Camp Blog

Over 200 CSSB2012 staff  arrived in on our beautiful, luxurious, and comfortable camp grounds today for CSSB2012 orientation. After a delicious lunch and some general bonding time, meeting new and greeting old, we went to the Social Hall to hear orientation speeches from Dembi, Rabbi K, Racheli Meister (our Head Nurse), and Shaindy Lowenthal, our program director. We were inspired, informed, interested, uplifted, and UPROARed. Following the orientation speeches, we followed Sergeant Dembi for “Staff Boot-Camp” during which we received a tour of the camp grounds, and were introduced to the staff hotel, dining room, bunkhouses, lake, etc. We sang, chanted, and denounced  slacking.

Following a tasty dinner, served by our Head Chef Ruevin, we headed to the social hall where we were shown a part of last year’s video. The lights were then turned off, the disco lights turned on, and we stamped and danced until we were utterly zonked.

It took a while to get fully recovered from the intensity of the mudsliding and dancing, but once we managed to recover ourselves, we all split in our respective divisions and had our first meeting get the down-low on this years theme “Game On’, and plot and plan the most amazing Camp Simcha boys session ever!!!!

A day full of glorious uproaring and TIKUNification, orientation has come to an end.

CSSB2012: Let the games begin

Before the session begins, we would like to clarify some things about our Facebook galleries, public galleries on our website, and ParentSpace galleries.

Firstly, if your child is photo-release “in camp only”, he will only appear in the ParentSpace gallery. He will not appear on Facebook, nor on the public side of the site. So if your child is a camper, go ahead and sign up for ParentSpace. Not only will you see more pictures (2x more pictures than on FB), but you will also be privy to a video that will be produced special for you every day, a special blog, the daily camp newsletter, and camp schedule.

Secondly, we have received emails from some parents who were having difficulty signing into ParentSpace. Please follow the instructions below for the proper way to log in to your account. If you haven’t applied for an account, please go ahead and apply for an account. You should be verified within 24 hours. We once again apologize for the hassle we have caused.

To log into your ParentSpace account please click go to campsimcha.org and click on LOGIN in the top right corner.

Then type in your username and password.

You will automatically land on the ParentSpace site.

From this page you can access a special blog just for parents, the daily schedule, and daily pictures and videos.

A COMMON PROBLEM: If you attempt to visit campsimcha.org/parentspace directly, and login there, you will be bounced to another login page. If you type in your username and password there you, will be granted access to ParentSpace. However, until we correct this glitch, we ask that you instead login by going to campsimcha.org and clicking login in the top right corner.

If you are still having trouble with parentspace, or if you have any questions, comments, requests, or suggestions for the blogs, please contact estein@campsimcha.org

You can also follow us on twitter @CSimchaSpecial

—>This public service announcement has been brought to you by the letter T (for Tikunim) and the number 12.

CSB2012 has officially come to an end.

Oh, the memories that we shared this summer… tikunei twelve…arrivals…cirqutacular…The Tikkunim band…first day band stand…steaks…Kunstler-boiangiu concert…combinos…”1-2-3 oh snap”..mad science… watermelon eating contest…fruit juicing… steve max…frog hat…aces…elvis…shooting range…eugene the magician..barn in the dining room…tailgate supper outside…tamir goodman…rocketship in the dining room…helicopter rides…car washing…carlebach Friday night…coby iPods…”how pathetic are you”…middos awards… tuna beigels…seudat shelishit and havdalah on the porch…I got a feelin’…tikunification…”playas are meant to fly”…Dr. Lenny water fight…live angry birds……challa baking… motzei shabbos in the house tonight…george the drum man…tonight tonight…Farmville……shuffelers…alan veingrad…jet skis…alain nu…stamp on the ground… ventriloquist…ny trip…happiness heals…double decker buses…ferry with entertainment…our dance by the apple…mets game…martz trailways……don’t be that guy…fencing…karate…paint twister…candle making… slackers…ductagami…new rock climbing wall…good shabbos…Shabbat shalom…birthday cake faceplant…zuccotti park..pottery…deal day…free presents…sweet shop…isolation… fitted caps…fireworks… darkroom…bingo…new niggun… duuuuvi becker yisroel…stall for time…good shtickel…portraits…awesome blog 😉 …mafia…party rock anthem..arts and crafts…leather…get ready for Simcha ’13 in Jerusalem. Wow! We did a lot!!

The New York trip was one for the books. Our protest in Zuccotti Park, and song and dance in front of Citi Field, showed the world that Happiness Heals. With our signs held high, we faced the world and showed them how strong we are and how strong we will be. And don’t let that overshadow the rest of the amazing trip. From the double decker buses, to the  boat ride, to the Mets game, it was a day that will be remembered deep into the winter.

To keep the memories of the session alive, and to publicize our message, our camp worked together to create a summer theme song, Happiness Heals, and a dance to go along with it. Our campers spent time learning the choreographed dance, and then reaped satisfaction after mastering it in front of Citi Field. They also worked together to record it in our brand new on campus recording studio. Stay tuned for the finished product.

All the friends we made, the lasting bonds we created…

Now home safe and sound, our unbelievable campers now have memories to last till next summer to keep them going strong and happy. They now have the strength of confidence of a summer in Camp Simcha to help through the year which we hope to fill with so much fun they won’t have time to miss camp.

And to our amazing Camp Simcha staff…. this summer would not have been possible without you. Your countless hours of work, intense devotion, and unending love was palpable every second of our time in camp. Your dedication to your work and to our campers is truly an inspiration. There are no words for what you did, for the children you renewed, for the memories you created and for everything else that you did.

So yes, the last bus may have rolled out of Glen Spey, taking with it our incredible camper,s but we know it won’t be long till we see them again…

Stay tuned for more exciting posts here… this may be the Camp blog, but just because Camp is over, it doesn’t mean we won’t keep you posted on all the great things that we experienced and the even greater things to come

When we had managed to stuff all our gifts into our luggage we headed to the social hall for the closing ceremonies. Dembi started off the show by naming and thanking every staff member in camp. First the waiters, then lifeguards, then specialties, medical and nursing staff, administrative staff, and maintenance staff. Each group got a well-deserved standing ovation. He went on to thank the counselors for their tireless efforts over the past two weeks on behalf of their camper. He told the campers that the only payment their counselors wanted is a thank you-in the form of a hug. At his count of three, every counselor turned to his camper, and the camper reciprocated with a long embrace. It was an event you had to witness.

Dembi went on to thank the campers for being an inspiration for us all, and for giving us the most epic session ever!

We then settled into out seats to watch the CSB 2012 Memories movie. For the first time ever, it included interviews from our very own campers. When that was complete, we headed out to the baseball field where we were treated to a spectacular fireworks display. What a way to end an epic session!

Although this session was short, the friendships gained, bonds formed, and good-times that we had will stay with us for a lifetime.

To our dearest campers, you are an inspiration to us all. Thank you for joining us for an amazing session here at Camp Simcha. Although it was short, we managed to fit in SO MUCH in the brief time allotted. Unfortunately, Tikunei Twelve (at least in Glen Spey) ended some time this morning.

It’s true that there are many lands you’ve still to visit (some of which are not even on a map) and wonderful things to see(that no one has yet imagined), but were confident that if you really want to, you’ll surely reach them all by yourself.

Yours truly

With the cloud of a premature departure hanging over us, Camp Simcha kicked into highest gear today and ended the session on an amazing note. We were truly pumping at full throttle here in SimchaVille, and we managed to stuff in so may different things.

After lunch, we all gathered in the middle of the dining room where we had the most epic upRoar ever. Everyone got involved, and made sure to make up for all the last time. Campers were hoisted onto shoulders and paraded around the room, while everyone else danced, sang, and cheered them on. After lunch, we headed out to all the workshops to finish and collect all the beautiful projects we created over the summer.

After we had managed to collect all our creations, we all headed back to our bunks to pack. At 5pm we were called to the dining hall for the banquet. And a banquet it was. A hot carving station, onion rings, sesame chicken, Hawaiian chicken, chicken lo mein, sweet and sour chicken, bar-b-que ribs, assorted dips, and fresh fruit.

After we were stuffed to the gills, we were informed that Deal Day had been rescheduled….to today! For those who don’t know, Deal Day is a DisneyWorld worthy experience in which members of the Deal community come down to camp and shower our campers with tons of free gifts and activities. After supper, our campers were given a duffel bag, and were let loose in a room full of gifts. They were able to take whatever they (and their counselor…and their rotator…and whoever else they commissioned) could carry out. There were backpacks, sandals, t-shirts, shorts, sweatpants, pillows, stuffed animals, and various electronics. The campers came out looking like they’ve won the lottery.

Wow. Wow. Wow. What a day!

It’s hard to believe that I still have energy to move my fingers across the keyboard.

At 9:30 AM, Camp Simcha was abuzz with activity. The whole camp worked together in our typical unified fashion to make sure we got off to an orderly start. By 10 AM, all of the day’s meals and a few thousand bottles of water were packed up, and our entire camp was dressed up in our orange and blue themed t-shirts and caps. With camper and counselor hand in hand, and our amazing auxiliary staff providing the background pump, we were off to NYC.

One movie-length bus ride later and we were in middle of Times Square. Oh boy did we light up New York! The moment our coach buses stopped in Times Square we were transferred to five double-decker tour buses. With megaphones and speakers in tow, we made our way to the top level of the buses (after a camp-wide sunscreen application, of course). It’s not often that New Yorkers lift their noses out of their smart phones, but boy did we create a raucous. As we traversed block by block, and district by district, we had heads turning, people clapping, and cameras snapping. We showed off our usual Simcha energy, while bouncing, chanting, and screaming our way around New York. We somehow managed to fit in a guided tour in middle of all that bubbling energy,and even convinced some people to drop their cigarettes!

Earlier this year, Zuccotti Park, in Lower Manhattan, housed the Occupy Wall Street movement. Today, Camp Simcha stopped there to protest and raise awareness about something that we consider more critical; namely, the perils of cancer. We made sure that that NYC got our message that Happiness Heals. Yesterday, our campers were asked to make personalized posters for our demonstration. Today, they were out in full display for the whole world. There were many creative signs, including “Hair Me” and, of course, “Bald is the new Hair”. The second the tour buses dropped us off, we mobbed Zuccotti Park, chanted our message, and made sure our views (and solution) on the matter were very apparent. We were positively received by everyone there; many tourists and strangers asked to pose with our campers.

Just as fast as we arrived, we were back on our buses and headed towards the second half of our tour. It’s understood that we kept up our dancing and that our energy didn’t wane one iota. A little later, we arrived at a dock on the east side of Manhattan and were transferred to a chartered ferry. Everyone appreciated the opportunity to relax and chill with friends after the morning’s excitement. A gala lunch was served, and we headed to the bow to check out the spectacular views. Throughout the boat ride, a magician went around to different tables and entertained our campers with mind-boggling tricks.

A bit later, we docked in Queens at a port next to Citi Field, and we were off to the ball game. We first stopped at the apple in front of the stadium and did our Happiness Heals dance. With multiple cameras videoing us for our annual music video, we executed the dance flawlessly, and showed the world the power of joy. Stay tuned for the final product. Then, after receiving our tickets and complimentary Mets merchandise, we headed into Citi Field. Before the game, our campers got to sit right by the bullpen and watch the pitchers warm up. One even came over to chat with us, and even threw over some balls. Meanwhile, six special campers and Dr. Wexler got to go to home plate where they were presented with special Merit Awards from the Mets.

It is not often that someone gets to stand on the field during the national anthem. But today, the WHOLE Camp Simcha got to stand on the outfield! It is something that many people dream for their whole lives, and will be something that our campers remember for a really long time. After a delicious supper by the picnic area, we headed to our amazing seats. The game was fun, but the ambiance was what truly stood out. From everyone holding up signs, to chanting ourselves horse, to waving orange and blue balloons, to getting on the jumbo screen multiple times, we seriously rocked the Stadium.

It was quite a unanimous consensus on the ride back that today was amazing. Our campers came back with memories to last the year. And NYC will always remember, Happiness Heals.

On the advice of its medical director, Dr. Peter Steinherz, and its associate medical director, Dr. Leonard Wexler, both leading pediatric oncologists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Chai Lifeline has decided to conclude the current Camp Simcha session five days early.

Several children were diagnosed with viral flu influenza. They were immediately isolated from the rest of the camp population and they have already returned home. The final two sessions of camp have not been affected. The next session will begin on August 2.

“The medical directors have made this decision for the safety of all campers,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, executive vice president of Chai Lifeline. “Children fighting cancer have weakened immune systems, and our first priority is to safeguard their health. While no children are in danger, the medical staff has taken the prudent step of ending this session to ensure that no other children are exposed to the flu.”

While they are undoubtedly sad about missing even one day of camp, Camp Simcha’s campers will continue to find joy and camaraderie during Chai Lifeline’s year-round activities and programs and their ongoing friendships with counselors and bunkmates.

Parents who have questions may reach the camp office at 845-856-1432.

Party rock is in the house tonight

Everybody just have a good time

And we gonna make you lose your mind

Everybody just have a good time

WOW! Camp Simcha really rocked the house today. When our campers walked into the dining room for mealtime, they were transported to a whole new world. The dining room was redecorated to look like the 60’s. It was replete with groovy graffiti on the walls, guitars hanging from the rafters, and of course our own rock band, The Tikkunei, rockin’ it up on center stage. It was not uncommon to spot Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, and Ozzy Osbourne roaming around the dining room and the campus over the day. Towards the end of lunch, we all gathered in the middle of the dining room where we partied like it was 1969. The campers danced, climbed on staff members’ shoulders, and screamed in a Tikkunei Twelve rendition of upROAR. Of course, we supplemented our usual playlist with All Stars and Party Rock Anthem as our campers practiced their shuffelin’ skills. And by dinner, the camp squared off in a break dancing competition in the middle of the diningroom. Charlie, David, Ofek, and others all wen’t head to head showing off their poppin’ and lockin’, windmills, and six-steps as the rest of the camp cheered them on.

In between lunch and supper, Nadav and Itai headed out to the glass blowing workshop. Nadav decided to make a glass picture frame to save all those crowd surfing moments. He started with a piece of clear glass. He carefully created four polka dots from tiny blue glass beads along each vertical border. For the horizontals, he opted to use orange glass squiggles. Itai decided to make a night light cover and opted for a more modern look. He used white and black stars, circles, and square to create a piece of work that would make Gaudi proud. Meanwhile, Nathan and Jeremy decided to escape the heat and jumped into the pool. They swam, splashed, dunked their counselors, and took their turns racing down the three slides. What a great way to refresh yourself durig a jam packed Camp Simcha day!

Throughout the day, campers had a chance to learn balloon sculpting from an expert. Campers were spotted walking around camp with the wackiest creations, from animals to hats. Mid-afternoon, we were all summoned to the social hall where we we’re greeted by a star studded guitar trio of Aryeh Kunstler, Ari Boiangiu, and Yitzi Spinner.  They wowed us with their slow melodies and pumped up the room with their famous pop and rock songs. We sang, danced, jumped, and stomped; there was fun for campers and staff alike. They shared the stage with many campers, and even had a duet with some of the campers. There was not a person that left the room un-exhausted.

To cap off the night, we went back to the social hall for another show! Jonathan, a ventriloquist, amazed us with the help of his four friends.

Tomorrow, we’re heading to NYC. We will be showing the world that Happiness Heals. It’s going to be amazing.