By Ariella Kushner

Last Saturday, our Sharon campers chose as a bunk one midah (Jewish value) that they wanted to work on accomplishing over this past week. Our bunks chose seeking meaning, pushing through a challenge, and pursuing confidence and independence.

Many years ago I sat in these seats, listening to a counselor whose name I have long forgotten, talk about their decision to return to camp on staff. This counselor spoke about a friend of theirs who decided not to come back and be a counselor because they didn’t want to be “on the other side of the magic”. This person spoke about the magic of being a camper, the mystery and excitement that comes with not knowing the hard work that takes place behind the scenes. They worried that seeing and being responsible for the mechanisms that make camp work would taint their carefree experience as a camper.

I loved being a camper, but I have loved being a counselor even more. And now, I am thoroughly enjoying stepping into a new role as Sharon’s unit head. I can say with absolute certainty that the magic of camp does not fade when you transition into a new role. I would argue that being on staff is even more magical— because you get to watch the magic happening for others, sometimes for the first time.

The magic is in the confidence and independence that our campers gain when they try something new, or when they stay quiet and don’t wake their counselors up early on a late wake up day. The magic is in the determination and grit of our Sharon campers that push through the challenges of a refreshingly cold pool or an ant infestation. The magic is found when our campers seek meaning in every new experience, trying to understand and appreciate why they only get one bag of animal crackers at snack.

The magic of camp is in the little things— in the values and midot that we share, in simply being here, in this wonderful place, together. The magic will always be here— as long as you keep trying to find it.