| Our radically integrated approach to Jewish life and learning at Capital Camps allows us to weave Judaism into everything we do here. One of our new programmatic initiatives this year is creating moments of intentional Jewish engagement called “Pop-ups.” They exist as a way for us as the J-life team to have quick experiences for campers and staff to engage directly with their identity, Jewish history, and Middot, the values that ground all of our work this summer and beyond. All of this happens on the walk from the plaza to the Chader Ohel (Dining Hall) Over the past two weeks, we have already had 100’s of folks interact with these Pop-Up programs. During these short interactions, we have seen moments of pure happiness and engaged in meaningful conversations about Judaism. Earlier this week, our community was asked, “Which Middah are you working on this summer?” Campers & staff alike took a moment to reflect on their summer so far and chose a specific intention to complete an already incredible session. As the last camper entered lunch, we were left with a beautiful tapestry that took just a moment of people’s time but represented the thoroughness of Jewish Life at Capital Camps and the power of shining a spotlight on the little things in life. This is just one example of the everyday moments entrenched in Judaism this summer. Earlier in the session, Benjamin Campers worked on a “Chesed (Kindness) Siddur.” Each camper created a prayer, picture, or poem that will help our youngest campers to help strive for kindness and acceptance. The campers learned what it means to have a blessing and what it looks like to create their own. The hope is that beyond this Siddur and our Pop-ups, our community will benefit from an increase in joy and kindness, as we continue these meaningful moments and conversations. Larry Ginsburg Senior Jewish Educator |