Shalom Machon Families,
What a joy it’s been to welcome this incredible group of chanichim (campers) to their final year as campers in Machon. We’ve spent the past few days settling into our chavurot (small groups), reconnecting with old friends and welcoming new ones into the fold. There’s already a strong sense of purpose and excitement in the air as we kick off this special summer together. With our first Shabbat just around the corner, we’re looking forward to gathering as an edah (age group), taking a deep breath, and celebrating all we’ve already begun to build.
One of the highlights of our week was Tiyul Gibush, our traditional bonding trip. We walked to Lake Casitas, sang our edah song for the first time, spent time at the beach, and participated in classic Machon rituals that have connected generations of campers before us. We also kicked off planning for Maccabiah—starting with choosing this year’s theme (no spoilers yet!)—and began looking ahead to our first Manhigut (leadership) experience: leading Saturday night limmud (learning). These first few days have already revealed how thoughtful, passionate, and energized this group is. We can’t wait to see how each camper continues to grow into their role as a leader in our camp community.
Shabbat Shalom from all of us in Machon,
Tali Gordon-Knight, Rosh Machon