6/29/07 Dan's Audio Blog from Congregation Emanuel Denver
6/28/07 Dan's Audio Blog from Denver JCC Ranch Camp
6/27 - 6/29/2007 Dan's Audio Blog from Shwayder Camp
6/24/07 Dan's Audio
Blog from Camp Newman
6/15/07 Dan's Video
Blog
Greg
Cornell's Happy Camper Blog 8/8/07
I miss GUCI's avodah unit. Throughout the summer, every time I've been at GUCI, I've felt connected with and created great friendships within the Avodah unit. I'm not at GUCI for the third time this summer, but this time there's no campers, no first year staff, and no avodahnikim. I'm here for NFTY-OV/MV TUTE, but I'll tell you more about that on the next blog after it's over. On July 25 th, we went to the Young Judea Sprout Lake. I had a great time there and there is an incredible community there. I felt lucky to be able to have met the Israeli Shira Specialist Daniel Zooly and the American Jewish Music Specialist Bryan Ruben. The Sprout Lake Camp seemed to me like a great camp community with a great Zionist program and a camp filled with people who love to sing. If you are from CYJSL, I've got two words for you: DON'T STOP!
After Sprout Lake we flew from Newark in NJ to Seattle, WA, and drove two hours north to the most beautiful camp I have ever seen: Camp Kalsman. This is Kalsman's first year and it is incredible. I was greeted on the camp tour by fresh plums, blueberries, grapes, blackberries, zucchinis, a pond, a beautiful mountain range, a magnificent lodge, 90 excited campers and 30 enthusiastic staff. Everyone at that camp right now is a part of creating the tradition for the camp for years and years and years to come. In the afternoon, shortly after we arrived, we had the opportunity to spend time in a music chug with where I got to work more one-on-one with Hannah and Sarah, working on a song that Hannah wrote and teaching Sarah the bass parts to L'takein and Ilu Finu, which she played with Dan later that day in the concert. The concert was great – the kids were into it, staff was into it, everyone was having a great time, and Dan and I were exhausted. We took a short nap after the concert, got up at 3:30, and hit the road, flying back to NC for a much-needed three-day break.
After we had our share of sleeping in, we flew out to Mississippi to the Henry S. Jacobs Camp. I was able to spend time with Josh Dinner and JP Ferrell. I had a great time just being with them and it felt great playing with them again. We (Jewbilee) opened for Dan that night. A lot of the camp knew a few of our songs and the response from the camp was great. Then Dan got up and put on a great show including the classics like B'tzelem Elohim, some new songs like Al Sh'losha, and some very very new things like That's My Shoe ! I had a great time there and then got up again at 3:30 and flew to Toronto, to Camp George.
The community at George had just gotten over a three-week-long epidemic so everyone was tired and just wanted to relax and have a good, healthy time. This was a set back for a few of the programs that Dan ran, but it wasn't the end of the world. A highlight for me at George was getting the opportunity to meet and spend time with Rabbi Michael Moskowitz and his family, Leslie, Ellie, Nathan, and Asher. Also on the morning that we left Dan and I went waterskiing on their beautiful lake. Well – it was more like Dan went waterskiing, and I just kind of tried. I had never waterskied or even skied before and finally got up on the third try – though not for very long. But it was still a lot of fun and I am thankful to Josh for letting me go until I got it! We flew from there to GUCI and I'll tell you more about that after TUTE is over! If you're still reading this – thanks for sticking with me! Talk to you next time!
8/2/07 Good morning, sports racers! I'm writing at you from above the clouds bright and early on the way to Jacob's Camp in Utica, Mississippi. We just had a much-needed three day break back home in Raleigh to recover from some amazing camps. I've really got to think back to where we've been since the last time I wrote. I think I've got to think back to Camp Harlam in Kunkletown, PA. Going there was great for me. I have been to Harlam for NFTY-MAR events and it was really interesting being there for camp. While I was in the same space, using the same facilities, the people were all different and the camp had a very different feel. I felt a great sense of community and had a great time.
From Harlam we went to Camp Perlman, which was very different than any of the camps that I have been to. Campers and counselors at Perlman are not used to singing together and some people were not very open to it. There are a few people there who are moving the camp along in a great way and I am interested in and look forward to seeing where that community is in years to come.
We then crossed the street and spent very little time at the BBYO Kallah, doing a concert that night, leading services the next morning, and driving to Indiana – back at GUCI again! Being back at GUCI, I was met with the same sense of great community that I felt the last time. I spent more time with the Avodah unit, even sleeping in their building and taking care of Ava, Dan's almost two-year-old daughter and had a blast for the four days that we were there. GUCI was a great way to recharge and get ready for the road again! I really can't wait until next time I'm there!
*** "Good morning, sports racers!" inspired from "The Show with Ze Frank" – zefrank.com
7/11/07 So it’s been almost a month
since I last wrote down what’s been happening so
there’s a lot to talk
about. So here’s a quick summary before Kutz:
Camp Newman was incredible. We were there for a week – the
longest we’re at any camp for this summer. I
was able to develop relationships with people there
in a way that I’m not able to do at some of the
other camps due to lack of time. I had a blast there
and then went home for a week break and went to American
University’s
orientation and I am so excited for next year. July
5th, we got back on the road and headed for the Kutz
Campus for Reform Jewish Teen Life. I was at Kutz last
summer for Academy 1 and was great being back. Saturday
was Kutz Alumni Day, so it was incredible getting to
be there for that and seeing some of my friends that
I had not seen in a long time. Saturday night was the
concert and was incredible. The Kutz community was
very open and into the concert and it was an incredible
experience. One thing that greatly added to the experience
of the whole night was the incredible light setup that
Ben Fuld and Jesse Paikin stayed up until 6AM getting
ready. It added another dimension to the show I haven’t
seen anywhere else. My greatest appreciation and gratitude
goes out to them for their incredible dedication and
hard work. Right now we’re at Camp Harlam in
Pennsylvania and we’re
having a great time. I’ll update you more on
that later!
6/14/07 I’m 25,000 feet in the air
looking at God’s beautiful creation and splendor
of the mountain ranges of the west coast on my way to California
and all I can think about it is a kehilah kedosha. Not
the song, even though I am with the person who brought
it to life, but the very special and holy community of
Goldman Union Camp Institute. After spending five days
at GUCI it’s hard to imagine how all the camps I
will be visiting in the next few weeks could possibly be
as great. When I wasn’t helping Dan, I spent a lot
of time working with the Avodah crews. The avodahnikim
pay to go to camp and sweep, mop, hammer, plunge, and do
so much more all summer long. Immediately they – along
with the rest of GUCI – took me into their community
and I felt like I had been there for years like all the
rest of them had been.
When I first got there and was shown my room
that I would be sharing with Dan for the next
few days, I walked in to Dan and Raphael rehearsing
for that night’s concert. Raphael is the newest addition to the
band, adding another dimension to the music and to the group. Completely
blowing me away along with everyone else at GUCI, Raphael strummed, plucked,
slid and struck chords in the hearts of everyone in the room. What an
amazing first day and night of the summer – but I never would have
thought it would continue to get even better throughout the week building
relationships with people I now know for five days, but feels like I’ve
known them for a lifetime
I only have to wait thirty-five days to see them again, and until then,
if I am even half as happy at the other places we go, I will be the epitome
of a happy camper.
6/9/07 I
am sitting in the largest airport in the country about
to embark on the biggest journey of
my life. I can’t
sayI have no idea what
this summer will bring me or where it will take me; I have
an itinerary of places I will be, how I will get there and
I have a good idea of what I will be doing. But I hope and
don’t doubt that this summer
will mean so much more than simply going where I need
to be and crossing things off a To-Do list.
While I know where I will be going physically the
next two months, I have no idea where my mind and
spirit will be and the end of the summer. Not only
do I not know where I will end up spiritually, but
possibly more important, I do not know the spiritual
journey I will take to get to wherever I am led.
Walking through the airport I see so many different
faces, so many different people, every person has so many unique
stories to tell, and all I know is that they are in the same terminal
as I am at this moment. Why are they here at the same time I am?
Is it coincidence? What seemingly random events got us both here
at the same time? What are they wondering about me? I don’t
know what their stories are, but I’ll tell you what happens
to me over the next two months if you’d like to listen.
HAPPY CAMPER PHOTOS
8/2/07
JACOBS CAMP PHOTOS
7/28/2007
CAMP KALSMAN PHOTOS
7/25 - 7/27/2007
SPROUT LAKE PHOTOS
7/18 - 7/21/2007
GUCI PHOTOS
7/6 - 7/8/2007
KUTZ CAMP PHOTOS
6/16 - 6/23/2007
CAMP NEWMAN PHOTOS
6/15/07
PHOTOS: Community Scholars Program
Orange County, CA
6/14/07
PHOTOS: Moresha Day School
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
