Closing Ceremony Speeches – Alumim

For our Closing Ceremony, chanichim (campers) from each chug (group) shared their final reflections with the entire camp. These powerful speeches are posted below:

Written by: Evan C.

When you come to TY, it doesn’t matter if you went to a junior camp for eight years or if you are the newest addition to the Young Judaea community. You are a part of Tel Yehudah. You are accepted with open arms and a lot of laughter and good times. The first few days of camp, you start to meet people you don’t know, people in other chugim, from other places, and you start to build true and strong connections. First session-ers meet second session-ers, and the bonds are formed and reformed incredibly quickly.

In Alumim, we were the youngest members of this community, but we immediately felt welcomed by everyone, even if there were a few “meemer” jokes here and there. As a shichva (age group), we had the opportunity to go rafting on the Delaware River and hiking in Stokes Park. As we paddled, walked, cooked, ate, and sang around the bonfire, we all couldn’t help but smile and laugh with each other.

In Philadelphia, we explored the roots of our American and Jewish communities as we slept over in a shul, visited museums, and had a chance to learn with people who are living out their Jewish values by working to make Philly a more just city. There was also plenty of time to take pictures, play mini-golf and goof around.

At the end of the trips we came back to TY, which for me at least—and probably a lot of you—truly feels like my emotional and physical home.

Written by: Lili P.

I feel most Jewish when I’m at camp. Camp is a place where people from all over the country and the world come together, because they are connected by this one common thread. We are all Jewish. This year in Alumim we learned about what being Jewish means, about our own Jewish identities and the identities of our fellow campers. We learned what it means to be both Jewish and American, what our responsibilities are to other Jews and the world, and how we each have our own personal connections to Israel.

We discussed how our constellation of identities come together to make us each a unique Young Judaean. We can’t wait to come back next year and see how all different unique Young Judaeans from around the country and around the world come together to form an amazing Yachad community.

Letiferet Tel Yehudah Ve’Medinat Yisrael!