Shalom! Almost every evening at camp, we have a different cabin lead T’fillot (services). Each camper writes a part and reads it before all of camp in between the prayers we say or sing as a community. This way, every camper gets the opportunity to share something of themselves with the wider camp, and to teach the community something about their values, Judaism, or their connection to our prayers. Our cabin services make each of our T’fillot that much more unique and meaningful. —Jacob Kraus, T’fillah Specialist 

GUCI Evening Service

June 25, 2014

Cabin 15: Ways to be a Hero

Opening Song

Our theme is ways to be a hero. In our GUCI community there are heroes: it can be as simple as picking up a piece of trash or helping a friend. This theme relates to me because if you don’t help out, being a hero doesn’t have to be you flying in and beating up bad guys. It could be helping out. That’s what being a hero means to me. – Zach Gaston

Bar’chu

Our theme is ways to be a hero. In a community there are many ways that you can be a hero. You can be friends with someone new, show them around, or just hang out with them at free time. You can be a hero just by doing little things for people or around camp. You can do many things to be a hero in your community. Being a hero doesn’t always mean doing something big. You can be a hero by doing little things too. – Greg Scianimanico

Maariv Aravim

Superheroes don’t always have super powers. They just needs to love the citizens like God loves

Israel. If God didn’t love Israel then Israel would be a wasteland and if superheroes didn’t love the citizens then the villains would get away with their crimes. Same thing with our community: if God didn’t love us then we wouldn’t have a camp to call home. – Patrick Bernard

Ahavat Olam

When I thought about ways to be a hero, I thought about David Ben-Gurion, a person we learned about in Shiur. A long time ago, Israel was just a big desert. David Ben-Gurion helped Israel become what it is today. He planted trees, hired people to build buildings, and always looked on the bright side of things. I think that this is one of the most important qualities of a hero. The Sh’ma tells us to listen and pay attention. If you pay close attention you can find the good thing in something bad. Whenever someone needs help, especially at camp, be the hero and look on the bright side of things. – Joel Greenfield

Sh’ma/V’ahavta

Our cabin theme is ways to be a hero. In order to show ways to be a hero you need to be a hero. There are two people who define hero to me. On is a biblical character and the other is someone who is very important to me. The biblical character is Moses. In the Mi Chamocha, Moses leads the Israelites past Pharaoh’s army into freedom. He showed many ways of being a hero. He had the guts to take on any challenge thrown at him, he put everything on the line to help others, and he showed character while doing so. The other person who defines hero is my dad. He is my role model and every day he is a hero. He always helps around the house, pays bills so we don’t get in trouble with the government, and works hard to get that one last dollar every day. Those are just two people who show me ways of being a hero. You can be heroes too. That does not mean being Captain Chutzpa and fighting Dr. Dilemma to save Jacob Kraus’ voice or getting the keys to the laundry room. That could mean picking up trash or helping a friend. As you all leave today after services I encourage you, at camp or anywhere else, to show your way of being a hero. – Jace Dery

Mi Chamocha

The job of a superhero is to protect us. Guci protects us and makes us who we are. Being a hero is holy, because heroes give people hope. It has to do with me, because I can decide how I can be a hero. Being a hero can be many things. It can be from as simple as giving tzedaka to being strong and powerful like superman. But, the one thing that all heroes have in common is that they can a difference. Whether it be small or large, heroes can make a change in this beautiful world and you can too! I guess all of us really are heroes. We, as individuals and as a community can make a difference. This is something that I truly believe. -Charlie Blumer

My main hero is my Dad, This is because he is always willing to help me, comfort me, and be there in general. I consider these qualities heroic because, to be a hero, you don’t have to have super powers. Just making someone laugh can save their day. –Jacob S.

Hashkiveinu

What is a hero? For each one of us, a hero can be many different things. From a celebrity to a super hero, everyone has their own ideas. Personally, I think a hero is someone who gives without being rewarded. Whether that be a charity or simply cheering someone up. –Joshua Ryan

Amidah (Avot V’Imahot, G’vurot, Kedushat Hashem)

Ways to be a hero. When we first got this topic, I thought, “Wow, there are so many different ways to be a hero.” But, as I pondered this more, there was one that stood out to me…being a good friend. Being a good friend really demonstrates lots of midot. First, to be a good friend, you need to have kindness and compassion – chesed v’rachamim. Being kind and compassionate is all about caring for one another and you need to be a good friend to include respect – kavod. You must respect your peers and not make fun of them to be a good friend. Finally, you need peace – shalom. As we sing the Shalom Rav, which is all about the idea of peace, I want you to think about how you can be a hero, by these midot, to be a great friend. – Micah D.

Shalom Rav

Our service theme is ways to be a hero, now I’m not talking shooting laser beams from your eyes out normal attributes of a caring person, like helping people when they need it most. Sticking up for people if they are being burned, or helping people get through hard times in their life; that is my definition of a hero. -Andrew A.

Silent Prayer, Yih’yu L’ratzon

My cabins theme is, Ways to be a hero.” One big characteristic heroes need is friendship, because if heroes didn’t have friendship, the world would be just a big ball of hatred. -George F.

Aleinu L’shabeiach

Our theme is ways of being a hero. So, what I thought of is that the mirpa-ah saves lives. So, why can’t I be a hero and save a life? My way of being a superhero is saving a life, which I hope I do. -Noah Rosenberg

Mourner’s Kaddish

Ways to be a hero. I pondered this for a while. Then I thought back to the Ten Commandments. They cover how to be good pretty well. I then realized that Judaism actually encourages and in a way enforces being good. If you ever need to be a hero, Judaism is the way. -Joshua Honig

Closing Song