This Sunday, Capital Camps will welcome our first campers of Summer 2026 to our beautiful campus in Waynesboro. After months of planning and preparation—and two intensive weeks of staff training—our bunks, villages, lake, pool, ropes course, fields, arts spaces, and gathering places are ready to once again become a vibrant center of Jewish life, learning, friendship, and joy.
As we prepare to open our gates, we read Parshat Korach, a Torah portion that invites us to reflect on leadership, responsibility, and the importance of working toward a common purpose. While Korach’s challenge to Moses and Aaron is often remembered as a story of conflict, the parsha also highlights what is required to sustain a strong and sacred community: leaders and community members who understand that their role is not about personal recognition, but about serving something larger than themselves.
Over the past two weeks, nearly 200 seasonal staff members have participated in Specialist Week and Staff Week, engaging in certifications, camper care and behavior management training, leadership development, relationship-building, discussions about Israel and Jewish identity, and countless hours of preparation for bunk life, village programs, Shabbat experiences, chugim, sports, aquatics, adventure, arts, and camp-wide traditions. Together with our year-round team, they have worked to ensure that every aspect of the camper experience reflects the values that define Capital Camps.
I am continually inspired by the dedication of our staff and leadership team. Their commitment reflects a deeply Jewish understanding of leadership—one rooted in achrayut (responsibility), kehillah (community), and service to others. Long before campers arrive, these individuals have invested their time, energy, and expertise to create an environment where young people can grow, explore, connect, and thrive.
On Sunday evening, as our campers and staff gather together for our opening evening program in the amphitheater, we will recite the Shehecheyanu blessing, thanking God “who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.” It is one of my favorite moments of the summer. After months of anticipation and preparation, we pause as a community to acknowledge the significance of the moment and express gratitude for arriving here together.
The Shehecheyanu reminds us that Judaism teaches us not to rush past moments of meaning. We are called to recognize them, celebrate them, and offer thanks for them.
As our campers begin their summer journeys—whether they are entering Capital Camps as Yalla campers for the very first time or returning as CITs for their final camper summer—they will have opportunities to build lifelong friendships in their cabins and villages, strengthen their Jewish identities through Shabbat, song-session, Israeli culture, and everyday moments of Jewish joy, develop confidence and independence, connect with Israel, and experience the power of being part of the Capital Camps community. These experiences do not happen by accident. They are made possible through the collective efforts of staff, families, supporters, and community members who share a commitment to Jewish camping and Jewish futures.
As we enter Summer 2026, I am filled with gratitude—for the trust of our families, the dedication of our staff, the generosity of our supporters, and the privilege of leading this extraordinary community.
May this summer be one of growth, connection, resilience, and joy. May our campers and staff continue to build a community grounded in Jewish values and meaningful relationships. And may we merit many opportunities in the months ahead to pause, give thanks, and recite Shehecheyanu together.
Shabbat Shalom,
Havi Goldscher
CEO