Tzivos Hashem Pesach Camp Yekatrinoslav 5768

DNEPROPETROVSK, Ukraine [CHI] — The 15th annual Tzivos Hashem Pesach camp has ended. The dedicated counsellors who left their families for Pesach are back home in America. The children have returned to the 12 cities where they came from and the pots and pans are back in storage.

Finally everyone has time to reflect on camp and what an amazing and inspiring time everyone had. Camp started with the usual hustle. Three heaping overflowing busses came rolling in to the massive camp grounds in Pridniprovsk on the outskirts of Dnepropetrovsk at around 11:30 on Thursday morning. 120 excited children bubbling with enthusiasm came piling in to the outdoor auditorium used as the Shul. Children from ages 6-14, all ready for an amazing fun exciting Pesach and Camp experience…..hush, in walked the head counsellors, immaculately dressed and whistle bearing, the place was quiet. After an inspiring short pump up welcome speech the children were called up and divided into bunks, and the counsellors were introduced to the children, amazing dedicated staff ready for an action packed Pesach. From that moment, the bonding of the children with the staff started, and a relationship developed that will definitely last a lifetime. For many years to come these young children and their counsellors will enjoy the warm connection developed over the 2 weeks in this camp. Camp started with a bang, right after getting settled the children went straight to lunch where an important announcement was made ….“Children, we will be going on a TRIP!!!! Yes, within 2 hours of landing in camp, the children got back onto the busses for an exciting trip to bowling and ice skating …first of many trips for this exciting camp. This is how camp continued until the very end, full of surprises and great activities. On the second day of camp, a truck pulled up and unloaded 13 beautiful classy mountain bikes for the children to enjoy as one of the activities. Many toichendike camp activities were enjoyed throughout the Shabbos and Yom Tov first days. For the sedorim camp was divided into four groups. Each group had their own Seder geared to their particular level of yidishkaiyt. One very moving moment was when the L children stood together on the second day Yom Tov and said kadish for their mother who passed away 2 years ago while they were in camp. The youngest of the boys (4 years old) got a bris this year in camp. He took the name Yossi because he adores the camp Director Rabbi Yossi Glick, the director of Tzivos Hashem of the CIS who took care of his family of 7 children in The Tzivos Hashem orphanages when their mother passed away. Straight after havdolo the children were treated to a travelling circus which put on a private performance for them in camp. Then straight away on the first day Chol Hamoed there was another trip. The trip was followed by paintball shooting right in the forest on our very own campsite, wow what a blast. Special attention was given to make the learning system interesting and appealing. Exciting learning classes given by interesting teachers. These dedicated staff members worked very hard to prepare fun interactive classes where the kids really want to know all about what they are learning, until it came to the point when children were asking literally ”when is learning classes?“ The climax of camp the seudas moshiach on the last day of yomtov, where all the children and staff drink the 4 cups of grape juice or wine and have a Farbrengen singing all those beautiful heart rending camp songs and niggunim, the vibes in that room….just amazing and all really a scene that will stay in the hearts of many for a very long time. Then came the Banquet, everyone walked in to the dining hall a short hour after yomtov. Wow, the place was alive, buzzing with activity magnificently decorated with streamers balloons and much more. The tables set up elegantly with clean white tablecloths cups and plates and whats that….pizza!?! what a surprise, after the 2 weeks of eating wholesome Pesach Food not having any Chometz it was a pleasant surprise to have Pizza. Wednesday the second day of chol hamoed brought a really inspiring moment for 4 young men aged 4,9,10&22. They decided to make a very moving decision to get a briss mila in camp, what an impression it made on everyone. The air was alive with true inspiration, they took the names yossef yitzchok, yossef yitzchok, eliyahu moshe & shimon may hashem bless them to continue in their lives with much success and blessing. Something that made this camp more special, was having 2 Bar mitzvah Boys this year one right after the other. This added a lot of excitement getting their first Aliyos, and the grandiose Bar Mitzva celebration that was prepared for them. One of them was heard expressing his amusement saying ”Wow, I never knew Judaism could be so much fun!“ After such an inspiring warm 11 days, it is understandable why on the last day, when the teary eyed counsellors were saying goodbye to the emotional children there was a lot of crying and singing. Promises like ”we'll be in touch“, ”Friends forever“ ”here is my email address“ or ”whats your phone number?" were being heard from literally everyone. The atmosphere reached such a peak, the staff barely letting the busses leave. Overall it was an amazing spectacular camp enjoyable to the last moment. This camp will remain with us forever! Camp would never have been such a success without the hard work of our head counsellors Arele Teleshevsky and Dovid Bush who put together such an amazing staff. The camp was a joint project of the head shliach of Dnepropetrovsk, Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetzki and Tzivos Hashem of the CIS. Tzivos Hashem of the CIS is a project of Tzivos Hashem Head office NY.P.S. Bikkur Bayis Rocks! Post coming soon...