Naomi Less Shines at Crane Lake

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By Jenny Rehkugler, Communications Specialist

This week Crane Lake hosted a very special musical guest, Naomi Less. Naomi visited for one whole week to bring our community together in song and prayer with a little added touch of uniqueness. Naomi is a celebrated Jewish musician who is known for her rocker chick attitude and Jewish identity building songs.

Every Friday night before Shabbat dinner, Crane Lake says the Yevarechecha, a blessing for our children before we eat and pray at services. We asked Naomi to join our Kehilah this week to help us write an entirely new prayer for our children that would be completely unique to Crane Lake.

Naomi started her creative process by asking campers and staff to chime in to give her inspiration for the prayer. They spoke to her about what life is like inside the bubble and she took people’s words and transformed them into a song.

“I got my inspiration from everyone’s language at camp,” Naomi explained. “I was immersed in the fabric of camp language.”

Naomi arrived on Monday, finished the interviews by Tuesday and had the song fully written by Tuesday night.

The question that was asked to campers, counselors, faculty and staff was what it means to bless each other. Using peoples thoughts and ideas, Naomi crafted a new musical rendition of Yevarechecha for Crane Lake called “Shine”.

“The word that kept coming up was shine,” Naomi said. “Everyone wants God’s presence to shine through the kids. You can see it on everyone’s face.”

And shine the community does. From role models both ancient and new, the prayer Shine illustrates individuality, safety and love.

“It was clear from the interviews that the faculty and staff care so much for the children who go here,” Naomi said. “The kids and staff talked a lot about finding yourself in this safe place that is camp.”

Shine debuted on Friday night at Shabbat dinner as our whole community sang the prayer to bless each other. Singing the words “shine though you, keep safe and true” our community welcomed in Shabbat like never before.

Crane Lake sang the prayer again on Saturday before Havdallah at the Chadar Ochel dedication with guests from all over to celebrate our new eating space. We are so thankful to have this new sacred prayer for our community. Naomi’s presence was a true gift and our new song “Shine” will certainly shine through our community for years to come.

Shine (Priestly blessing) By Naomi Less and Glenn Grossman with inspiration from the Crane Lake Camp faculty, staff and campers

May you be like our ancient brothers

And live in peace and kindness

May you be like our ancient mothers

Live bravely and be strong

May you be most importantly like you

Yivarech’cha Adonai v’yishmerecha

Ya’er Adonai panav eleicha vichuneka

Yisa Adonai panav eleicha

V’yasem l’cha shalom

(Chorus)

Yivarech’cha – shine through you