Impact Boys

Dear Camp Impact Family,

There is a famous Midrash that states, “Kol Hatchalot Kashot,” “all beginnings are hard.” While it is definitely true that the beginning of a new venture or initiative can bring about some major challenges, it is also true that the beginning is a time of tremendous excitement, energy, and buzz.

Baruch Hashem, there has been so much hype building up towards the summer. A main focus going into the summer was trying to match the anticipatory hype with the authentic excitement of the up and running program that we were hoping for. With the first full week of Camp Impact behind us, I am proud to report that we did it. After a full and exhilarating week of leaning, intense leagues, beach volleyball, a Scavenger Hunt at the Palisades Mall, Ice Skating, leagues, Giants Training Camp, Hershey Park, Dave and Busters, paintball, a Tour of Metlife Stadium, an intense Chopped competition, a Somerset Patriots baseball game, and so much more, the boys are on a high from this past week as they eagerly await the weeks ahead.

You can tell a lot about how a program is going based on the faces of the teens when you observe them. When you see smiling faces and laughter amongst old and new friends, you know that the summer is going well. However, at times, there is something extra that you can feel. Sometimes, you can walk into a place and there is a unique electrifying energy felt. Then you know, there is something really special going on. Something magnificent and extraordinary in the air. This is Camp Impact.

All of the fun and excitement notwithstanding, the most beautiful and meaningful part of Camp Impact for me, has been watching the campers interact with the madrichim. The madrichim come from similar backgrounds as the boys do and they are only a few years older than them. Through the chaburah learning and all of the fun activities that they are experiencing together, the madrichim serve as paradigmatic examples of what it looks like to have a lot of fun and take sports seriously on the one hand, while also being growth-oriented B'nai Torah on the other hand.

We were also extremely fortunate to have had Rabbi Jeremy Fine, Rabbi Gedalia Jaffe, Rabbi Ellie Kurtz and Rabbi Chaim Marcus give shiurim to the boys this past week. Many of the boys took advantage of the opportunity to ask them various questions, both halachically and personally.

We are eagerly looking forward to continuing this energy with another exciting and meaningful week after Tisha B'av. That said, for now we transition to a more somber tone as we head into Shabbos Chazon and Tisha B'av and begin to think about the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash and the relevance that it has in our lives.

Wishing you a meaningful Shabbos!

Rabbi Avi Rosalimsky[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ugM8KCqA1w[/embed]

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