I’ve been to camp several times over the last few years, and like any Oorah employees who have visited, I’ve always gone for a Shabbos with my family. But this week, after lengthy discussions and meetings, it was decided that I would travel to camp to meet with the photographers, and shoot some poses that are needed for various media. This trip up was very different than any other, as I had the opportunity to completely immerse myself in life at TheZone.
You cannot imagine how little time it takes to become a part of camp life. In just a few short hours, having followed campers to and from activities, joining them during meals, photographing them during down time, and just shmoozing with them, I got to know them, learned their names, and really feel as though I was an actual staff member. I admired arts and crafts projects, I gave feedback as the campers got dressed up for the annual tznius fashion show, I laughed at their crazy hairstyles for that day’s camp theme, I waited on line with them to get food, and I cheered with them as the special activity of the day was announced. More than anything, I was wowed with their enthusiasm for just about everything they do. Mitzvos like davening, bentching and Torah Mates that we might consider commonplace, are greeted by campers of every age with excitement and joy.
I dealt with the staff a lot during my stay at TheZone, and to say they are hardworking and dedicated is a gross understatement. The head staff possesses a passion that easily trickles down to the counselors, and stop at nothing to make the program perfect in every way. The specialty staff – particularly the photography crew, who need to be everywhere at once to capture it all on camera; and each of the wranglers, whose grueling day feeding and grooming the many animals begins at the crack of dawn – gave me a newfound appreciation of how hard they work. The counselors, as in any camp, see to their campers’ every need, from minor bouts of homesickness to tucking them into bed at night. But unlike other camps, the counselors at TheZone are there to bolster their campers to reach new heights in frumkeit, such as the girl who conquered a two-week long struggle in tznius by putting on a longer skirt. All the staff serve as walking icons of the frum community, and their every move makes a deep impression on their young charges. But what is most astounding about the staff at TheZone? They are all volunteers.
Watching the girls’ achdus and spirit when the camp song is played is probably the best litmus test of how everyone in TheZone feels about it. There is this enormous, palpable energy that cannot be described in any other way than being electric. It is very moving to see everyone in the room – from Juniors to Discover U to married staff – participating in the motions of the entire song, as if it was the first time they’d ever heard it. Like the lyrics of this year’s song, “You light up the room like a fire, electricity/Plug in that Jewish desire to be…all you can be”, the room literally trembles as 400 people stomp their feet in total unison. And when the camp song plays over the sound system (which goes pretty much the whole day, keeping everyone in the camp spirit), campers excitedly drop what they’re doing and dance with abandon.
These girls are simply incredible girls, and their struggles are ours as well. Every step they take, no matter how seemingly small, surely registers as an earth-shattering quake on the Heavenly Richter scale. Impressive enough is that some of them are on board with their entire families, on the way to a life of Torah and mitzvos – a complete lifestyle change for all – but others still are on a solo journey. They’re not really alone, though, as one of the campers in an older division shared with me; the staff is completely supportive, and the love and support the campers get in the summer spills over into the school year, keeping their commitment to Yiddishkeit full of warmth even through the cold winter months.
We are their family, and as such, they are our sisters, our daughters, future mothers in Klal Yisroel. Witnessing their climb up the spiritual ladder was enthralling, inspiring and beautiful. May they bring us continued shared nachas.
