Shabbat Shalom

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Shabbat Shalom

“Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, shehechiyanu v’kiyamanu v’higiyanu lazman ha’zeh”.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, ruler of the universe, who gives us life, sustains us, and gathers us together at sanctified times.

Dear Parents,

Shabbat Shalom, and welcome to the start of Kallah Alef 2013. Over the past two years it has become my custom, and one of my most enjoyable responsibilities, to write to all of you each Shabbat and make you a part of what we are doing here at camp.

I begin this summer’s communication with the familiar prayer – Shehechiyanu – for two reasons: it is the prayer we say on special occasions; and it is the prayer we say when we do something for the first time. What is the special occasion? It’s pretty obvious…summer has begun. We are celebrating our first Shabbat together. Even while we adjust to each other and some of our campers still make the challenging transition from home to camp, we have come together and our community already feels like a family. The weather is good, our spirits are high, and laughter abounds everywhere over our 54 acres. Shehechiyanu, indeed.

As for the second reason, something just happened at GUCI for the first time in my 30-year recollection of summers here. Just a few minutes ago, I stood at our flagpole with my 7-year-old daughter and with one of our Avodahnikim, and we raised an Israeli flag to fly just below the Stars & Stripes. If this is not the first time the Magen David has flown above GUCI, it is the first time in quite a while.

To me this is a significant moment, and is representative of the opportunity that camp creates for our children and for our staff. It is understood that when we come to camp we become a part of several concentric circles of community – a group of friends, within a cabin group, within an age-unit, within the greater camp family. When the summer ends and we leave camp, it is important to recognize that we are simply moving into the larger circles of the same family…our synagogues, the Union for Reform Judaism, the American Jewish community, and yes…Israel.

Studying Israel and encouraging a love for Israel is an important part of camp. Our children learn from Israeli counselors and specialists. We engage in Israel programming. And we urge our campers to visit Israel on a NFTY trip, or on any other Israel experience. It is important for our campers to understand that their Jewish family does not reside here alone, but begins at home, stretches to camp, and extends far beyond. I am happy and proud to say that on this Shabbat the recognized symbol of our extended Jewish family resides in the center of our Indiana Jewish home.

Over the next four weeks, may the children here at camp come to find their place in both.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Mark Covitz

Director, Goldman Union Camp