Magshimim Etgar!
On Sunday and Monday, Magshimim participated in Etgar. Etgar, or “challenge,” is our yearly camping trip, where we get the opportunity to sleep in tents, make our own food, build and sit around a medura (campfire), and connect with nature in a completely different way. This year, it was an incredibly powerful experience for our edah, as we worked together to make a successful campsite, and bonded through our chores around the site and our opportunity to just sit and be together.
On Sunday morning, we got the chance to have some fun with Adventure In Adventure Out (AIAO), the group that runs etgar for Bogrim, Machon, and Nivonim. We broke up into two groups, and they taught as rafting and orienteering skills. One group went to the Tzad Bet Agam (B-Side Waterfront), where they built their own rafts out of wood, tubes, and old water-bottles. Then, the chanichim (campers) put their rafts to the test! The Chanichim raced their rafts around the agam to see which ones could float best, move fastest, and (most importantly) stay in one piece. At the end of the race, only one raft was fully intact, but everyone was having a great time and really enjoying being in cool water on such a hot day. The orienteering group completed a complex scavenger hunt around camp, using gps systems as guides. They learned new skills to complete different tasks, and worked closely in groups to get the job done.
Later in the afternoon, we made our way to the Treehouse, where we set up camp. After splitting into work groups, building tents and a fire, and eating a little snack, we got to work on dinner. We ate LOTS of Macaroni and Cheese, as well as corn and, of course, S’MORES! We sat around the campfire for a long time eating, talking, singing, and enjoying one another’s company. The next morning, we packed up and headed back to our bunks, just in time for Berkshires practice.
Here’s a picture of Magshimim around the campfire on Monday morning, taken from the top of the treehouse. More pictures will be up on the website shortly!
