For your bravery,

For your self-reliance,
For your inner strength,

And for your ruach (spirit);

For your flexibility,
For your patience,
For your willingness to step out of your comfort zone,

And for your resilience;

For your openness to new friendships and new experiences,

For your curiosity,
For your embrace of community and tradition,
And for your commitment to meaningful Jewish living.

My dear camper, as you set off on your summer journey,

Know too, that, this summer will bring days when I miss you, and days when you miss me,

Days with highs and lows, and lows and highs;
And while I won’t be there to witness every rise and fall,
I am eternally grateful to those who will:

I’m grateful to your counselors, whom I’ve yet to meet,
but in whom,
I’ve put my most sacred trust;

I’m grateful to the camp leadership and staff,

who will care for you and nurture you,
and walk with you,
in your triumphs and heartaches;

And I’m grateful to the educators and clergy,

who will teach you and guide you,
and inspire you,
with the eternal wisdom of our Torah.

My dear camper, as you set off on your summer journey,

Know that this moment is precious and full of emotion,
And know, too, there is plenty of room here,
for every heart flutter and every cheer, every fidget, and every tear;
All are part of this snapshot in time, a snapshot we honor with these words of blessing:

Baruch atah Adonai,

Eloheinu Melech Haolam,

Shehecheyanu, v’kiy’manu,

V’higiyanu laz’man hazeh;

Oh, Holy Source of Blessing,
In this space of time before we say farewell,
We offer our deepest gratitude,
For the extraordinary lives and opportunities we’ve been given;

For our health and our strength,
And our vital connections to the Jewish community,
And for the sacred gift of reaching this very special milestone,

A summer full of wonder, friendship, growth, and joy, at camp.

-Rabbi Sara Sapadin, Crane Lake Parent