During a staff week survey, counselors and top deck were asked their favorite camp tradition. Over 80% stated an aspect of Shabbat. Camp Shabbat holds the same customs of candle lighting, grape juice, and challah, but here it is so much more. The beauty of a GUCI Shabbat is there is something for everyone: crazy and loud song sessions, goofing off with Israeli dancing, getting lost in a campfire story, the rebellion of flipping the dinner plate onto the tablecloth when the pie arrives, and finding tranquility in services.

“I love Shabbat because of the singing. Hearing all of camp singing together is so powerful. My favorite part of camp is end of song session, when everyone sings the slow songs. That is the most magical sound in the world,” says Samantha Thal, Co-Head Song Leader.

On Shabbat, camp comes together as one. We pray, eat, sing, and dance as one community. We dress a little nicer, sing a little louder, smile a little bigger, and laugh a little harder. We watch our program director, Gavi, dress up in a silly costume and serenade camp. We wonder what an Avodah “emergency meeting” is and really want to be a part of it. We “Zieben Zieben” until we can’t Zieben anymore. Friday nights at GUCI stand out from the rest of the week, however, tranquility and structured chaos alternate throughout the night. But that’s just the way we like it.