This week Chaverim led the first Shabbat services of second session. The theme for Friday night was Achrayut, responsibility and the theme for Saturday morning was words and how they can affect people. Chaverim campers wrote small writings for between the prayers during services, here it what they wrote.

By Ian K.

We are about to join together to sing Hashkivenu. This prayer asks God to protect us as we go to sleep every night. In my first week of camp, I learned so much about Israel, my other Jewish home. As we sing hashkivenu, let us think of our responsibility to pray for peace for our brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents, friends, and family in the land of Israel, and throughout the world.

By Lael and Rachel

Lael:  We at Crane Lake Camp connect as one.

Rachel:  The prayer we are about to recite, the Sh’ma and V’ahavta, teach us that we all have the responsibility of declaring the oneness of the Universe.

Lael:  Responsibility is a tough task that requires constant focus, just as the Sh’ma requires focus.  As we’ve learned, one of the ways we focus is to cover our eyes during the Sh’ma to establish a deeper connection with God.

Rachel:  Part of the Oneness of God is the oneness of camp.

Lael:  Just as we maintain a connection with the Oneness of God, having unity as a camp is also an important way of expressing our belief in the Oneness of all.

By Michelle and Isabella

The next prayer is the Yotzeir Or. The Yotzeir Or is about God bringing light into the world. The power of words can bring positivity/light, or negativity/darkness. At CLC when your bunk is using positive words it brings light to the community and creates a kehillah kedosha. This Shabbat let’s all brighten our community through the power of words.

By Shaina and Maddy

Next is the time in the service where we have time to pray silently. It’s our chance to reflect on the week, and think and pray the words of our own hearts. Although the theme of this morning’s service is “the Power of Words” there can be a lot of power in silence as well. When you have been friends with someone a long time, sometimes when you are together no words are necessary; you can just sense each other’s feelings. So now, take a moment without spoken words to think of the words inside of you.  Please pray silently.

By Josh A

This week’s Torah portion is the first one in the book of Deuteronomy and its called devarim. Devarim means words- so this week we thought about all of the words that come to mind when we think of camp. We wrote them down and realized that some words came up over and over. Those words appear larger in the collage. Throughout this morning’s service, thinking about the power of words we are praying.