Dancing with our Families at Shabbat B’Yachad

Watching our campers’ parents join in our Rikud (dance) in the gym, on Shabbat B’Yachad, was a true highlight of the night for all of us. Every morning we open camp with 15 minutes of dancing on our migrash (field) – and, I imagine, there are many evenings where parents watch their kids share these dances in their living rooms, perhaps a little confused by the flailing of arms and legs without the rhythm of accompanying music. So, there was much joy in our gym, as our parents learned the dances and participated with their campers! 

That joy continued as our campers performed a song (Tzad Alef – the younger campers) and a dance (Tzad Bet – the older campers). I then shared a dvar torah with our community, we sang some Shabbat songs, and adjourned to our Chader Ochel (dining hall) for a Shabbat dinner of matzah ball soup, salmon, caesar salad, and lasagna. We finished the meal off with brownies (just like the camp brownies we send home on Friday afternoons!). 

After Birkat Hamazon (the blessing after the meal), we all sang Rad Hayom, our camp’s closing song – and, as we do at the end of each day, shouted our edah (unit) names with pride! It was so special to get to welcome Shabbat together, as a community.