ParentSpace Blog

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 @CampSimcha

—>This public service announcement has been brought to you by the letter E (for Epic) and the number 11.

Dear Camper,

Thank you for joining us for an amazing session here at Camp Simcha Special. Unfortunately, Epic Eleven (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

CSSB 2011 has officially come to an end.

Oh, the memories that we shared this summer… epic eleven…arrivals…circus…jabali African acrobats…new recording studio…paint baths…mad science…great wall of graffiti…twoshow(.com)…frog hat…sock puppet show…carlebach Friday night…FD Drools… coby iPods…improve skits…middos awards…British Invasion…tuna beigels…seudat shelishit and havdalah on the porch…I got a feelin’…helicopter rides…epicifcation…Shwekey…jousting…lunch meds yeah…diet coke and mentos…shield making…challa baking…steve nash…motzei shabbos in the house tonight…candemaking with red…open mic meals…Goldman Sachs Volleyball…hypnotist…tailgate party…stamp on the ground…bike4chai…steve max…don’t be that guy…hogwars…slackers…ductagami…mutts go nuts…S.T. Rella…DJ’s bodysuits…good shabbos…Shabbat shalom…family feud…ridin’ simcha…birthday cake faceplant…eli kk…pottery…”all stars”…css rollers…legoland…sweet shop…baseball game…magician…red-fire…blue-water…general avi…general Yaakov…green-?…fitted caps…facetime blondini and ezra…darkroom…bingo…new niggun…epic 11 skyshot…jetskis…camper commercials…duuuuvi becker yisroel…stall for time…good shtickel…water slide in the dining room…awesome blog 😉 …mafia…arts and crafts…small piece of heaver…leather…I just had meds…get ready for Simcha ’12 in Jerusalem. Wow! We did a lot!!

The Musical, S.T Rella, was of course a fantastic hit! Produced by Duvy “The Legend” Becker, it featured great performances by our amazing campers and staff. For the grand finale, two campers sung “All Stars” in an amazing duet. Stay tuned for the amazing video highlights.

The Steve Nash visit was one for the ages. The 2 time MVP led a basketball clinic in our own gym, and left us with very encouraging words. His visit was still the talk of the town on the last day of camp.

During the session, Bike4Chai cyclists rode 135 miles from Lakewood, Brooklyn, Baltimore, and Deal, NJ to Camp Simcha. The bikers raised over $500,000 to benefit the campers. The ride culminated with a triumphant entrance into Camp Simcha, where the campers performed a spectacular choreographed wheelchair dance to welcome the riders. We are Ridin’ Simcha.

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 Special 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 campers 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.

Wow! What a finale that was.

After the Avraham Fried concert, 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 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. We then graduated two members of the oldest division, Avi D and Yoshi. Dembi explained to the audience that Camp Simcha Special was originally created for boys/girls and young men/women. It was created so that people who may seem different than us externally, have a place to go for two months a year. A place where they can be themselves, spend time with people who truly understand them, and not be pitied or shunned. At a certain age, however, we feel that these teenagers are able to take the lessons and security they have gained from their years here, and use it to face the world as the great people they are. Avi D. then addressed us, and he told us that although he only spent one session here, it has made a lasting impression on his life. He will never forget Simcha and the great time he had here. He thanked everyone for giving him a great summer.

Dembi then called up the counselors, by division, and asked them to pick up a present from the stage. 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 handed over the present to his camper, and every 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 CSS 2011 Memories movie. That was followed by a music video that was produced start to finish in camp. The music and video was written and recorded right here on campus. Coming soon to YouTube near you.

We then gathered in the baseball field where we were treated to a spectacular fireworks display. What a way to end an epic session.

There is still yet to come. Check our blog daily for updates.

It’s the last day of camp, yet we’re pumping at full throttle here in SimchaVille. In the morning, our campers ran from one special activity to the next finishing up any started projects. There were bracelets to finish in the leather shop, mugs to finish in pottery, wallets to finish in ductagami, and pictures to process in the dark room.

That was before 1:04.

At 1:04, we took it to a Whole New Level. Our post “Tisha B’av” spectacular kicked off with rocket launching in the baseball field. When we were certain that we had gotten the FAA attention, we moved to the dining room where the live band was raising the roof with their usual array of awesome music. We danced out hearts out…but that was just the beginning. We then went outside to the porch where every camper had a chance to shave his counselors beard (and head) in any way he chose. There are currently a bunch of bald counselors around camp! Besides for that, the mock barbershop worked out pretty well.

After that, we were told to head to the social hall for “special activity.” We were greeted by Avraham Fried and an amazing band. He wowed us with his classics and shared his usual enthusiasm with us. We responded with our usual insane amount of energy. We sang, danced, jumped, and stomped; there was fun for wheelchair’ers and non-wheelchair’ers alike. He shared the stage with many campers, and even had a duet with some of the campers. He took many requests from the crowd. Avraham engages us Simchonians very well, and we thank him for being a part of the Simcha family.

After that we headed to the field again where the Mad Sciences treated us to a sweet treat. There, lined up, were 50 bottles of diet Coke. A camper pulled a string, and we were treated to a beautifully choreographed sprinkler and fountain show.

We are all busy packing now. The banquet is in 30 minutes. Stay tuned.

Camp fatigue settling in? Are you ape?

It sure didn’t feel like the 3rd to last day of camp on Sunday when Camp Simcha escaped to the zoo. Actually, the zoo came to us! The morning kicked off with a personal petting zoo in the baseball field. Our campers got to experience goats, rams, bunnies, sheep, snakes, and llamas (did I spell that correctly?) first hand. Every camper got a seemingly endless supply of animal food (am I the only one that thinks that it looks like overpriced cocoa pebbles?). When they were in the mood of some adventure, our campers headed over to the stable where they enjoyed pony rides, hay rides, and horseback rides.

As the afternoon progressed, every division gathered in the gym where they made an animal related commercial, and recorded it. The judges are now reviewing the clips, and they will announce the winner of the competition tonight. When they were done recording their clips, campers rushed around to different workshops to finish any unfinished projects before the session ends. The leather workshop was where I found Aber, Yehuda, and Yosef working on bracelets, key chains, and wallets. They carefully lines up their leather stamps, and pounded them into the leather. In ductagami, I found Forrest constructing a green and brown baseball cap out of duct tape.

There’s nothing like sitting around a bonfire, linking arms together with your friend, and singing your heart out. That’s exactly what happened last night in camp. At around 10:15 P.M., Bentzi Brown and Co. set up a tremendous bonfire behind the pool area in camp. Campers and staff alike gathered around to sit, link arms, and truly release their emotions through slow, melodic song, as opposed to the usual wild n’ crazy dance party music that we are used to listening to. Our head counselor, Ari Dembitzer, spoke about our innate instincts to help one another in a moment of need and the need to look past physical and religious differences in people. It was really a great way to bond with each other, as well as unite us emotionally, giving us the courage to face our fears. Because we are never alone.

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.