Stream Hike

"The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures." -Rabindranath Tagore (Indian poet)

I have now been at camp for a full week, and just finished up my first Harlam Shabbat experience. Camp has grown to include many of my co-workers for the summer (including my amazing assistant unit head!). We are a well-traveled group, representing USA, Israel, England, Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and Scotland. The accents are a little hard to understand, but I think I'm doing ok so far.

Today, as a team building exercise, the unit supervisors and all our assistants took a hike through a stream in the woods. Although the slippery rocks caused a few tumbles, it was a really great use of an afternoon. I have grown closer with the other unit heads and am well on my way to creating bonds just as strong with the assistants who all arrived yesterday. Tomorrow, the remaining international staff will be pulling in (right now only those on waterfront and adventure staff are here) and in the days following I will meet all of the counselors who will be working in my unit. I finally know my way around camp and I know what people are talking about when they use special camp names for the buildings.

The connections I am making with my fellow staff members are on such an amazing level. It is so inspiring to be in nature with others who share my passions and priorities. I wish everyone could feel what this is like.

One week down, 9 to go.

Supervisor Week

"Leadership and learning are indispensible to each other." -JFK

Camp is absolutely beautiful. This campus is much more open and spread out than the other camps I have attended/worked for in the past. The camp support team has arrived for our training week, and I am spending time with the heads of the other units plus the heads of the arts, sports, waterfront, and adventure programs. This team has been incredibly welcoming and friendly to me, for which I can't even begin to express my appreciation. I was really nervous about being the new guy in town, but I already feel like I've been here for years. Today I beat the sports director in an epic game of Ga-Ga (an Israeli version of dodgeball) and started working on learning the names of all the buildings. I've gotten a good feel for getting around camp, and took a few pictures of the area. These two are my favorites (the chapel and the lake):

This week I'll be learning the ropes of camp, getting to know my team members, and getting ready for the rest of the staff to come next week. Right now there are only 15 or so of us, but within a week and a half, there will be over 200 staff members walking around camp (not to mention the 600-800 campers coming the week after that!). I'm so excited to get into the swing of summer. More to come later!

Packing Day

"Its a dangerous business going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." - The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Today is my last full day in Raleigh, NC. I have been here for 6 years now, doing a combination of school and youth work. There are many things I'm going to miss about this place...southern hospitality, great weather, friends, family, sweet tea...and the list goes on. I've said my goodbyes, I've packed up my things, and I got a friend to move into my room so I could get out of my lease.

Tomorrow I leave for a road trip with a friend to South Jersey, and the day after I arrive at URJ Camp Harlam in Kunkletown, PA. I am spending the summer as the Unit Head for Carmel, which is composed of 3rd and 4th graders. I am looking forward to returning to the Jewish camp scene and ending my 2-year hiatus from what had been the norm for 6 consecutive summers. This will be my first time at Harlam as well as my first time in a supervisor position, so there is a lot to be both excited and nervous about. I will be at camp until the last week of August, when I will be moving to Boston to begin my new job as a professional Jewish youth worker and teen educator.

As I enter into the "real world," my adventures will continually be updated here. Tomorrow I take my first of many steps into the unknown wilderness that will become the rest of my life.

-Ben