Shoafim “It’s A Good Life Chug” Begins!

Last night members of adat ha-Shoafim celebrated the resumption of a Ramah tradition: The “It’s a Good Life” Chug!

This is a chug (elective activity) that we offer each kayitz (summer) ONLY to adat ha-Shoafim!  It’s just one part of the special Shoafim experience as the oldest hanichim (campers) on Tzad Aleph (A-Side).  For over twenty years, the “It’s a Good Life” Chug has been a special program offered only to Shoafimers!

To get into the chug, hanichim must submit a twenty-two-and-a-half word essay, on a creative canvas of their choice (paper is not allowed), explaining why they feel they must be allowed into the chug.  The kids come up with all sorts of creative and funny ways to write an essay that is exactly twenty-two-and-a-half words long, and they are incredibly imaginative and resourceful in choosing a “creative canvas” on which to write their essay!  Pictured below are myself, Gabi (the yoetz for adat ha-Shoafim) and Claire (the Rosh Edah for adat ha-Shoafim) reviewing entries a few days ago:

We got some extraordinarily creative entries this year!  In the photos above, you can see Claire and I putting together the puzzle created by the Shoafimer who wrote their twenty-two-and-a-half-word entry on twenty-two different rocks!  One of our very best entries ever arrived this year in the form of a rubiks cube, with a message written on the sides — that turned into a DIFFERENT message when you solved the rubik’s cube!!!  Wow!!

Last night we inaugurated all the new Good Lifers with a toast of blue drink at the end of Shoafim’s Peulat Erev (evening program).  (We like silly things in the “It’s a Good Life” chug, and a bright blue beverage is very silly indeed.)  See the photo at the top of this blog!

Claire and I will run one-to-two Good Life events each week, at random times.  We do all sorts of silly things with the kids.  Our emphasis is on FUN and kids being creative and having a great time at camp.  Our first full event will be later this week, after we get back from Six Flags.  We can’t wait!