I have the pleasure of spending a few weeks each summer at Jewish summer camp. There
are a lot of reasons why, as a Jewish Educator, I do this. I go to support the students from my congregation. I love being in
this space with them, sharing in the joy and magic that can only happen at camp.
I also go so that when I promote our camps to our families, I can describe
the experience and answer questions in an authentic, “I saw it firsthand” way. I
also go because at camp we can find experiential learning at its best, and I seek
out innovation to bring back to our school and community. And I go so that I
can help to mentor the young adults serving on staff in what it means to be
Jewish role models as they strive to find their footing on their own Jewish
journeys.
Last week I had the good fortune of
serving as a part of the pioneer faculty for the URJ 6 Points Sci Tech Academy. I’m not
quite sure where to begin in describing all of the significant moments that I
observed and experienced.
At Sci Tech they have so seamlessly
blended science and technology with living Jewishly. Here, campers are deeply
exploring, creating and discovering while experiencing the true magic of Jewish
camp. It is a specialty camp like no other and I have no doubt that many of these
children would not have otherwise had a Jewish summer experience. Point in
case, on Shabbat morning I taught two of the youngest campers how we honor the
Torah during hakafah (Torah procession) as they had never participated in a
Torah service before.
And, as is my nature, I enter into
experiential learning spaces with an eye toward inclusion. From the moment that
I arrived at Sci Tech it was clear to me that it was an inclusive space,
attracting campers with a wide range of intellectual, emotional and social
abilities. The staff was prepared to welcome campers of all abilities, and the appropriate
support was in place to enable every camper to find success.
It is this support which impressed me
the most. It is a part of the fabric of Sci Tech. Inclusion is not an
after-thought or a band-aid stuck on problems after they arise. Rather, this is
a community built with intentionality and the foresight to anticipate the many
needs and complexities of a wonderfully diverse population.
When I had the honor of offering the
dvar Torah on Shabbat morning, it is this support that I chose to make the
focus of my teaching. Here is a part of what I shared with the Sci Tech
community:
"This Shabbat we
read from D’varim, the first chapter of the last book of the Torah, Deuteronomy.
D'varim means words. In this
portion Moses begins his farewell address to the Israelites. In it he recounts
all of the struggles they have had over their forty years in the desert as a
reminder of what NOT to do in the future.
But here is what
is really interesting. When God addressed Moses for the very first time at the
Burning Bush, sending him on his life's mission to liberate the Israelite
slaves, Moses resisted, saying, Lo ish
d'varim anochi . . . , “I have never been a man of words…I am slow
of speech and slow of tongue.”
And yet now, at
the end of his life, we have a whole portion dedicated to a powerful and
memorable speech that Moses will give. He has become a man of words; he has
become a master storyteller.
How can that
happen? Moses’ speech impediment was so severe that it paralyzed him with fear.
It’s not just that he didn’t want to heed God’s call. It is that he genuinely
and wholeheartedly believed that he could not. And yet, we know that Moses goes
on to do exactly what God has asked of him. What made it possible for Moses to
overcome his insecurities and limitations and gain the confidence he needed to
face this challenge?
Quite simply, it
is because he had the right support. God wouldn’t take no for an answer and gave
Moses what he needed to be successful. Aaron, Moses’ brother, became his aide
and was designated to speak on Moses’ behalf when he could not. I believe that
the comfort of knowing that Aaron was there for support was enough to enable
Moses to rise to the challenge, discover his own gifts and shine.
Being here this
week has shown me that you have a camp full of Aarons. Your counselors and this
incredible staff support you and enable you to be the best you that each of you
can be. I will go further and say that you give this support to one another,
too. Truly, this camp, this amazing Sci Tech community is Aaron. It is a place
where you can be you; where you have the support you need to find the gifts
that were there all along while you discover some new ones along the way.
Thank you for
welcoming me in to this holy community and for letting me share this time with
you. May you continue to support one another as Aaron supported Moses while you
learn, grow and discover. Shabbat Shalom."
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