Take A Deep Breath

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Written by: Shirah Kraus

8 June:

Take a deep breath. As we transition from Shabbat into the rest of the week, members of the GUCI community reflect on the past week. Corresponding with the three symbols of Havdalah, our ceremony separating the holy from the mundane, we highlight what is bringing us joy (juice), what we have learned (spice), and what we are looking forward to (fire).

Camp has not yet begun, but Staff and Avodah are working and training hard to get GUCI ready for our campers. Here are some of our reflections on the past week and the weeks ahead:

  • Juicy: The Avodah unit heads, Noa, Jacob, Jack, and Julia are so happy to start working with their Avodahniks. So far, they have been impressed with the positive attitude everyone has to work hard and learn on their crews–from Kitchen to Maintenance to Camp K’ton!
  • Spicy: Today is Shavuot–the Jewish holiday that marks receiving the Torah and the wheat harvest with reading the 10 Commandments and the Book of Ruth (and eating dairy). Saturday night, we had a special kodesh l’kodesh (holiness to holiness) havdalah in which staff humorously reenacted the Book of Ruth and discussed ways to create an inclusive community. At GUCI, we strive to honor Ruth’s famous supportive words: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” (Ruth 1:16).
  • Fiery: Most of us cannot wait for campers to arrive! Lauren Dietzel, Project Director and Drama specialist is “excited to meet all the campers and teach them what I love!”