In Parsha Beshalach, the Israelites find themselves in the midst of the wilderness, having just left Egypt. They are tired, uncertain, and unsure of what each day will bring. Then, each morning, they discover small flakes on the ground, manna provided by God. Famously, the Talmud states that the manna did not have a singular, universal taste; each person tasted that which they desired at the time. Beyond individualized flavoring, each person would gather the manna as best fit their needs. Some gathered a little, some a lot, but everyone found what would sustain them for the day. 

As we enter Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAAIM), the symbolism of the manna feels especially relevant. Inclusion is not about asking everyone to move at the same pace. It is about honoring differences and intentionally creating a community where diversity can thrive. Like the manna in the wilderness, meaningful inclusion recognizes that people benefit from different things in order to be sustained and successful.

At Capital Camps, the lesson of the manna shapes how we think about camp for all. One expression of that commitment is our Atzma’im inclusion program that is designed to expand access and support meaningful participation for all campers. Under the steady leadership of our Atzma’im Inclusion Coordinator, Hannah Stoller, we engage in thoughtful planning and close partnerships with families to ensure that all campers can experience the joy, friendships, and sense of belonging that define camp. This approach does more than support individual campers. When we build flexibility, clear structure, and intentional relationships into camp life, it strengthens the experience for every camper, creating a community that is more thoughtful, responsive, and connected.

Guided by the lesson of Parsha Beshalach, inclusion at Capital Camps is not limited to a single program. It is a core value that shapes how we design our campus, structure each day, support social connections, and build community across camp. This upcoming Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month we are proud and committed as ever to being a camp community that lives these values each day, creating a place that allows each child to build confidence, form friendships, and experience the full joy of camp.

Best,

Josh Micley

On the first night of Hanukkah, I asked my kids a simple question: should we light the candles starting with one on the first night and increase each night, or start with eight and decrease? Their response was swift and unanimous – start with one and go up.

Nearly 2,000 years ago, when this debate was famously first held between two sages, Hillel and Shammai, there was no such agreement. Hillel argued for increasing the number of candles each night, while Shammai contended that we should begin with eight and take one away each night.

Hillel’s approach ultimately became the common practice, offering us a symbolic worldview to carry forward. Light is meant to expand. We choose to believe that tomorrow can hold more light than today.

But then Hanukkah quietly asks another question: if last night was the eighth night, the brightest night, What does our ninth night look like?

At camp, we live in the business of answering this question every day. We intentionally design camper journeys to expand over time, from Yalla and Benjamin all the way through becoming a CIT. We add new responsibilities and greater ownership at each stage. We do the same with our staff, creating models that invite people to step into new and expanded roles each summer, growing as leaders alongside the campers they mentor.

This is what a “ninth candle” looks like. It takes what already shines and asks how it can shine brighter.

As we turn the calendar toward 2026, we’re excited for all the ways the coming year will be one of deeper impact and more chances for each of us to amplify the light of our community. Hanukkah reminds us that while the candles are lit for eight nights, the light is always meant to carry forward.

Wishing everyone a bright and beautiful final day of Hanukkah that carries well into the ninth night and beyond.

Warmly,

Josh Micley

Earlier this month, on a crisp fall Sunday afternoon, our team led tours up at camp for prospective families. The air was still, but the future campers with us quickly filled it with energy. They darted toward the cabins, peeking inside to imagine which bed would be theirs and how the space would soon be filled with new friends. At the now-covered pool, they ran straight to the waterslides, pressing their hands against the cold plastic as if willing them to life. A few steps later, we walked through Habimah, where their heads swiveled from the Maccabiah plaques to the stage as we described how this space comes alive each summer with ruach (spirit) and the joy of being together.

Walking around camp in November can feel like stepping into a quiet pause. But watching these kids, I was reminded how easily imagination turns stillness into anticipation. This week’s parsha, Vayetze, echoes that idea. Jacob, fleeing from home and exhausted, stops to rest in what seems like an ordinary, unremarkable place. Using a stone for a pillow, he falls asleep, and suddenly the ordinary is transformed. He dreams of a ladder stretching up to heaven, with angels moving up and down, and God standing beside him, promising protection and a future of blessing. Jacob wakes up stunned and says, “Surely God was in this place, and I did not know it.” What he thought was empty and silent was actually full of holiness and possibility. He just needed the right moment to see it.

Camp in November feels similar. On the surface, everything is at rest. But when families visit, we are reminded that camp is never just quiet cabins and empty fields. It is a place rich with potential and with stories waiting to unfold each summer. Even before they have experienced it, new families can sense that something meaningful lives here.

As we head into Thanksgiving, I am grateful for our special CCRC community: for the families who entrust us with their children, for the campers who bring camp to life each summer, and for the staff that make it all possible. This season, I, along with I’m sure many of you, do not need imagination to sense the warmth of camp; we have the memories and relationships that make this place what it is.

But if you know someone who could still benefit from imagining what being part of our community means, please send them our way. We love welcoming new families for tours, and even in the approaching winter, the spark of camp is unmistakable.

Warmly,

Josh Micley, Camp Director

“To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.”

This week’s parsha, Lech L’cha, is all about change for its central character, Avram. In just a few chapters, Avram goes through several dramatic changes in his life:

• Spatial: he hears the command (“Lech L’cha”) to leave his home in Charan
• Financial: with God’s blessing, he becomes wealthy in cattle, gold, and silver 
• Familial: after leaving his own father, Avram becomes a father himself when his first son, Ishmael, is born
• Physical: as a sign of his covenant with God, Avram undergoes the first brit milah

It’s at this stage that Avram undergoes another change in his identity by taking on the name Avraham (Abraham). Some of Avram’s changes are personal, redefining his own understanding of who he is; others are public, refocusing how others would see him. Changing his name might actually accomplish both – I think about Muhammad Ali, having changed his name two years prior, yelling “What’s my name?” at his opponent in the middle of a fight. In that moment, recognition of who he was – who he demanded to be – was the battle for Ali.

We usually think of consistency in people as a sign of their trustworthiness, and even their honor. There’s some truth to that – saying that “You always know what you’re going to get” from someone tends to be a pretty high compliment. But it’s worth taking a few moments to consider how the people in our lives (ourselves included) have changed for the better over time.

Nobody is better suited to answer this question than parents. How have your kids changed in the past year, or even the past month? What new priorities have they picked up, and what have they left behind? What difficult choices have they made, bringing on new responsibilities and relationships?

Give yourself that credit, too. How have you changed as a parent? What pieces of yourself do you feel more confident in now than you did before your kids were born? What difficult choices have you made, and what joys have you experienced because of it?

The changes we make – the changes that perfect us – are sometimes the small, day-to-day tweaks like driving a little bit slower or brewing your own coffee at home. But they’re also the dramatic, life-altering shifts: leaving your hometown, taking a new job, even changing your name. And while staying the same might make you reliable, Avraham’s trajectory in Lech L’cha reminds us that there’s beauty in the change, too.

Warmly,
Ezra Suldan, Family & Community Engagement Manager

On Rosh Hashanah morning, during the priestly blessing prayer, my family has a tradition of gathering under my tallis. My 6- and 3-year-old love this moment, largely because they seem to think we’ve created a private fort, hidden from the rest of the sanctuary. Of course, what they don’t realize is that while the rest of the congregation cannot see them, everyone can hear their antics inside. It is quite the moment 🙂 But it is also a powerful reminder of how it feels to be embraced together in a space that is safe and comforting.

That sense of embrace is, without a doubt, a core ingredient that makes camp so special. Each Friday night, we actually recite the same priestly blessing, which is traditionally said over children. At camp, we expand it from parents blessing their children to an entire community blessing one another, holding everyone under a figurative communal tallis: finding joy, meaning, and connection in a sense of belonging and responsibility larger than ourselves.

Of course, we are not physically under that “camp tallis” right now. Yet one of the gifts of camp is that the connections it fosters do not end in August. We continue to feel tied together through year-round gatherings, sustaining friendships, and even moments like this newsletter, where we pause to connect as one camp family. In this way, camp teaches us that community is not bound by time or place.

This message resonates especially during the High Holy Days. Last week, Rosh Hashanah called us into celebrating new beginnings, while the upcoming day of Yom Kippur turns our attention toward reflection and renewal. By definition, these sacred days are intended to be observed in community; we sing, reflect, and support one another together. My hope is that as we carry the spirit of these days forward, we also carry the warmth and connection of camp, as if under one tallis, into the new year. 

May we continue to nurture these connections throughout the year, finding joy and meaning in our shared community. Shana Tova from all of us at Capital Camps.

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.