By Blakely Lord, Cultural Specialist

Camp Kalsman 2011 got off to a fabulous start! In spite of the rain, the camp was full of smiles, hugs, and joy on Sunday as old friends reconnected and new friendships began.

Monday was a whirlwind of excitement! Campers created wonderful art projects, went swimming, did Israeli dancing, and attended their first “Chuggim” (elective activities). Chuggim this week include Krav Maga (Israeli hand-to-hand combat), silk screening, basketball, soccer, photography, hiking, gardening, comic book writing, and guitar. A few older campers even began training to belay others (holding a climbing rope to support a fellow climber). We can’t wait to see how much our campers accomplish by the end of the week!

The fun continued after dinner with activities to help campers get to know each other. Some campers participated in a camp fire and song session. They had a great time enjoying the warmth of the fire, singing and hanging out with friends. Kesher cooked a delicious feast of Israeli food, including homemade humus, pita bread cooked over a fire, fried eggplant, and “shakshouka” a stew of tomatoes, peppers, and onions with poached eggs. For dessert campers made yogurt and fruit parfaits. Everyone did a great job working together and everyone enjoyed eating the results!

After just one day, camp already feels like home! Check back soon for more updates AND a sneak peak at a new Camp Kalsman opening ceremony tradition!