2013 Kishroniyah Mural!

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Our Magshimim, Bogrim, Machon and Nivonim campers in the Kishroniyah mural group worked together all last week to create an absolutely gorgeous mural, that now stands proudly outside our Bet Am Gadol!

The mural was completely designed by our campers, working with visiting artist Tova Speter.  The images on each panel of the mural are filled with meaning.  Listen to our campers explain:

Here is the complete explanation:

The theme of our mural this year is the Amidah. The Amidah is also called the Shemoneh Esrei which means 18 and the word itself means standing up. Each panel incorporates a Hebrew quotation either from the Amidah or related to our brainstorm about standing up. The mural is centered around the numbers 01069, the camp’s zip code. We wanted to bring back a beloved green and white fence that was once a symbol of camp that had those numbers and was recently taken down. By basing our mural on this fence, we are “standing up” for our belief in this symbol.

Each number depicts a different aspect of Amidah – the prayer or standing up.  In the first zero, we put the Shabbat gate that we walk under every Shabbat. Shabbat is one of the times at camp when we all stand together. There is an angel in the middle standing on one leg; and when we say the Amidah prayer we stand with our feet together to imitate the angels. This number also includes a quote from Lechah Dodi about rising up together.

In the number one, we chose to include the Havdallah candle because that is another time when we all come together. Also, the Havdallah candle has many wicks that come together to make one united flame, just like we all come together at Camp Ramah. The quote in the candle’s smoke is a part of the Havdallah blessing that we all sing together.

In the second zero, we put friends holding hands together. They are green and white just like the old fence. In the center a dove is flying together to symbolize standing for peace. The olive branch in its mouth is made up of the quote “Oseh Shalom” which is said during the Amidah prayer.

In the six there is a counselor protecting a camper from the rain because whether it is raining or sunny at Camp Ramah, we all stick together. The camper’s shirt is rainbow tie dye just like the Camp Ramah shirts this year and the rainbow colors spread into a full rainbow and back into the umbrella. There are also three muddy footsteps in front of and behind the people to represent taking three steps backwards and three steps forward at the start of the Amidah. The blessing in this number is the one you say when you see a rainbow.

In the nine there is a siddur with the Amidah with three quotes flying out. Each quote corresponds to one of the three sections of the Amidah – Shevah (praise), Bakasha (request), and Hoda-ah (thanks). The quote for praise is from the Kedusha, describing G-d’s holiness. The quote for request is asking G-d to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. The quote for thanks is saying that we owe all to G-d. The top of the nine shows the sun rising over Jerusalem and then the day shifting to the daytime and back to sunset, representing the three times of day that we say the Amidah prayer. The music notes are shaped like Chai – 18.

There are also 18 trees, 18 stars, 18 raindrops, 18 friends holding hands, 18 mud puddles, and a bunk with the number 18 – 18 being the number of blessings in the Amidah. Also, we included the skyline of Jerusalem running through the center of the mural because when we say the Amidah prayer we face Jerusalem.