Month: July 2018

Session 2, Day 10

There are many programs, loved by all, that are run almost every session – Maccabiah, Gold Rush, campfire. But there’s one special day that only happens once a summer: the Fourth of July. It may be too dry at camp to have fireworks, but they’re not missed among the myriad of other things that we do to celebrate.

The day started off normally enough, with campers splitting into their tracks after breakfast for a morning full of their favorite activities. But as soon as lunch rolled around, the festivities began, starting with a picnic lunch outside of the pool. With hamburgers, potato chips, pasta salad, watermelon, and red-white-and-blue jello, everyone ended the meal full and satisfied, full of energy and ready for a fun-filled afternoon. Luckily, they didn’t have to wait long, as the carnival began immediately after lunch!

The afternoon was packed with activity, as campers had most of the time between lunch and dinner to make the most out of the carnival. The kids jumped in the bouncy castle, played in a mud pit, and splashed around in the pool. Whenever they needed a break from the action, they took part in a mid-day snack of popcorn, cotton candy, and snow-cones.

An hour before dinner began, the carnival ended, and everyone made their way back to their cabins to rest and clean up. The day had been long and eventful, and many were grateful for the time. After a dinner of macaroni and cheese, the camp’s energy was up again, and everyone was ready for an active evening program.

This particular evening program is new to camp, and this was the first time it had been played. Excitement was in the air as everyone went back to their cabins to change into their team’s color (red, white, or blue), curious about the new program and enthusiastic to try it out.

And the program was… the Fourth-of-Dodgeball-Capture-the-July-Flag-Game-Party-Extravaganza! The name may be confusing, but the rules were not. In a three-way capture the flag competition, each color tried to grab the other team’s flags, each attached to a counselor who was running around and trying to evade the campers’ grasps. As players crossed their team’s boundary, they were targeted by dodgeballs from the other teams. Run fast enough, and they were safe – but if they got hit by a dodgeball, they were out, sentenced to time in “jail” until the next jailbreak.

The game was more than a success. As the sun began to set, clouds moved in, and a few stray raindrops fell over the field – but the kids were having too much fun to notice. By the time two games had been played, and it was time to go to bed, campers were exhausted with the effort they had expended, and rightfully proud of themselves at the teamwork that each group had displayed. Everyone fell asleep quickly, tuckered out and satisfied with the day’s events.

The Fourth of July is a day that is often full of tradition – and for many campers, especially those who are at camp for the first time, it can be difficult to adapt from their families’ traditions to ones that are unfamiliar. But the support that each camper receives from the Ranch Camp family makes this transition smooth, so much so that it is nearly unnoticeable. By the end of the day, each camper was glad to be at Ranch Camp, full of joy and excitement, and the knowledge that these traditions, and this community, are things that will be there for them for the rest of their lives.

Session 2, Day 10

Every day at Ranch Camp is a fantastic day, but there are some that stand out the most. These are the days when something special and out of the ordinary happens, like the water days we had earlier, or days like Maccabiah. Today was one of those days.

As they walked down to degel, campers could immediately tell that something was different – the air was permeated by excitement. The decorations adorning the stairs up to the Chad and the new arrangement of the tables further added to the mystery. Many had an inkling of what was happening, but no one knew for sure until Idan, one of the Israeli delegation, made the announcement: it’s Israel Day!

Israel shows up in many ways throughout camp, with the most notable being the Israeli delegation, along with many signs in Hebrew and an “Israel Trail” in the Outer 400. Though Israel is always a part of camp culture, this is never quite as evident as it is on Israel Day. Throughout the day, campers get to experience the culture of Israel without having to leave the comfort of camp, as Ranch Camp transforms to reflect the country so far away.

The day began at breakfast. The Chad was permeated with the delicious smell of eggs cooked in tomato sauce – a dish called shakshuka, a traditional Israeli breakfast food. This strain of exploration continued throughout the day, with a lunch of falafel and dinner of tahini chicken.

The morning activities commenced as usual, with campers splitting into their tracks to pursue their interests through the specially designed programs. But in the afternoon, Israel Day truly kicked off. Instead of the usual schedule (cabin activities and then a free choice activity), campers traveled with their cabins to different stations all around camp. Through fun games and activities, they learned how to make pita, some historical trivia, about different Israeli foods, and about the geography of the country.

After dinner, everyone went back to their cabins to prepare for the evening activity: an Israeli shuk, or market. Each cabin was ecstatic about creating their own product to sell. After half an hour, the camp gathered in the Chad again, everyone excited to set up their own creative booth. With chocolate balls, gel pen tattoos, caricatures, friendship bracelets, and paper-pet adoption, the campers were thrilled to spend the “money” they earned. Not only did everyone have a blast, but kids got the opportunity to manage money for themselves and see the results of their hard work.

There are many reasons that Israel Day stands out in the minds of many. The most significant is that it is a day full of meaning. There are not many places where it is possible for kids to learn about Israel in a truly neutral environment, without politics involved, and this is what we give them here at camp. We give them the opportunity to learn about the culture and the history of an amazing place, and to question and discover in an environment of tolerance, acceptance, and support.

Session 2, Day 9

In the minds of many campers, some of the most exciting times at camp are the evening programs. After dinner, the camp gathers together (sometimes in the commons, other times in the Mo or the Chad), one of the only times when the entire community participates in the same program. Many of the activities are active, like Bombardier, a combination of a trivia challenge and a tag game, and Ranch Camp-Opoly, a camp-wide scavenger hunt. Others are a little more laid back, like the Ranch Camp Wedding (a mock wedding with a cast of goofy characters) or the campfire.

Last night’s evening program was Kaleidoscope, a talent show that is open for every camper to participate in. Like every program at camp, Kaleidoscope is challenge by choice, so nobody was forced to participate. Those who did performed so because they were passionate about their talent and excited to share with others, and those who did not still had a blast watching their cabin mates and friends regale the crowd with skits, songs, gymnastics, yo-yo tricks, dances, and many other unique talents. With each new act, the diversity and depth of the community became evident. The staff may be here to help the campers learn and grow, but other kids do it just as well. Surrounded by peers from so many different backgrounds, kids become excited to learn about the world around them and try things they hadn’t been exposed to before.

The last act of the night was especially exciting. A skit composed only of staff, two people stood together on stage and began to sing. They were quickly upstaged by another pair, singing a different song. This happened two more times, until eight staff members were standing onstage, arguing about which musical is the best, before turning to the crowd and announcing the start of Maccabiah!

Maccabiah is a full-day, all camp color war. Though it happens every session, no two Maccabiahs are the same. This is because every session has a different theme. As displayed by the skit, this session’s theme is musicals, with the yellow team as Hamilton, green team as Wicked, red team as The Lion King, and blue team as Frozen.

The day began bright and early. In order to get in a volleyball game before breakfast, the captains of each Maccabiah team ran around to both villages at seven in the morning, shouting, banging on doors, and even riding horses to rouse the camp and give the day an energetic start. The four-way volleyball game raised everybody’s spirits and instilled excitement in all – the camp was buzzing with energy by the time everyone ascended the stairs for breakfast.

It was a hot day, with the temperature reaching over 90 and the sun beaming down. Heat can be draining, but it wasn’t today, as everyone was distracted by the activities (and, of course, spent time in the shade and made sure to stay hydrated). First, the four teams split up to create banners, songs, chants, and skits to present to the others. After, campers split up into units (Chalutzim, Metapsim, and Toshavim) to compete in trivia, gaga, and BBS (a combination of baseball, basketball, and soccer). As the temperature began to rise, the activities before lunch were a little more laid back, with each team decorating a cake for dessert later and dressing up a counselor as a character from their musical.

To give the kids a break from all of the high energy, lunch was a silent meal, with points deducted for talking, and Menucha was extended by half an hour. By the afternoon, it had cooled down slightly and everyone had energy stored up for the most quintessential of the Maccabiah programs: the Maccapeel.

Campers were eager to sign up for spots in the camp-wide relay race. From running up from the front gate to solving riddles, there was something for everyone, athletic or not. The race ended with everyone at Niven Field, each team working together to transfer as much water as they could from one bucket to another using only a sponge. Afterwards, everyone celebrated the completion of the last activity with a friendly color war. Everyone threw colorful chalk powder up into the air in joy, each person coated with varying hues as the color fell upon them.

After such a long day, everyone was looking forward to a relaxed evening program. Washed clean of color powder and face paint, bundled up in warm clothes, the camp gathered at the campfire to watch The Greatest Showman before bed.

Maccabiah may be a competition between the four color teams – but at the end of the day, it’s not about the competition at all. Maccabiah is about trying new things, stepping outside your comfort zone, making friends with people in different units and cabins, and being creative. But most importantly, Maccabiah is about the Ranch Camp community, and about fostering a community that encourages each other, respects each other, and lifts each other up.