Camp Gan Israel
ד"סב
Parksville, NY
Thursday, 18 Av - Trip to the Rebbe
Thursday was one of the most serious and important days of the summer, a day for every camper and staff to strengthen his hiskashrus to the Rebbe and gather inspiration for the entire rest of the year.
Each camper got up early and was instructed to go straight to the mikva, in preparation for the yechidus between Rebbe and Chassid that happens when we step into the ohel.
After davening the campers went to their learning classes to write their panim as their learning teachers guided them and taught them the significance of writing a pidyon nefesh to the Rebbe.
Then, following a quick breakfast, the campers loaded on to the busses to visit the Rebbe in honor of chof av.
Throughout the trip there was a special video presentation featuring a series of inspirational videos of the Rebbe with prefacing messages from our dear N.A.D.
Upon arriving at the ohel a rally was held in one of the tents where pesukim were said, and everyone finished their preparations to go in to the Rebbe.
The campers then went into the ohel to read their panim and say some tehillim.
It was truly inspiring to watch as lines and lines of campers poured in and out of the ohel each with a pan in hand ready to greet our Rebbe.
In those few minutes inside the ohel each and every one of the tayere kinder together with the staff connected with the nosi hador in their own and unique way.
Following the visit to the ohel, the camp drove off to 770 for another rally and mincha.
One cannot describe the awesome scene of 500 campers and staff, dressed in Gan Israel t-shirts, saying the twelve pesukim and davening mincha in the traditional ‘lebediker’ Gan Israel way. The entire front of 770 was packed wall to wall with campers and staff singing and chanting with chayos, as many from 770 came to watch.
We hope and pray that the chayus from today’s visit to the Rebbe should carry us through the entire summer and ultimately lead us to the coming of Moshiach. May it be right now!
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Tuesday, 17 Menachem Av
Tuesday let’s see… hmm… they got up bright and early for cocoa club, learned a line or two of perek 32 Tanya (Leilui Nishmas HaTomim Nosson Deitsch) to earn a steaming fresh hot delicious cup of cocoa (mmm yummy cocoa), then ate cookies (mmm yummy cookies), lined up, davened, ate breakfast and then heard speeches from the learning directors, who then split them up into their classes. The kids ran off to their designated spots to start a whole new month of learning all about the 39 Melachos and a deeper look into davening with the “vaani tefilasi” booklets.
Next came activities, for each camper to begin practicing sports and showing what they can do before the great league draft.
Lunch was crispy falafel with chewy Israeli salad and smooth techina. Dinner was spaghetti sauce and cheese with steaming hot potato knishes.
Following dinner the kids went to the shul for a grand game hosted by the night activity director!!
Good night Gan Israel.
Monday, 14 Menachem Av
Monday, last day of the first trip first day of the second trip: a day full of goodbyes and hellos. Goodbyes to old campers leaving after first month and hellos to new campers coming for the second month. All the campers got up and went to their last line up of the first month. Then off to make the last shacharis of the first month a shacharis to remember.
After breakfast the campers went to their last learning class (for some) to learn one last time with their learning teachers. Right around the time learning classes ended the busses arrived to drop off new campers and pick up the old campers going back home.
After the busses pulled out to a background of staff waving goodbye the new campers were called into the shul for the “welcome to Gan Israel” speeches by head counselors C.R., N.M., M.W., and M.S..
Once unpacked the campers ate their first delicious snack of crispy cookies and ice cold milk then new and old went back to the shul for their first Mincha in camp.
7:30 came around and it was time to introduced night activity and the amazing song by N.A.D.M.B. AKA “Beso”. With an exciting breakout by I.C.M.D.P.G. a new month of fun, exciting night activity was introduced.
Sunday 14 Menachem Av
Sunday, being the last full day in camp for those leaving was a day that completed everything we’d done throughout the first month.
In the morning the two finalist teams of each division faced off in the Ginchyfrinks championship testing them on select material from the past month.
In the evening the campers went to the dining room for dinner to find it beautifully decorated with streamers of many colors for the grand banquet where all the winners would be announced.
It started off with delicious spaghetti and meatballs and yet more singing followed by the announcements of the winning teams, the teams that made it through the playoffs and won the championship.
Next was the announcement of the M.V.P.s, the most valuable player of each team.
Then the head counselor announced the best camper from each bunk. Then finally the learning director went up to the podium to announce the talmid hashavua, the most improved or overall best talmid in each kvutza.
After all that, by maariv, the CEO of the Fresh Air Factory (formerly called Mishnayos Baal Peh), handed out full sets of mishnayos to all those campers that came every single day to Cocoa Club and learned the daily Hayom Yom + a mishna.
Shabbos, 13 Menachem Av
Shabbos was a memorable one in Gan Yisroel right from the start.
During the Friday night meal sodas were given out by the dozens by loving counselors and learning teachers to make this last Shabbos a Shabbos to remember.
Emotions ran high as many “goodbye Gan Yisroel” songs were sung for those leaving on Monday.
Shabbos day started off with an amazing davening.
during the meal campers and counselors joined arms as more songs were sung and after a farbrengen with the learning teachers all the campers dispersed to the shul, lobby, or wherever was best for them to pack in as much MBP (Mishnayos Baal Peh) as possible in the last Shabbos of camp.
Many campers outdid their performance of the entire summer.
Thurdsday, 11 Menachem Av
Thursday began with the usual.
The campers got up, had line up, davened, ate breakfast, and went to learning classes.
But as the day began to unfold it became clear that this would be no ordinary day in Gan Israel.
It started off with delicious spaghetti and meatballs and yet more singing followed by the announcements of the winning teams, the tea
During the first learning class the campers had a workshop on the machos of dosh and borer, in which each camper got to make their own orange juice and then sift it.
During the second and third learning classes the kvutzos faced off in GIN-CHY-FRINKS (Gan Israel New York Challenge Your Friends Knowledge (S)), the exciting game show challenge that tests the knowledge they learned throughout this past week in learning classes. All three activities had playoff games and some campers left with smiles and cheers while others left disappointed.
The fun continued from there with announcements of bee-vo-waks (overnights) for the oldest division and the NOD (Number One Division) and a grand barbeque for the middle division.
The middle division ate hotdogs, sang goodbye songs for those leaving, and played games.
Meanwhile in the Rebbe’s forest and at the campsite the NOD and oldest division, respectively, had their own barbeque, sang songs, then tired and happy, slept under the stars or the canvas roofs of their tents. Oh Wait! … And most importantly they roasted delicious marshmallows…
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Camp Gan Israel 5770 campers across the country daven with extra Kavana Leilui Nishmas Nosson Deitsch OBM
This year, campers in Gan Israel Overnight Camps all over the country are learning about the history and order of the daily Tefillos.
The beautiful color "Va'ani Tifeelusee" booklet designed by Spotlight Design goes through the first half of davening - from Modeh Ani till Kaddish following Yishtabach. Every Tefilla is accompanied by a relevant part from Gemora pertaining to that part of Davening. There are also the Halochos, Minhagim and history of how that Tefilla was compiled and why it is in that place in davening. A short chassidic thought and story are included as well.
At the end of each Tefilla there are review questions.
The project was researched by a team of bochurim from 770, in their spare time, in memory of their friend Nosson Deitsch OBM.
The second booklet will go through the rest of the Teffilos till Oleinu.
CLICK HEREFOR A SAMPLE FROM THE BOOKLET
Coming Soon...
Virtual tour of Kiryat Gan Yisrael - Camp grounds
Picture of the day | CGI at the Ohel and 770
© 2010 - 5770 Camp Gan Israel, Parksville, NY
