By the Unit of Arava (rising 7th graders)

From the very beginning Jews have been telling their story in order to teach Judaism.  This week, the Unit of Arava told a story at Kabbalat Shabbat Services. They told the story of a camper at Camp Harlam.  This story was told through the finding of a picture that had been accidentally ripped and in the process of putting the picture back together we learned more about this camper, every camper at Camp Harlam and ourselves.  In putting this one camper’s picture back together, we realize there is a whole world in each of us. 

One day we were going back to the bunk. I went to get my towel from the lines when I noticed a torn up picture of a person. I showed my friends the picture and we decided to ask the counselors what to do with it. The counselors told us to tape the picture back together. We were confused as to why we would tape together a picture of a person we didn’t know. But then our counselors told us to tape the picture back together to honor the person.  

After starting to put the picture together we noticed that the person was wearing a kippah. This shows that they were part of a Jewish community. To us, a Jewish community means that we are all connected as a bunk, unit and camp! Also a Jewish community means that we are all supportive and inclusive of each other. This piece of the picture reminds us that God’s always present and we always know that God will help us become our strongest selves.

Underneath the scattered pieces we were drawn to the eyes. They sparkled like stars in the sky. They were as blue as the sky on a hot summer day.  Both eyes had galaxies of stars within them.  They sparkled with every look. The eyes had decades of stories to tell. The eyes were like the lake on a fun Harlam day.  So we added this piece to the puzzle to continue to find the person’s identity.  

We saw the ears to the person in the picture that we found under the bunk. It’s almost like we could talk to them and they would listen. The person the picture had big ears so we think that the person was a good listener.  

As we continued to tape the picture together, the nose was formed.  When we looked at the nose, we notice a piercing. We talk about how brave this person was, and how fortunate they were to have the freedom to express themselves. We also thought about how this nose and how at camp, we too are given the freedom to express ourselves. We know we can be our best selves because people won’t judge us.

The person in the picture we found had dimples. We think that they must have been really happy and smiling big. Shabbat brings us happiness and brings our community together to celebrate the day of rest. The dimples add to the picture because they complete the smile of the happy camper.  Shabbat makes us happy because the music and prayers put us in a happy mood. When the community comes together as one we feel closer to God. This person inspires us to spread joy and happiness on Shabbat. And not just on Shabbat, but everyday, especially at camp.

When we got back to the bunk for rest hour I ran to my bed and grabbed my glue then we met in the center and continued to piece together the picture. Look! I said, grabbing a piece with a strip of light pink. I think this is part of the mouth! We work together and soon we reveal a mouth open and smiling widely. Just like we as a community have joy at camp, this person has joy as well. I wonder what they were saying, maybe they were leading prayer on Chapel on the Hill, maybe they were singing at song session or doing a chant for Maccabiah.  Whatever it was, they were lifting their voice in happiness. It made us think of part of a song, written by the composer of West Side Story, Leonard Bernstein, “Say it loud and there is music playing, say it soft and it is almost like praying.”

As we near the end of our story we can see a completed picture. A picture of a person from the past who as the start had no apparent relation to any of us. We see a picture of someone who embraces their individuality and who lives in a space in which they feel comfortable to express themselves freely. At camp we redefine difference as strengths and we encourage individual expression, but above all we see the essential role that every individual plays in creating and maintain our community.

Looking at this picture allows us to remember that through our beautiful differences and wonderful similarities each one of us has the opportunity to catalyze change. We all have the ability to make our community, our world, one in which peace can thrive.