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

July 23, 2014

Cabin 15: Connections

Opening Song

This is my 1^st year being here at Guci, everyday I’ve been getting closer to my cabin mates. The memories that I have made here will last a long time with my cabin mates, especially the tour of the kitchen with Phil. –Sam Chupack

Bar’chu

Light and darkness. An ever turning circle of time set in motion by G-d steadily altering time and seasons arranging stars in their heavenly course. Darkness rolls into daylight. Daylight falls into darkness an ever turning circle of time crafting days and years of humanity and legends creating connections of the circle of time. -Ben Field

Ma’ariv Aravim

I think of connections here at camp within our cabin. The Ahavat Olam is about people’s relationship with G-d. I have very, very strong relationships with my cabin mates, especially the friends I have known for 4 or 5 years. So, I do love them as G-d loved the people of Israel. The connections in our cabin relate to the gift of Torah. It would be all our inside jokes that make us crack up every time we say them. Next time you get some good time to think, think about the important connections in your cabin. -Julian Albright

Ahavat Olam

Being connected to friends, family, and cabin mates is a great feeling. There are many ways to bond through jokes, stories or failures. – Dylan Vakerics

Sh’ma/V’ahavta

Strong connections are almost unbreakable. During the school year, a couple of my friends and me decided to sit together. The connection we made was special from laughing and arguing together. Now, I’m in another state, but every time I sit for lunch, I remember me and my merry men. -Zach Lashley

Mi Chamocha

Hashkiveinu

Connections with my cabin mates play a huge part in having a great session. If a person goes to camp, keeps to himself, sits in his bed during free time, under the covers with his phone that he snuck in and texts mom all day. Chances are that he is going to have a terrible time. But, if he goes out and hangs with his friends and tries to make new ones, he will connect with the people around him and his GUCI community. -Max Young

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

The Shalom Rav talks about peace, blessing Israel, and holiness. I do pray for peace, everyone does, but a blessing for me is having my peace again. What I mean by this is that for a few years, I couldn’t find peace, so I got angry, I didn’t like it. Not having peace, made me lose the friendship I had with Lexie. So, every time I come to GUCI or listen to the Shalom Rav, it reminds me that I always have someone to talk to. –Jordan Waldman

Shalom Rav

Silent Prayer is a time to connect with G-d. Especially for me, because I don’t know Hebrew very well. So, when I say these prayers, I am just saying random words I don’t even understand. But, when I do Silent Prayer, it’s my time to really connect with G-d. -Jack Patton

Silent Prayer, Yih’yu L’ratzon

The Aleinu talks about uniqueness. As a small cabin, we are pretty unique. I think that this makes us closer together. It is the uniqueness of each of us individually and our diversity of skill that make us a better cabin overall. We also find the weirdest and most unique things to bond over. Such as bubba, Smokey the Bear, and the most importantly, Rickey. -Dustin Rabin

Aleinu L’shabeiach

Mourner’s Kaddish

Closing Song