This past Saturday G.U.C.I. had an extra special Shabbat morning service led by creative writing chugim on camp.  Each camper received a line from a Shabbat prayer or poem and from there, wrote their own piece about their interpretation of that line.  From free verse to simple rhymes to even a rap, Shoresh and Gezah campers truly showed their best creative work to all of camp.  I know I was moved by the power of their words, and I am sure the rest of camp was as well.  I could not be more proud of my campers.  Shabbat Shalom!

Here is part of a rap written by Emma W. in Cabin 6:

Let a new light shine upon Zion.  This phrase comes from the next prater that we are reciting.  This prater is called Yotzeir, the one about creation and places like Jerusalem that God has been making.  So I took a deeper look to see what it means, now Emma break it down for you like 1, 2, 3.

First you got to know about this light.  The one that we want God to shine all day and all night.  I think that his means peace of good things you find in life, so dear God please shine in on the holy land tonight!  No more war in this world.  We’ve got to end this now, because we have to spare Judaism in our homes somehow.

Another lesson we can learn is how we live and die.  God made the cycle.  You can’t stop it, yeah, we’ve all tried.  You can lead a good life or live it in the dark.  Just think about those lights.  It will bring us heart to heart.

Trying to find peace will take time and maybe tears.  Just don’t ever forget: Or chadash al Tzion ta’ir.

Another camper, Bari L. in Cabin 1, wrote a poem:

Through all those days God worked.

Through all those days God created.

Through all those days God tried.

God never gave up.

God worked day and night.

God worked yesterday and will tomorrow.

God made the sky blue.

God made the grass green and made the sun yellow.

God worked so hard and felt like taking a rest.

But just image what would have happened if God hadn’t made just one more thing: you and me.

U-vayom hashvi’i shavat vayinafash.

And on the seventh day God rested and was refreshed.

–Becky Katz, Counselor and Creative Writing Specialist