Picture 150 pumped up girls at a crazy dance party. Multiple that energy by a gazillion, and that should give you a glimpse of the energy here at Camp Simcha as we rocked out with arriving campers. It involved a lot of cheering, singing and all-out intense dancing. Decked out in wacky headgear and crazy costumes, the staff danced up a storm. Psychedelic colors everywhere. Intense booming music. Pink fluffy cotton candy and freshly popped popcorn. Mass flashmob-esque spinning on the grass to welcome the busses. Exploding energy. Welcome all Camp Simcha campers – you rock!
Keeping in Touch: E-mail
Our campers love getting e-mail! To send your camper an e-mail, include her NAME and BUNK NUMBER in the subject line of the e-mail. Please send all e-mails to mail@campsimcha.org. Unfortunately, we cannot download any attachments so please include all content in the body of your e-mail.
If you are a registered user of ParentSpace, you can also use our ParentSpace e-mail form to easily send e-mails to your camper.
For technical assistance, please email zahavah@campsimcha.org
About ParentSpace and our Galleries
Before the session begins, we would like to clarify some things about our Facebook galleries, public galleries on our website, and ParentSpace galleries.
First, if your child is photo-released “in camp only”, he or she will only appear in the ParentSpace gallery. Your child 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 videos that are produced special for you (almost) every day, an exclusive blog, the daily camp newsletter, camp schedule, and more exciting features.
Second, 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 48 hours.
To log into your ParentSpace account, go to campsimcha.org and click LOGIN in the top right corner.
Then type in your username and password.
You are now in ParentSpace!
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 zahavah@campsimcha.org
Behind the Scenes: CSG 2013
Behind the scenes, the puppet-masters pull the strings together, and the hidden workings of Camp Simcha come alive. Bright papers, ribbons, and funky designs overtake every visible surface as counselors pool their artistic abilities to create personalized, individual decorations for every camper. The passion is palpable as the anticipation builds with every snip of scissors and every dab of glue. Piece by colorful piece, the staff members create funky signs, hang decorations, and the finishing touches all fall into place.
The camp’s resident band, Faux Real (check them out on facebook!) rocks out in preparation in the cafeteria, shaking the floorboards (and quite possibly the ceilings, the walls, and the rooftops as well).
I don’t want to give too much away, but… be prepared for the TIME of your lives!!!!!
The Future: Robotic Age; Last Full Day of Camp Simcha Special Boys
It’s hard to register the fact that Camp Simcha Special Boys 2013 is coming to a close. As we look back and acknowledge what was accomplished here and the fun we had together, it was definitely the best summer ever, in the greatest camp in the world. The greatest finish line in the world. It is hard to fathom how much fun was packed into these few weeks, hence the hard work and effort which went in on the staff’s side. Everyone worked hard together to collectively make this summer the best ever. From the shows to concerts, to Color War and workshops, the memories and accomplishments of this summer will last a lifetime.
Oh, I’m getting side-tracked here. Well, while we are physically waving good-bye to each other, inside we are still closer than ever. Not only counselors to campers, but within the entire Camp Simcha family, everyone to each other.
For ‘the future,’ a huge rocket ship with fire blasters and another colorful robot stood erect next to the stage, not far from some smaller robots, made of aluminum and other shiny, silver paraphernalia. This morning the campers got a chance to complete any unfinished projects in any of the variety of workshops camp has to offer. It was ‘open workshops’ activity. Afterwards, the camp went to the Social Hall to watch a Duvie “The Legend” Becker presentation: “Curious Yoel in the Fancy, Shmancy Airplane,” a musical play performed by staff and campers. It was very amusing and we enjoyed the singing and acting in the performance.
Following lunch, we were treated to another surprise Social Hall performance: Edon, a young, Jewish singer who starred on America’s Got Talent last year. He sings while playing guitar and while playing piano, and stunned the crowd by his amazing performance. It was a privilege to have him come to Camp Simcha, to end off on a ‘high note.’
Camp is packing up now and preparing for the grand banquet being held tonight, which will be followed by the camp video and a fireworks show by the lake.
From my side of the desk, it was a pleasure writing the blogs for Camp Simcha Special, and wish you all the best. This was my first session in Camp Simcha and it was an unbelievable experience I will never forget. Well, believe it or not, camp is almost over, but the memories are not… So long until next time!
Sincerely, Yaakov Z. Drebin
Final Shabbos in Camp Simcha Special for 2013
The last Shabbos of Camp Simcha Special Boys 2013 was a special one indeed. As we had time to get closer to one another and understand the reality that there are only a few days left to camp, this Shabbos left an impression on us all.
We all enjoyed Duvie ‘The Lgend’ Becker’s entertainment for the last Shabbos of the 2013 season, with the weekly middos awards and stories on Friday night, followed by some comedy skits and more Shabbos day. The skits this week starred three pairs of actors to see who will make it to the finals: the Lubavitch pair, the Litvak pair, and the Hasidik pair. The stand-up comedy was hysterical and the camp voted for their favorite actors to take it all the way.
During the afternoon Duvie hosted his weekly Bingo game in the Social Hall with the amazing prizes as always: Coby iPod, Coby iPad, sports jerseys, and more. Duvie proudly proclaimed that a study was made on ten blindfolded people, each of which were given an Apple iPod shuffle and a Coby iPod Shuffle, along with a pair of Beats headphones, and all except one (90%) claimed the Coby ones sounded better… so lucky are the winners of these Coby mp3 players!
Following a kumzitz on the porch of the dining room, overlooking the sunset towards the end of Shabbos, we came inside for a melave malka with delicious food and pumping music. After the melave malka some of the divisions gathered around campfires to conclude their night and end off on a ‘high’ note.
Even though there is only one full day left to Camp Simcha Special, there are still plenty of exciting surprises approaching. Stay tuned…
Friday, The Stone Age…
Wow, what a way to end off an action-packed week in Camp Simcha Special!
We went back several thousand years to the Stone Age today… Firstly, the dining room was transformed into one big cave! Well, not quite. But it did have cave to fit several people, fully furnished with lanterns and..rocks. If you look around you may catch a glimpseof members of the Flintstones and a couple of cavemen.
We had a unique opportunity today, in light of the theme. We had a visit from R’ Shimon Deutsch of the Living Torah Museum here, in camp! He brought with him several real ancient artifacts from some of his museums, all of which we were able to hold and/or wear. He is known for his fully hands-on exhibits, which people come from all over the world to study and ‘touch the past.’ He has actual items, including weaponry, eating utensils, clothing, manuscripts, and currency mentioned throughout the Torah and during the times of the fist and second Temples. He brought with him a chain vest and helmet worn by gladiators, a sword and shield, a spear, and more, which we were able to wear and hold. It was a fascinating experience! He explained everything that was on display and we even got a free book of his to take home with us!
One afternoon activity was car washing some of the cars in camp. It was a lot of fun playing with the soap; whoever was there got his share of it! Another activity taking place was a hockey game in which everyone was able to play. In addition, the pool and lake were open for swimming,boating, and many other activities and workshops that camp has to offer. Wow, what a week! Well, Shabbos is coming up and there is plenty more in store for us…
Let the Good Times Roll – Bike 4 Chai’s Arrival in Camp Simcha Special
The entire Camp Simcha Special family, along with friends and family of the bikers, waited with great anticipation earlier this afternoon for the arrival of the unbelievable Bike 4 Chai bike-a-thon riders. While gathering near the entrance of camp, we watched and cheered as the bikers ‘rolled’ in at approximately 3:30, as they crossed the ‘Greatest Finish Line in the World,’ completing their journey of 175 miles from Asbury Park, NJ to Camp Simcha in Glen Spey, NY. After two days of intense bike riding and perhaps months of training, the bikers smiled as they crossed the finish line and acknowledged that their efforts ‘paid’ off. While they made their way through the entrance and into camp, upbeat music played as the crowd and the bikers danced and cheered. We all immensely appreciate the work that these people put in, and the funds that the bike-a-thon raised for Chai Lifeline.
After the bikers received their much-deserved greeting in camp, the camp and guests headed to the gym for a special program for everyone to enjoy. First some of the campers ‘rolled’ into the gym, with a fog machine and lighting to add to the scene, to the song ‘Rolling,’ specially modified for today’s event. The camp danced to that beat as well. Then the bikers put on a special performance of ‘Never say Never,’ dancing in the bleachers before the crowd. Dembi thanked the bikers and their sponsors before the crowd, expressing the appreciation of the Camp Simcha and Chai Lifeline family.
After the ceremony in the gym, the guests went to the tent by the tennis courts for a BBQ while the camp went to a Benny Friedman concert in the social hall. Some members of the Rosenblatt Orchestra, including a trumpet player and saxaphone player, were added to the concert. It was awesome! We went wild when he sang his popular ‘Yesh Tikvah’ and everyone enjoyed it very much. Even after an afternoon of dancing for Bike 4 Chai, we still had energy for the concert; Benny helped us out with that!
Following the concert and then supper, we went to night activity in the social hall, which was Simon Says by Steve Max. It looks easy, but it’s not when you’re trying to keep up with him! He talks so fast that almost everyone gets out, but one person got a t-shirt for lasting the longest without getting out.
What a day,here in Camp Simcha Special! We had so much fun here in camp, but there’s only a few days left! Well, there are always plenty of surprises in store…
The Roaring 20’s…
Wow, there were so many unique activities today that I don’t even know where to begin!
Today’s theme involves many different kinds of characters and settings. There’s the American-style 20’s, of the silent-film production, early automobiles, and phonographs, and then there’s the old European villiage/shtetl setting of the close-knit, isolated communities
The Magician making Yaakov Singer, counselor, float in mid-air before Camp Simcha Special
The Magician making Yaakov Singer, counselor, float in mid-air before Camp Simcha Special[/caption]
. In our camp we went back in time (like all the other days of ‘Simcha Time’) to experience it all. The dining room’s props featured old wooden crates, a phonograph, old video camera cutouts, and ‘bootlegger’ and ‘speakeasy’ signs attached to the stage. The time machine in the dining room took us back to the streets of NYC of the 20’s and Charlie Chaplain, and lots of people were wearing hats and other attire. A lunchtime performance by some of the campers, acting out some songs by “Fiddler on the Roof” brought us yet deeper into the setting.
One special activity today was ‘Silent Film Production,’ which is when those by the activity act out a video, which is then converted to black-and-white and has old-time music added to it. Another activity was ‘Dek the Bek,’ which is when those by the activity get to decorate a bekishe, or hasidik garb, to their own taste. It was done using glitter paint and small tiles and stuff.
Another unique activity in the schedule for today was ‘Campfire and Corn Peddling at fire pit with Nature Boy.’ This is when the entire division sits around a bonfire, roasting corn (after removing the husk from fresh corn), marshmallows, or s’mores. YUM!!! …and a rather natural experience.
The waiters of Camp Simcha Special performed a one-of-a-kind dance for the camp, while using the power of illusion, beating the eye into thinking that every two dancers were really one. Hands became feet and their bodies were blocked by sheets.
Speaking of illusion, the night activity following supper was a…MAGICIAN! He performed stunning acts for the camp, including making birds appear and disappear, making someone rise in mid-air, and “accidentally” loosing a raccoon. Several campers volunteered in some of the acts and the entire camp enjoyed the show.
Whoa, that was a ton for one day! Everyone is looking forward for the Bike 4 Chai riders’ arrival tomorrow into camp, as we are the ‘greatest finish line in the world,’ as they put it. To arrive in the greatest camp in the world to catch a glimpse of what they’d worked for pushes them all the way through, and we all appreciate very much what they are doing for us. Day 2, the final day, is yet to begin, and we are just as excited as they are to greet each other. Good luck!
Greco – Roman Day, Color War! and more…
Oh, man! From one activity to another the camp was on a roll today… Firstly, competitive learning groups in the morning gave the campers the unique opportunity to earn points for their teams. Several activities throughout the day also involved competitions between the two teams, including races in the lake, pool, and gym. Several team times throughout Color War gave the teams time to learn their theme songs and Alma Maters. The theme was sung during lunch in the dining room and–oh, did I mention those props and decorations? They were fantastic! Many staff members helped out last night decorating the dining room with streamers, banners, posters, and signs for the team colors and themes. For the theme of the day a huge palace of ancient Greek/Roman architecture was constructed around the stage, fully equipped with doors, columns, drapes, and more. Some people ran around with ancient Greek costumes, while others adorned their team colors.
COLOR RUN!
Following some more team-competitive activities, a highlight event in camp took place. The famous ‘color run’ is when campers and staff members alike run through a tent and spray each other with washable, powdery colors, while wearing bathing suits and white t-shirts. It was a lot of fun playing with those colors, especially since it was Color War!
Following supper, the camp had the privilege of a visit of the great Rabbi, HoRav Matisyahu Salomon, shlita, who came to share some inspiring words of wisdom and encouragement. We all had a chance, whoever wanted to, to shake his hand afterwards and receive precious berachos (blessings) from him.
The Grand Color War Finale took place afterwards, when the two teams acted out their comedy skits, and then sang their meningful Alma Maters. With the combination of music and lighting in the background, the camp waited in sunpense to hear the winning team, but Dembi of course just wouldn’t say it right away. But finally he announced it after repeatedly stopping right before saying the team, “The winning team is GREEN!!!!” However the points were truly close and a tie was imminent, which only shows how hard everyone worked to win. It was an awesome Color War!
Oh, my, it took some time just to type this blog, but there’s STILL MORE!!!!!!!!
A special late-night activity took place under a tent out on the baseball fields. It was a..pajama party!! A bunch of mattresses and blankets were lined up, and after changing into pj’s, all the campers had a chance to go the tent, with popcorn and nosh from the canteen, and watch a movie on the ceiling, while laying on the mattresses. It was really cool! Most of the campers went back to the bunks to go to sleep afterwards, because it was a little too cold to sleep out.
Speaking of sleep….theres a whole ‘nother day ahead of us tomorrow to rest up for!!
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