2016 Gazette Teen Installment 7

Name: Penina S

Age: 13

Tribe: Asher

Tabernacle

Tabernacle is a time in camp where we all get together and worship. My favorite part is the music. Because I get to participate in leading it. In teen camp teens who volunteer to be on the worship team can do so. It feels like you’re part of the community when you are on the worship team. Everyone is praising the Lord with you. The songs are really fun and are easy to learn. One of the camp favorites is “Prince of Peace” because it has a really cool part where the chorus splits into “boys” and “girls”. After the music portion we have the camp director, RedSox, talk about the Bible and teach us about it. Somethings I learned about in tabernacle was that God could take a bad person (Saul/ Paul) and forgive them and give them a second chance. There is hope for everyone. Tabernacle is in the evening which is nice because it is peaceful and everyone is really tired. Tabernacle is a time when all of camp gets together to worship God.

Name: Gavyn R.

Age: 13

Tribe: Benjamin

Movie Night

Shalom, I am Gavyn. I am related to three of the staff at Camp Gilgal and I will be writing about movie night. For one movie night is the one night where we a watch a movie chosen by the staff. The staff make sure the movie is appropriate before playing it. It is a relaxing night where you can sit with friends and eat lots of snacks from candy to fruit. There is all kind of food. But, But! You have to make sure to take your fair share. After the movie we will be dismissed to bed, I must add you don’t have to go to the movie. You can sleep if you wish to. I must remind you, the movie is very random. It can be old like the Lion King or new like Star Wars: the Force Awakens. It is my favorite part of Camp Gilgal. That’s all I can say.

Name: Paul G.

Age: 14

Tribe: Issachar

Who’s Hungry

Every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner we get amazing food. Our chef makes awesome dishes that I really enjoy. My favorite breakfast dish has to be between French toast sticks or waffles. I really love having seconds or thirds or fourths on the delicious grub. Besides having water the kitchen crew puts out different drinks. Those drinks include apple or orange juice, and different combos of awesome Kool-Aid like drinks. Wherever a food item runs out, almost immediately another crew member replaces it. I am thankful to God for a very awesome and talented kitchen staff. Out of all the grub I’ve had this place is one of my favorites. So, who’s hungry?

Name: Alyssa C.

Age: 15

Tribe: Simeon

Friendships

One of the things I look forward to every year at camp, is seeing all my awesome friends. After 8 years of being a Gilgal camper, I’ve made some of the best friends that will last me a lifetime. Sometimes we may be loud and obnoxious but that’s only because we see each other 1-2 times a year and there’s so much to catch up on, especially when they live so far away. We’ve all created a tight bond that leaving camp at the end of the week is so hard. We have created many inside jokes and a ton of laughs together. At camp I look forward the most to little things like the van rides to and from the field trip and chill time because we have all the time to hangout. I always felt like I fit in at camp because my friends are just like me, Jewish believer in Yeshua. This year I have taken every second I can to spend time with everyone because it is my last year as a teen camper and camp gives me a lot of opportunities to do that. I am so sad that this is my last year but I’m looking forward to applying to be a counselor.

Name: Simona B.

Age: 14

Tribe: Simeon

Camp-Out Night at Gilgal

Camp-out night is the best at Gilgal! It all starts out with the drive there. We all got into the 15 passenger vans. It was so fun! We sang, talked, and did Mad Libs. When we finally arrived we unloaded and set up tents. After, we went swimming at the campsite’s pool. The water was so refreshing and nice. We then played Mafia while the staff cooked us dinner. We ate hamburgers, hot dogs, corn, and grilled veggies. It was my favorite meal at camp. After, we made s’mores! They were delicious. It got very cold so we all huddled up by the fire. It was time for bed.  We were in tents of 4 people, 3 campers and 1 staff. We all huddles up in our sleeping bags and talked. It was so fun! After about 5 minutes of talking, we all crashed. Camping out at the campsite was so fun. They take your watches so you can relax and not worry about time for once. It is so relaxing and an awesome experience.

 

2016 Gazette Teen Installment 6

Name: Emily R.

Age: 15

Tribe: Simeon

First Year at Camp Gilgal

My first year at Camp Gilgal was one of the best weeks of my life. At first, I was a little worried that I wouldn’t make any friends and scared about being so far from home. But when I got here I received a warm welcome. I have made some of my best friends here and now I would even consider them my family. The counselors were extremely nice and welcoming to me and everyone I came with from North Carolina. The activities were really fun and I got lots of exercise and sun. My favorite game/activity would either be Scream-O or the Decathlon because everyone was screaming and having so much fun all together. What was really cool was when we went white water rafting and camping. I would like to thank Asher and Elie for basically dragging me here. This week was phenomenal and I wish I could come back to teen camp, but I am also very excited to go to Adventure Camp and be an ATL at Junior Camp next year.

P.S: Asher looks like Harry Styles

Name: Joseph Selch

Age: 15

Tribe: Issachar

Pioneering

The pioneering activities were so much fun! Nature Valley is amazing!  During those activities we got to do stuff like make traps and maps. The most fun thig in the pioneering activities for me was probably building shelter, because we only used what we had around us to build it. Don’t forget to wear closed toes shoes because you go into the woods to get the supplies for these activities. The counselors will tell you that you have to wear closed toes shoes for this activity. You might also get dirty because of the fact that you are grabbing the materials that you need from the ground. We are looking for the items around the trees so we stayed in the shade for these activities. So if you do come to came here and you like getting dirty and having fun I hope you do some of the pioneering activities. I live in NYC so pioneering is a great change for me!

Name: Gracie R

Age: 14

Tribe: Asher

Campfire

This is my first year at camp Gilgal and it was so fun! One of my favorites was campfire. At campfire we all have a discussion around the fire. It is special because everyone can contribute and say what’s on their mind. This way, everyone gets to contribute to the conversation and learn tons of other things that people think. We have been talking about Paul and it is a great topic to talk about. Everyone gets to stay how God transformed Paul’s life and it gives the rest of us hope for the future. It personally gives me lots of hope. To me, campfire was so special. Instead of just having someone preach to me, I get to contribute to the conversation. On top of that, the view is great!

Name: Rachel M.

Age: 14

Tribe: Asher

Campfires

Something really special about camp that connects, me especially, to God is the campfires. It’s a place that we really get to open up about our faith without having to care if anyone is judging you- and that’s what I really love. I often think of it as my safe place- a place that feels like family.

Every night we have discussions about topics that we all participate in. These “talks’ really help me get a deeper understanding about who God is and how he’s moving in my life. Something else we do at campfire is sing worship songs. I love doing this because I am free to worship without worrying that people are looking. It’s very peaceful and mellow because its dark and everyone has their own personal connection to God in that moment.

Slightly late update from the Parsha

This Parsha post on parsha Tetzaveh comes to us from Spring intern Anonymous. This parsha was read last shabbat, but with Purim we got a little behind…RedSox error. And now…Anonymous:

Parsha Tetzaveh comes from Exodus 28-30:10, which seems to be a rather intense, but somehow simultaneously boring set of passages. We start in chapter 28 where we are first introduced to the priesthood and its purposes. The chapter then goes on for 43 verses and details what the priests (specifically Aaron) are supposed to wear. There is an emphasis on it being a beautiful and intricate design where fine craftsmen are needed to complete it. Over all there didn’t seem to be a whole lot from this passage that is applicable to my life today, although if you’re throwing a Bible themed costume party, this would definitely win 1^st prize.

Now chapter 29 is similar to chapter 28 in the way that it is detailing instructions for the priests on how to make animal sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God. To put it simply, it’s super gross and very detailed. As I was reading through this chapter I kept asking myself, “what can I gain from this passage?” I’m not a priest, there isn’t a Temple, and animal sacrifice isn’t part of life or worship for us today. I read it again and continued to ask myself the same question. The word consecration began to stick out to me. Consecration here means to be set apart, something that God asks of his people. I was reminded of all the different scriptures where God commands us to be “set apart”. He tells us to follow Him we must look different than the world; and just like the priests, becoming consecrated is a process. Another thing that stuck out to me about being set apart is that, ultimately, it starts with us being chosen. God chose the priests to come from Aaron and his sons. Throughout the Bible, God calls Israel His chosen people, and through the sacrifice of Yeshua we too are His chosen people. In 1 Peter 2:9 it says just that, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that you may declare the praise of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” God continually uses the priesthood as an example of what we as believers should look like; set apart to live out our faith so others may watch us and want to know what’s different about us. I want to encourage you to live out your life knowing that you are chosen and set apart by a God who knows and loves you!

Belated Shabbat Shalom Camp Gilgal!

~Anonymous

2016 Gazette Teen Installment 5

Name: Hannah K.

Age: 13

Tribe: Asher

Food

Camp Gilgal is a lot of fun but one of the main things that I look forward to is the food. In this article I will tell you about my favorite breakfast, lunch and dinner at camp. Camp Gilgal is known for its wonderful, delicious food. I decided to write about food because I just love food. It’s literally the best thing ever. Also I get hungry really fast so food is important to me.

My favorite breakfast was the French toast sticks. However, all the campers love the waffles (including me). I’m pretty sure everyone likes the waffles because you can put whipped cream, strawberries and chocolate chips on the waffles.

It’s time for lunch! At lunch and dinner you have to get vegetables which I don’t mind because I love my veggies. My favorite food at lunch are the smiley fries and I think everyone would agree with me, because it’s the fries that smile back, smiley fries. Dinner is probably my favorite meal. I absolutely love the chicken!

That’s it for now… bon appetite!

Name: Shai K.

Age: 12

Tribe: Benjamin

The Saga of Hiccup

As I arrived back from lunch, I caught a glimpse of Hiccup snoring in Scooter’s hammock all dressed up in his Duck Dynasty shirt and wide shoes that support his flat feet. Hiccup is the best counselor ever. The camp name derives from the Latin, Greek and Hebrew root of hiccupping randomly, because Hiccup is a very random person. He likes to dance and sing randomly. This year we went white water rafting and Hiccup fell out “accidently” every time he could. On the way back from our white water rafting trip he tried to dress up like a gangster. Other than being the most hilarious person at camp, he is a very devoted follower of Yeshua. He loves the book of Job because of Job’s devotion to God even through hardships. He is compassionate about showing people the joy and peace Jesus gives through his life. He has been a counselor for three years. I hope Hiccup stays a counselor until the grand old age of 100.

Name: Abigail O.

Age: 15

Tribe: Simeon

Bible Topics

In teen camp, each camper is assigned three activities that take up our time between breakfast and lunch each day. One of the three activities has to be a Bible topic discussion. Many deep aspects of our faith and God’s word were brought up and there were plenty of opportunities for us to share about our beliefs.

Some of the focuses for our discussions were whether or not you can be a Christian and believe in evolution, what the deal is about Hell, why it is awkward to share your faith, and if we should take the Bible literally or figuratively. These things really got me thinking and helped me see what God is like more clearly. I loved hearing what other people had to say as well as contributing my own convictions and beliefs.

If you have questions about the credibility of the word of God, are just curious about Yeshua, or simply love hearing about peoples’ perspectives about Christianity. I feel that Bible Topics is an essential part of camp and helps people grow in their faith. I personally enjoyed Bible Topics the most out of all the activities and I think you would too!

Name: Nathalia O.

Age: 13

Tribe: Asher

Camp Gilgal

The first year of Camp Gilgal was awesome. I was able to meet so many new people. During worship we were all free to pray and talk to God. All the campers were all so excited for the worship and all the campfires.

There were so many fun activities such as the Decathlon. There were ten games and two teams. My team was called Cucumber Deodorant and the other team was called Meggh! My favorite game was where you had to draw a mural of shaving cream and the worst game was drinking an entire bottle of the nastiest seltzer in the world!

We were all able to talk about how we felt about God and how thankful we were to be at Camp Gilgal.

My favorite part of camp was meeting new friends that have so much in common with me. I will never forget how much of a privilege it was to come to Camp Gilgal.

2016 Gazette Teen Installment 4

Name: Alex J.

Age: 15

Tribe: Issachar

Worship

My name is Alex, this is my last year of teen camp, and I feel that I connect to God best and feel his presence most during worship. We have worship before Tabernacle and Anonymous is the leader of the worship band. She plays the keyboard and sings. Scooter plays the cajon and there are campers that play in the worship band as well. Penina plays Strings’ violin, Alyssa plays the guitar, and Kaelee sings.

I think worship is amazing because it’s a very personal experience between you and God and it doesn’t matter who else is in the room. You’re able to close your eyes and it’s a very intimate one on one connection with God. Camp makes this very easy to do because you’re surrounded by like-minded people. One time during worship I felt very connected to God and I stopped singing and I let the lyrics run through me.

Next year I hope to be staff I hope to be on the worship team and influence the next generation of campers through worship and finding a deep love for glorifying God.

Name: Y’didyah B.

Age: 14

Tribe: Benjamin

Scooter

Scooter is one of my counselors other than Indiana Jones. Scooter first came to camp when he was fourteen and his walk with God grew stronger when he became a counselor in 2011. His favorite thing about camp when he was a camper was making friends with other messianic campers and trying things he had never tried before. His favorite verse is 1 Peter 4:11 because it encourages him to remember that what he is doing should glorify God. He got his nickname from a past camp director named Twister. He was born in New Jersey but now lives in Georgia. For help he looks to God for strength and wisdom and to friends for advice. He has been staff for six years. Scooter has an interest in comic books and super heroes. If you ever have a question about Marvel or DC, he’ll answer really accurately. Scooter is one of my favorite counselors and is really cool.

Name: Sydney F.

Tribe: Asher

Age: 13

Tribe Time

Hi, my name is Sydney. I went to Camp Gilgal and I want to tell you about tribe time. Tribe time is being with your tribe and getting to know your tribe and maybe becoming friends with some people and know more about your tribe. What my tribe did for tribe time is the wall during low ropes course. It’s on the initiatives course. We were walking in the woods looking for which initiatives course to go on when we saw this ten foot wall. Nature Valley encouraged us to all climb the wall and I’m glad she did. We were all scared because the way you had to get up was to have your tribe lift you up. You had to stand on their hands and they would lift you over their head. Everyone in my tribe was pretty short so we had some difficulty grabbing on and pulling ourselves up. Gracie went up the steps to pull everyone up over the ledge. I thought we weren’t going to get everyone up there, but to my surprise we all made it up. The initiatives low course has taught me to trust my tribe a lot more. I’m so glad Nature Valley was my staff and she taught me how to trust God and other people more.