Camp Simcha & Camp Simcha Special
Simcha Magic: Feel It In The Air!
The room held at least ten tables covered with all types of gifts. There were rows of makeup kits, colorful pyramids of assorted towels, piles of cute bags, and tables of nail polish, One Direction pajamas, pillows, stuffed animals, crocheted hats and more. Campers traveled excitedly around the room, receiving one of every single gift and having an amazing time. Thank you Deal volunteers so much for making this experience so memorable for all of us!
-T
Gathered in the gym, the whole camp along with our awesome friends from Deal watched the 3 vehicular-acrobats from the Free Cycle Action Sports Team with bated breath as they performed incredible bike tricks.
One man rode with one foot on the bike seat and the other on the handlebars, steering with his foot. Then, he stood on one wheel, performing a series of wheelies. They showed off their dance moves, spinning and bouncing the bikes and flipping them around while standing on one wheel.
They then began a sequence of stunts on the ramp, rotating and flipping the bikes in the air. They bounced and spun around on one wheel at the top of the ramp before jumping and zooming back down.
Next, they called up a counselor to hold a bike steady on the gym floor. One man shot down the ramp, sped toward the bike and vaulted over it, accompanied by loud cheering from the audience.
One man stood on his back wheel, his front wheel in the air, and rode the bike by spinning the wheel with his feet. He then proceeded to spin the front of the bike around 11 consecutive times!
Laying out a blue mat, the bikers called down four counselors to lie down. Then they called down another four, for good measure. Seeing the eight counselors side by side, one camper gasped, “Oh no! They’re all gonna get crushed!” One man dragged a mini ramp up to the mat. A biker sped up toward the ramp and then hurtled over all eight girls. Then, one biker lay down on the mat as well. To spice things up, his partner placed a helmet on his tuchus, with a water bottle on top. The other biker rode back and soared over all nine people! Then, as one biker sat on his bike, another leapt over him.
For the final act the bikers rocketed up the ramp and executed full 360° flips off the top, riding back down and pulling up on one wheel. When the Free Cyclers bowed, the entire gymnasium exploded with thunderous applause.
-T
It’s Automatic. It’s Systematic. It’s Hyyyydromatic. Why – It’s Camp Simcha’s 50’s day!
A lit neon sign let the campers know the ‘Simcha Diner’ was open and running when they arrived at the Dining Hall for breakfast. Everyone’s dressed up in pink poodle skirts and leather jackets, and attempting their best 50’s dance moves. Elvis Presley is roaming the campus, guitar and all. Today’s Deal Day, which means lots of fun (and awesome gifts) scheduled for later today. So we’ll be back to tell you more, tell you more…
-J
“I’m old on the outside, but young on the inside.” Simon looked around. “That means that even though on the outside I’m a grown-up man, inside I’m just like you,” he pointed to a young camper in the front. “A little girl.” Steve Max, aka Simon Sez, engaged the camp in the Social Hall both with both his complex routines and his comedy.
First, he called Chaya and Keren up, and Simon Sed they had to “give a mean serious face” (which turned out to be a little harder than they expected).
Then, Simon called up a group of campers to sing the words “Camp Simchaaaaaaaaaaa,” dragging out the line as long as possible, until they ran out of breath, as he demonstrated. As it turned out, he was able to not only keep the whole camp laughing with his comic entertainment, but amuse us with his operatic singing voice as well. Some of the campers’ lung capacities were very impressive as well!
Next, all the campers lined up to receive an individual short challenge from Simon. Bombarded with a rapid-fire stream of commands, hands flew everywhere, following what Simon Sed: “SimonSezup-SimonSezdown-SimonSeznose-SimonSezears-SimonSeznose-SimonSezears-SimonSeznose-SimonSezears-SimonSezchin-SimonSezbelly-SimonSezup-SimonSezdown…Beeeeeeautifulll Tov Meooohd,” he crooned.
Finally, the whole hall stood up (as Simon Sed), and had a floor-shaking dance party! The show ended off with the camp singing along to “Weeeee Are The Chaaaaampions.” A huge shout-out to Steve Max (and his Bubby) and rock on Simcha Champions!!
-T
Elisheva just arrived to camp yesterday.
“What has been your favorite part of camp so far?”
“I don’t know. Everything.”
“I guess it’s hard to choose since you just came.”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just that every thing is special.”
-J
Haunting flute whispers, rhythmic whistling and hypnotic drumbeats resonate in the Native American Festival. The field is adorned with an encampment of tents, where the campers create tribal instruments and art. They size and connect wooden bamboo pipes, creating panpipe wind instruments, which they then decorate with vivid Indian patterns. They weave threads in intricate designs inside colorful hoops, dangling feathers and beads to produce their own breathtaking dream-catchers. Campers paint Native American keepsake boxes, sew together fringed beaded pouches, decorate totem poles in geometric patterns and feathers, fashion their own drums, dance rattles and rain-sticks. They also design arrowhead necklaces and amulets.
Across the field is a bonfire. Campers encircle the crackling blaze on tree stumps, holding an assortment of taut drums. Led by the ceremony master, Drum Man George, they bang mallets in tribal beats. Campers’ husked corn is wrapped in foil then tossed into the fire to cook. Above the hissing flames, the air rises in hazy waves as the beat picks up in tempo, faster and faster, culminating in a dramatic swelling crescendo.
-T
The pale-faces that arrived in the transformed Dining Hall this morning were greeted by a life-size teepee and a canoe filled with chanting Indians chiefs. The Indians back in the day probably weren’t cheering and dancing to tribal music being played over the loudspeaker, but that didn’t stop us. Colorful war paint and massive feather headdresses were distributed and donned by all. Chavie taught us an Indian cheer, and Miriam showed us how she could bang on the congo drum.
Following our Native American themed breakfast, we all split up to attend our division’s activities. In the Sweet Shop, campers made delicious candy sushi. In Pioneering, campers cast their hands in plaster. In hat decorating workshops, there were hats adorned in flowers, and fedoras covered with jewels, among many other innovative creations.
We witnessed an incredibly impressive tribal dance performed by our very own staff at lunch, which made it all that more enjoyable (plus, with pizza rolls on the menu, you can never go wrong). Next up: the Native American Festival.
– T & J
As evening arrived, all members of Camp Simcha convened on the lawn, gathering from across the four corners of the campus at the world-renowned Simchastock. The festival began with a barbecue, as we sat laid out on blankets on the grass. To the side were tents with tie-dying and hemp bracelet- and stretchy bracelet-making. Faux Real (the camp’s resident band) grooved to classic Beatles songs. Then Open Mic and the talent show began. We were graced with soulful singing, lively dancing, gymnastics, instrumental song renditions, and even a broom-balancing act. We grooved into the night as the light faded and the darkening sky sparkled with stars. The air was filled with love, music, happiness and friendship (as it always is at Camp Simcha). It was truly a beautiful loving evening. Good night and peace out!
-T
Our colorful scarves whipping in the wind, we began the countdown: 10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1 – Takeoff!!! Campers embarked upon the legendary journey to the moon, boarding a helicopter-spacecraft, Apollo 11. Propellers whirled deafeningly. The atmospheric conditions were perfect for aerial flight – clear blue skies and bright shining sun. Our astronauts could barely contain their excitement as they boarded the craft, prepared to make history. We waved as they ascended to where no man had ever gone before. It was “one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Then, as the pounding propeller sounds faded into the stratosphere, a loud rumbling noise pervaded the camp. A fleet of 11 shiny chrome bikes roared into camp. The campers donned motorcycle helmets and mounted the massive bikes, holding on tightly as they sped off in a cloud of dust.
-T
Tye-Dye colors, peace signs, fringes, The Yellow Submarine playing on the loudspeakers? This could only mean that today we’ve traveled back in time to the 60’s! One thing is for certain: the costume closet has been raided big time, and everyone had lots of fun letting their inner hippie show. We had a peace rally immediately after breakfast where we prepared for a fire drill, and went over the procedure and steps we should take if there were ever to be a fire. When the fire alarm sounded a few minutes later, we knew exactly what to do, and where to meet, and now we can be sure amidst all the fun that’s happening in camp, we’re safe as can be.
Open tryouts for the Camp Simcha Play are being held all morning, and judging from the play we saw on Shabbat, we have some stars in our midst. But for now… a HELICOPTER has arrived in Camp Simcha, and… are those MOTORCYCLES? Yea, so – I’ll be back to report on what looks sure to be a CRAZY, day in Camp Simcha. Peace, friends. Over and Out.
-J
