Bringing the Light: A First Week Reflection from JCC Ranch Camp

There’s a special kind of energy that fills camp in the first week: the sounds of new friendships forming, the sight of campers learning their way from cabin to corral, and the joy of song sessions that echo across the hills. This week, we officially kicked off Summer 2025 with over a hundred campers, ranging from second graders all the way to our oldest teens in the Staff/Wrangler in Training program. Whether it was their first time stepping into the commons or their fifth summer returning “home,” each camper brought something unique to the community we’re building together.

This week’s Torah portion, Beha’alotcha, opens with a simple but beautiful instruction: Aaron the High Priest is told to light the menorah so that its flames “shine forward.” The purpose of that light wasn’t just ritual; it was to help the community see more clearly, feel more connected, and move through the wilderness together.

Here at Ranch Camp, we’ve seen that same kind of light all week long. It’s in the camper who invited someone new to join their cabin game. It’s in the counselor who noticed a quiet kid and checked in with them during rest hour. It’s in the spontaneous dance parties, reminders to drink lots of sunscreen and put on lots of water, belly laughs, and thoughtful “thank yous” in the Chad (dining hall). Every act of kindness, inclusion, and curiosity is a spark. And together, our campers and staff are lighting up camp in the most beautiful ways.

Starting camp, especially for our younger campers, can feel a little like stepping into the wilderness. New routines, new bunkmates, new places to sleep and eat and explore. But like the Israelites traveling through the desert in this week’s parsha, we don’t move through the unknown alone. At Ranch Camp, we move together: with our cabins, our counselors, our tribes. With shared rituals, songs, stories, and support.

As we end our first Shabbat of the summer, we pause not because the work is done, but because it’s sacred. Shabbat gives us a chance to breathe deeply, reflect on how far we’ve already come, and feel pride in the community we’re creating. One full of light, joy, and belonging.

We are so grateful for the opportunity to care for and learn from your amazing kids. The light they bring into this space is already shining so brightly.

Shavua tov (have a great week) from Ranch Camp.