Camp, Community, and Connection: Celebrating Our Youth at GUCI

I had the opportunity to spend two weeks at Goldman Union Camp Institute (GUCI) with campers from all over the Ohio Valley, including several from our own community.  Nearly two-thirds of our age-eligible religious school students have been at camp for Kallah Aleph (Session 1) or arrived for Kallah Bet (Session 2) this week.  We aren’t the largest congregational contingent here at camp, but relative to our program’s size, we have among the highest attendance rates – something that we should be proud of as a congregation.  For example, a local congregation boasts about 40% attendance.  Supporting our youth in getting to camp financially, the young adults from our community that serve as counselors (shout out to Laila Blumer & Hannah Dritz!) and general staff (shout out to Rebecca Blumer, Catherine Brown, Dr. Dusty, and Cyle Ginsberg!), and through allowing Rabbi Bodney-Halasz and myself to be part of their experience at camp as Faculty combine with the amazing program here that makes GUCI truly a home away from home for our youth. 

Here’s a taste of what that looks like in the eyes of our campers:

It all starts on Opening Day when they arrive – first stop out the car and campers are greeted by Faculty (Rabbis, Cantors, and Jewish Educators) for the ever-popular lice check.  In that minute, we get to be the first ones to greet returning campers popping out of cars with enthusiasm to see what they are most looking forward to and reassure that more timid first-timers about what to expect.  That lice check can be a powerful pastoral moment for the campers.  From there, campers are supported by the summer staff doing all their usual roles, and faculty members helping with shiur, preparing them to lead services, informal chats along the paths through camp, and just occasionally a little good old fashioned camp fun – turns out – I can get to the top of the new pool’s rock wall.  While I may get teased about the rock wall part being such “hard work” compared to more typical rabbinic responsibilities, it is important that our youth see that clergy are people, and some of the deepest conversations about Torah happened on the line waiting for that rock wall.  You should have seen the looks on my unit’s faces when I had them name the Jewish values and concepts they used to win a game of Stealth – which, at the time of writing this, has kicked off a 3-day and counting challenge of the youngest campers trying to find something that I can’t “make Jewish.”  Shoes was their last attempt, by the way.

To those that have contributed to campership funds, or in any way helped support a camper, a camp staff member, or even just been a little patient with your Rabbis being out of the office – know this: In just my two weeks here, one of our campers learned to swim independently.  Another got to the top of the Migdal.  Another was part of the camp musical.  Another learned to make their bed on their own.  They each led a service with their cabinmates, they spent roughly 15 hours in educational sessions learning about Jewish prayer (this year theme).  They celebrated Shabbat together.  And the list goes on.  And members of Temple Israel, you all, in one small way or another, helped make all of that possible – and for that, I am grateful and on behalf of our Kallah Aleph campers, thank you.  And on behalf of our Kallah Bet campers – I’m sure that list of life and Jewish skills learned at GUCI this summer will grow in the four weeks.