My Thoughts on Camp Shomria 2010

Camp Shomria was an amazing life-changing experience. Camp Shomria is a lovely camp in the Catskills mountains. It is an American simulation of Kibbutz life along with all the wonderful activities a camp should have. Hashomer Hatzair is a kibbutz youth movement that oversees the activities of Camp Shomria. By going to the camp, I have a new understanding of Israel. Also, my ideas of friendship of developed over the past six weeks. Overall, I feel to have grown as a person.

My first day was nearly impossible to process. When we picture camp, we most definitely do not envision Camp Shomria. Most people think a camp somewhere along the line of the camp in the Parent Trap . Camp Shomria is a little run down. To an outsider, it may even look abandoned. When I was finally settled in, I realized that the smiles of each camper makes Camp Shomria beautiful. The camp has been around longer than my grandparents have after all! Hadracha, or the counselors who run Camp Shomria, are also amazing. They really care for my welfare and my peers. The oldest member of Hadracha was 21, so it really gives the chance to create our own youth village.

Hashomer Hatzair is a worldwide movement that was formed by two merging movements in 1913. Hashomer, the guard, was a scouting movement that worked in and with nature. Hatzair, young/youth, was the intellectual side where we explore philosophy of ourselves and each other. When the two merged they created three pillars for their movement to put forth; Zionism, Socialism, and Judaism. Israelis are welcome onto the Moshava (camp/colony) and encouraged to share what they have experienced living in the Promised Land. Each age group combines all food and money received over the summer. Shabbat is an experience on Camp Shomria that can not be explained, it must be experienced.

As I said, I finally get Israel. For one thing, I know really want to travel there. Hashomer Hatzair hosts a program that brings Arabs and Jews together onto the camp to live and coexist with each other. The program even lead a day teaching us about Israel. I understand both sides of the conflict and the cultures the go with them. We forget that Israel is only 62 years old. That is relatively new for a country. When the United States was 62, there were still slaves of another race, and a large gender gap. Israel has time to work out its tweaks.

Another element that is important is the process of the Kvutza, group. A Kvutza consists of the kids in your grade level. We do activities with each other twice a day. The friends I have made are friends I will keep for a lifetime. By the sixth week, I felt their full compassion and full trust. Any summer camp can not create that environment.

I hope I will be able to push forward with the knowledge I have received over the past year. Thank you Camp Shomria and all the people I have met for the opportunity I have gotten this summer.