Bridging the Gap

As I sit here listening to my Greek Philosophy professor lecture on the ethics of Aristotle, my mind cannot help but wander and become distracted by the good news that I received yesterday. I received a call from the director of Camp Ramah in the Poconos, and he informed me that I was being offered the role of a Gesher Madrich (Gesher Counselor). This job, while difficult, is one of those roles that you know that you can/will have an impact on someone else’s life. I am both nervous an excited; however, receiving this job offer is akin to a dream come true!

The role of the Gesher Madrich is unique at Camp in that it serves the oldest age group of hanichim (campers), and these hanichim are given certain responsibilities that really exceptional to expect of a hanich. Literally the name of this group, Gesher, means “bridge” and the concept behind this program is to not only serve as a culminating experience for the hanichim, but also to help aid their transition into effective staff member. Each Geshernik is assigned to a specific tzrif (bunk) or program area, and they assist the staff that work in these areas for part of the week in order to gain practical work experience at camp! The role, then, of the Gesher staff is to demonstrate and teach their Gesher hanichim how to behave in that manner. While professional development is one aspect of the Gesher program, there are a number of peulot or activities that are unique to the program as well! While I am unfamiliar with the entirety of the program, as I was never a camper, I am sure that we will have all sorts of great things planed! Specifically, there is a week-long road trip that serves as a unique bonding experience for the edah (age-group).

Another part of this summer that I am particularly excited for is the staff that I will be working with! I am going to be one of 5 people working with this age group this summer! The five are headed up by Sarah Waxman, who will serve as our fearless supervisor, and I am so very excited to be working under her this summer as she is an amazing Jewish Educator and so very passionate about camp. The counselors are Me (clearly), Sara Rothschild, Rachel Berger, and my very close friend Ira Blum. I cannot begin to describe how amazing this staff is, especially since we each have a close confidant on the staff. Rachel and Sara are close friends and I would count Ira amongst my closest friends. I have found that it helps to have people who you have a strong rapport with and trust on your staff. Especially with such a small group, there are only 5 people on the staff!

That is another piece that is unique to the Gesher program, as there is only one madrich in each tzrif. That means that there will be 4 tzrifim and each will only have 1 madrich. This is not the normal structure for Camp, as in all of the other tzrifim there will be two madrichim. This system allows for a better personal connection with the hanichim, allows them to have a more relaxed atmosphere, and ultimately causes there to be less staff involvement in their culminating experience. This also means that those staff members that are involved with the program have a slightly larger workload BUT as it is such a unique experience, the intended outcome of the program is worth the effort put forth. I am nothing but excited for any and all new challenges that will come my way this summer.

The only qualm that I have is that my girlfriend, Michelle, will be coming up to camp for one week. That week happens to coincide with my week-long trip. What can you do? She is part of the reason that I love camp so much. But I will have a Shabbat to spend with her... c'est la vie!

All in all, I am sure that I am in for a challenging yet uniquely rewarding summer! I honestly cannot wait! Go Gesher Eser!

Smoothy Sailing

There are times when your faith is restored through the independent actions of others. I recently became President of Hillel at Temple University, Temple's Jewish Student Union. To be honest, it has been adding to my stresses for the past few months, and I was beginning to lose sight of why I wanted to do it in the first place. Then, out of the clear blue, came tonight. Tonight was a social event put on by one of my peers on the student board, Ms. Megan Baumel. The event was titled "Smoothies on the Roof", well due to the inclement weather it became just "Smoothies with a breif foray into the roof. As a way to connect with other faith based groups on campus we decided to invite the Newman Center at Temple University. Well, apparently smoothies are quite popular as we has an AMAZING turn out. Somewhere along the lines of 60ish people showed up and we (and by that I mean me) had to run out to get more smoothie supplies. A fair amount of my fraternity brothers were there as well. All in all it was quite a fantastic event.

Watching all of those different people interact and enjoy themselves in the Edward H. Rosen Center for Jewish Life at Temple University helped me to realize why I wanted to be a leader in the organization in the first place. Thank you to everyone who showed up and thanks especially to Megan Baumel, who really put it all together. It is times like these that rekindle old motivations.

The Etiquette of Posting

My dear friend, a Sir Jonathan Magen (whose expertise on the subject of technology is unrivaled) has recently informed me that I have made a few fopas in my first forays into the blog-o-sphere! (For all of those interested, Jonathan's blog can be found HERE.)Firstly, I should apparently be linking to the sites of the organizations/groups that I refer to in my blog. For example, I spoke about Nativ, the year program that I participated in following my graduation from my high school, Akiba Hebrew Academy . This is apparently the appropriate format for blogging. Jonathan also aptly pointed out that I should no longer sign my blog as each entry already states that it was posted by Andy... and I happen to be this Andy. Another tip was to make the header-picture smaller, which I did, and I agree that it is now more aesthetically pleasing. He also mentioned that I should engage my comments... which I plan to do, but I can't as of right now as I don't have any. Jonathan also pointed out that there is a fantastic site called Machon Mamre where I can link to Hebrew passages. What else did he say, OH YEAH! He told me to post anything that I find that is interesting to me which sounds good I suppose. All in all I am very grateful for his tips and I look forward to employing them in the future!

Thanks be to Jonathan!

An Ambiguous Title

As I am about to lay my head down to rest for the night, I can't help but realize that I have left out a very important part of my desire to blog: Namely that I want to chronicle my experiences. While a journal would most certainly be more appropriate (and dare I say, more private) it would be more easily lost... and to be perfectly honest, there is something very sexy (for lack of a better word) in the notion of putting thoughts out there for the whole world to peruse.

As I re-read my old and technologically outdated hard-bound journals, I cannot help but realize that I have come a long way from my childhood. The past few years have been very tumultuous and yet some of the happiest times of my life. Perspective is an amazing thing and I can clearly see the path that I have traveled that has led me to the person that I am today. I have set out a path for myself that I hope will pan out.

It is ironic that I use the word "path", as the year long Israel program that I participated in after I graduated High School was called "Nativ" which translates quite appropriately as "path". I also distinctly remember the amud cover (table cover) in the chapel of our building... it had a quote from the Torah service (which in turn is taken from the book of Proverbs/Mishlei) sewn onto it it went something like this:

"Etz chayim hi lamachazikim ba,
Vetomecheha me-ushar.
Deracheha - d'rechei no-am,
Vechol netivotecha shalom…"

This piece of text roughly translates as:

"It (The Torah) is a tree of Life to those that hold tightly onto it,

and those who grasp it are enriched by it.

The Torah's ways are the ways of pleasantry,

and all of it's paths are of peace."

It would appear that this has become an unintentional D'var Teffilah (a speech expounding on a Jewish Prayer). However, I truly feel as though this is a piece of text that we can all relate to, and, more specifically, it happens to relate to the notoriously ambiguous title of my blog! *AHA* Anywho, according to this text, it is not only appropriate to live one's life through the lens of Torah, but to those who truly stand by it are enriched by utilizing the tradition this way. For, someone who grasps the Torah (and by extension Jewish practice and thought), they are meant to follow in the ways proscribed. What ways? Well the text answers that too! It would seem that the second piece is arguing that the those who follow thusly will be rewarded with a pleasant and peaceful life.

While the last part might be a stretch, this text fits nicely in what I see this blog helping me to accomplish. I have set out these past few years intending to grow Jewishly and "improve my menschlichkeit" or grow into becoming a better person. I can't say that I will ever be where I absolutely strive to be, but striving is part of the quest. As the Rabbis teach us, "In a place where there is no one to stand up for what is right, strive to do what is right". (Granted that is a liberal translation of the text.) I guess this place can help provide an outlet for me to strive to improve myself... This could be anything... I could be anything.

Well enough musings for one night!

Lilah Tov! (Good Night!)

-Andy

Everybody's doing it!

I was perusing the internet today looking for a new way to procrastinate effectively. While that might seem like a bissleh oxymoronic, I was looking for a way to procrastinate in a productive manner. Anyway, I was surfing the interwebs when an old friend from high school contacted me and directed me to his blog. To be honest, the content contained therein is not something that interests me (as he is using his blog as a sex/relationship advice column)... I was intrigued by this medium. I suppose that I am a little bit behind my generation's time in that I am just starting a blog now... well this is actually my second attempt and blogerating my ideas.

To be honest, I have been feeling a bit like not enough butter spread over too much toast. (Forgive me, all of you out there who have heard me say that before-- it is a favorite saying of mine when I am feeling under the gun as it were.) I am doing a lot at school and I think that this blog-fad-thing might serve me well as a potential way to vent to no one in particular. Also, this might be an appropriate forum to express/flesh out ideas or musings that I mull around in the old noggin. Finally I think that I am finally giving into peer pressure on some level, albeit 5 or six years too late!

Kol Tuv,

Andy