Dear Parents,
This past week, we – with the entire Jewish nation – observed the traditions and halachot associated with the period of the ‘Nine Days.’ This greater level of communal and personal mourning is in recognition of the many tragedies and hardships that befell the Jewish people. In camp, through formal learning and experiential events, our campers learned about this history and the resiliency of our nation — and how we, as individuals, can stand up to our own personal challenges and struggles.
This is perhaps one of our most crucial ‘Hineini Highlights’ of summer camp — the ability and opportunity for campers to build resiliency. Summer camp provides opportunities for campers to develop independence and self-reliance by being away from home and family for an extended period of time. They learn to navigate new environments, make decisions on their own, and solve problems independently, all of which contribute to building resilience.
Camp is also a space for campers can experience setbacks, failures, and disappointments in a supportive environment. Whether it’s not making a sports team or struggling to complete a challenging activity, campers learn that setbacks are a natural part of life and can be overcome – on their own – with perseverance and resilience.
It is our hope that this is the last Nine Days our camp needs to observe, and that the real challenges our people have endured this past year, and all the centuries before it, will end with the coming of Mashiach.
You can watch this week’s PreShabbat Video by clicking here. From our home to yours, wishing you and your family a Shabbat Shalom and meaningful Tisha B’av, with prayers for peace and a safe return of our hostages..
Jeremy Joszef
Director, Camp Morasha