Cultivating Gratitude

At lunch on Tuesday, I was having a quick but important meeting with another senior staff member (as often happens at camp!) A camper interrupted our conversation because he wanted to tell me something. In an attempt to model good manners, another staff member pointed out that I was in a conversation and that he should wait. So he did. He waited patiently for me to finish the conversation, blurted out “thank you for the food!” and quickly scooted back to his table. While I can’t take credit for making the food, I so appreciated this moment of hakarat hatov (gratitude) that it has stuck with me all week. 

Cultivating a culture of hakarat hatov is one of our goals this summer. We elevate moments of gratitude, give positive feedback, and share moments of pride. At our closing ma’agal (circle) on Fridays, we honor campers and staff members who have shown examples of Kavod (respect), Joy (Simcha), Personal Growth (Smichah Ishit), and Chesed (kindness). Staff keep an eye out for campers exhibiting these qualities all week and nominate them for recognition. This is just one of many ways we strive to see campers for who they truly are and honor their efforts.