Girls 5768 News Reports
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Ok, today was the day- if you though mock wedding was THE DAY, than today was really the day- the day I was waiting for since last Chanuka and will definitely remember until next Chanuka…it is the day I will tell my kids, grandchildren, and IY”H, great-grandchildren. Well, lets start from the beginning. I woke up bright and early and looked at my watch- 5:15???? Why so early in the morning? (or as my counselor would say-late at night!!!!) Well, I did not have to wait long to here the seriously best announcement, most surprising, most exhilarating, most stupendous announcement ever: “Gan Yisrael, pack your bags, the charter busses are rolling in..its time for MAJOR TRIP!!!” Wowowowowow- I could barley breathe, I was so excited. And charter busses? Gan Izzy in style!
On the way we stopped for some breakfast and davening and we were up to surprise #2: Some red vehicles came rolling in….I was confused…….In Gan Yisrael history all major trips were all Michcigan Adventures…but no, we were making history: WE WERE GOING JEEPING!!! We zoomed up and down the sand dunes in our bight red jeeps and even stopped in Lake Michigan for a dip. We came out soaking!!!!
After jeeping we drove and already we saw in the distance the roller coasters and drops…we were nearing Michigan Adventures!!!!!!!!! It was a bomb- roller coasters, swings, water rides, and the coolest part: waiting in line. See, usually waiting in line can be boring but in CGI, EVERYTHING is fun!!!!
We ended off the day with a smashing bar-b-que and a relaxing 4 hour bus ride in our classy charter busses complete with AC and overhead bins. A gutte nacht!!!!
Today, I am sad to even think about it, was the last Wednesday in CGI!!!! All Wedesdays are special cuz its like right in middle of the week and smack in the middle of all the fun and this Wednesday was EXTRA special cuz it was the last one and I made sure to show up and be extra involved in EVERY activity. So I huffed and puffed and ran from a chayosdike davening (in which I won my 13th Rebbe picture- this one was a really nice one of the Rebbe smiling and it looks like he’s looking at me…) and than a scrumptious breakfast of pancakes and syrupy syrup with a real crazy breakfast game in which, I of course, was the volunteer. Of course by breakfast I got two packages and 17 letters. Thanks, family!!!! And than shiur also bombed- I answered the trivia question and got a laffy taffy...Basically, it was MY day! And I was loving it…By the time I finished all the activities, it was mincha! I davened away until supper followed by a real special night activity. When I say “real special” I mean it…even our crazy night activity head was dressed in Shabbos clothes to mark the occasion of Chof Av. We had a real live rally like the ones we always see in the videos of 770! I said a possuk and we heard really amazing stories of the Rebbe’s father, R’ Levi Yitzchok. What a special way ot end a day!!!!
Today was THE DAY! The day that every Gan Yisrael camper remembers, recalls, and evokes for the rest for the rest of their life, laughs about, cries about, re-tells to their grandchildren and never forgets, the day of ….MOCK WEDDING!!!! It started, quite simply, with an engagement, and who would’ve thought that the simple engagement of Chana’le would turn into a wedding on such a grand scale???????? Never underestimate the campers of GI! We had siblings with every type of gown (I must them who sewed it and what type of cut and material…) and than those beggars who were real professional. I tell you, VIPS, you have future out there as some great fundraisers! And flower girls and photographers, and waitresses, and all those distant relatives you only meet at weddings and than a STUNNING kalla and HANDSOME chosson. The food was catered by non-other than Gan Yisrael catering complete with hors’ devours (franks in blanks..yUM!) and a three course meal. An we danced till the wee hours of the morning….Mazel Tov! Only Simchas!
Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You...We leaned in shiur about birthdays so that day was be the most awesome birthday day! We made, and mixed, and decorated and used all other cake decorating talents that were until than hidden but just hiding under the surface (and please do not ask me which surface cuz I will not know...) and waiting for a cake decorating activity to bring them out. Now, if you were just wondering where those cakes might be, you can only see them in a picture because in Camp Gan Yisrael cakes do not have a very long survival rate, neither do any foods for that matter!!!! Speaking about food, I must say that supper that day was really awesomely delicious followed by an awesomely fun night activity where each of us felt like a real star presenting our songs. As I was lying in my bed listening to a most inspirational Rebbe Time and checking my daily Winners Club chart (You should just know, I already have my necklace and three beads- I am making the Rebbe proud!) I thought of how lucky I am to be in the Rebbe¡¦s camp, never elsewhere!!!!
I woke up and felt pretty clean. Actually everything around me looked clean as if we were having some special guests. And than I remembered…It was Visiting Day! It’s a good thing because although I really love camp I was just recently thinking how much I missed my ma and ta and how cool it could be if I had camp and my parents and baby brother Benny all combined…Baruch Hashem for visiting day! So let me just explain to you what visiting day is like...Its like that day when you finally get to show off your awesome bunk and grounds and wacky counselors to all your family and its really cool. This massive blowup moonwalk showed up and canteen sold hotdogs!!!!! All those who did not have visitors were so not left behind..they wee busy running around tryig not to get too many kisses from the staff dressed up lie Mommys…it was hysterical. Then this gorgeous choir performed..it was inspiring…I was rather sad to say goodbe to all the CGI visitors but all my tears were quickly overpowered by the lake when I jumped in for a NIGHT SWIM! What a way to end a day!!!!!!
BREAKING NEWS- BEST SHABBOS IN CGI!!!!
I love Shabbos...So, we started off Friday with a preparing for Shabbos carnival and it was a bomb. I got my hair styled, face done, massage, and Shabbos treat...I felt all ready. Its Friday in Gan Izzy and guess whats fo lunch...macaroni and cheese....YUM!!! After showering and getting ready for Shabbos, we were ready to make this Shabbos a smashing hit and we succeeded!!!! It was seriously, no-joke, the best Shabbos in GI history. After Rabbi T. pumped us up by teachin us the new song and telling us how happy we have to be on Tu B'av, we went right in to a real chayusdike meal, followed by a farbrengen!!!
The next day, we had a really nice meal and davening and Shalosh Se'udos brought us a really inspiring seder niggunim...I don't want Shabbos to end. But, unfortunately it did. Fortunately, tommorow is visting day...can't wait to see you, dear readers!!!!
I love GI! Activities were amazing as usual and I love ice cream- especially when you make it from scratch. So being that today was pajama day- we did all sorts of pajama, popcorny- like activities. You know, like popcorn food races and other fun games. In keeping with the spirit of he day, our most beloved staff was presented with their own personalized bathrobes...and than night activity...the coolest one in CGI...CANDID CAMERA..we had a popcorn pajama video night as we watched HYSTERICAL videos of different people being told to do bizarre things and than watch their faces when they saw it was joke! HAAAAA HAAAAA....Simcha brings Moshiach!!! G'nite!!!!
I woke up really excited knowing today would seriously rock and boy did it rock! We started wih a real chayusdike smashing inspirational davening (as usual!) and then to a heaven breakfast (do you want your mail...) with a really wacky breakfast game. Shiur was sooooooo interesting and than off to the usual awesome camp activities- you know, like boating, swimming, arts 'n crafts (my wood project is really coming alond- I'm revealing hidden talents....)Camp felt empty without the CIT's who were out on their canoe trip (by the way, I heard it really rocked- you know, thier boats rocked, the bonfire rocked, and the food obviously rocked!!!)but VIP's took over really nicely. They di not just take over the CIT's- they were also going arond posing as some headstaffers! I found VIPS sorting mail, working in canteen and being Leah!!
Than for night activity- a bonfire or not??? I was pretty confused when we all setled for a bonfire and it started to rain- I thought it never rains in Gan Izzy! But no fear- we all settled in the A-frame for the coolest indoor bonfire ever-I never did anything like that in my life!
A Gutte Nacht- can't wait for tommorow!
So if its food, its fun and that was what today was all about... FUN WITH FOOD! In shiur we learned how food is real awesome if you use it the right way…to serve Hashem..and then we practiced it the whole day with all our fun food activities like peanut butter balls and a laffy taffy hunt and ending off with a smashing Rice Crispies treats counselor hunt for night activity..check out those pictures to see how sticky my hands were after hunting down the ingredients and making those scrumptious, heaven-on-earth rice crispies recipes! But don’t worry, Ma, camp balanced it out- besides for all the food, they gave us a lot of exercise!- we biked around camp, canoed, and swam….Today, I also got my own Winners Club necklace just to prove how proud I make the Rebbe every night when I check off my Winners Club chart…. In short, today was a real hit!
I woke up with a jump and a splash ....I had a feeling today would be special…What a day! With all the older bunks away doing laundry, we felt real special and old! The activities were really neat..newspaper fashion shows (check the pictures!) and an awesome word search…then we were in for a real surprise..now that the nine days were over we were ready for some water and we were going to start it with a real splash- A TRIP TO THE WATERPARK! WHAT A BLAST! And it was a blast…we quickly packed our bathing suits and tznius clothing to wear over and off we went…the slides amazed me even as the bus approached from far…slides and drops, wave pools and tubes…and canteen was selling kosher food at the park….I did not want to leave, it was by far the coolest (brrrrrr…Baruch Hashem, they reminded us to bring sweaters because it warmed me up!) trip ever!
SHABBOS CHAZON AND TISHA B'AV...
So where did we leave off? Oh…color war…so Friday was the day after color war and traditionally in Gan Yisrael (and do not mess with GI traditions!) that its “shloft a chossid day”…so we woke up a drop later being that we were exhausted from color war..and had some awesome activities but not for long because it was almost timer to get ready for Shabbos…
Shabbos Chazon was beautiful- after learning in shiur all about how our neshamas were seeing the Bais Hamikdosh, I wanted to make sure it would be an amazing Shabbos. Friday night was so nice with all the singing and then we stayed for a farbrengen where girls told such nice stories…I’m telling you- Gan Izzy is raising a generation of future shluchos! By day, we had a really nice meal, rest hour, hysterically funny staff choir, and mesibas shabbos but we had to hurry and eat before the fast..as soon as it was Tisha B’av, we all switched to our shoes and came to hear Eicha and sang ani ma’amin…I want Moshiach to come really fast, this Golus is too long!
On Tisha B’av, all the older girls were fasting, so we did not want to disturb them…we said kinos and than did some more relaxing activities, painting, baking and of course the smashing machanayim game (once again a Gan Izzy tradition…) at the end of the fast…I made sure my whole day was full of Ahavas Yisrael because I want to rebuild the Bais Hamikdosh. We broke the fast with a scrumptious meal of fish, salad, soup, lasagna, spaghetti, orange juice, cake cookies, and just about every other food you can imagine…Yuum!!! A Gutte Nacht..I fell asleep thinking about my Rebbe time I had just before I fell aslee..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………
Ok…so where did we leave off? Oh, yeah, so I was busy getting all inspired from our achdus’dike alma mater, but I had no time cuz it was time to start preparing for tomorrow! A real full day of color war ending off with a smashing grand scene! After filling up on some cornflakes and milk, I began to start working on decorations. We cut and pasted and it took long…but I was pretty impressed with myself- the shul looked gorgeous! A mivtza tank..and the story of R’ Mendel and his letter to the Rebbe…pretty neat! The next morning I woke up and davened in my gorgeous shul..and then I did not have a second to breathe..cupcake races and sandcastle competitions and cheers and races and skits….boy this didan notzach war is intense..who will win???? Grand scene blew me away…Team Ma’aseh made a whole baseball scene and how the bat is in our hands and only WE have the power to get the action done…and ching ching for Machshava- they showed a scene of Chinese living as in China in America…we have to live Moshiach right here in Golus! Wow- impressive..by the time we sang our song, I didn’t care who won cuz it’s the achdus that counts! So, for the winners we had a surprise…WELCOME CAMP RABBI, RABBI TZEITLIN…he told us that the winners were…(see, already forget, it doesn’t make a difference to me!) team machshava! Gan Yisael rocks! Can’t wait for Shabbos! Moshiach now!
Wow, so when I woke up this morning, I knew today would be special..and boy was I right. The morning started pretty normally with davening, breakfast etc. It was when we all gathered into the dining room when things started getting fun! Rabbi S. came in and began giving a whole speech about mice and food and he was taking away our nosh..I almost burst out crying as I thought lovingly of my bag of Kliks...DIDAN NOTZACH WAR IS HERE! What a breakout..I thought it was serious!Go Machshava! Go Maseh! Who's gonna win this didan notzach war? WE'RE GONNA WIN DIDAN NOTZACH WAR! After learning 45 lines of Tanya by heart (cuz it makes it or breaks it), I quickly got busy with cheers, decorations, and some real original relay races (that watermelon stuffed me up! Yum!) I love color war! And then for the alma mater, there was beautiful display of achdus as both teams put their powers together to give great big thank you to Gan Yisrael. "Oh, the Rebbe's vision here in camp I see..." I was so inspired! A Gutte Nacht! Can't wait for another smashing day of color war and stay posted for details on the grand sing!!!
FIRETRUCK CATCHES CAMPERS BY SURPRISE
Tuesday- 4 Av
So, its Mushky doing the daily report..boy, do I have alot to say! We started with an awesome shoe-finding breakfast game and then ou shiur counselor made us do things without using our hands so we figured out how important our hands are so we better wash them! The activities totally rocked the day! We decorated pens, made candy pizza, played basketball...and then suddenly I felt like I was seeing lots and lots of green-our camp was really going green with our t-shirts...it was picture day! I felt like I was part of a real massive army (the Rebbe's army!) as I stood with all my friends in fornt of our A-frame. You must see how nice I came out in the picture! So taking pictures are a blast, but standing out thee in the sun can make you feel like you need a bucket of wa...WHAT IS THAT ROLLING INTO CAMP? A FIRETRUCK? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...what a ball as the fireman drenched us all from his massive hose! He totally made us hyper as we danced under the spray!
And if you think that sounds like an action packed day, wait till you hear about night activity..a real, live CHINESE AUCTION! Our bunk won so many prizes...as I listened to Rebbe Time, I could not help but be excited for whats in store for us tommorow...I have a funny feeling that its going to be a real smashing day..chassidishe chalomos!
Monday- 3 Av
“Morning good! Yisrael Gan! Get ready for supper!” Was there something wrong with the PA girl or was it....TOPSY TURVY DAY!!! (DAY TURVY TOPSY) I quickly got dressed , making sure all my clothing was inside out. I giggled so hard at breakfast as I tried to grab my food from the ceiling...We started off our night with a smashing night activity- a real live snowball fight in the summer! And then from one activity to the next...ever heard of toe coloring? You sure get talented in CGI! And then we made some pizza- but made from candy! I was so busy running from activity to the next...I had no time to breathe... I was so exhausted by the time it came to lunch. Were we in the army? I sure felt like I was after doing a whole training....until we were told, it was a breakout for TZIVOS HASHEM! Isn’t that amazing? By joining the Winners Club, I could do mitzvahs and win an ipod!? And with FAS, I’ll learn Tanya by heart and purify the air! I sure can’t wait to join! After a whole fun-filled day, I was ready to dive into the lasagnas that my waitress was carrying out for supper, I mean breakfast! (still topsy turvy, upside down day...) Yum! What a day! As I snuggled into bed, I filled out my brand new Gan Izzy diary and went to bed! Can’t wait for tomorrow! I sure love this camp!
Sunday- 2 Av
Ok, so let me write this quick before I forget...We woke and I could smell it all the way from the shul- French toast is my favorite breakfast...shiur was really interesting (I love my shiur counselor, Mushky!)- we learned these facts about Chassidus, I am so proud to be a chossid! ! Then the activities! I heard of regular Twister, but ever heard of paint Twister? Let me tell you one thing, it gets you all painty, but its worth it! I was so shocked to hear on the loudspeaker... “Lets meet on the lineup area for a what? A TRIP?” I can’t wait! After eating lunch in the park, we were all energized to take over the bowling alley with our GI spirit! Did you ever know that after you send off the bowling ball you can control it by steering your hands?? I’m telling you it works- my counselor said so! Rebbe time started and we got into a real heavy discussion about being humble and doing your mission to make the Rebbe proud and bring Moshiach! I had real Chassidishe Chalomos.....a gutte nacht!
Shabbos- 1 Av
You know when you have so much thoughts (good ones, obviously..) flooding your head and you just cannot put them in your Gan Izzy diary, because its Shabbos? Well, that’s how I felt! Shabbos started with the whole camp bentching licht in the shul- all those candles will surely light up the world. Everyone was so fresh in their Shabbos clothing and when we davened ma’ariv, it was so inspiring to see hear the whole camp singing together. After a delish course with fish, eggplant, and salad, we all began singing and boy, did the dining room shake! We had an amazing guest speaker all the way from Monsey- and he told us really nice things about Shabbos. I felt so great from the singing, I knew I had to stay for the farbrengen. The farbrengen came along with some great nosh and I even shared a personal story that happened in our shlichus.
“Rebbe, wherever I am and will be...” Oh, I’m sorry, that song is just stuck in my head, we must have sang it at least 10 times this Shabbos. The Shabbos day meal was just as nice as the night and I was so full from the nosh I earned memorizing by rest hour...What a Shabbos- I was pretty sad when Rabbi L. made Havdala!
Friday- 29 Tammuz
I woke up and almost fell in my negel vasser, I was too excited- my first day at camp! “20-19-18...”- the countdown was going and the clock was ticking. I hurried, I did not want to be a second late to the first lineup! Lineup rocked the whole camp, my bunk was cheering so loud- we will definitely win! After a delish breakfast and real amazing davening and shiur, I ran to change! We were the first ones going swimming in the lake! Let me tell you, swimming in a lake is one of the coolest ways to spend your time- its not a pool, it’s the real thing! Mrs. P. told us all the rules..and SPLASH! After a smashing morning, we had some time to unpack so we could really feel at home and biy does time fly when you are having fun- I could not believe we were already taking showers for the FIRST SHABBOS OF CAMP!
Thursday- 9 Av
Ok in order to explain what happened today, I need to give a short introduction. First of all my name is Mushky and I am in Buds, the best bunk on planet earth. I mean, my sister is in VIP’s and she says her bunk is the best on planet earth, so it’s a matter of dispute and I’ll let you decide...My story actually begins Chanuka when I heard all about this amazing camp and Baruch Hashem I was old enough to go. Every day I colored a huge red X on my calendar and watched as the days slowly crept by...Finally Thursday morning came. I woke up and packed my last things..I could not believe I was actually going to Camp Gan Yisrael..the greatest camp, the Rebbe’s camp! But it really happened! After a long 7 hour journey, I felt the two bumps and my friends told me that it meant we were REALLY close. We got off the buses and I was astounded- such a gorgeous place...the A-frame standing against the sky and the bunkhouses around a shimmering blue lake- I felt like I was on vacation! It would have been enough to spend a summer in such a place, but what really blew me away was camp itself! My counselors- so chayosdik and nice people and my bunk- a real amazing bunch of girls. As I said Shema under my covers, I thought, “Boy, am I excited to spend a summer here- can’t wait for tomorrow!”
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