The Beautiful Impact of Family Camp

Over Labor Day Weekend, we welcomed over 60 participants to Capital Camps & Retreat Center for one of our favorite traditions, Family Camp. Over the course of the weekend, we engaged in many camp activities, including celebrating Shabbat, various sports, Israeli dancing, arts projects, aquatics, farm exploration, and more. Our young campers got the chance to experience camp in a different way than they typically would in the summer – whether that be trying some new activities such as ziplining or playing a new sport. Our adults got to be adults together – experiencing the fun of camp with their families while having plenty of time to kick back and enjoy the beautiful Waynesboro mountain air. The group consisted of a mix of families exploring camp for the first time, as well as seasoned camp families. 

 

I was overjoyed to attend Family Camp as the songleader. In this role, my goal was to unify the community by sharing some of our favorite camp-wide traditions: Shabbat services, Shabbat song session, Shabbat cabin circles, and Havdalah. I am a firm believer that music is an incredibly powerful tool in building an engaged Jewish community. Whether they’ve grown up at camp or this was their first time setting foot into our camp environment, music speaks to each person’s soul. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the feeling of watching people’s faces light up when they recognize a tune, or watching people put their arms around each other when we join together for the Hashkiveinu. 

During our time at Family Camp, we received the tragic news that six hostages had been murdered by Hamas. In a time where it can be so difficult to find Jewish joy, when it feels like the entire world is against us, gathering in communal spaces such as camp is so important. At Family Camp, every individual had the opportunity to process in their own space as needed and was also given the gift of being surrounded by a community that so proudly and openly celebrates our Judaism. For me, as well as many others, one of the best ways to get through such tragedies is to embrace the power and beauty of the Jewish community, and that’s exactly what we were able to provide for our participants.

At the end of the weekend, we gathered to reflect on our time together. It was heartwarming to hear several of our current camp families share the impact of spending their weekend at camp and witnessing with their own eyes what it is that brings their kids back summer after summer. Families who have not yet sent their kids to Capital Camps expressed how the camp environment blew them away and they were excited to sign their kids up for their first summer! It was incredibly special to watch people fall in love with the magic of Capital Camps. 

L’Shalom, 

Maddie Siegel 

Communications and Marketing Associate

P.S. We’ve decided to make Family Camp Weekend at Capital Camps a Labor Day Weekend tradition! Save the date – August 29-September 1st!

A Message from Ilana Kornblatt

This week’s Torah portion is Ki Tavo which focuses on blessings and curses, as well as acknowledging and being grateful for God’s gifts. The parashah begins with the mitzvah of bikkurim, the offering of the first fruits, which is brought to the Temple as an expression of gratitude for the abundance of the land that God has given the people of Israel. This mitzvah emphasizes the values of thankfulness and recognizing the Divine hand in everyday life.  


At Capital Camps we often reflect on and recognize the divine and special moments in each day- the little moments that make a summer at Capital Camps so very special. We recognize the peacefulness of swimming or boating in the lake, the awe of being able to stargaze and see stars in a way we can only see from our specific vantage point at camp, and- just as the mitzvah of bikkurim teaches us- the beauty of our natural surroundings when we spend time helping cultivate our farm and learning about teva (nature).  


Ki Tavo also speaks to the collective identity and responsibilities of the Jewish people. When the Israelites bring their first fruits, they declare their history and relationship with God in a communal context. At Capital Camps, shared responsibility is ever-present. Each day, every camper and staff member plays a role in making the Kehillah (community) the strongest it can be. Whether this is done by completing a Nikayon (cabin clean-up) role, checking in on a friend to see how their day is going, helping the cabin to accomplish a challenging task at the ropes course, or so much more, every individual plays the role in the collective success of camp.  


Ki Tavo reminds us of the importance of gratitude and community that comes from following a path of meaning and purpose. Likewise, Capital Camps provides a space for each individual to recognize gratitude and blessings in everyday life, while bonding each of us with the larger camp community, and by extension the global Jewish community at large.  

Here are some questions to discuss with your campers about Parashat Ki Tavo: 

  1. What is the most naturally beautiful thing you’ve seen at camp? 
  2. How do you show gratitude during camp? How do you show gratitude during the school year? 
  3. What is your favorite aspect of the camp community? How do you contribute to making it strong? 
  4. Bonus: where is your favorite place on camp to stargaze and why? 

As we reflect on Ki Tavo and the importance of gratitude, I am feeling grateful for the warmth of the Capital Camps community Year-Round! Our Year-Round team is already planning for the best summer yet in 2025! We have over 550 campers already signed up to join us next summer and over 50 amazing counselors have applied to join our staff team- these numbers show a glimpse into how much our community enjoyed spending the summer at Capital Camps in 2024 and can’t wait to return in 2025.  


I also feel grateful for the opportunity to have spent Labor Day weekend with many camp families- new and existing- as we celebrated Shabbat, played sports, splashed in the pool, made art by the farm, and so much more. It was a wonderful way to close out our Summer 2024 season. Save the date for Labor Day Family Camp 2025: August 29 – September 1. 


As we continue our reflections from summer 2024 and plan for summer 2025, I hope you and your family will take time to reflect on all the wonderful moments from this past summer- camp and otherwise- that you want to hold close to you as we continue on in this school year.  


Sincerely,

Ilana Kornblatt

Assistant Camp Director