CBI Blogs

Whether it is day camp, overnight sleepaway camp, or being flooded with memories of camp, we are right in the middle of summer camp season here in Central Texas.

On Saturday, June 24^th I drove through the gates of URJ Greene Family Camp, in Bruceville, Texas, for the first time since leaving in summer 2019. I was fortunate to be the summer Education Director for three summers: 2017, 18, & 19 after spending all of first session on camp in 2015 & 16.

Since driving through the gates late on closing day of 2019 much has changed. Longtime Camp Director and CEO Loui Dobin has retired, and Rabbi Erin Mason is halfway through her third summer as Director. Wonderful young adults whom I watched grow up as counselors and then unit heads are now Assistant Directors. Children who had been frozen in time in my mind are now four years older, marching around camp with pride and ownership as they complete their session as Avodah (counselors in training) and on Kibbutz (their last summer as campers).

I am very happy to report that while much has changed, so much has stayed the same, as I secretly hoped. The traditions around certain words being shared during announcements like “today is a very special day” to which the entire room, adults and campers alike will always respond “how special is it?” are alive and well. Young adults continue to be pushed to their limits as they grow into the people they want to be as bunk counselors, unit heads, and the many other jobs they do for camp. Siblings find one another and share special moments. Nurses beg children to come and take their medications. Song sessions succeed and sometimes they flop. The pool and lake are refreshing especially on triple digit temperature days. An ice cold can of sparkling water is even more delicious after you have consumed at least three, maybe four bottles of warm tap water.

Even though I ended up catching a serious case of camp crud, causing me to leave a few days early, how lucky was I that I got to be there? To start my mornings at the flagpole as both the National Anthem for the USA and Hatikvah were sung and flags raised, by children. To overhear Rabbi Todd Doctor (the current Summer Education Director) as another child volunteers to sing “I’m sorry, all of our spots for the rest of the session are full.” To make breakfast with kibbutz campers and serve them alongside their Israeli counselors. To join the incredible up and coming song leaders in song as they lead camp with confidence and ruach (spirit), even when campers were visibly tired. To share a teach with the remarkable staff at 10:45 on Friday night, thanking them for all they taught me during my days with them. To reconnect with old friends and be inspired by new ones.

I am heading into this shabbat full of gratitude. To those committed to camp continuing for the next generation, to my colleagues and temple community for allowing me to go, and to my husband for holding down the house and spending a very quiet week with the dog.

May the magic of camp stay with us throughout the year!

Shabbat Shalom