A Very Special Shabbat

We’ve been waiting a long time for this moment – celebrating Shabbat, in community with the campers!

After a jam-packed week filled with activities as campers got acclimated to Tawonga, Shabbat offered a moment to pause, reflect and appreciate our amazing community.

It was also a triumphant moment, since today the results from the campers’ COVID-19 tests came in, and every camper and SCIT tested negative! Units (four or five bunks of the same age) can now pod together, unmasked. We will also be able to have all-Camp activities together outside, like campfires, carnival, torah services and song sessions. Hallelujah!

As the challah finished baking in the kitchen this afternoon, and flowers were picked from the garden for the Shabbat tables, the campers spruced up for this special evening.

It began with what we call the “Shabbat Stroll” where song leaders, staff supervisors and camp directors walk through camp, holding the Torah at the front, and picking up campers as they go – bunk by bunk.

As one community in our outdoor dining pavilion, the campers and staff recited Shabbat blessings and ate a delicious dinner followed by freylach, a spirited song session.  Shabbat is truly a sacred time where we take a moment as a community to reflect on the past week and bring in the new week with a clear head.

Shabbat Shalom!