Magshimim: A Week in Review

Magshimim has had quite a final week at Machane Ramah in New England. In fact, much of the week was spent traveling beyond the city limits of Palmer, MA to places like New Britain, CT and Wingdale, NY.

On Sunday, the whole camp traveled to New Britain, home of the New Britain Rock Cats, to see a minor league baseball game. It was Kosher Day at the park, and between the hot dogs and the Magshimim chanichim (campers) participating in races and dance competitions on the field in between innings, there was barely time to watch the game! We sat right by third base and many multiple members of Magshimim were lucky enough to catch foul balls. After our long day at the ball park, Magshimim enjoyed a relaxing beach party on Tzad Aleph, complete with performances of our edah dance, limbo, and sand castle building.

Monday was a Yom Ragil (regular day) and the campers started finishing up their projects in omanut (art), nagaroot (wood-working), and video/animation. We had an interesting peulat tzrif that asked us to draw personal between berachot (blessings) of birkat hamazon and our love of sports, art, and Israel. All of the art and personal reflections we created contributed to our Magshimim birkon (benscher – book with grace after meals). We can't wait to get our birkonim back from the printer!

We traveled to Ramah in the Berkshires on Tuesday to compete in sports competitions with our friends at our closest Ramah neighbor. Magshimim campers claimed victory in sports ranging from basketball to softball and soccer. Wednesday and Thursday were our last regular days at camp – we wrapped up final discussions in yehadut (Jewish education), sanded our last piece of wood, and climbed to the top of the water iceberg for the last time.

We rounded out our final week with the Nivonim play, "Glee" on Thursday night. We rocked out to our favorite Journey and Madonna songs, sung in Hebrew by the stars of edat haNivonim, and watched impressive dances performed the the girls, boys, and even guest appearances by the staff.

We are now going into our final Shabbat – excited to rest and to spend quality time with friends, counselors, and the edah as a whole.

Shabbat Shalom,

Helene