Camp Blog

Meet Matti from Camp Simcha Special.

The last night in camp featured a beautiful banquet, complete with meat carving stations and candy galore! Ten campers graduated from Camp Simcha Special and the banquet was also their graduation ceremony. They were presented with their diploma on the stage, wearing their caps and gowns. It was the twelfth year of CSS, so there was a huge birthday cake to celebrate. After dinner, we headed to the Social Hall. We said our thank-yous to everyone who made this summer happen and made it what it was; we couldn’t have done without each and every person in camp! Then we watched the newest CSS video from this session. Well, it wasn’t over there. Everyone went out onto the lawn and we watched a slide-show of pictures, including camper-counselor photos. Then, there was an amazing display of fireworks! At the end we looked at the sky and realized that tomorrow night when we look up, we’ll be seeing the same stars as the ones we see tonight! keep that in mind everyone! Have a great rest of the summer and can’t wait to see you next year!

Everyone was thrilled when we realized Avram Fried was here for the last Camp Simcha Special concert of 2012! We sang and danced together, taking full advantage of our last day in camp. Everyone had a great time!

Nearing the wood-shop, the sound of saws cutting through wood can be heard. Inside, campers are making wooden works-of-art. This year, the projects are doll-houses, kitchen decorations, and ring-holders, all created from wood! They nail the wooden pieces together and then stain, paint, and shine them. Campers wear special eye-gear and hand-gear to protect themselves from dust as they cut and sand the wood. Wood-working is hard work, but it’s rewarding and our campers are strong!

An ice cream truck just showed up to Camp Simcha! Wait on line to get your choice of an ice cream cone, soft ice cream, or slush. These sweet refreshing treats are a perfect way to celebrate Candyland Day. Just the way summer should be.

Our Simcha actresses have been practicing for last night’s Broadway event since the beginning of the summer. The actresses got their costumes on and their makeup done. After dinner, the seats in the Simcha Theatre begin to fill up. The lights slowly dimmed and the curtains parted. All it took was a sprinkle of pixie dust and before we knew it we are off to Simcha Land with Peter Pan, Tinkerbelle, Wendy, Michael, and John. Congratulations to the entire Peter Pan cast on a brilliant performance! After the play, Peter Pan (aka Shirah) noted that playing Peter Pan “was amazing—the practicing, the singing, fighting captain Hook, and I actually got to fly!”

Meet Peri, one of our Camp Simcha Special campers.

Don’t break the ice! It’s a winter wonderland here in Camp Simcha. Snow flurry machines are shooting (soapy) snow everywhere! The dining room has become a skating rink, and the windows are frosty from the snow. Everyone is bundled up in sweatshirts, hats, scarves, and gloves, and there are even some penguin visitors walking around camp!

The Simcha Spot hut makes the perfect atmosphere for candle-making. The tables and chairs drip with warm colorful wax. Chunks of wax sit in a container, and campers can form them into any shape, like a flower, butterfly, heart, or duck. They can add any scent and color and put a wick in the middle and they have their candle. Some campers choose to put the small candles on a string and wear it as a necklace. For campers who want bigger candles, they can take a mold in a variety of shapes, like cylinders, stars, and rectangles. They dip the mold into any color wax they like, and even a few colors to create a multi-layered look. As an extra design, they can use the carving tool to carve out a strip of the wax while its still warm. They twist the piece and then push it back onto the candle. They can also make other decorations on the mold. The candle is then glazed to make it smooth and shiny, and then it dries. The candles are remarkable, creative, and beautiful. Some campers who just want to have fun are sticking their hands into the molten wax and making wax molds of their fists!

Meet Ahavah, one of our Camp Simcha Special campers.