Here's to Dear Old Herzl

This weekend, Chad and I were lucky enough to spend Shabbat up at Herzl Camp. It was SO fun being there while camp was going on. In fact, this was my first Shabbat since I was Papa Ozo being back at camp with campers. It was so fun. Everyone has heard about the AMAZING new cabins, the gorgeous Mercaz with backs on the benches, the accessibility of the waterfront, and of course, the new Haks. So... I am not going to talk any more about that, other than to say they are all awesome additions, and it still TOTALLY feels like camp.

Instead, I am going to give you some of what people have been asking for. A comparison of what traditions are still around, and what is new at camp. Here we go...

Same Old, Same Old
- Shabbat caravan with everyone in white
- Good old matzo ball soup
- People walk around in pairs with candles during song session Friday nights
- Cinnamon rolls for optional breakfast
- Mama and Papa still yacking on the mic through optional breakfast
- Beautiful services at the Mercaz
- Shabbat rotations with the same offerings (though Ultimate only had about 10 people)
- Chicken nuggets for Saturday lunch
- Salad for dinner Saturday night
- Dancing and music for breakfast
- Camp ruach
- Awesome staff
- Campers having the time of their lives
- Lem Lem

New Traditions
- Counselors write the flag songs
- No more Shabbat packets with songs and readings... just services
- Chicken breasts on Friday night, instead of whole chicken parts
- Rice on Friday night instead of those little potato thingies
- Different songs Friday night... a lot more English and modern songs
- Following Oneg, no one stays in the mo... no more Foosball
- Throughout services, staff remind everyone to drink water in the mic
- Potato latkes accompany the chicken nuggets
- Typical ruach session after lunch, not all of the old schtick
- Shabbat Sichot are assigned by cabin, not an option of different topics
- Ranch dressing now offered for Saturday dinner
- Chipwiches instead of Eskimo Pies!!!
- Town nights are only Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Older staff... Papa Ozo is 24
- No more teatherball
- Very different staff structure
- Head staff all use walkie talkies
- Much better ratio of staff to campers

Though camp certainly looks different, and many of the things have changed over the years, it is still the same Herzl Camp we have all grown to know and love. Some people reject the new, but in truth, having been there and seen everything with my own eyes, change is good. It is for the better. Sure, kids are no longer slipping on the floor of the old chadar with a tray of food, but isn't that a good thing? No, Papa Ozo isn't 20, like when I was, but again, he has four more years of life experience than I did with the same job. And yes, the staff have walkie talkies, and you could argue that we did just fine without out them, but you know what... it is a lot safer to have them.

Things will always change. There will always be new traditions. But what still matters is the ruach and magic of Herzl Camp that will be there for years to come, regardless of if we have a Chipwich or an Eskimo Pie!

Check back often for more Random Ramblings!