Who Are YOU?

January 6, 2012 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts.

Every Friday, you visit our blog in anticipation of what’s next. Is Anne Hope going to post tips for becoming a successful camp director? Are Zach and Max Puchtel going to entertain us with their stories from the glory days? Is Danny Soshnik going to coordinate another Herzl Bracket? Are we going to learn about the history of the Kadimah program? Maybe we’ll see photos of the swimming pool in the Ozo Mo (not likely)? Or, perhaps, we’ll hear advice from a veteran camp parent about what it’s like to send your child to camp for the very first time?

There are so many choices. However, this week we decided to make our blog all about YOU…our loyal readers. We want to know all about WHO you are and learn WHY you read this blog. And, we want to know how we are doing and what topics interest you. Why? So we can make sure we are writing blog posts that inform, educate, enlighten, entertain, amuse or inspire our Herzl family and friends.

So, dear readers, we ask that you take just 5 minutes of your time to complete a brief survey that will help us learn more about you. We promise, we’ll share the results in a future blog so you can see who else is checking in on a weekly basis. Click here to access our survey. The survey will remain open through Thursday, January 12. Thank you so much!

If you would like to learn more about becoming a guest blogger, please contact Anna Simon at asimon@herzlcamp.org.

 

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The New Kid on the Block

February 16, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts, Letters from Staff.

By Mike Neiman

That’s right.  That crazy popular beloved icon of the nineties is back.  Oh sure, it was a different era and the tune only fell on ears of an older generation   … but the comeback has begun, and already making another huge impact on a very familiar Block.

In the old days, this Kid was just a good old boy Hangin’ Tough.   Goofing around, enjoying the change in culture surrounding him, just waiting for a bright new star to break out.  And You Got it, The Right Stuff is what he had from the very beginning.  Only it didn’t stop there – every year the legend of this New Kid grew and grew.  As the mid 90s went on, his popularity developed alongside his age and maturity.  And so year after year, Step by Step, he made his way up the ranks.  From one hit to the next he moved up the charts, eventually ended this career at the very top.  And even though he was at the pinnacle of his career (and where so many others had dreamed of saying they got to do), if you asked him, he’d say “This One’s For the Children”.

And then into the shadows he departed.  The time to move on had come.

But once you’re a star, its hard to stay away.  So after a short hiatus, he thought to himself, “Let’s Try it Again.”  Only this time, it’s not for another Magic Summer Tour.  No, now it is about more than just the Summertime.  It is time to Face the Music from here on out – today, Tonight, tomorrow … this Kid is back in full swing and ready for the world to hear what he has to say once again!

Please join me in welcoming the much-anticipated comeback of the New Kid on the Block back to the spotlight and stage.  Ladies and Gentlemen, forget about Donnie, Danny, Jordan, Joey, and Jonathan…

Well, ok, Danny.  But not that Danny.

In the most celebrated move of his career to date, Mr. Ruach is back and better than ever.  It is my pleasure to introduce back to you the newest member of the Herzl Board of Directors and the new Herzl Alumni Blog Manager … Mr. Danny Soshnik!

Please Don’t Go Girl.

Shabbat Shalom!

Editor’s Note: Let’s give Mike Neiman a hearty Yasher Koach for making this blog what it is  — a reliably interesting, fun place for alumni to relive their Herzl twice a week.  Big shoes to fill here.  Please feel free to let me know what you’d like to see out of the blog at soshnik@gmail.com.

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The Camp Cycle

January 23, 2011 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Top 10 Lists.

By Zander Abrams

Camp is a community. Most Herzl alumni have taken a similar path from start to finish. We began as campers and ended as staff. We had some type of Herzl connection coming into camp (e.g. an older sibling, cousin, or friend), and we left behind some type of legacy. There are different stages that we have gone through, and here is my best of what I have personally experienced and seen others experience.

1.  I’m New Around Here
This is the first time camper. Coming in, you don’t know what to expect. Maybe you’ve heard things from your siblings, but everything seems bigger, louder, and more exciting. Camp may as well be its own state with its massive population and campground. “I’m scared of getting lost.” “Which one is the Beitan and Beitan Chadash?”

2.  The Veteran Camper
At around your fourth or fifth year, you really have a hang of this whole Herzl thing. You know most of the kids in your session and you know a good amount of the staff. You’re becoming a Herzl historian. Maybe you remember every Havdallah since your first summer, or Ozo song, or 12 Gates plot. You may even start dreaming about doing Gates when you’re on staff.

By this time, you’ve already seen a generation of staff come and go. Someone who was in B’yachad when you were starting out is now your B’yachad director. “I remember when Papa Danny Soshnik, was my counselor, now he’s in charge of all the Ozrim!” “Zoe was an Ozo for my program, and now she’s my program director?”

As a veteran, you’re also starting to become known. The younger kids know who you are and talk about you like you were a professional athlete. I had the same group of kids for most of my time as a counselor, and it was surreal when I heard younger campers talk about them the way they used to talk about the Yachers.

3.  Welcome to the Other Side
This is when the fun really begins. I was a camper for 8 years and on staff (including OZO) for 5 years. The way that I viewed camp in 2005 versus 2010 was night and day. As a new member of staff, you’re first overwhelmed by how many staff there are. How on earth will be you able to learn all their names? You remember some of them from when you were a camper, but to an Ozo/First year Staff, a 3rd year counselor seems like they’re 35.

As a Veteran Camper, you were a star. You got to go up and talk on the microphone that one time, you got to lead a service, all the other kids knew who you were and even staff that wasn’t in your program talked to you. But now, you’re in the trenches. You’re with younger kids in a program of 90+.

It’s exciting to have a cabin of your own. You want your kids to remember every moment of every day for the rest of their lives. You’ve lost your voice by week 2 with all the cheers you got your cabin to do. And you’ve finally understood why you counselor would get upset if you were making noise during Minucha.

You probably have some type of idea of what you want to do with your Herzl career. Maybe you want to work on the Waterfront, in Amanut, as Rosh Sport.  Maybe you want to follow your kids through until they’re Ozrim. If you play by the book, maybe- just maybe you’ll be a Program Director, or Mama/Pappa Ozo!

4.  You’re still working at Camp?
Welcome to your 3rd/4th year on staff. Congratulations, you finally get to talk to Gary Kibort! If you play your cards right, you may get to know Dale too! The staff seems so small. You know all of them, and have had some of them in Chugim you led as an Ozo. You had this year’s Ozo group in your cabin back in your first year. The size of Camp seems small too. You can walk from north to south in just four minutes! How on earth did you ever think this place was as big as a city?

From my experience, people come back to work at this stage for the following reasons: (1) the campers they’ve had forever are in B’yachad and they want to see them through, (2) they were offered a PD position and couldn’t pass it up, (3) Working on the Waterfront is the dream, and (4) “This is all I know for summers and I love it.”

You’ve been around for so long that campers start making old jokes to you (Camp is the only place that you get old jokes at age 22). Your ruach has started to die down. You’re not leading every cheer, but when you do you show those young punks what Dodi Li is really about. Strange enough, you don’t think of yourself as much older than the new staff, while when you were a 1st year staff you thought 3rd and 4th years were practically adults.

This stage is also when you become a ‘living legend.’ You’ve taught enough Chugim, had enough kids in your cabin, and gotten to know enough people that you are now a legend. There really couldn’t be any more pressure put on you doing a guest lights out program than having this tag. All the campers know who you are, even though you’ve never seen them before.

5.  End of the Line
The 5th or above year on staff. You have been at Herzl for a really long time. You’re on the administrative side, either as a Program Director, Coordinator, or the like. You’ve been on staff long enough to see two generations go through. Your campers are now on staff, in fact most of the staff were in Kadimah or younger when you were an Ozo; man, you’re as old as dirt. Gary Kibort definitely knows who you, still no guarantees about Dale.

Every other summer you knew there was a chance that you’d come back, but this summer is different. This is your last chance to make a difference. You definitely don’t have the ruach you used to. You actually spend more time on the microphone telling people to stop talking than you do leading cheers.

You’re definitely at living legend status. Every camper knows who you are, and you’ve known most of them since they were in Taste. You’re perspective on issues is really big picture, encompassing a half decade of experience. In fact, the younger staff thinks you’re out of touch with reality because you’re so far removed.

If you’re lucky, you’ve been able to leave Camp in a better place than when you came in.

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A Mama and Papa Ozo Challenge

September 9, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Alex Locke

In trying to decide what I wanted my latest blog post to be about, I realized I like when they are interactive.  And what gets people excited…. Ozos!  And what do we all thrive on… competitions!  So… let’s all collaborate and see how well we can do.  The challenge: Let’s see how many Mama and Papa pairings we can come up with.  I will start with as many as I can name.  All you have to do is add any newer or older pairs by leaving a comment.  Good luck to all of us… cannot wait to see how many we can come up with.

1987
Paul Schraber
Rondah Mutchnik

1988
Danny Kaplan
Lauren Berman

1989
Tommy Hoffman
Randi Bernstein

1990
Barry Golob
Tzivia Stein

1991
Barry Golob
Naomi Heller

1992
Josh Sohn
Annie Fischer

1993
Matt Lipschultz
Anna Simon

1994
Adam Chall
Ann Fiterman

1995
Corey Firedman
Stacy Kaplan

1996
Jesse Simon
Hope Frisch

1997
Alex Locke (That’s me!!!)
Mira Levie

1998
Danya Kornblum
Kevin Scharfe

1999
Danny Soshnik
Robyn Friedman

2000
Aaron Cukier
Jenny Javitch

And that’s all I can do.  A pretty impressive list, if I do say so myself.  So… can you add to the list?

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Herzl Magic Bracket: Final Four!

September 2, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Uncategorized.

At long last, the blog post you have all waited for.  And by “you all” I think I am referring to Neiman, who has been more than patient waiting for me.  But I digress.  This is the FINAL FOUR.

Months ago, we started with 64 traditions that make Herzl Camp magical to decide which are the most magical.  I think any of the original 64 would be good enough to make the final four at the average camp.  But at Herzl, we’re talking about the best of the best at the best camp.

There were hard fought battles along the way, but in the end, only four teams could emerge:

Representing the Yama Region:

#2 Bikkurim
In a suprisingly not so close matchup with 12 Gates, Bikkurim advanced.  While 12 Gates is relatively new (been around for just over a third of Herzl’s existence) and not universally understood, Bikkurim combines everything good about camp.  You have sports, ruach, creativity, and did I say ruach, all wrapped into one event.  It is truly the highlight of the summer for many campers, and that is tough to argue with.  Bikkurim will face…

…Representing the Vekedma Region:

#1 Shabbos Caravan
The selection committee really blew this one by having Shabbos Caravan and Flag Songs in the same region.  One might argue that they really are the same event.  In the end, Caravan outed Flag Songs handily.  Flag songs are great, but there are other opportunities to ruin an original songwriter’s lyrics with our nonsense throughout the summer.  Caravan really is what starts the seperation of Shabbat from the rest of the week.  It is magical in every way.  While other camps celebrate Shabbat, I cannot imagine many do the queen as much justice as we do.

Picking between these two wonderful traditions will be tough.  Can you really picture Herzl without either?  I can.  It would look like a certain summer camp in SW Missouri.  I kid.  I kid… In the other matchup we pair the Tzafona Region with the Vanegba Region.

Representing Tzafona:

#3 Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
This was a hard fought battle with World League, but in the end the sheer happiness that everyone feels when dipping their sandwich into soup exceeds the excitement of World League.  Perhaps if our Bikkurim weren’t so special, World League would have advanced, but people may get their “competitive fill” elsewhere.  I am surprised that Grilled Cheese went this far, but this camp *is* in Wisconsin.

And finally, representing the Vanegba Region:

#1 Friday Night Song Session
Well, Cindarella’s glass slipper proved not to fit for the South Haks.  But just because the slipper didn’t fit, I’d highly recommend wearing shoes, because it is pretty disgusting in there.  Friday Night Song Session takes the tranquility that was started at the caravan and continues it through the night.  Amy Shapiro put it best: “There is nothing quite like watching the transformation from crying camper with their head down on their first Shabbat because they miss their parents to crying camper or ozo on their last shabbat because they never want to go home!” So true.  When I think of all the things I miss about camp, and there are MANY, the Friday Night Song Session is always on the short list.

So there you have it.  Classic matchups of a #1 vs #2 seed and a #1 vs #3 seed.  I eagerly look forward to your comments and perspective, because this is not how I thought the tournament would play out.  So, please comment, vote, argue.  Next month we crown a champion!

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Herzl Magic Bracket: Round 2

May 23, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Uncategorized.

By Danny Soshnik

Five months ago, we introduced the 64 Tradition Herzl Magic Bracket.  Through my banter and your occasional vote, we’ve finally made it out of the first round.  Lots of lopsided wins, some close calls, and some epic upsets.  All #1 seeds remain intact, but you’d be surprised to learn that we do have some low seeded Cindarellas looking to make a run.  This month we’ll handle the entire 2nd round.  For those keeping track, that’s 32 matchups that need to be dissected.  My fingers are getting tired just thinking about it.  This time around I’m not going to offer as many predictions; I want this to be your tournament too. Without further delay…

Yama Region: We dissected the first round of this region a few months ago here:  This region has major star power, with a number 2 seed that is good enough to be a number 1.  And some might argue that the 3 seed and 4 seed are good enough to be 2 seeds.

#1 12 Gates
#8 Star Gazing

12 Gates had no problem poaching the Buzzards in its first round matchup.  What’s your favorite 12 gates memory?  Mine has to be “the cup”.  Anyone else remember when Ricky, the dumb guy, was hit with the cup in the final moment of silence before “Oh What a Beautiful City”?  Was funnier in my memory than it reads electronically.  On the other side is Star Gazing, which edged out Ultimate Frisbee in a classic #8 vs. #9 matchup.  One year on staff, I presented everyone with a lunar calendar to encourage people to schedule their star gazing on nights with the New Moon.  Light pollution is Star Gazing’s enemy.  Any first kisses under the stars at the Mercaz?  My prediction: This is the last time we’ll see the Waning Gibbous in the tournament.

12 Root Beer Floats for Rate-a-Room
4 Rosemary

Root Beer Floats had a tough matchup versus Buddy Checks.  So close, in fact, that it was a tie.  What was the tiebreaker, you ask?  It was Anna Simon’s hilarious comment that she prefers Root Beerfleem to Root Beer Floats.  Get it?  It only took me 4 months to get it.  Anyway, can the floats keep the dream alive?  Speaking of root beer, for the first 20 years of my life, I thought Barq’s was Barg’s.  Anyone else think that q looks like a g? http://www.barqs.com/downloads/barqs_dt1_sm.jpg.  My scariest Rosemary experience, aside from having the story told to me in the Ozo Mo, was when someone spotted her above Chaddar Bet.

6 Peanut Butter on Eskimo Pies
3 Schmutz Busters

This is a classic matchup.  Anyone remember when Josh Meyer pointed out to all of camp that the consecutive ingredients in Eskimo Pies read “non-fat milk, milk fat”?  Amazing discovery.  Does anyone eat Eskimo pies with peanut butter at home?  I can’t say I do, but I do like a scoop of almond butter with dark chocolate chips in it to be eaten like ice cream.  I never earned a Schmutz Buster shirt, although I picked up a lot of schmutz over the years.  In the most absurd awarding of a schmutz buster shirt I ever saw, Aaron Vickar got one for simply looking like a staff member as an eighth grader.  In 1989, Aaron helped round up us airport kids because we all thought he looked old enough to be staff.  They awarded him the first shirt of the session.  Mitzvahesque?  Yes.  Schmutz Buster worthy?  Give it up Aaron.  Furthermore, if you get a shirt for rounding up schmutz, and he rounded me and others up in the airport, what does this say about Herzl’s opinion of us?

7 K’shishim
2 Bikkurim

The Kishers live to see another day.  I know, I know, I’m a bad person.  What else can you say about them, other than I hope to be one someday.  When I was a camper, I was told that each event in the big team relay is worth the same amount of points.  So, despite the fact that I was usually one of the better athletes on my team and could have been useful on our Ultimate team, I would enter, EVERY YEAR, the softball throwing contest.  I knew that nobody good would participate in that event (though I will say that Bobby Warren gave me a good run for my money in 1993), and I’d bring home the gold for my team.  Who needs fun when you can win, right?  That’s what Bikkurim is all about.

Vakedma Region:  First round was done here.   Probably the most predictable of the regions.  The number 1 seed is a prohibitive favorite.  2 and 3 are strong contenders, but the bottom half of this region doesn’t have the legs for a final four run.

1 Shabbos Caravan
9 Fish Stick/Chicken Nugget Eating Contest

I always thought a funny koontz on camp would be to do the caravan in reverse, counter clockwise.  Maybe when I’m a Kisher I’ll lead the charge.  As far as the eating contests, I want answers.  Who is the current record holder?  If someone pukes, does that preclude them from continuing eating?  Do they have to eat their own puke before continuing?

12 Hazak V’almatz
13 Rhythmic Clapping Between Lists of Peoples’ Names

You guys didn’t exactly bring out the vote in the Vakedma region.  The only person who voted was a “Jamie”, so if you don’t like the fact that we have a 12 and 13 upsetting a 4 and 5, it is your own fault for not voting.  I was always fond of the Hazak V’almatz that were two thoughts that, strung together, made no sense.  For example:  “Hazak you can pick your friends.  V’almatz you can pick your friends. V’almatz but what good is a tetherball to a dead fish.  V’hazak but what good is a tetherball to a dead fish.”  We used that one in 1993 – feel free to recycle it this summer, young madrichim.  What else can I say about rhythmic clapping?  I pretty much said everything there is to say last round, assuming it was going to get bounced from the tournament.

6 Knock Knock
3 Ozo Play

“Hey Blog Readers!”
“Hey What!”
“Knock Knock!”
“Who’s there?”
“Sind!”
“Sind who?”
“Cindarella’s glass slipper doesn’t fit in this matchup!”
“OKAY!”

What was your favorite ozo play moment?  Partial, of course, to my Ozo groups, I loved the “Deep Thoughts from the Haks” scene in 1999.  Of course the Chaddar scenes are memorable and easy, but have you ever really given thought to what your staff is thinking in their down time in the Haks?  The 99 Ozo group did.

10 Mega Lunch
2 Flag Songs

Mega lunch pulled off the upset over Morning Music, and I couldn’t be happier.  My favorite mega lunch tradition was the reading of the airport bus.  “Brian Nogg.  Jeff Nogg.  Egg Nogg.”  Never gets old.  I also was a big fan of the disgusting lost and found.  And the top 10 countdown of ruach songs was epic. “Try Siv’s chicken, it’s so wonderful.”

Tzafona Region:  First round was done here:  This region has some major star power.  It’s filled with the “best of”.  Best Chug, best landmark, best song, best meal.

1 World League
9 Overnights

One of my favorite World League memories is from my Ozo Summer.  One of my top athletes on my team, Mike Savitt, refused to play volleyball in a crucial contest.  He thought we should play Ultimate Frisbee and only Ultimate Frisbee.  Mike, that’s why they call the Chug “World League” and not “Ultimate Frisbee.”  What’s your favorite overnight meal?  I was always a big fan of tin foil dinner, but I have to give the nod to Rocky Mountain Toast.  No matter what you’re eating, somehow the food always tastes just a little bit better cooked over an open fire in the middle of the woods.

5 Puddle Jumping
4 Kadimah Canoe Trip

The current staff has taken puddle jumping to a whole new level.  They not only use the sports field, which I mentioned to be the best spot in camp to jump.  But they use a Frisbee and practice catching the disc while diving head first.  What a great way to combine two of Herzl’s favorite pastimes. But the Kadimah Canoe Trip used to be the most intense (and in tents) outdoor experience Herzl had to offer, before Teva Trek came along.  On my canoe trip in 1992, I fed a deer from my hand.  Gave that poor buck two Lays chips.  At least I should have given him some Doritos.

11 B’yachad Blindfold Walk
3 Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

In my first blindfold walk, Dave Hoffman demonstrated that he was not strong enough to break more than one stick at a time.  Somehow he tied it eloquently into the notion that if our Yachers united, they’d be stronger.  All I remember is him trying to break sticks.  Guess I was tired – it *was* 1 am after all.  Have any of you been to a wedding where during the cocktail hour, they offer little grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup shooters?  I have.  Twice.  Fancy wedding caterers could stand to take a cooking lesson from Brandon Tagg, if you ask me.

10 Mo Cheers
2 Ozo Mo

This matchup is all about the Mo’s.  My favorite Mo Cheer was to the tune of the Lone Ranger – “To the mo, to the mo to the mo we go…”  The Ozo Mo, for all its mysterious wonder, has been exposed.  My only complaint about the Ozo Mo in the increasing need Ozrim feel to “leave their mark”.  Its one thing to write your name on the wall.  However, I was very sad to see that Ozrim now are writing their names ON THE PLAQUES of old Ozo groups.  That is sacred, and if you’re a 2010 Ozo and reading this, I ask you to stop this terrible trend.  I’m off my soap box now.

Vanegba Region: Last, we have the Vanegba region.  Reviewed here:  this region has a clear favorite but some interesting contenders.  No votes were tallied here, so you’re at my mercy.

1 Friday Night Song Session
8 The Birthday Song

My all time favorite, I think, is Yad B’ Yad.  I’m a sucker for a good round, and this one, in all its cheesy goodness, tops them all.  “It can be you, it can be me, it can be all the people all over the world…”  Good stuff.  You know what I’m not a fan of?  The walking singers.  In theory, it should enhance the mood.  In practice, I find them to be distracting.  Focus on the candle in front of you, sing, and magic will happen.  As far as the birthday song goes, the most absurd addition has to be the Ole soccer cheer.  Do they still do it?

12 Chugim Follies and Policy Schtick
4 Slow Flag Songs on Final Shabbat

I told you that I called the upset in the 12 vs. 5 first round matchup.  Again, your fault for not voting.  Who donated that ridiculous bunny costume that was the perennial favorite in the policy schtick?  And who decided to sing Oompa Loompa, rather than just read the rules?  These are great examples of why Herzl is so much more special than another place, which I’m sure covers similar content in a much less interesting way.  What are your most memorable final flag songs?  I will always associate classics from Journey, Bob Seeger, and Eric Clapton with final Shabbats.  And P Diddy.  Again, thanks 1997 Ozrim.  If I had to point the finger, I’d have to say Matt Rinkey was the ringleader of the absurd coup.

6 Kadimah Play
3 Hot Cereal

In 1989, I remember my Chug Sign up.  I saw “Kadimah Play” blocked out for the entire morning.  I thought to myself, “Self, that’s not fair.  Kadimah gets to play all day long.  Us Machaneh kids have to go to Sichot and I have to have one ‘soft’ Chug between my 4 other ‘hard’ Chugim.”  (Anyone else remember this rule?  That’s why I was in the radio chug with Sabrina Eisenstadt.)   I had no idea that that meant Kadimah Play Practice.  Not very quick on the uptake.  I ate oatmeal this morning.  In silence.  How depressing?  Much like root beer floats, it is just better at camp.

7 I’m Going to That One
15 Pooping in South Haks

Well there you have it, our first MAJOR upset with pooping taking out #2 seed Friday afternoon songs.  Zander Abrams, in his infinite wisdom, likes pooping in South Haks as much as I do.  I’m going to post his comment from the previous round, in case you didn’t see it.
“I was staff of the week for my program in 2006 and got a pack of girlscout cookies for it. I consistently used the South Hawks for all the reasons you listed and so it made sense to bring Gabe with me and nosh on the cookies while pooping. A camper came in and you could tell in his eyes that he was scared and embarrassed. Before he ran out I offered him a cookie. He paused, took it, and then ran out. A classic South Hawk moment.”

Priceless.  Let’s see if the poop can keep the Cinderella run alive.  Zander, if we’re ever at camp together, we have a date on side by side toilets in the South Haks.  I’m going to that one!

And there it is.  Next stop, Sweet Sixteen.  Have at it, Machaneh Herzl!

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Favorite Herzl Cabins

April 8, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Top 10 Lists.

By Alex Locke

Everyone has a favorite cabin at Herzl Camp.  So… what is yours?  I will tell you mine, but first… the cabins I was in that are not my favorite.

It was 1987… I was at Herzl camp for the first time through a program of Camp Butwin.  Essentially, this was where Taste of Herzl began.  When I got there, I found out I was in cabin 8.  How cool is that?!?!  I don’t know why it was cool, but it was.  Work with me people!

Well, if cabin 8 was cool in 1987, imagine how cool it was when I was in it again in 1988.  This time I was there for a full session, and I was the only person in my cabin that had ever been in it before.  So I gave everyone the grand tour… there’s the door… that’s a closet… windows on both sides… counselor rooms… okay, the grand tour was complete.  But, I was still cool being the only person who was in this cabin for the second year in a row.  That said… cabin 8 was not my favorite.

Next up, was cabin 9 in 1989.  Not much can be said for cabin 9 other than SMALL!!  Definitely NOT my favorite cabin.

New decade, new cabin.  This time I was in cabin 6.  For those of you who remember the configurations of the old cabins, I was pretty much in a triangle for my first four years at Herzl.  This cabin was fun, but I never really liked having people on the other side of the wall.  So again, not my favorite.

Finally, I made it to the north end of camp.  I was in Kadimah in 1991 and now I was in cabin 28.  Looking back… it was all of us St. Paul boys under one roof (literally 6 of the 8 campers were from St. Paul).  We had an ocean view (okay fine… we could see Devil’s Lake through some trees), but still, I had not arrived at my favorite cabin.

1992 was my final summer as a camper.  I was a Deaver and felt like we ruled Herzl Camp.  I was in cabin Bet!  Ah ha… now I was finally in a “letter” cabin.  I loved the time we spent there, and if I had a second favorite cabin, it would likely be Bet.  But again… not my favorite.

In 1994, I was an Ozo.  The guys lived in cabin 14, which is MUCH bigger on the inside than in looks on the outside.  I believe it is also the only cabin without a back door.  Cool cabin, not my favorite.  While I lived in 14, I was Ozo for cabin 25, both first and second sessions.  I rank that right up there with cabin 28… a fair cabin despite the ocean view.  And finally that summer, I was in cabin 7.  I was now on the other side of the cabin I was in as a camper, but this time I was an Ozo.  Still, I did not like people on the other side of our wall. (Side note… 7 is way better than 6).

In 1995 I was a Kadimah counselor in cabin Vav.  This was pretty awesome to be a staff member in a “new” cabin, and my campers were awesome too.  This does rank up there for awesome cabins, but not quite the top.  Third session I was a Machaneh counselor in cabin 20.  Granted… this was an awesome cabin (despite rumors of it being haunted), and Danny Soshnik was my Ozo, but I still had not come to my favorite.

We’ll skip 1996 for a moment… I have to end the blog on my favorite cabin you know.

In 1997 I was Papa Ozo.  Me and the guys stayed in cabin 13.  No thanks!!!  Loved my guys, did not love the cabin!!

Okay, 1996.  This summer I was a Kadimah and B’Yachad counselor.  First came the news that I was single bunked (no co-counselor) with 12 campers.  Then they told me I was in cabin 17.  For those of you who have ever stepped foot in cabin 17, you know it rocks, and the two counselor rooms are pretty sweet too.  Needless to say I loved being in there for Kadimah.  As Kadimah was winding down and it was time to get ready for B’Yachad, David Breifstein asked me if I want to move to cabin Hey or stay in 17.  Ummmm…. Let me think… new cabin with a shared room or old cabin and not have to move plus I get my own room again.  Yup… I am staying put.  That cabin of boys was my all-time favorite group.  Danny Soshnik was my co-counselor (you can’t split up rock star teams), and we had an AWESOME group of campers.

So… to make a short story really long… cabin 17 is definitely my favorite cabin ever.  Now that I have bored you to tears… what is your favorite cabin?  Please let us know by leaving a comment below!!

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Capital Campaign Reveals Inside of Ozo Mo

April 2, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under General Posts.

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Everything I’ve learned about Life, I learned at Herzl Camp (An Ongoing Parenthetical List)

March 19, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under What I Learned from Camp.

By Max and Zach Puchtel

Part 4 – On a Rain Day

So there we were, Zach and I, recapping the previous day in our bunks late at night.  “Today was awesome”, I exclaimed, “In 15 hours I sang flag songs, cleaned up half of camp, played 5 sports, ate 24 tuna melts, sailed across the lake, slapped 21 mosquitoes, went star-gazing, and saw a bear!”  (68. All of which are possible within a typical day at Herzl) “That’s nothing”, said Zach, “I led services, cleaned the other half of camp and the lake, won world league, ate 43 fish sticks, canoed the St. Croix, killed 2831 mosquitoes with my bug-zapper, saw a shooting star, and ATE a bear!”

It was obvious that we both had very packed days, (69. Even more than Calvin & Hobbes) But what do you expect?  Herzl is full of activities.  (70. Time flies when you’re having fun) I vowed to Zach that I would out-do him during the next day by running continually from chug to chug!

We awoke!  “Hey Zach, why does it feel colder than usual?”  It wasn’t too early, no, it was only 7:30am, just the right time to get up and make a trip to the haks before flag circle.  (71. Why were the haks always wet?)  I got Zach out of his bunk because I needed a buddy for the walk, but upon stepping out of Tzrif 11 (72. All great campers’ stories emerge from cabin 11) we realized that camp was under some serious HEAVY DEW!!!  (73. Heavy Dew is the great euphemism in my life to which all others are compared).  “Awh, man!  Now I’ll never get to do all that fun stuff!”

Off to the Ulam where flag circle and services were combined into an amorphous mess.  (74. Like most things on rain days!)  During breakfast we are told that there will be a special schedule today due to the heavy dew:  a rotation of indoor activities throughout the day.  “Zach, the staff won’t know where we are today because they don’t even know where to go themselves.”  “Max, that is excellent!!!  We can cause chaos!”  (75. Lack of supervision = mischief).

First rotation – Where should we go?  Peeking our heads into Amanut (76. Do dooooo, da do do), we see that weaklings are doing arts and crafts.  That won’t do.  “Max, let’s try the old Chadar, I hear that is where all of the cool staff go.”  After trudging through the many lakes that form among the paths in camp, we arrived in the old Chadar, where we see Alex Locke sitting on the small stage with the microphone in his hand (77. Herzl staff LOVE using the microphone) organizing board games.  As he leaves, Danny Soshnik takes the microphone to play his breathing guessing game: nose or mouth, and then Bender and Kaminsky steal the microphone in order to play a game that challenges you to identify a woman named Beatrice (78. or not).

After quickly leaving that place we saw a hairy, dew-soaked creature lapping up water from leaves on a tree.  (79. Aaron Gelperin knows many water-finding tricks).  “Aaron”, we asked, “all of the activities on rain days are boring!  What can we do?”  “Come closer and listen, kids.  The secret to rain days is finding the magical traveling game of ga-ga.”  “Ga-ga?  What is that?”  No sooner after questioning the origin of this game we were shuffled into the Ulam by Aaron.  But it was no longer the Ulam!  The benches were stacked 3 rows high into an enormous gladiator-style arena.  Campers and staff stood in the stands and stage cheering for bloodshed.  (80. Another opportunity to use the microphone) Bodies of defeated campers lay strung about the arena floor, while the last remaining competitor held the ga-ga ball above his head and let out a triumphant roar.

Zach and I looked at each other and smiled.  “He’s going down!”  Now we knew what rain days were all about.

To be continued…

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Herzl Magic Bracket: Round 2, Vakedma Region

February 25, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Uncategorized.

By Danny Soshnik

As you may know, a couple months ago, we launched the “Herzl Magic” Bracket. In a “March Madness”-like bracket, the goal is to discuss and ultimately vote on what makes Herzl so special.  I discussed the Yama region’s first round match-ups here and today will dissect the Vakedma Region.  I want your votes, as my commentary is just a starting point and hopefully not the final determinant.

1    Shabbos Caravan
16  “Swimming” Before Shir Hamalot

This is a classic #1 vs #16 match-up.  You basketball fans out there know that a #16 has never upset a #1, and it isn’t likely to happen here.  I’ve always thought the swimming was slightly entertaining, but the real question is why we are ever swaying in the first place.  The preceding song, “Hiney Ni Muchan,” isn’t pretty enough to warrant swaying, is it?  I always thought swaying was for the Debbie Freedman Havdallah or something else truly beautiful.  Danny’s Prediction:  The big White Snake

8    Thursday Night Cookouts
9    Fish Stick/Chicken Nugget Eating Contests

This is a classic match-ups.  On the one hand you have a great break from the grind of the normal week at camp.   Giving the kitchen staff a night off and getting to watch some poor Madrich struggle with charcoal and undercooked hotdogs while trying to keep the Frisbee out of the fire is great  But, so are the eating contests.  Intermittently banned at camp, the eating contests allowed the boys to separate themselves from, well, the other boys.  Didn’t a Puchtel eat almost 100?  [Editor's Note:  The epic Puchtel vs. Puchtel nugget battle of 2000 may go down in history as the single most amazing chicken consumption experience of all time]. I’d like an update on the current records.  My personal record?  I almost finished 1 fish stick in 1997.  Gross.  Danny’s Prediction:  For me, it’s a toss up.

5    Kitchen Raids
12  Hazak V’almatz

Truth be told, I don’t know how either of these have changed in the modern (New Chadar) era.  Not sure if the kitchen is “raidable” and I would assume Hazak V’almatz is still done, but the new acoustics may have changed things [Editor's Note:  A new Chadar is no match for creative staff and hardware stores that replicate keys]. I remember my first kitchen raid vividly.  It was an all-boys Machaneh raid, led by David Schwartz in 1990.  We successfully snuck in through the Chiri Bim window and took all kinds of good stuff.  Then we heard Mary Lou in the distance and made a beeline for the Sifriyah. Hiding in the dark, we heard Schwartzie get chewed out and fired on the spot.  Boys were crying.  Ricky Ofstein peed in his pants.  But, alas, it was a joke.  Amazing fun.  It should be noted that there was a way to actually sneak into the kitchen involving climbing over shelves near Chadar Bet.  We were taught it my Deaver summer in 1993, and we took literally everything in sight.  What we needed a 5 pound tub of mayo in our Cabin for is beyond me.  Hazak V’almatz is one of those traditions that you have no idea what it means, where it came from, or why we do it.  For all we know, it means “I’m an idiot and here’s why…”  Some of them were creative and funny, but more often than not, the cabin leading couldn’t coordinate 12 voices into one and make coherent sense.  Danny’s Prediction:  This one has to go to the raids.

4    Tzrif Introductions in Ulam
13  Rhythmic Clapping between Lists of Peoples’ Names

There is never a time in the summer with more energy than the Tzrif introductions.  Not even when Bikkurim is announced.  Remember your first summer, sitting there, slightly to totally overwhelmed by all this singing and dancing?  Wondering which crazy counselor would be yours?  Hoping they wouldn’t forget to call your name?  The rhythmic clapping is another one that I have no idea where it came from.  It has evolved.  It used to be a clap in between the names.  Then Jesse Simon made an art form of it and read the lists in an almost rap-like manner to fit the words around the clapping.  Then the clapping took over and didn’t go between the words but concurrently with them, making the speaker virtually worthless because nobody could hear. [Editor's Note:  Or my personal favorite, Ross Tulman version which would simply have him nonchalantly request to "hold all applause until the end"].  Danny’s Prediction:  I like the clapping but I love the introductions.

6    Knock Knock
11  Shake your Booty

Knock Knock is a newer tradition (I think early 90s) during Saturday lunch.  Not sure where it came from but I’m pretty sure it involved Marc Warren.  It got the creative juices flowing for the 30 or so kids near the two yellers on either side of the Chadar.
“Hey Marc Warren!”
“Hey What!”
“Knock Knock!”
“Who’s there?”
“Owl”
“Owl who?”
“Owl bet you’re not reading this Blog!”
“OKAY!”
Shake your Booty is noise pollution – ruach for the sake of ruach.  Don’t get me wrong.  I have asked more people to shake their booty in my lifetime than I have to shake my hand.  But it’s not uniquely Herzl at all, and doesn’t compare with Knock Knock.  Danny’s Prediction:  Okaaaaaaaaaaay!

3     Ozo Play
14   Announcements

The Ozo Play is great.  An opportunity to make fun of the staff, while making campers believe they know what the skit is about.  The best scenes were always the improv ones.  As a staff member it was always entertaining to see the Ozrim imitate you.  Larry Stein did the best Danny Soshnik impersonation ever in 1996.  Announcements would be better if ANYONE knew the words [Editor's Notes:  To fix this very real problem, recent years have actually had the Ozrim teach the song to campers every year at least once]. It’s not uniquely Herzl and now it’s just yell “Announcements” and sing a couple words and get the speaker wet.  Not uber creative.

7     Morning Music and Dancing
10   Mega Lunch

I want to make it clear that I am old school and have always thought breakfast is about the Ozrim rising to the ruach occasion while the rest of camp sleep walks.  It always drove me crazy when an Ozo group would play music so loud that campers couldn’t even converse.  David Schlosberg and I challenged many a boom box to a ruach contest and I’ll have you know that we never lost.  But something good happened over time – like any good Herzl tradition, the boom box evolved.  The music drowning out conversation has been replaced by elaborate all-camp dances … Amazing.  Also, I love mega lunch.  From the reading of the airport bus list, to the lost and found, to the song session countdown, this lunchathon seemed to last for two hours.  I know that on my final day at camp, there’s nothing I’d rather do than sit in an overcrowded, hot, smelly Chadar.  Who need Chugim or Minucha when you can have mega lunch?

2     Flag Songs
15   Elbows on the Table

This one is almost as easy as the first match-up.  Flag songs are amazing.  It used to be that some cabins did flag songs, and others did Israeli dancing at the flag circle after caravan.  Then someone wised up and realized how great flag songs are.  I remember many of the songs I helped write and sang.  Drives my (non-Herzl) wife crazy every time I hear one on the radio and sing my own lyrics.  Elbows on the table is like shake your booty.  It’s not really Herzl.  It’s noise pollution, but it does break up the routine.  Anyone else remember when Bobby Shapiro (Fun Bobby) tried to convince camp that we were singing the elbows song incorrectly?  His version went something like, “Right elbow up. Down! Left elbow up. Down!”  That was in 1995, my Ozo summer.  Guess who played Fun Bobby (brilliantly, I might add) in my Ozo play?  Danny’s Prediction:  “Ha’atid, we’re Leaving, we’ll be back … next summer” (to the tune of Free Falling)

So there you have it.  I don’t see major upset potential in this region, but I’d love your opinions and stories!  Please leave comments below with your votes!

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NEWSFLASH: Herzl Alumn Sends Son to Camp!

January 28, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Parents.

By Anna Simon

Ok, I realize that there is nothing new and exciting about Herzl Camp alumni sending their children to camp for the first time. This has been going on for years. For more on this topic, read Andy Halper’s blog entry about a girl named Sue (Waldman) Roether [Editor's Note:  Or stay tuned for a special guest entry this Sunday...]. I guess it was just a really big moment for me when I registered Z for Taste of Herzl this year. I actually got choked up when I hit the send button. It was such a weird feeling. I wasn’t sad that he was going to be gone for an entire week because I knew I could deal with that. I wasn’t scared about sending him someplace new because we have spent the last two summers at Herzl Family Camp. I was just so overwhelmed with emotion knowing that he will be able to experience something that had such a deep, meaningful and lifelong impact on me. Even though he won’t find my name etched on a wall anywhere, hopefully, he’ll feel my ruach and spirit within camp.

As a former Herzl camper and staff, I hoped Z would WANT to go to Herzl. But, I was cautious about how much I suggested or pushed it. We all want our kids to enjoy the same wonderful opportunities we had when we were young. And, so often we hear about the how Jewish summer camp was one of the most profound experiences of their youth when adults are surveyed. But, you can’t force your child to want to do the same things you did as a kid. And you definitely can’t make them like those things.

That’s where Family Camp comes in. I’m grateful that we had the opportunity to attend it twice (and we’ll definitely be there again in August). Of course, from a selfish standpoint, I wanted to be in the one place in the world where I feel totally free, relaxed and safe. But, I also wanted Z to experience a little bit of the magic of Machaneh Paradise. Plus, the idea of sharing a cabin with Ann (Fiterman) Miller and her son made it even more appealing! We had other friends join us too…friends who did not attend Herzl and wanted to “taste” it before sending their own children. Family Camp was as much of an introduction to Herzl for Z and his friends as it was an opportunity for all of us to begin to let go of the reigns and let them discover camp on their own. As the kids became more comfortable in their surroundings, the parents relaxed a bit and let them run around with friends and the staff. At some point during that first summer, Z turned to me and asked if he could be a camper.

There are so many things I want to tell Z about camp, but I’m holding back. I want him to bring home his own unique and personal experiences. When that bus pulls into the parking lot in June after Taste, I will be anxiously waiting to give lots of hugs and kisses and then sit back to listen to everything that he has to say about camp. Maybe he will give me a list of what he learned at camp. More likely, he’ll share stories and sing the 2010 Ozo Song. It won’t be until much later in life that he will realize what he really learned from being at Herzl.

So, my camp friends, here are just a few things I learned from being at Camp:

• It is possible to be responsible and have ruach all at the same time as demonstrated by Danny Soshnik
• When it rains, go puddle jumping. Sometime during the mid-1980’s, during the all-camp color war, called Bikkurim, it started to pour (um, I mean Heavy Dew as it really never rains at Herzl Camp) just before the camp relay began. Staff could have just moved everyone inside to play rainy day games but they did not. Instead, they started an all-out mud-puddle-jumping extravaganza complete with shaving cream. It was the greatest day ever. I have since learned that in every bad situation or rainy day you can truly find a ray of sunshine.
• Attitude is everything and it is highly contagious
• Nothing compares to having Shabbat services outdoors
• Tan is not the same as white
• Grilled cheese together and tomato soup – what more do I need to say?
• Stepping back to understand the big picture is important
• Being with family at camp is precious, truly…especially when your brother, Jesse, is the co-director (with Beth Shapiro) of Nilakot and gives you a pair of funky, granola pants (yep, I still have mine)
• Community is crucial
• The Northview Drive Inn has the best blueberry shakes…ever
• Toran wheels are really beneficial
• Having a colleague at work as cool as Matt Lipschultz, Tommy Hoffman, Adam Chall and Marcy Simon just makes the job better
• Camp is a frame of mind
• It’s ok to laugh at yourself every once in a while
• If you are wearing a tie dye shirt you are on the tie dye team
• Spotting a bald eagle soaring in the sky is a gift from G-d
• Little things do count and should be celebrated
• Every time I read the word Bikkurim or announcements, I have to sing the songs that go with them
• Treat the earth with respect and keep it clean, even if you don’t get a t-shirt for doing it
• 12 Gates is funny even if you have no idea what they are singing about
• Never mess with Jesse Zimmerman or Ben Gray at camp…ever
• You can lose gracefully
• Flip Frisch’s voice makes me think of and feel Shabbos at camp
• Nicknames stick even after camp
• It’s not ok to jump on a table and yell loudly when there is a bat flying around in the (old) chadar, Barry Golob
• It is ok and highly encouraged to put potato chips on your sandwiches…thank you Stacy (Kaplan) Simon
• Talent shows are awesome
• Singing and dancing during breakfast is a fantastic way to get your day started
• That it is ok for Debbie Minkin or anyone else to break into song or dance at a moment’s notice
• You absolutely MUST sing the Herzl song every time you drive into camp
• Gaga is just plain fun…for everyone
• Flag songs are funny any time
• You have a lot to learn from people both older and younger then yourself
• Eating a freeze pop can make even the smallest bump or bruise feel better
• The Herzl Camp staff and Ozrim are some of the hardest working folks in the universe
• Once a camp friend, always a friend
• There is magic at Herzl

And, finally, here are a few things that Z would like to learn while at Taste this summer (in his own words):

• To canoe by myself
• To be ok with being away from my parents for a long time
• To walk around without getting pine needles in my sandals
• To make a 6-string lanyard
• Make new friends

Shabbat Shalom Everyone!

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An Ode to Herzl Traditions

June 21, 2009 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Letters from Alumni.

By Zander Abrams

Herzl is having a weekend for Alumni of all ages to relive their memories and help sustains their traditions.  Traditions?  What is a Herzl Tradition?  Over Shabbat this week, I contemplated how that word really fits into Herzl for us Alumni that experienced them.  Some regard cheers as traditions. Is the Chadar really the Chadar without ruach? Others believe that activities, such as picnic-lunch on Fridays or whites on Shabbat, which have been going on before I was even born, are traditions. So often when arguing about decisions to be made in camp operations people assert that their position is a Herzl tradition and therefore must win out. What they want is what has always been done, and so it should always be done.

As a camper, I was very aware of Herzl traditions. Bender’s “Do It” was an institution in my eyes, as was a Dodi Li challenge to Danny Soshnik. Brandon and the kitchen staff were terrifying, even as a PD I never liked to go into the kitchen alone in fear that I wouldn’t come out! The tradition of Herzl was very important to me, and not straying too far from what I viewed as “Herzl” was my guiding principle as I transitioned to Ozo and bunk staff.  With “12 Gates” I always tried to keep the show grounded in simplicity by sticking to the traditional jokes and try not to overdo the production.  In fact, my Ozo summer I received feedback from Papa Neiman and Mama Jess that I try to do things too much like how my counselors did, and to me at that time it was not a criticism, rather a complement.

During my years on staff, I saw a transition take place. Silly things that I did with my campers, or with other staff regarding programs or cheers, kids came to see as Herzl traditions on their own. Somehow I had become what my counselors were to me … an conduit of tradition. Therefore, it would seem that “Herzl Traditions” are not static as I thought for well over a decade, but rather dynamic to the wonderful people Herzl employs. They are ever-changing.

So what is a Herzl Tradition? I guess I have only established what it is not. In my opinion, there is only one Herzl Tradition. It is not something tangible, but is what I consider to be the Herzl Canon. The only tradition at Herzl is for camp to be a place where both staff and campers come to be themselves, to be adventurous in a safe Jewish environment, and to be a better person when they get back to Beth El Synagogue at the end of the summer.  This change happens over time, be it years or be it decades, but the Canon has remained constant and is the inception for what many have considered to be Herzl Traditions. Remember this Canon and come experience it first hand for the Alumni Camp reunion in August. Relive those traditions so important to you, and see what new ones have evolved since. Sign up now and join your peers for a Shabbat to reember in 2009. Shabbat Shalom!

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