As always, this summer at Moshava Ba’ir New Jersey begins and ends with Chinuch. We pride ourselves in how we integrate learning into our peulot and summer 2019 has been no exception. This is our Torah V’Avodah – taking limmud Torah and bringing it to life within daily activities. These peulot suddenly take on new meaning, as does the entire camp day.

This summer our Chinuch experience is “Moshevet Chazal.” Chanichim are being lead through the history of our sages, learning about individual personalities, about the development of the Mishna, and learning actual mishnayot. Our remarkable staff finds creative ways to engage campers at every level. Comprising thought provoking questions, hands-on demonstrations, dramatic representations, and trivia-types games (especially the “Challenge a Counselor” activity at Oneg Shabbat!), our chinuch program has once again started strong!

Our programming continues to get stronger every summer, the current summer included. Over the past few summers we have added archery and a climbing wall, and a Friday tisch planned by a rotation of bunks in our older eidot. This summer, the new hit activity is Galgalon, a rolling good time! Chanichim enter giant transparent spheres known as Zorb Balls and spend time rolling around the gym and participating in races. If you hear laughter coming from the gym, you know that a Galgalon period is in session.

Another important part of the MBNJ summer is music and this summer, the music is ROCKIN’! One can feel the joy in the room as chanichim dance with their counselors after each  lunch period and show their Mo-shava, Moshava Bair ruach! In our peulot, we’ve been singing songs related to the weekly theme. Chanichim learned the “Six Books of the Mishna” song, as well as songs having to do with brachot (Shehecheyahu) and the Jewish holidays (“The Jewish Month Song”, Yaaleh v’Yavoh, and others.)  

Our Oneg Shabbat and Tisch are unifying moments of our Erev Shabbat at camp.  We open every oneg with music, sit in an open circle, and sing Shabbat songs together.  We watch a parsha skit, play games related to what we learned in chinuch, watch the weekly video, and end with Bnei Akiva brachot and Hatikvah.  It is a beautiful and meaningful time for all!

Finally, Moshava Ba’ir does not only provide an amazing time for campers; we also give our staff a first-rate chavaya! Our staff lounge provides a place to relax and refresh with snacks and drinks, and we go all out to be makir tov to our staff with after-camp activities. So far, we have enjoyed sushi and tie dye, a mall scavenger hunt, and a comedy night. We also invest our time and effort towards staff development with the creation of monthly honor roll, a young leadership program, and Thursday night mishmar. Summer 2019 at Moshava Ba’ir New Jersey has started with a bang, and we have no intention of slowing down!