As everyone gathers in the amphitheater at Capital Camps for Maccabiah, the energy is palpable. Maccabiah brings everyone in the camp community together for 2 days of spirited, friendly competition. From sports and aquatics to skits and banners, there is something for everyone to do to contribute to their team. The value and meaning of Maccabiah goes far beyond the fun and games. The camaraderie built and leadership opportunities for campers and counselors cannot be underestimated. Maccabiah offers the chance to campers and counselors to be with people outside their normal cabin or village group and make new friends.
For each cabin, the counselors choose one spirit leader, resulting in 2 spirit leaders from each village per team during Maccabiah. This is an incredible honor for the campers and a role that counselors choose carefully. They look to recognize one of their campers and help their cabinmates cheer them on in this role as well. For many campers, it is the first leadership role they may have at camp or in their lives!
Outside of Maccabiah, our staff makes campers feel special every day. The bond between campers and staff is special and meaningful, and our counselors take their duty as role models for campers seriously. I love to hear from counselors about their campers—who makes them laugh, who they’ve seen grow over the course of the summer, who they’ve seen help out their friends. The sparkle in a counselor’s eye when they tell me about the camper who mastered a new card trick tells me everything I need to know—they are proud of their campers, they are cheering them on, and they want to see them succeed.
The end of Session 1 is already approaching, and as your campers’ time winds down, please consider making a contribution to our staff appreciation campaign. Your gift to Capital Camps will support our staff engagement and training efforts that are vital to providing an incredible experience for your camper. You also have the opportunity to share a message with the staff to tell them what impact they’ve had on your child.
As you follow along with Maccabiah and the last few days of camp, I hope you’ll see what is behind those smiling faces: growth, leadership, friendships, and new experiences. Our staff facilitates these adventures for our campers, and we’re so appreciative of their hard work and dedication.
Samantha Sisisky
Development Director