Hehe, that’s not revealed until later. After lunch, we took a break from Color War for a little bit, as we all headed to the social hall for an awesome performance by The Freestyle Repertory Theatre (aka Improv). Four actors were split into two group, were given ideas by campers, and then had to act them out on the spot. What added intrigue to the show was that the two teams were dressed in red and blue! We had a lot of fun cheering on our respective “improvee”. We watched as they acted out the themes epic, hot/cold, and unity. The “Only in Simcha” theme, prominently featured G-Tubes and Dembi. In the last scene, the actors and 2 campers had to act out a scene in 60 seconds, then the same scene in 30 seconds, 15 seconds, and 5 seconds!

After the show and some color war activities, it came down to the final performances. Before dinner we had a major team time where we learned the Alma Mater songs.

At last, it was time for the Grand Finale. Emotionally moving Alma Maters were sung, comedic skits were performed, and the everlasting projects were presenting. We also had a guest visitor. One of our campers had to leave camp to a hospital last Thursday and was therefore not able to attend the Grand Finale. He was instead broadcast by webcam into the social hall. When he appeared on screen, everyone cheered him on, told him how much we miss him, and wished him well. It was quite a unique and unifying experience.

The suspense kept building up in the social hall as Dembi stood up to announce the winner. After much deliberation and tension, we were all duly informed that the winning team was in fact…THE BLUE TEAM!

CS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: The red team official statement was unavailable at press time. However a red official spoke to us on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. He said that they were planning on pushing for a recount of the judge’s ballots. He called the matter very disturbing, and he said that the real victors will soon sit on their well deserved throne.

Today is one of those (typical) jam packed Simcha Special day. Our amazing program directors have already  managed to juggle color war, a car theme, and 2 shows; and it’s only 4pm! When our campers arrived for breakfast, they were greeted by a dining room that was totally decked out in two colors. We thank the hard-working, sleep deprived staff members of both teams who stayed up to the whee hours of the morning decorating the camp. After breakfast, our younger divisions we’re treated to a special Uncle Moishe show. He entertained us with his usual array of classics. While that was happening in the social hall, our older divisions gathered in the gym for a color war game of basketball. Wheelchairs were welcome on the court, as staff and campers alike joined in for the intense game. The game was close throughout, but the red team managed to eek out a 2 point win.

We then proceeded to a team time, where both teams learned their cheer song. However, when we got to the dining room, we learned that there was actually a third color, green. One bunk had become renegades and had created their team! At the end of lunch, the two (3?) teams sung their cheer song and chanted as loud as they possibly can.

After lunch, in line with today’s theme, the oldest division headed to the baseball field where they did some car-washing. Now, this was no ordinary carwash. Everyone walked away sopping and covered in shaving cream! Some staff members felt they were too clean and decided to go mud sliding! Meanwhile, our middle divisions gathered in the conference room where they did some car building, and the youngest division had races in the gym for color war.

I have to go to my team time now. The score is soooo close (cliched?). I’ll let you know who the winner is later.

On Friday, our campers escaped to LegoLand. We had a lego building contest before lunch.  After lunch, we all gathered in the social hall for a mind blowing magic-show. I’ve seen a lot of magic shows, and I’ve become quite jaded. This one, however, was phenomenal. The magician has been a finalist on America’s Got Talent, and his talent was readily apparent. His tricks included levitating a staff member, animating a drawing he had made with a pen and paper, and conducting electricity through a rope! He also engaged the crowd quite well. At one point in the show, he turned a camper (M&M) into a “Mini Magician.” M&M came on stage, put on the magician’s hat, and magicly was able to perform some nifty tricks for the audience. At another point of the show, a camper held a doll while the magician held up a drawing of the doll. As the magician erased the arms and legs of the drawing, the corresponding limb fell off the doll. Not a single person left the room unsatisfied. (I was not bribed for this review)

At 3pm, we were all told to gather by the front gate because 3 Bike4chai members got injured on Thursday, and they were making their entrance this afternoon. We went through the exact same motions as the day before; creating a human tunnel, practicing our wheel chair dance, and freezing in place. But instead of 3 bikers, we welcomed the 2 color war generals!

Red and blue lego pieces are going to be in very strong demand over the next 2 days!

On Thursday, not only did we have the Bike4Chai entrance and the S.T. Rella premeire, but we also escaped to Universal Studios. At Universal, we got to go behind the scenes, beyond the screen, and jump right into the action of our favorite movies. It’s everybody’s fantasy to leap through the screen and find oneself in the middle of one’s favorite motion pictures. Here at Camp Simcha Special, each camper is always a star, so this whole “celebrity” thing was a bit extraneous. Nonetheless, our campers enjoyed walking the red carpet in the dining room, posing for portraits, and signing autographs. They also got to meet some live characters, including Shrek, as they enjoyed their lunch.

After lunch, some of our campers decided to take a try at film production. Adam W. and Chaim G made their way over to the dark room where they processed their own photographs. Two days before, they had gone out to take a few pictures using a film camera. The negatives were then processed. It was now time for them to turn their negatives into a full regular picture. They started by putting the negative in  special machine that shined light through the negative onto light-sensitive paper. The image was now “written” on the paper, but it was not yet visible to the human eye. They proceeded to dunk the paper into several different tubs of chemicals. After they were done, they took home a very artstic photograph which they had created start to finish.

In the evening, in line with the theatrical theme, our campers were chauffeured to our Off-Broadway production, S.T Rella. At the door, they were greeted by doormen in tuxes who took their hat and jacket. They once again had the opportunity to walk the red carpet into the theatre. In the theatre, they were offered hors d’oeuvre including franks in blankets and mini crepes. They also got some bubbly (ginger ale) in champagne glasses. They then got to sit back in luxury and enjoy our feature production.

Tonight, Camp Simcha Special premiered its very own theatrical production, S. T. Rella. The show was a beautiful composition of drama, dance, and song. Our very own Duvi Becker, who started writing the show when there was still snow falling in Camp Simcha, directed the production.

The show follows S.T Klein-Kaufman (Eli Lipschitz), our busy camp office manager, as she gets freed from her office by mistakenly drinking a “coffee” that was left on her desk. Initially, she is ecstatic that she can finally get out of her stressful cubicle and leave camp. But as the show progresses, she meets various people who convince her that Camp Simcha is the best place on Earth.

The show featured many different types of dance styles, including: break dancing, free-style, tricotee, bergamask. For the break dancing scene, a camper and former staff member joined two current staff members to create an unforgettable dance routine. The show also featured a beautifully choreographed dance to the song “Seize the Day (Newsies).”

The scenery and costumes were surreal, and helped complement the show’s song and dance. In one scene, S.T meets some realistic cannibals in the forest. She manages to escape as they all break into dance to the song “Higher.” The dance received a standing ovation and merited an encore performance. In the final scene, two campers had a duet singing “All Star.” That performance merited an encore as well.

The play had many original scores, including “Simchonian Rhapsody” and “A Small Piece of Heaven.” They were all recorded in our brand new, on campus, recording studio.

A musical like S.T. Rella makes us proud to be part of Camp Simcha Special. The super-talented staff here put on a play unlike any other being performed in myriad camps across the Catskills. The uniqueness of Duvi Becker’s vision puts his productions in a league of their own. Concepts and ideas that began as a seed in Duvi’s head, find their way into reality and onto a stage via the cast that we saw perform tonight. However, it is Duvi’s tenacity and unflagging enthusiasm that makes it happen. Not just makes it happen, but happen in such a way as to garner four standing ovations and three calls for encores from an audience that is not easily impressed. But the true litmus test was the ear-to-ear smiles sported by every single person seated in the Social Hall.

A play is just…well…a play. A musical, however, is a way to reach the audience’s emotions through song and dance, a medium that has proven itself to be among the most effective in shaping moods. Spirits lift, dark clouds clear, and the world is simply a better place after watching a musical performed by a passionate, dedicated crew like the one we witnessed. And what makes it all the more anomalous is the setting of this presentation. A natural by-product of Camp Simcha Special’s one-of-a-kind program is the togetherness and camaraderie that it engenders. That is something that we saw mirrored in the cast’s attitude. Rather than as a task, they viewed this work as a fun-filled challenge to be taken on with friends, among friends. Even more than the subject content, the manner in which S.T. Rella was executed makes us feel privileged to be a part of the world that is Camp Simcha Special.

After trekking over 150 miles, one hundred Bike4Chai bikers arrived at Camp Simcha’s doorstep expecting a decent reception. To their disappointment, the whole camp was just frozen in place at the side of the road. Just as they were about to turn around and bike home, Dembi screamed the magic word, EPIC!, and the place went wild. With streamers flying, fog machines billowing, and a helicopter over head to record the sight, the bikers entered “The Happiest Place on Earth.” They were greeted by hundreds of campers and staff members screaming, dancing, and cheering them on. As they passed through the tunnel of campers, they each received dozens of high fives and a big thank you. After catching their breath, drinking some water, and soaking in the smiles, the bikers headed to the viewing stand where they posed for a group picture. They all seemed quite exhausted, yet, at the same time, very gratified.

While the bikers took a break on the bleachers, our in house wheeler team, the Camp Sincha Rollers, performed a beautifully choreographed wheel chair dance. They danced to a brand new song, “Ridin’ Simcha,” that was produced by Camp Simcha Special for Bike4Chai. The song was recorded in our brand new, on campus, Camp Simcha recording studio.

After heading to the showers to wash and change, the bikers joined us in the dining room where they were served a feast (quite typical for us), complete with lots of carbs. After finishing their tasty chocolate chip cookies, the bikers joined us in the center of the dining room where we showed them some Lunch EPICification. After observing just a few moments of our upROAR, they were thoroughly convinced that they are supporting the best possible cause. Many of them couldn’t resist the energy and opted to join in. We put on quite an intense show for our guests, with campers and staff bouncing, screaming, singing, and dancing like there was no tomorrow. Of course our in-house band, The British Invasion, helped EPICify the environment by playing the most pumping Camp Simcha Special like music possible. Our campers’ excitement was palpable as they climbed on staff members’ shoulders or were hoisted up in their wheelchairs.

As of this morning, Bike4Chai 2011 has raised $518,064.65. We thank them for doing what they did, so that we can do what we do best!

A group of very enthusiastic bike riders left Lakewood, New Jersey today on their way to Camp Simcha!  The 100+ members of the Bike4Chai have completed the first leg of their trek and are resting comfortably at Crystal Springs Resort in Vernon, New Jersey.  Tomorrow, they will finally reach the pinnacle of their journey when they kick into high gear and ascend the mountain to join the jubilating campers, their highly exuberant counselors, and the rest of the Camp Simcha staff in the Super, Epic Eleven Celebration!

For more info on Bike4Chai go to Bike4Chai

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The race is on! The 2nd annual Bike4Chai kicked off this morning with bikers gathering at the starting lines in Lakewood and Deal. The bike-a-thon boasts 100 cyclists from Brooklyn, Lakewood, Deal, Monsey, the Five Towns and beyond.  As we speak, the lead pack has passed the 75 mile marker!

The trek from the Jersey Shore to Camp Simcha in Glen Spey, NY is a massive undertaking indeed. The first day, riders will traverse 112 miles over eight hours, scale 6,000 feet, pedal 172,800 times and burn 5,500 calories. The group hopes to raise $500,000 for our amazing program. We are looking forward to greeting them in Camp Simcha Special tomorrow.