By Chase Foster, Program and Judaic Studies Director

Hi GUCI! My name is Chase Foster, and this is my third summer as the Program Director and my first as Judaic Studies Director. I am excited to return to GUCI, my home away from home that has been, and is still, a major part of my Jewish identity. I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and am a fourth year Rabbinical Student at Hebrew Union College in New York City.

This session, our education theme is “Ani Ma’amin… I Believe…” This topic will give our campers and staff the opportunity to explore and learn what Judaism teaches on issues, such as: God, Mitzvot (Commandments), Prophets, and more. We have seen our staff already inspired by the concept of learning about their own beliefs. This inspiration is key as they create approximately 60 shiurim/limudim (educational programs) for camp this session.

Today, we began our study of this topic during All Camp Shiur. We explored the idea that Judaism may have multiple understandings of an idea or concept. All of camp followed live news coverage of Wolf Blitzer as he tracked our patriarch, Jacob. As Jacob was sleeping, he began to wrestle for an unknown reason and his hip was hurt. To investigate who Jacob wrestled with, all of camp met four witnesses who had four differing perspectives. According to our witnesses, Jacob wrestled with either God, himself, his brother Esau, or a stranger from the field. These four perspectives are based on the Torah and other rabbinic stories. After hearing all of the evidence, each cabin made a decision about which witness they believed. With one final twist, God intervened before a witness was declared correct, and stated that Jacob’s hurt hip will be a blessing going forward and renamed Jacob as Yisrael, hebrew for “the one who wrestles with God.”

We will meet again next Thursday for our second of three All Camp Shiurim where we will learn together as a camp community.