Israel at 60 Celebration
Last week, hundreds of campers, staff and visitors alike gathered around the Kikar on a chilly July evening as the Nivonim campers played a voiceover of the declaration of the state of Israel from 1948. Representing different countries from around the world, members of each eidah waved their respective nations' flags they had just made from construction paper during peulat erev and cheered as they heard their country declaring its pivotal decision about the existence Israel as a state. Organized by Nivonim, the celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary continued with several Nivonim campers marching with Israeli flags and a dance performance. The following day, campers attended activities focusing on Jewish history, ranging from trivia games about Jerusalem to tug-of-war, symbolic of past conflict between Israel and Jordan.
Ben Davis (Rosh Nivonim): Last week Nivonim put on a celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary for the whole camp. They planned a campwide peulat erev, in which everyone in camp participated. All the eidot were divided up into groups and each group learned about a different aspect of the declaration of the state of Israel and the whole camp came together for a ceremony on the Kikar which involved dances and songs.
Then, during the next day, every eidah in camp spent time going through an experience run by the Nivonim where they learned about different aspects of Israel over the past 60 years, including culture, sports, music, war and peace. The Nivonim campers planned the whole event themselves-they wrote everything and ran everything. It was a great experience.
Arianna R. (Nivonim): We had many rehearsals for the Israel at 60 dance and it turned out really well. We danced in front of all of camp and honored Israel by featuring Israeli dancing in our performance. It felt great to show camp our love for Israel.
Jacob E. (Nivonim): I ran a program that explained the history of Israel's wars and the territories it lost and gained using a map. It really felt like the kids got a good perspective of the history of Israel.
Sammy S. (Nivonim): I helped Solelim make flags of Russia and read through a whole sheet of facts about Russia so the campers understood its importance. Then we marched down to the Kikar with our colorful Russian flags. It was an overwhelming experience.
Sarah V. (Nivonim): We wanted the campers to feel like they were actually living in the country they were representing during the simulation of the declaration of Israel. Most of the countries we chose were countries that didn't have a lot of freedom for Jews, so when Israel became a state that night, we wanted them to experience the excitement of finally getting Israel.
Jacob R. (Halutzim): I liked the dancing because I thought it was cool to see Israel and experience it become a state.
Marissa R. (Solelim): I liked the dance performance with Israeli flags. I saw how many countries were influenced by the state of Israel.