By Lauren Silas, Program Coordinator

We enter summer 2024 knowing something is different. The sense of community and Jewish pride flowing through camp is stronger than ever before. I am excited to share some exciting updates to our programming that will enhance each camper’s experience and deepen their connection to our shared Jewish culture and values.

Our goal for programming is to make each program special and intentional for our campers. This year, we tasked each village with ensuring they planned multiple programs relating to Israel, Jewish life, and mental, emotional, and social wellness (MESH). During staff week, I noticed staff members from all villages jumping at the opportunity to plan these types of deeply impactful programs for their campers.

At the Programming 101 workshop during staff week, three Israeli counselors in Kaufmann village excitedly began planning a program where they would teach their campers classic Israeli party games that are special from their childhood.

One of my favorite programs that begins each summer is Dyadic Encounters. In these programs, campers are intentionally paired with other campers they may not be as close with or have yet to meet. They are given a list of questions to ask one another and they each answer all the same questions. The other day at breakfast, Rebecca, Yalla Village Leader, saw one of her first-time campers bring another camper up to her brother and say “meet my new friend!”.

It is moments like this that make community-building programming so special. I am so excited to continue to see all the wonderful programs that our campers will get to participate in this summer. 

What an amazing second week of first session and a great Shabbat! To kick off week three of camp, let’s hear from leadership within our Yalla (1st time camper), Macks (10th grader) and LIT (11th grade) villages on what the past week has looked like for their campers and staff…..

The summer has been off to an amazing start for Yalla Village! Yalla Aleph and Yalla Bet campers have experienced so many fun activities during their week-long session at Capital Camps. Some highlights include jumping off the lake toys, flying through the air on the dual-zipline, and learning new Rikkud dances. 

One of my favorite parts of each Yalla session is the Yalla Talent Show. Through dances, songs, magic tricks, and many other talents, our Yalla campers beam with pride when performing in front of their peers and counselors. It has been incredible to witness these campers experience the magic of Capital Camps for the first time and build lasting friendships with one another.

On the last night of every Yalla session, the counselors present each camper with a “Yalla Certificate of Completion”. This certificate marks the end of a wonderful first Capital Camps journey. We conclude the night by singing songs led by Head Songleader, Nick May, and look forward to seeing the campers back in Benjamin Village next summer. I feel so lucky to get to know each Yalla camper and to be a part of their first summer at Capital Camps. 

I cannot wait for a fantastic rest of the summer in Yalla Village! –Rebecca Cohen, Yalla Village Leader

Macks Village is special for so many reasons, the first being that the separate cabins from previous summers are becoming one community. I am seeing that transition firsthand with your children. The friendships that they had from previous summers are growing stronger, while new friendships are blossoming.

We returned from our ACE trip on Tuesday, spending time together zip-lining, white water rafting, playing in the lake, and completing a challenging mud course. This trip created some core memories for my staff, the campers, and also myself.

Within two days of returning from ACE, Macks Village produced an amazing Carnival, which in addition to the giant slides and jump toys, featured 11 booths, including two new ones called Caricatures and Human Fruit Slot Machine.

I am very excited for the rest of the summer and I am truly lucky to be the village leader for your children. –Noa Brown, Macks Village Leader

LITs had a wonderful time in the south, balancing learning about our country’s civil rights struggles and recreational fun like enjoying a Blues cruise. We were very moved by the civil rights monument In LaGrange, Georgia, especially the Warren Temple United Methodist Church, which was the site of a lynching in 1940, and the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in Montgomery. In Atlanta, we visited the childhood home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as MLK National Historic Park and the famous Ebenezer Baptist Church. We explored some of Atlanta’s most historic landmarks, such as World of Coke and Ponce City Market. We learned a lot, pushed ourselves outside our comfort zone, and bonded as an LIT community! This week, we’ve jumped right back in at camp with Leadership training, camp traditions, and fun activities! –Brenda Serpick, LIT Village Leader

By Nate Strauss, Camp Director

As we prepare to welcome our second Shabbat of the summer at Capital Camps, I write you reflecting on the incredible week we’ve had here. Our Kaufmann, Macks, and LIT campers returned back to camp after unique and exciting trips away from camp, exploring different parts of our region and country and bonding as a village community. Yesterday, we celebrated the Fourth of July together wearing red, white, and blue and enjoying a camp-wide carnival, planned by the campers and staff of Macks village. As we welcome Shabbat after such an exciting week, I join our campers and staff thinking about this week’s parsha, Korach. This Torah portion challenges us to reflect on the importance of unity, harmony, and the sanctity of communal rituals—themes that resonate deeply with our camp’s Shabbat traditions. 

Just as Korach and his followers sought recognition and leadership roles, our campers are encouraged to embrace their unique roles within our camp community while appreciating the strength that comes from unity. Welcoming Shabbat together is a powerful way for our campers to connect with each other and with their Jewish heritage, fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose. 

Through our Shabbat rituals—whether it’s lighting candles, singing songs, or enjoying a special meal—we create a sacred space where campers can pause, reflect, and recharge spiritually. These moments not only deepen their understanding of Jewish traditions but also strengthen their bonds with each other and with the larger Jewish community. 

As we gather to usher in Shabbat this week, I am reminded of how fortunate we are to witness our campers embrace these traditions with enthusiasm and joy. I am confident that these experiences will leave a lasting impact, nurturing their personal growth and reinforcing their sense of belonging to our camp family. 

By Larry Ginsburg, Senior Jewish Educator

What a joy it is to be able to celebrate the Fourth of July at camp! The anniversary of the fruition of a dream, a hope even, for life void of monarchy and guided by the rule of democracy. Our lives at camp are full, exciting, and always interesting. And yet, today on this day of celebration we are also continuously sitting in the grief and anxiety which has taken hold of the Jewish Community since October 7th. I have to ask myself, and I think many of us ask ourselves this question often: how can we find joy among sadness? I think the answer is hope. Tikva. Hope is the process by which we guide ourselves through the hard times, and allow ourselves to imagine a brighter future. When we allow ourselves to hope, we give ourselves the opportunity to hold both the pain of the current moment, as well as the joy in knowing the arc always bends towards justice, and that one day, God willing soon, we will see the release of hostages, the end of war, and ultimately, peace. This, I think, might be what the Founding Fathers felt as they led the way towards the country we have now.

In this week’s parsha, Korach, we read the story of rebellion. Korach and his followers raise rebellion in contest of Moshe’s brother, Aharon, seeking to undermine his claim to kehunah gedolah (high priesthood). The reason for the rebellion was that Korach and his men felt Moshe and Aharon went too far in appointing the tribe of Levi to increased holiness among the people. The holiness of Aharon’s tribe was proven when his staff, among all the others, began to bloom, and sprout almond blossoms. The blossoming of Aharon’s staff in some ways represents hope. Hope that the tribe of Levi will not just represent holiness, but that in the face of adversity they will rise above, and continue to have strength and courage in their mission.

I think about this hope and courage after yesterday having the privilege to hear the story of Noam Safir, whose grandfather Shlomo Mantzur was taken hostage on October 7th. He is the oldest hostage at the age of 86, having survived the Farhud Massacre in Iraq as a boy, he was kidnapped from his home on October 7th. Nearly 100 campers and staff listened to her attentively as she shared the story of her courage and how she has become a leader in the efforts to release her grandfather and all hostages. Sometimes, the blossoming staff of leadership and hope appears when we least expect it. What we learned from Noam was that sometimes, when called to leadership, we must be the ones to provide hope to others. May we all have the courage to give others hope, and in doing so continue to advocate for peace and

By Hannah Stoller, Atzma’im Coordinator

Three weeks ago, during specialist training week, I held extensive training sessions with our inclusion focused staff. I asked each of these counselors what they think the word Atzma’im means. Most of them responded that it means inclusion, as our Atzma’im Program is often referred to as our Inclusion Program. Many were surprised to hear that Atzma’im actually comes from the Hebrew word for independence.

Our Atzma’im program follows a true inclusion model, where campers requiring some extra support at camp have a “go-to” counselor in their cabin to help meet their needs. It may seem a bit counterintuitive to name this program after the Hebrew word for independence, since the whole program revolves around campers getting extra support from others. Many of us tend to think of independence as doing something on our own, without any support. Yet, some people will always need extra support to do things, and that is perfectly fine. In fact, our whole camp community is built around the idea that we need each other in order to thrive. So, why do we emphasize the idea of independence in our inclusion program?

An obvious answer is that living at camp, away from caretakers, helps to build campers’ independence. This is an especially important opportunity for our campers with disabilities, and it’s definitely one of the reasons the idea of independence is so important here. But there’s another kind of independence that we don’t think about as often—independence of choice. Here in our inclusive camp bubble, campers can choose what they want to do without the barriers that the outside world often puts in their way. Over the past week, I’ve witnessed our campers with Atzma’im support exercising their independence by choosing to do activities they may have never had the chance do before, as they may not have been offered the opportunity to do it with the necessary supports. Campers could choose whichever chug they wanted this week, knowing that they would receive necessary accommodations wherever they were placed. They could choose to climb a lake toy because they knew that their counselors and peers would physically help them up. They could choose to do the zip line because they knew a staff member would be there to calmly help them through it. 

It’s a bit of a paradox, the idea of independence here. In order for campers to truly make their own choices and carve their own path, they actually need communal support. Independence doesn’t mean doing something without help; it means being able to choose what you want to do and being told yes, even if it does require heavy support. In a world that so frequently fails to accommodate people with disabilities, camp is a rare haven of “yes”. When campers know that the answer will always be yes, they begin to break down the barriers that have been put before them so many times, and finally discover what they want. THAT is true independence.

By Amanda Willen, Chloe Brandwin, Sarah Kimel, Capital Camps Assistant Village Leaders

What an amazing first week full of so much bonding, story sharing, fun in the pool, and a special Shabbat. To kick off week two of camp, let’s hear from three of our amazing Assistant Village Leaders on what the past week has looked like in their villages.

“Benjamin Village has had the most amazing time. I love how some of our programs have really allowed them to express their creativity to the fullest – activities such as creating their own robot and even performing for our very own Benjamin Idol! As Assistant Village Leader, it has been unbelievably special seeing them fall more in love with camp every day and continuing to form amazing relationships with their counselors, cabin mates, and Macks Buddies. I was inspired watching them experience Shabbat this past weekend, as for many of them it was their first ever Capital Camps Shabbat! Our fifth graders baked Challah and other Benjamin campers helped spread Shabbat joy by decorating posters for the dining hall. It was fun seeing them dance around at Shabbat and learn from the older campers some of the traditions that make camp so memorable. Also, super proud of our very own Benjamin camper who read Torah for the camp community this morning!” – Amanda Willen, Assistant Village Leader, Benjamin Village

“What a special first week here at camp for Reich Village! Something I’ve noticed about our young Reich campers is they are loving the independence that comes with being a part of this village, such as getting to choose their own sports during the week! Some overall highlights for Reich campers include aquatics – they LOVE the lake toys – and playing gaga. We’ve had a lot of fun programs that allow them to have a competitive spirit and build community through teamwork. I hope that the experience of having a little less structure than they did in Benjamin Village allows them to continue to grow and become more independent, grow more social with each other, and learn about themselves in a unique way.” – Chloe Brandwin, Assistant Village Leader, Reich Village

“Something I find very special about Kaufmann Village is it’s probably the first year where a lot of the bonding is done more on a village level than a cabin level, allowing for campers to really grow their friendships outside of their small cabin circles. It’s really so great to watch. Our Kaufmann campers have had several meaningful evening programs, including dyadic encounters, where they were randomly paired up and given a series of questions to answer, and our nightly campfires where a few counselors play the guitar and lead the village in song! They of course had a blast at Shabbat, engaging in rikkud (Israeli dancing) and all of the singing moments. I am so excited for them to continue expanding upon their leadership skills this summer and acting as role models for all of our younger campers.” – Sarah Kimel, Assistant Village Leader, Kaufmann Village

By Adina Golob, Community Care Manager

As we find ourselves immersed in another unforgettable summer at camp, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on a topic that is close to our hearts: mental health. Here at Capital Camps, we believe that nurturing the emotional well-being of our campers is just as vital as fostering their physical and intellectual growth.

Our dedicated counselors are at the forefront of promoting positive mental health practices among our campers. Through meaningful connections, active listening, and compassionate support, they create a safe space where campers can express themselves freely and develop lifelong coping skills. Whether through group discussions, one-on-one chats, or structured activities focused on emotional awareness, our counselors are committed to guiding campers toward emotional resilience.

At Capital Camps, we recognize that mental health is a community effort. That’s why we build such a strong team of yoetzot. They provide ongoing resources and guidance to both campers and staff. As we continue to evolve and grow as a community, we remain committed to prioritizing mental health. Through open dialogue, and a supportive environment, we aim to empower our campers to thrive emotionally and socially. Together, we can foster a camp experience where every camper feels valued, understood, and supported.