Last night, from the side of the chadar ochel (dining hall), I stopped to watch as our Kaufmann 9th graders brought to life the incredible banquet they had planned. In that moment, I turned to Ezra Suldan, our Family and Community Engagement Manager, and noted: “It’s disorienting that almost all of our closing moments are behind us now — CIT Siyyum, camp show, banquet — but we still have two full days of camp left.” 

Ezra replied: “Yeah, but it’s so special that we get to end the summer with a totally normal Shabbat.” 

That perspective really resonated with me. Because it’s true that unlike in many places where final moments are all about packing and logistics, we end here with a full, rich, ordinary Shabbat. It’s not a finale of fireworks. It’s a pause, a familiar rhythm, and a moment of being fully present as one community. 

And it’s exactly that quiet, almost understated beauty that this week’s parsha, Va’etchanan, lifts up. Va’etchanan contains two of the Torah’s most iconic passages: the repetition of the Ten Commandments and the Shema. But there’s something profound about where they fall: not at the climax of a journey, but in the in-between. 

Moses, standing on the edge of the land he will never enter, speaks to the people at a liminal time. And in that transitional space, we receive a commandment that shapes Jewish life across generations: Zachor et Yom HaShabbat lekadsho; Remember the day of Shabbat to make it holy. 

The word zachor, remember, carries a deeper meaning. To zachor is not just to recall, but to hold something with intention. In many commentaries, remembering is tied closely to the feeling of gratitude. To remember Shabbat is to pause and acknowledge the goodness already present. This final Shabbat of the summer, positioned between all the “lasts” and our journey home, offers us exactly that: a meaningful pause to notice and to give thanks.  

On a personal note, I want to offer my deepest gratitude to this community. To our campers and their families, our staff, lay leaders, and community partners: thank you for your support, your trust, and your partnership. It’s been a joy to spend this summer with you, and I’m so grateful for all the moments, big and small, that we’ve shared together. 

Shabbat Shalom, 

Josh 

At the beginning of a session, campers might hear a yoetzet explain to them that “You can feel two things at once.” On Sunday, when our campers leave, they are likely to be feeling even more than that! They may feel sad about leaving friends and counselors, excited to see family and return home, and exhausted from everything they have done. The end of camp also signifies the end of summer approaching, bringing with it additional feelings about the upcoming school year, events, activities, and responsibilities.

After being in the role of yoetzet for 10 summers and as a camp parent myself, I know that these feelings look different for every camper, and the transition back home can take several days.

Here are some tips and tricks for supporting your camper (and yourself) when they come home:

• Campers may need a nap and some of their favorite foods. Our campers stay busy until the final minutes of camp and, between the pace of camp and the strong emotions of the final days, they are often exhausted.

• Don’t take it personally if they seem sad about leaving camp and not as excited as you expected to come home. They missed you (we promise!) but camp goodbyes are hard, even if they see camp friends during the year. Additionally, they might have a hard time adjusting to no longer being with the counselors who have supported them 24 hours a day.

• We know that campers benefit from being given time to share about their summers at their own pace. At camp, we say that each day feels like an entire week; that’s a lot of memories to process and reflect on. We find it best to avoid yes/no questions and therefore instead suggest the following to help surface meaningful reflections from your campers:

• What was your favorite part about Shabbat?
• What types of things did you do at the farm or while camping out?
• What did you do for your chug (elective)?
• Tell us about your village’s sing performance? bonus points if you can get your camper to perform one of their songs!
• What is a village time program that you remember being fun?
• What were some of the things you did as part of your team during Maccabiah?

• Our amazing photography team did a great job capturing special moments from the summer. Parents are encouraged to show campers photos and watch the videos that have been shared by camp. This also is a great way to create opportunities for campers to share with you what is going on in the photo.

• Let your camper teach you something they learned or got better at while at camp. Our campers learn card games, ways to make bracelets, dances (including the annual camp dance), sports tricks, the Birkat Hamazon (blessing recited after a meal)(, Hebrew words, and more. 

At the start of camp, when campers feel homesick, I often remind them what a gift it is to have a home so special that they miss it when they’re away. Now, as they transition home, the roles are reversed because you’ve given them the gift of camp, a place and experience so meaningful that they miss it when they leave.

Deborah Harburger, MSW

Benjamin Village Yoetzet

Hello, Capital Camps!

The LITs have joined camp after their Central Europe trip, and we wanted to share some powerful reflections they’ve offered on Jewish identity and history. You can read more about the trip here:

• July 14 bulletin
• July 22 bulletin
• July 24 bulletin

The Leaders-in-Training (LIT) program for rising 11th graders is a transformative five-week experience that combines three weeks of travel and exploration across historical Jewish sites, followed by two weeks of immersive leadership training at camp.

Over the course of this five week experience, they learn Jewish history, Jewish culture, and gain exposure to diverse experiences. A goal is to return to camp and utilize this experience as they set forward as role models, caring for the younger campers, and planning programs for them. The entirety of the five-week program provides a scope of the whole picture and give them a chance to put their practice into action. 

When they arrive back at camp, they dive into into two weeks of leadership training, getting a behind-the-scenes look into camp and what it takes to lead programs, make decisions, and put on a camp experience for others – especially the youngest campers. Everything they learned on the trip – from the diverse cultures, to the rich Jewish history, sets them up for this.

“One day on our trip, we went to a Holocaust Memorial where the Jewish people were pushed into the water and left to float. The very next day, we went to Chabad to proudly and joyfully celebrate Shabbat with other Jewish people from around the world. Experiencing these two events back-to-back, seeing how despite the hardships of the past we did not give up, was very moving and powerful. We sang songs and prayed together, seeing firsthand how Judaism and Shabbat are celebrated and expressed around the world. I am so thankful that camp gives us a place to express our Judaism freely and practice being Jewish however we want to.” – Isaac G., Bethesda, MD.

“One of the most meaningful Jewish historical sites, for me, was visiting the concentration camp Terezin. Our tour guide led us to a dark, hidden room under the dining hall, and shined his flashlight to show us prayers on the walls, where we learned that this was a secret synagogue that the Jewish people would secretly use to pray. It was extremely powerful to learn that despite these living conditions and the horrors surrounding them, they fought to preserve their identity. Heartbreakingly, we were able to draw parallels from this historic site to the living situations the hostages in Israel face today. This whole experience made me even more grateful for camp, where we get to pray as loudly as we want and to be proudly Jewish together. Capital Camps gives me a lot of confidence to safely express my Jewish joy alongside my closest camp friends.” – Tabitha C., Chevy Chase, MD.

Good morning, Capital Camps!

It is my greatest joy to be spending a second summer as an Atzma’im (inclusion) counselor.

Being an Atzma’im counselor means showing up each day with intention, flexibility, and the belief that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and valued for exactly who they are. It’s not just about helping in the traditional sense, but more about co-creating spaces where all kinds of independence, expression, and growth are not only possible, but truly celebrated.

What inspires me most about the Atzma’im program is that it doesn’t shy away from adversity, but instead embraces it. You see real moments of joy, struggle and triumph in the smallest daily interactions. It reminds me that growth isn’t and that empowerment looks different for everyone.

Being part of an inclusive and accessible community means we don’t assume sameness. We plan with intention. We reflect. We ask better questions. At camp, we design programs that reflect not just who is here, but who could be here, if we do it right. Inclusion is not a checklist, it’s a mindset. It’s something you recommit to every day, especially when it feels inconvenient or hard.

It’s an honor to do this work, and I’m grateful to be growing alongside our amazing campers and staff.

Best,

Maddie King, 2nd-year Atzma’im and Reich Village 6th grade counselor

Earlier this week, we had the opportunity to welcome leaders from over 25 community partner organizations that our campers engage with during the year. They came to see what their participants experience each summer here at Capital Camps. A clergy member from a synagogue that many of our campers attend shared an observation that I haven’t stopped thinking about. He said, “You can always tell who the camp kids are. They walk into a room and act like they own the place, in the best possible way.” 

He went on to explain that our campers walk with confidence, groundedness, and presence. They know they belong. They are used to being part of something that values them, that sees them.  

That comment got me thinking about the power of vision — the ability to see not only what is, but what can be.  

This Shabbat is called Shabbat Chazon, the Shabbat of Vision. It always falls just before Tisha B’Av (the 9^th of Av), when we reflect on moments of loss in Jewish history, including the destruction of the Temples and times when our communities have felt fractured or disconnected. But even as we acknowledge that pain, Shabbat Chazon asks us to hold on to hope. The name comes from the vision of the prophet Isaiah, a vision not just of where we are, but of where we could go. This Shabbat invites us to step back and really see, to reflect on what we’re building and what kind of people we’re becoming. 

I felt that invitation to reflect during the Kaufmann overnight trip which I had the privilege of joining this past week. Out at Ohiopyle State Park, over 100 miles away from our regular camp setting, I watched a group of campers come together in a new way. Embracing outdoor adventure, setting up tents, and sharing laughs around a campfire, it was more than just a fun night. It was a moment when this group began to coalesce in a new way. You could see them starting to trust one another more deeply, take responsibility, and step into a sense of shared identity. It was a glimpse of a group turning into a true village. 

And then there was Maccabiah, when camp transformed into a sea of cheering, color, and spirit. But beyond the energy and competition, what stood out to me most was the way the camp community came together across ages. Yalla campers competed side by side with Macks campers, LITs, and CITs. You could see the trajectory of growth across our community, younger campers looking up to older ones, and older campers modeling what leadership and ruach (spirit) look like. It was like watching the future of Capital Camps unfolding in real time. 

Each of these moments reminded me that vision does not just belong to prophets. It is something we are called to practice every day. It is in the way we see each other, support each other, and believe in each other’s potential. 

May this Shabbat help us see more clearly, and may it strengthen our commitment to building a camp community where everyone is noticed. And may our campers continue to walk into spaces with the confidence of someone who owns the place.