[Jewish Camps] Shabbat

[Dave]

Does your camp do anything special for Shabbat? At our camp, each age group has their own Shabbat. When I was with 6-year-olds, we'd go to the area where we usually had music. There we'd sing some "Shabbat" songs. We'd also say the Hamotzi and eat challah. The kids loved that.

When I was with 7-year-olds it was pretty much the same, except we sing a couple less songs, and instead we'd have a guest speaker (usually a rabbi) come in and tell a story. Then we'd do the Hamotzi like usual. After that, the counselor and bunk of the week awards would be given out.

All this happens during one activity period.

So what does your Jewish-based camp do for Shabbat?

[speedx5xracer]

Staff at my camp takes turns serving the kids at the tabels instead of cafeteria style like normal. We have services on friday night, saturday morning and saturday night. Divisions take turns presenting a jewish hero of the week. Our saturday programs are more relaxed and usually deal with the hero of the week. For campers with siblings at the older camps we have sibling visitation after saturday morning services.
Meals for shabbat:
Friday- chicken, soup, challah
Sat Morn- bagels
Sat afternoon - sandwiches (meat)
sat night - dairy (alternates)

[camper]

we have a traditional shabbat dinner. we do the motzi beforehand led by groups of counselors who alternate every week. the way we do it is that the counselors who were in the oldest group of campers in certain years do it, starting with the oldest, so like the counselors who were PC's in the year 2000 go first, followed by the PC's of 01, then 02, etc. then those counselors bring back little pieces of challah and give it to their bunk for good luck. then we have baked chicken, mashed potatoes, caesar salad, challah, matzoh ball soup, and pound cake.

then, we have friday night services which are about a half hour long. each week a different age group leads services, starting with the PC's going down. its like basic prayers, and the owner of the camp tells a story that has a good moral about friendship or teamwork being kind to others. we sing adon olam at the end and then we give out inspection awards and some other weekly awards. thats the extent of our shabbat lol.

[who_stole_my_loofa]

Shabbat is a very special time at my camp. Friday before dinner everyone gets dressed in their blue and white and all the girls like do their hair and make up- it's a time to look really nice at camp. Before Shabbat actually begins everyone goes to the blacktop and takes pictures with their cabins and friends.

When we come into the dining hall the song leader is playing traditional Shabbat songs like Maiyafeh Hayom and Bim Bam. We do a song session until the Judaism reps come in(they start in the boys dining hall and then move to the girls). They do all the sabbath blessings including the prayer for daughters and sons which is my favorite because the counselors get to put their hands on their campers heads. Dinner is special because they have the table cloths on and each cabin gets to invite a specialist for dinner. So anyway we have special really tasty dinner and then we do the blessings and a little more song session and then we leave the dining hall and walk up to the chapel together.

The girls lead the Friday night services, 2 cabins per week. We do a traditional conservative service and the director usually says a few things about that weeks parsha. After services we have a special Judaic themed evening program like Israeli dancing or like this Jewish holidays program where we celebrate each holiday in 5 minute rotations. Then they get to have coed milk call which is like a big deal cause they normally don't so they get excited.

Satuday they get to sleep in an extra hour and have like porch breakfast and then we have Saturday morning services which are lead by the boys and the Judaism rep will make remarks after someone reads Torah(usually a counselor cause most of the kids have not been Bar or Bat Mitzvahed. After services the kids get to have a coed beach party at the lake followed by the best meal at camp. Bagel brunch- Bagels, eggs, lox, cream cheese, fruit salad, and BLUEBERRY MUFFINS! mmmmm

After lunch we have some free time to rest or hang out and then we have oneg which is a special program like a Jewish video or song fest pre- competition or cabin dedications and they get popsicles! After that they have some more free time to get ready for evening program if they have a social or just chill- Saturday is like a major day of rest at camp. For dinner we have gross subs and then right after we have Havdallah services by the lake. After Havdallah they always have a cool evening program to celebrate the new week like a social or Paint Tag or whatever.

For staff we're not allowed to leave camp on Friday nights so they have an all staff program like talent show or movie night but Saturday we get to go out and it's the best out night of the week!!

Loofa

[collissimon]

We have challah on friday evening, with breaded chicken and grape/cranberry juice. We also have a service by the Director on the friday evening, and the saturday. We also have a talent show on friday evening, so Fridays are always fun!

[Dave]

I forgot about challah. The kids love that. I love the kids who try and get more than one piece. I'll give them a piece, they'll eat it really quickly, and come back to me telling me they never got a piece. You gotta love those sneaky kids... :laugh2:

[runrachrunn]

When I was a camper at a UAHC overnight camp, shabbat was the best. I haven't been back since, although I am longing to, but from what I can recall, we had a procession that would "pick up" the entire camp and make way down to the Beit T'filla for prayers. The sun would usually just be setting and so it would be really calm and peaceful. Then it was over to the Chadar for dinner - soup, lots of fresh challah, chicken, salad and kugel...

Now I really want to go back... :(