Lech Lecha: Go Forth and Be a Blessing

Each summer, Tawonga’s year-round staff researches and identifies a Jewish theme that exemplifies the values we hope campers will be able to carry through their session and into their lives at home. Our theme this summer is Lech Lecha, which translates to go forth and be a blessing. Over the past week, Session II campers have learned about Lech Lecha during their Ruach (Spirit) Hour sessions with our wonderful Jewish Programmers Faryn and Leah.

This week’s Shabbat program focused on the story of Abraham and Sarah being told by God to leave their old home and travel to the land of Canaan. Campers can relate to this story because they left their own homes, and for many, their comfort zones, to come to Tawonga.

Today, bunks prepared for and participated in a “choose your own adventure” Shabbat program around camp called the “Lech Lecha Trail.” These adventures were both physical and spiritual. Campers collected the supplies they would need to go on an adventure and explored spiritually as they discussed what it meant to finally arrive in “Canaan.” Each bunk determined their own course and got to decide how their adventure into Canaan would go. They had the option of first finding food and water, building shelter or building an altar, and chose how they rotated through the stations. Each station used natural materials from around Camp, which gave them a chance to be creative with nature.

Below are photos from today’s Shabbat program and tonight’s Camper Talent Show: