Hey everyone! Gezah just came back from our two-day off-camp trip, Yom Tiyul, and we all had a blast! Gezah has so much crazy energy this session, and it was no exception on this trip. We first went to Conner Prairie, a living historical museum in a large park full of houses, barns, and buildings where historical re-enactors live life as if they were in 19^th century America. We had the campers complete a photo scavenger hunt, and we could barely tear them away from the petting zoo (they had baby kittens and a lamb!).

Our next stop was the campsite Morgan-Monroe where we set up shop on two large tarps to sleep on that night. After the kids got the shrieks about bugs out of their systems, they were up and running around playing games and throwing Frisbees. After a cookout, we held services outside under the stars and ended the night with a campfire full of stories and s’mores.

The festivities didn’t end there, though! The next day we woke up bright and early, made Rocky Mountain toast (bread with an egg in the middle), and geared up for a hike. The kids were such great sports—they really enjoyed the hike, even though we had to navigate around streams, trees, and other roadblocks. We arrived back at camp in time for a special dinner for Gezah—a burrito buffet! We had Havdallah services to separate the trip and return us back to daily life at camp. Finally, we closed the night with a movie and a sundae bar.

I am SO happy to get to work with all the Gezah kids this summer. They always bring a smile onto my face, and this trip was no exception. We strive at G.U.C.I. to create a home away from home for everyone, and it was so great to be part of that amazing community. I had an amazing moment on Yom Tiyul where I took in everything around me and knew that there was nothing I’d rather be doing right now than learning, teaching, and interacting with all the wonderful campers and staff here at camp.

I read Oh, the Places You’ll Go! to Gezah at the campfire and talked a little about the amazing journey we’ve been taking together. We all have come together to be a community this summer, and at the end of the summer, we’ll all go our separate ways again on the journey of life. I cannot wait to see the places Gezah this last week!

Thank you Gezah for making this an amazing and unforgettable Yom Tiyul!

-Catie Melemed

Gezah Unit Head