By Lisa David
As we were planning for camp this year, we spent a lot of time thinking about how we could do all the things we love in a COVID-safe way. After two years away from camp, we wanted to make it as complete of an experience as we possibly could. And thus, we planned, and planned, and then planned again as guidelines evolved.
In the past few days, though, I’ve been reminded how much camp magic happens in the in-between moments, the moments you can’t plan for. I’ve seen how even the simplest programs or experiences, that take minimal planning and a dash of creativity, can elicit joy – not just happiness, but heart-swelling, breath-catching, high-energy feeling that bubbles up and bursts out of our campers and staff.
Earlier this week I had the chance to observe K’far Noar campers playing paint tag on the soccer field right outside my house, which is as simple as it sounds: they were playing tag with paint! It’s so simple, but the joy I witnessed among the campers was profound. For these teens about to enter the complex world of High School, and after months in front of screens, away from friends, worried about all of the very heavy things going on in the world, the chance to live in the moment and be silly and messy with friends feels like a true miracle.
Another bit of camp magic I’ve missed is watching how much someone can grow, and how much confidence they can gain by spending even a short amount of time in this safe space. Last Saturday, we had MTV Night (yes, most of our kids have no idea what MTV is, but that’s a different story!) – each bunk did a one-minute lip sync to a song of their choice. Simple premise, easy to execute, inclusive of all. First-time campers who arrived feeling a bit shy just a few days earlier appeared to come out of their shells and were thrilled to be performing with confidence and alongside new friends in front of hundreds of their peers. Sunday morning, while walking around the Chadar Ohel (dining hall,) I even got requests from multiple campers for another MTV Night this week! Forget the bells and whistles of high-tech experiences they have engaged in during this past year, all this took was some music and a stage, and some creative support from our staff, and it became a quintessential camp experience that will leave an emotional imprint on them for weeks and perhaps years to come.
One more memorable experience this week came in the form of a fire truck visiting camp to help us cool down on a particularly hot and humid day. It was magical to see the release campers felt as they slid through the mud, jumped in puddles, and basked in the spray of the fire hose! Again: no frills, nothing high-tech, just pure, unadulterated fun.
The most magical thing about camp is that this joy, this confidence, these values stay with campers when they leave. They are filled up with fun memories and newfound confidence. They remember that in the right environment you can make even the most basic experience into the most fun. But we’re not ready to think about leaving just yet! For now, we’ll be soaking in these moments that we’ve missed so much.
Lisa David is the Director of Camp Harlam. She lives in Mount Laurel with her husband, Rabbi Ben David, and their three children.