Av, the day of the yartzeit of her revered husband, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson OBM, the fearless Chief Rabbi of Ekaterinoslav (today Dnipro).
Both Reb Levik, as he was called, and Rebbetzin Chana sacrificed their lives to sustain Judaism behind the Iron Curtain. When the Communists exiled him to Kazakhstan, she dutifully joined to assist him.
To honor his pious memory, Rabbi Avraham Shemtov organized the first Global Yarchei Kallah gathering of Torah learning 45 years ago in 5734 at Camp Gan Israel, the Chabad boys summer camp in Parksville, NY.
The plan was accepted and approved by the Rebbe and the Rebbe himself identified with this initiative. Once, in the midst of a farbengen held on the same Shabbos as Yarchei Kallah, the Rebbe referred to the gathering, saying “This is my project.”
When Mexico’s Chief Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Hirschberg mentioned that he had participated in Yarchei Kallah, the Rebbe highlighted the connection to his father, explaining that the mitzvah of honoring one’s parents continues after their passing and that the most consummate honor that can be paid is the study of the Torah.
Rabbi Shemtov, Chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad International and organizer of the Yarchei Kallah, accompanied them there and at the Rebbe’s Ohel.
In this spirit, the participants of this year’s Yarchei Kallah joined for a shiur in Likutei Levi Yitzchok on Reb Levik’s teachings presented by Rabbi Sholom Charitonow, Mashpia in Beis Medrash Oholei Torah in Crown Heights.
The rabbonim of the annual scholarly gathering of Chabad’s Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshiva and Mashpiim then held a Chassidic farbrengen in honor of Chof Av at the Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch.
From there, they traveled to the Catskill Mountains where they will be spending the next few days in deep study and discussions, alongside the staff members and campers of Gan Israel, directed by Rabbi Yossie Futerfas.
The gathering will culminate with a Grand Melave Malka on Motzoei Shabbos, 10:30 PM, at the Main Shul of the camp. Open for the pubic, with a program for men and women, the event will feature speeches and a Siyum Haramabam by the Rebbe’s Choizer, Rabbi Yoel Kahn; Rabbi Shemtov and Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Kalmenson, Rosh Yeshiva of Chabad in New Haven.
In connection with Chof Av, the 75th yahrtzeit of the Rebbe’s father, RebbeDrive presents new footage documenting the unique Chof Av children’s rally in 5752.
As is customary, the entire Gan Yisroel Parksville traveled to New York, to be with the Rebbe on Chof Av. As it was just months after Chof Zayin Adar, the children weren’t Zoiche to see the Rebbe as usual. However, while the children gathered in 770 for the rally, a video screen was set up in the Rebbe’s room, and the Rebbe watched the entire rally live.
Head Counselor Yerachmeal Jacobson emceed the recital of the Rebbe’s Kapitel, and the twelve Pesukim, followed by “We want Moshiach now” and the Rebbe’s father’s Niggun.
Rabbi Sholom Baras spoke about the importance of Hiskashrus to the Rebbe, especially at this time.
Head Counselor Yossi Chodakov spoke emotionally how the Rebbe is definitely with us, however we must still demand to see the Rebbe Gezunt once more.
The campers then all sang together the new song ‘with a Tehilim’, followed by Sisu V’simchu B’simchas Ha’Geulah, and ‘Harabi Shlita’.
Camper Yossi Hecht then gave the Rebbe a Bracha in the name of all the campers.
After the rally, the entire camp stood outside the Rebbe’s room and sung ‘With a Tehillim’ and ‘Oirech Yomim.
