He is Faithful to All Generations

(Psalm 145:13)

Tribes:

Tribe of Issachar: Kayla H., Sophia M., Zoe N., Shannon O., Elizabeth R., Zemeira W., Magnatron, Acorn

Tribe of Naphtali: Madison H., Monique L., Sarai M., Elizabeth N., Mekerah P., Emmalee S., Hershey, Squirt, Hoops

Tribe of Asher: Mia C., LaTanya H., Abbey M., Dinah N., Haneen R., Waffles, Smalls

Tribe of Manasseh: Destiny A., Lindsay M., Olivia P., Amanda R., Skye R., Judi W., TuTu, Bologna

Tribe of Simeon: Leia B., Louisa G., Julia K., Sarah K., Kezia M., Vika S., Bazooka, Sparkler

Tribe of Benjamin: Nathan B., Sam F., Danny G., Michael K., Isaiah L., Elijah Y., Simba, Java

Tribe of Judah: Eric E., Isaac H., Isaac J., Josh L., Nathan P., Corey W., Professor, Techno

Tribe of Dan: Elias B., Jeremiah H., Elliot K., Reuven R., Jacob S., Jaden W., Nacho, Fender

Tribe of Zebulun: Matt L., Emeth P., Benjamin R., David S., Evan S., Malachai W., Isaac Y., Diesel, Garfield

Out-of-Cabin Staff: Esquire, Ewok, Freckles, Moose, Poppins, Snapple, Streetlight

Guests: Amp, Bandit, Big Tuna, Cookie, Cricket, Cucamonga, Eyegore, KoKo, Rabbster, Sonic, Swedey

Interviews and Family

Louisa G., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

I interviewed Bazooka. Bazooka is a tribe leader. She is the tribe leader of Simeon. She is my tribe leader. I have also had her my first year of camp. My name is Louisa and I’m also in the tribe of Simeon. Bazooka is awesome!

The first question that I asked Bazooka was, “Why is your name Bazooka?” She answered, “I like corny jokes.” The second question I asked her was, “How many years have you been attending camp?” Her response was, “I have been going to Camp Gilgal since I was eight. I have been a camper for 11 years, and this is my fifth year on staff.” Third question is, “What is your favorite color?” She said, “Red is my favorite color right now, but it changes often.” Fourth is, “Do you like camp?” Answer is “Definitely!” My fifth question was, “Do you love camp?” and she said, “Of course!” The sixth question was, “What is your favorite food?” She said, “My favorite foods are frozen yogurt, fruit, and Nutella.” Seventh question is, “What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?” and she said, “I like Nutella gelato.” I also asked, “Do you like lightning?” and she said, “I don’t know if I like lightning more than Louisa’s reaction to lightning.” I then asked, “What is your favorite theme night?” and she said, “I liked the new theme night which was Once Upon a Time Night.” I finally asked, “What’s your favorite night game?” and Bazooka said, “I love Wells Fargo.”

Kezia M., Age 13
Tribe of Simeon

My name is Kezia and I am in the tribe of Simeon. One of my tribe leaders is Sparkler. She has been going to camp for 10 years. Sparkler chose her name because her birthday is on the Fourth of July. Her favorite ice cream flavor is cookie dough and vanilla; her favorite camp food is omelets. Her favorite part of the Bible is Revelation, and her favorite fruit of the spirit is love. Sparkler is a very nice tribe leader because she is always ready to help. (Often in the evening when I walk into the cabin I see her saving our lives by killing all the bugs.) Her favorite activities are Tabernacle and Wells Fargo. I am very glad I had Sparkler as my tribe leader.

Julia K., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

My name is Julia. I’m from the tribe of Simeon. I’ve been going to Camp Gilgal for five years. One of the tribe leaders I have met during these years is Snapple. She has been a tribe leader five years and part of the Camp Gilgal family for 12 years. She got the name Snapple by one odd day she chipped her tooth. What happened was one day, when she was young, Snapple was drinking Snapple and she chipped her tooth on it! So, since the chipped tooth was caused by a Snapple bottle, she decided to name herself Snapple.

Some random facts about Snapple are that she likes to eat sushi, pasta, and tomatoes. She likes the color green and her favorite camp activity is Wells Fargo, which is also my favorite. For her first year of camp she was in the tribe of Zebulun. Her favorite theme night is Superhero Night, and, of course, she loves Snapple! Some of her favorite flavors are Lemon Tea and Diet Peach Tea. Her favorite tribe name is Issachar, or the sun.

Snapple is an amazing tribe leader. She’s not in-cabin staff anymore but she is great as an out-of-cabin staff member. I know for sure that I will miss her when I come home from camp.

Vika S., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

This year I did an interview on Hershey. She picked the name Hershey because she loves chocolate. This is Hershey’s ninth year being a part of the Camp Gilgal family. Her favorite year of camp was her second year as a staff member. Hershey’s favorite part of camp is worship time and her favorite worship song is, “How Great is Our God.” She enjoys the enchiladas most during camp. This year she is in the tribe of Naphtali, but Hershey really likes the tribe name Issachar. Hershey’s favorite night game is Wells Fargo because she likes to chase all the campers down the hill. I asked her if she liked FOB and she said that she thought it was boring when she was a camper but nice when she was a tribe leader. When Hershey was a camper her favorite cabin’s name was Fiddletown. She never had a favorite tribe leader because she loved them all. Hershey’s favorite colors are green and blue. She has been a believer since she was 13 years old at teen camp. Hershey has three other siblings that all attend Camp Gilgal. She loves playing carpetball and going swimming during free time. Hershey has always preferred the ladies’ hill over the men’s side. The parade is her favorite part of Columbia. She has also liked going horseback riding because of how beautiful the view is. Hershey’s favorite Ladies Day theme was when we did pirates. Overall Hershey is a great staff member who loves her campers.

Leia B., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

My name is Leia and this year I’m doing an interview on Professor. Professor got his name because he is really smart. He has been coming to camp since he was eight and this is his second year on staff. When he was a camper his first tribe leaders were Lynk and Ace. Professor’s favorite tribe name is Simeon, but there will always be a special place in his heart for Judah. Professor’s favorite time of camp when he was a camper was the water slide, but now he just likes hanging out with his campers and worshiping with them. Professor’s favorite night game is MI. Enough said. His favorite theme dinner is Dance and Sing for Your Mail Night. Professor’s favorite store in Columbia is either the candy shoppe or the ice cream parlor, he can’t really decide. His favorite food is steak and pepper. Also his favorite colors are any cool colors like purple, blue or green. Professor’s favorite pie is apple, the kind he makes at his house with Maverick. So as you can see, Professor is a super cool, fun, smart, and an amazing tribe leader.

Vika S., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

I’m writing about Tutu. Tutu is in the tribe of Manasseh. Her ATL is Bologna and she has six ladies in her cabin. Her favorite color is purple. Tutu’s favorite part of camp is being around all her campers and spending time with them. She loves the enchiladas at lunch and also the macaroni and chicken. Tutu has been in the Camp Gilgal family for 12 years now and this is her third year on staff. Her favorite activity is for sure MI because she loves to sneak around and crack the codes. Tutu loves teaching all the campers at choir during free time, and even being in the pool with everyone. Her all-time favorite theme night is Sing and Dance for Your Mail Night. Tutu never had a favorite tribe leader because she loved them all. Her favorite year on staff is this year. Her entire tribe thinks she’s amazing and a wonderful tribe leader. Tutu’s favorite season is springtime because that’s when the weather is nice and the flowers are blooming. Tutu is a great tribe leader and anyone would enjoy having her in their tribe.

Sarai M,. Age 10
Tribe of Naphtali

Waffles has been a tribe leader for three years, and has been a camper for nine years. Her favorite color is blue-green. One of her favorite things to do is photography, and one of her favorite foods is smoothies. Her favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11.

She also likes campfires and horseback riding. Waffles is a great person. I first met Waffles my first year of junior camp. Waffles likes to put berries like strawberries on her waffles and lots of syrup, and the same with me. I love Waffles. Waffles is a very fun and cool tribe leader. She is also almost always carrying a camera. I guess she really likes photography. She also is very good at it. (She practices a lot.) She and Acorn have the same type of camera. I think it is very cool that every year I’ve come to camp so far, Waffles has been there.

Ben R., Age 12
Tribe of Zebulun

I interviewed Diesel, my tribe leader, about all the things he does at camp and outside of camp. I also got some information about him. Diesel was born in Sacramento, CA, on December 27. He first came to camp when he was eight and went on staff in 2008. His favorite thing to eat at camp are enchiladas, and he enjoys Sing and Dance for Your Mail Night. Outside of camp, Diesel enjoys boating, going to the ocean, and visiting exotic locations, like Lake Tahoe, and going rock climbing. Diesel’s favorite chapter from the Bible is Romans 12:1-12. Diesel is a great tribe leader to have during camp. He’ll mess with you a lot, but he’s a nice guy and fun to be around. All in all, my experience interviewing him was positive and encouraging.

Evan S., Age 13
Tribe of Zebulun

I interviewed Garfield. He is an ATL at camp in the tribe of Zebulun. His favorite thing to do at camp is Flat On Bunk, or FOB. During FOB Garfield likes to take naps or play pranks on other tribes. He loves playing games like MI or Wells Fargo. He enjoys playing pranks on the tribe of Dan by turning off their lights and making them think it’s M.I.

He also likes to clean the cabin for points every day and making cabin inspectors like us. Like one time, we got 100 points, also known as “Nailing It.” He likes playing video games in his free time. That’s all he does. He is funny and is a great tribe leader.

Every night he likes to do devotions and teach younger people about God, and teaching us more about God so we can become closer to Him.

Skye R., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh

My name is Skye, and I am interviewing Hoops. Hoops says she was a camper for eight years and she had a lot of fun! I asked Hoops what she likes about camp, and she answered with “Camp is always the highlight of my summers. I love the anticipation – you never know what will happen next!” I asked what her favorite theme night is, and she said, “As much as I would love to say Crazy Hair Night, it’s a little too crazy for me, so my favorite would have to be Animal Night!” “What was your favorite year as a camper?” I asked. Hoops said, “My first year because I felt so welcomed into this big family!” “What was your favorite camp shirt?” I said. She replied with, “The baby blue one we wore for 2003.” I asked who her first friend was when she came to camp, and she said, “My very first friend at camp was I think Waffles.” Finally I asked if she ever won tribe of the year as a camper. She said, “Yes, I was in the tribe of Asher and instead of going somewhere we were each given an additional five dollars to spend in Columbia.” Hoops is such a great tribe leader, and I love her to death! Hoops has always been super nice to me and has been so inspiring to me. Whenever we do Men’s and Ladies’ campfires I always want to pray with Hoops. I think everybody should get to know Hoops.

Elliot K., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

If you want to have a friend that is funny and smart, Ewok is the right person to be with. I’m going to start out on simple questions and go harder. Ewok’s favorite food is sushi, which I think is disgusting, but people have different opinions. He likes camp food in a way. When I asked Ewok how old he was, he said, “That’s an excellent question.” He said that he wanted to say “That’s an excellent question” for zillions of years. He was a camper for four years, which I thought was cool because this is my fourth year. He plays games with campers during free time. His favorite color is lime-ish green. Ewok’s favorite time of day is afternoon and night. He thinks being staff is hard but worth it. Ewok thinks that camp is rated 10 out of 10. That is great because I think camp is the best, too. He loves Tabernacle and thinks it is the best part of camp. He loves Christian music. Last but not least, his favorite rock star is Simba. This was a great and fun interview of Ewok.

LaTanya H., Age 11
Tribe of Asher

Interviewing Bologna was fun while I asked her questions such as:

Q: What’s your full name?
A: Bologna Sandwich.

Q: How did you find out about Camp Gilgal?
A: My family has been involved with Camp Gilgal before I was even born.

Q: When’s your birthday?
A: December 31^st.

Q: What’s your favorite animal, color and food?
A: Cat, pink, and frozen yogurt.

Q: What’s your favorite Bible verse?
A: Proverbs 3:5-6.

Q: What staff member here have you known the longest?
A: Smalls (since three years old).

Q: What’s your favorite camp activity?
A: FOB (Flat On Bunk).

Q: How long have you been a Messianic Jew?
A: My whole life, since I was old enough to get what it meant.

Q: What was your favorite activity at Columbia?
A: Marching and singing in the Fourth of July parade in Columbia.

Q: What do you like about Camp Gilgal?
A: I like that I can be myself, have fun, and learn more about God at the same time!

Those are the questions I asked Bologna during her interview.

Abbey M., Age 12
Tribe of Asher

Everybody knows and loves Poppins, the Camp Gilgal mom. She knows almost everything about first aid. If anything’s wrong, Poppins is the person to go to. She’s always open to talk and pray with you.

I interviewed Poppins and asked her some questions. I started off with, “What is your real name?” She replied, “My parents named me Poppinitas Fritas because I always had supplies.” I then asked her, “Are you married and if so, who are you married to?” She answered, “I am married and I am married to Esquire” Then I asked her if she liked to cook. She told me that she did and that she liked to cook anything for large groups of people. After that I asked her what her funniest camp memory was. She said it was when she was driving campers back and forth from Columbia, and while doing that, unconsciously eating a whole giant box of saltine crackers. I asked her what her favorite type of cultural food was, and she told me it was Japanese food. Then I asked her what her favorite dish was and she said it was pot roast. And to conclude the interview, I asked Poppins, “How has Camp Gilgal brought your relationship with Yeshua closer?” She replied, “Watching Him faithfully provide campers and staff to Camp Gilgal and change their lives.”

Dinah N., Age 10
Tribe of Asher

Esquire, who is one of the out of cabin staff here at Camp Gilgal, is the leader of men’s side. Not only is he the dental inspector but he is also part of the cabin inspection crew that has done an awesome job at finding infractions. I decided to interview him so I could give a background on how it is on the men’s side. Firstly, I asked him on what his favorite verse from the Bible was, and he said, “My favorite verse is Philippians 4:6-7.” His favorite dish is barbequed steak. I also asked him why he wanted to come to Camp Gilgal, and he said, “I wanted to be at camp because I enjoy serving campers and following God’s call.”

Tribes of Gilgal

Sarah K., Age 13
Tribe of Simeon

The members of our tribe are Bazooka, Sparkler, Leia, Vika, Louisa, Kezia, Julia and me, Sarah. We are the oldest girl tribe and our cabin is Grizzly Flat.

Tribe leader: Bazooka has been going to camp for twelve years. Her favorite parts of camp are spending time with her tribe and when we did zumba on Ladies Day. Her favorite theme night that we’ve done so far is Once Upon a Time Night. Bazooka’s favorite food at camp so far is the chicken dumplings.

Assistant Tribe leader: Sparkler has been coming to camp for ten years. Sparkler’s favorite parts of camp are getting to see close friends and getting closer to God. Her favorite theme night is Utensil Night and her favorite camp food is spaghetti.

Camper: Leia has been going to camp for five years now. She loves everything at camp. Her favorite camp food is macaroni and cheese and she loves Dance or Sing for Your Mail Night.

Camper: Vika has been going to camp for five years. She likes the night games. Her favorite theme night is Crazy Hair Night. Her favorite camp food is pizza.

Camper: Louisa has been going to camp for five years. She really liked when it rained this year. She liked it when we did Stop and Go Night. Her favorite camp food is pizza.

Camper: Kezia has been going to camp for three years now. One of her favorite parts of camp is seeing her friends. Her favorite theme night is Stop and Go Night and her favorite food is pizza.

Camper: Julia has been going to camp for five years. She likes the game Wells Fargo and her favorite theme night is Stop and Go Night. And her favorite camp food is the chocolate chip pancakes.

I’m so glad that I was in the tribe of Simeon this year. It was a lot of fun. 

Lizzie N., Age 9
Tribe of Naphtali

The tribe of Naphtali is having some critter problems. There have been some wasps outside our cabin. We have had four wasps in our cabin, a big frog, two bees, two yellow coats, and one ant, as well as two moths. At FOB, we pass notes and play around. Emmalee always wakes up bright and early while the rest of us sleep. We hardly can get out of bed, and Maddie, Monique, and Mekerah always go in the pool while the rest play carpetball. Squirt left to go to Brazil, and Hoops came to take her place. The theme we did for Cabin Decoration Day is Outer Space. We had stars, Mercury, Black paper covering beds, and aliens. Our tribe leaders are Hershey, Squirt, and Hoops. Emmalee sleeps during FOB  and Sarai reads. Sometimes Hershey sleeps and sometimes Hoops does. For Skit Night, we did a skit about a fast food restaurant where people order stuff like Love, Happiness, Riches, and Success. But then the inspector said no, you can’t sell that. I love my tribe. And that’s the tribe of Naphtali.

Sam F., Age 9
Tribe of Benjamin

My tribe is very, very noisy. During FOB, it was very noisy. They are all first years except me, I am a second year. They like to go swimming. I do, too. They also like to take showers. Danny (a kid in my tribe) takes a shower every morning and night. Michael likes carpetball and basketball. Nathan likes carpetball and ping pong. Isaiah likes swimming and Frisbee. Elijah likes Wells Fargo and carpetball. And I, Sam, like FOB and carpetball, basketball, swimming, horseback riding, the Gilgal store, ping pong, campfires, Tabernacle, Columbia, big pool swim, Men’s day, Gazette, hang out time, and men’s campfire. The kids in my tribe are Sam, Michael, Danny, Nathan, Isaiah, Elijah, and tribe leaders Java and Simba. I am in the tribe of Benjamin. I am in the cabin called Chili Bar.  My tribe and I really like summer camp. My tribe doesn’t like FOB so much, but I love FOB. It is very, very fun.

Sophia M., Age 7
Tribe of Issachar

At Camp Gilgal I am seven years old. My tribe leaders are Acorn and Magnatron. My friends are Zemeira, Zoe, and Elizabeth. I like everything except FOB. FOB is when you have to be quiet and stay on your bunk. I was on a top bunk. Acorn is on the bottom bunk. My whole tribe loves swimming, especially Zoe. Our tribe is called Issachar, which means “sun.” We always take turns praying at night before bed. I always shout out, “Me first! Me first!” My whole tribe likes Dental Inspection, which is when you brush your teeth every night and the staff inspects everyone’s teeth. You get points for clean teeth when it is FOB. Our tribe writes letters to each other. We each have a “mailbox” in the cabin and when we write letters to each other, we can put them in the mailbox. Zoe writes all kinds of things to me. When it was my birthday at camp, we all had the best time. My tribe leaders decorated our table in the dining hall and put streamers on my bunk. Lots of my friends in my tribe are very silly, and I am, too. We have fun together in the tribe of Issachar.

Matt L., Age 13
Tribe of Zebulun

I am a proud participant in the tribe of Zebulun. Our tribe was filled with seven campers, Diesel and Garfield. The campers’ names are Emeth, Ben, Evan, Isaac, David, Malachi, and me. Emeth was born in Florida, then moved to Oregon, then to California; he is kind and loving and quiet. Our next camper is Ben. He was born in New York, moved to Texas and then California; he is a  very loyal and confident friend. Evan is a camper that is always noticed. He is funny, loud, and likes to play leader. Evan refused to tell where he was born, but I do know he lives in San Clemente, California. Isaac is a quiet, funny camper who likes to keep to himself but sometimes gets kind of rowdy. David was born in California and then moved to Shanghai and moved back to California. He has the mind of a scholar and is very academic. Our ATL (assistant tribe leader) was Garfield. He is a good leader and is very funny. He likes lasagna, I think. Malachai is a very God-focused camper and is devoted to serving God. Diesel was our tribe leader. He likes to have the AC on at night. All in all, I feel blessed to be in a cabin where the subject of God can be brought up at any time.

Josh L., Age 10
Tribe of Judah

The tribe of Judah is very interesting and I’m in it, which is cool because the campers in it are cool and fun to talk to. There are six campers, two tribe leaders. One of the campers is Eric, age 12. He lives in Santa Rosa. This is his first year at camp and his favorite thing to do is ride four wheelers. Another camper is Nathan, age 11. He lives in San Diego. This is his fourth year at camp, and his favorite thing to do is play football. Another camper is Corey, age 9. He lives in Sacramento. This is his second year at camp. His favorite thing to do is to go to camp. Another camper is Isaac H., age 10. He lives in Los Angeles. This is his second year at camp, and his favorite thing to do is draw. The last camper is Isaac J., age 11. He lives in Ramona. This is his second year at camp. His favorite thing to do is carpetball. One tribe leader is Techno, age unknown. He lives in Simi Valley, and he has been a tribe leader for unknown years. His favorite thing to do is swimming. Another tribe leader is Professor, age unknown. He lives in Granada Hills, and he has been a tribe leader for unknown years. His favorite thing to do is read.

Elias B., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

I’m Elias and I’ll be talking about the people in the tribe of Dan, starting out with Jacob – Jacob always has crazy energy and is very loud! He especially likes to play carpetball. Elliot – Elliot is also very energetic. He eats a lot of sugar, especially at breakfast. He piles brown sugar. He is loud just like Jacob, and he loves to climb trees. Jaden – Jaden laughs a lot and always has a smile. He is good at drawing. His favorite thing about camp is camp! He also likes to swim. Jeremiah – Jeremiah has a lot of energy too, and he has a lot of scary, funny and creepy faces to share with people. His favorite thing to do at camp is swim, and his favorite thing about camp is almost everything! Reuven – Reuven is very hyper, too. He likes to go swimming and play carpetball. His favorite thing about camp is Mission Impossible. Elias – I myself also am very energetic. I like the pool and I love Capture the Degel. We have different interests but they blend together to make one unique and amazing tribe.

Mia C., Age 11
Tribe of Asher

Our tribe is Asher, the tree. This humble character hosts five really funny and nice 11-12 year old campers and two awesome tribe leaders. The campers of 2011’s Camp Gilgal Asher are Abbey, Haneen, Dinah, LaTanya, and myself, Mia. Dinah and LaTanya were both new campers, but they have found their place in the Camp Gilgal family. Our tribe leaders are Waffles and Smalls, who have brought lots of fun to our cabin. Although it has only been a few days at camp, these lovely girls (me included) have proven that camp can be really fun, even if you don’t have many friends.

Since Asher is our tribe name, we have painted a huge tree on our light blue degel. This tree has all of our names on the branches, symbolizing a family that is connected. Hanging from our tree is a large tire swing. (There isn’t really a symbolic meaning to it.) Across the bottom of the degel is a ginormous sun that is setting. We spent a lot of time working on it, and I am proud to have it as our symbol.

Daily life in our cabin of Fiddle Town, there is no such thing as quiet. Everyone is always awake and talking or bothering someone. We all love to have fun when the time calls for it or not. Asher is ready to accept any challenge, yet reason with others to get the best results. We get things done and try to fix our mistakes. Here are some thoughts of some of my tribe mates:

Q: How do you like your cabin?

Haneen says, “I like it… it’s nice.”

Q: What makes this tribe unique?

Waffles says, “You guys work together as a tribe and easily made friends. I am impressed by how fast you clean up and organize our cabin in the morning.”

Smalls says, “Everyone has different personalities but it results in a happy atmosphere.”

Q: How do you like your fellow tribe mates?

LaTanya says, “I like them. They’re cool and funny.”

These are the ideas of one camper to another. I am so glad that I was a part of the tribe of Asher. I know that
we will be more connected as these two weeks go on.

Fun Days, Crazy Nights

Elizabeth R., Age 7, will be 8 July 28^th
Tribe of Issachar

When I first arrived at camp, it was hard to say goodbye to my mom. But I started having fun right away. I met new people in my tribe. I found out my tribe leaders were Magnatron and Acorn. We took our suitcases and put them in our cabin. The first night we made our flag and decided we would be the tribe of Issachar. We made a white degel with a sun on it because Issachar means sun. I had a lot of fun painting the degel. On our degel I painted my name as one of the sunrays. We had eight sunrays – one for each of the girls in our tribe. Later that night I started to get homesick, but a lot of girls in my tribe told me it would go by really fast because we were going to have so much fun. That made me feel a lot better. I started making lots of friends. What they told me was true, and I love Camp Gilgal very much. I can’t wait for next year.

Zoe N., Age 8
Tribe of Issachar

This is Camp Gilgal’s 20^th anniversary. Most of the staff used to be campers. The first year of Camp Gilgal was all boys. My tribe is the tribe of Issachar. My tribe leaders are Acorn and Magnatron. I like to swim in the swimming pool. I have made new friends and their names are Kayla, Shannon, Zemeira, Sophia, and Elizabeth. At Camp Gilgal you get to learn Hebrew and you get to do crafts. This year we are making mosaics. I like my degel because it is yellow, blue, gold, and orange. I am glad I’m in Issachar because it is fun. I am enjoying my first year at Camp Gilgal. Camp has been a really fun place and I can’t wait to come next year.

Vika S., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

When they first announced stargazing, everyone assumed that it was Mission Impossible. Most people didn’t even bring comfortable sleeping items. Both Professor and Esquire led stargazing. We had stargazing on Friday after Shabbat, a little while after it got dark. We all went down and got as comfortable as possible.

We started talking about constellations and about the brightness of stars. Everyone saw a couple of shooting stars. It was a beautiful night. It was a perfect night for stargazing because the moon wasn’t out.

Our conversations varied in different directions. We talked about black holes, worm holes, and airplanes combusting. Then back to the usual such as shooting stars, asteroids, and the planets. We talked how beautiful God created the heavens.

I asked different people what their favorite part of stargazing was and Sarah K. said, “It is very peaceful and I like looking at the stars.” Sarai M. said, “How beautiful the stars are.” Sam F. said, “Seeing shooting stars.” I personally
enjoy stargazing because of the beautiful night sky.

Sarah K., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

“The tribe of Simeon!” Streetlight called. My counselors Sparkler and Bazooka walked up to the stage at campfire and began the awards ceremony.

First Kezia was called up. Things continued and I realized I was going last in my tribe.

“Why do I have to go last?” I asked Kezia.

“Why did I have to go first?”

Our camper of the year was Louisa. She says, “I was surprised but I was also happy.”

Next was the tribe of Zebulun. Ben was their camper of the year! This continued and finally, right before the tribe Benjamin we got a bathroom break. Thank Goodness! Sam was their camper of the year and the last tribe went.

“The tribe of Issachar!”

Up came Magnatron and Acorn. The campers came up and received their awards. Shannon was their camper of the year. And with that they ended the awards ceremony.

After that, Streetlight came up to give us further instructions, and strangely the lights went out.

Julia K., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

Streetlight walked up to the stage. It was the end of the awards ceremony at campfire. I was expecting all the goodbyes that usually happen then. But something else happened. The lights went out and we heard the soft sound of…the MI music!

I got to my cabin fumbling for my flashlight. Into jeans and a jacket and, “Rip!” We opened our first clue. “Field,” it said. And off we went!

We found the clues in the middle of the field. Then Moose came right by us and… didn’t see us! We figured it out and off we went!

It was like this all along, dodging spotters and running from one place to another.

Our clue in the volleyball court was our ninth clue. Vika and Sparkler went down to get it while we waited noiselessly by some of the rocks. They brought it up and it said, “Tennis.” Table tennis! Or was it at the dodge ball court? We call the tennis court actually dodge ball so we went to table tennis and… no clue. That meant it was at dodge ball after all! However, before we could get there, the lights turned on and we went back to the dining hall for war stories.

Jaden W., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

Water balloon volleyball was so fun. We got second place in it. The tribe of Zebulun won, and the tribe of Simeon won too. Water balloon volleyball is a fun game to play. You have a tarp and a water balloon. The whole tribe surrounds and grabs onto the tarp and tries to propel a water balloon over the net. If the water balloon is not caught by the opposing tribe’s tarp and breaks on the ground, the other tribe would score a point. The first tribe to score three points wins the match. I laughed especially hard when a water balloon hit my sister in the shoulder. When the tribe of Dan (my tribe) and Zebulun faced off in the men’s championship, it was a very back and forth match. But Zebulun finally came back and won. At the end, the men and ladies tribe leaders played a match and I was running up and down the hill again and again cheering the men on. The men easily defeated the ladies tribe leaders, and afterwards the men ran, jumped and shouted over their victory. Even though we didn’t win, everyone had a really good time.

Emeth P., Age 12
Tribe of Zebulun

Wells Fargo is a game in which you steal a bag of gold, and if you are tagged you start over.

It started when the whistle blew. I ran towards a bag, when I noticed a Wells Fargo agent next to me. I jumped down rocks and then scaled a hill. I was almost to the base when I tripped and fell and got tagged.

I decided to get the hard bag. It was on a cliff. I dodged an agent and jumped in a ditch. I crawled through it as I pushed vines and rocks out of my way.

At last I was at the top and I saw the bag. I ran through the muddy water and got the bag. I got tagged. Then I walked down – a long way down.

Then I ran up again, and again, and again. I was going up and down so much I lost track of time.

It was the sixth time down when I noticed I was in poison oak. I tripped and stumbled down. Suddenly I didn’t
play anymore, but I had such a good time. I will remember that game forever.  The End

Leia B., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

The 20^th anniversary of camp had a lot of guests at Camp Gilgal. We all love having guests because they’re so fun and they usually surprise us.

Our first guest this year was Cricket. She surprised us during water balloon volleyball. Cricket helps Moose get everyone to camp. We were so thankful that she got to visit us.

KoKo and Cucamonga came after. They only stayed for about a day and a half but we wish they could have stayed longer.

Our next guest was Swedey. She is Moose’s wife. Everyone from camp really loves Swedey because she’s like the second camp mom (the first is Poppins). She stayed until the Fourth of July and we were all so sad when she left.

Eyegore and Cookie came around the same time Swedey did. They have made a tradition of visiting camp every year. Eyegore and Cookie live on a farm and they let us know every year. This year they brought peacock feathers.

Other guests we had were Big Tuna, Sonic, and Bandit. We were all excited to have them join us for July Fourth and Skit Night.

Our biggest surprise guest was Amp. He surprised on Skit Night. Everyone screamed and even Moose was surprised!

All the guests this year at camp were super fun and we all really enjoyed seeing them.

Dinah N., Age 10
Tribe of Asher

The water balloon volleyball game was an exciting and interesting game. The whole camp gathered around the volleyball court. Some were cheering.

First up was Asher and Manasseh. They had tarps which they put the water balloon in and they had to throw it over the net. If it didn’t make it, then it was one point to the other team. If they did the other team would have to try to catch the water balloon, and if they don’t, then it’s one point to the other team.

So first was Asher and Manasseh. It was an interesting game. The tribe of Asher threw the water balloon, but it didn’t make it. The ladies of Asher lost! Manasseh had three points.

Then it was Naphtali and Simeon. Simeon won the round with their powerful throw.

The boys were up. It was Dan and Judah. Judah won. Then Zebulun and Benjamin were playing. Zebulun won.

After that it was another game. From the girl’s side Simeon won and from the boy’s side was Zebulun. These were the champions of 2011 Camp Gilgal water balloon volleyball.

Now they were going to see, was it going to be Zebulun or Simeon. This was an exciting game. It took about 10-15 minutes for one of them to finally win. It was Zebulun!

After Zebulun won, then the staff played. It was men and ladies. The ladies were close but the men won.

Zemeira W., Age 9
Tribe of Issachar

Streetlight told us to put on closed-toed shoes, bug spray, long pants and a jacket. We hiked to the creek. We had fun. We jumped on rocks, stuck our feet in the water, and we sent leaves down the tiny waterfalls. We brought a picnic dinner and water bottles. I liked it very much. I found snails in the water. I was playing in the water when I saw little drops of rain. The clouds in the sky got dark and then it started pouring! I felt so sad, I almost cried. I thought to myself, “How could it be raining in the summer?” We had to hike all the way back up the hill. We came back into the dining hall and sat down – we were soaked! Then we had to go all the way back to our cabin in the rain. We were all scared because of the thunder and lightning. We all got scared. I was thinking what the boys would be saying! Then, later at night when we were all asleep, we woke up to a loud honking! Everybody woke up suddenly – except one person. Then what we discovered was ROOM SERVICE! The staff brought us Taco Bell in the pouring rain! I loved it, and then I was happy. It hasn’t rained at camp since.

Matthew L,. Age 13
Tribe of Zebulun

After FOB was over, everyone came to line up ready for lunch. We were all ready to go and eat when Diesel came
out of the dining hall announcing that it was Men’s Day by taking off his shirt. Written on his chest was “Men’s” and on his back was “Day.” All the men cheered (as usual), and all the ladies remained quiet (as usual). All the men
moved into the dining hall as all the ladies prepared for horseback riding. It is traditional to boo any of the ladies that come into the dining hall on Men’s Day (except for Poppins, who is our Camp Gilgal mom and takes care of us for about two weeks!). For lunch we ate Sloppy Joes and potato salad. After lunch we went down the hill to the field where we had IDF (Israeli Defense Force) training. We had a relay race which was really tiring. After that we had javelin throwing contests in which we were to throw a softball as far as we could. We then went back to the pool outside the dining hall and played a game where we greased a watermelon and tried to get it to the other side. It’s kind of like soccer, except you use your hands, you’re in a pool, and the ball is a greased watermelon. We then moved from the pool into the dining hall where we enjoyed root beer floats. After that we went outside and played…. Eat That Food! The game is very gross and enjoyable. What happens is you have a bag with some kind of gross concoction in it. Diesel would then call on two volunteers that would come up and bet on how many bites they can eat the food in the bag. The grossest food was sardines mixed with syrup, pickles, cinnamon, and mustard. At the same time we were blowing up watermelons by mixing dry ice with hot water in a water bottle, and then quickly stuffing it into a hollowed watermelon, and then just watch the show. I really enjoyed Men’s Day this year, far above all other years.

Sarah K., Age 13
Tribe of Simeon

The ladies campfire was so nice and beautiful. This year the staff who spoke at the campfire were Hershey and Snapple.

When Hershey spoke and told about how she felt during and after camp it reminded me of how I feel at camp and at home. And she reminded me that God is always with us and God will take care of us. We don’t have to be afraid about anything because God is with us.

When Snapple talked I wanted to cry. When she told about how hard her life was last year it was just so sad and when some of the staff went down to pray for her it was just beautiful. She reminded us that even though hard things happen, we still have hope in Y’shua.

At the end when the campers picked a tribe leader to come pray for them, you could just feel the love that comes from everybody. It is just so nice to know that we all care for each other and that we will always be there when one of us is sad or hurt.

I’m so glad that I went to camp this year and we have such an awesome family at camp.

Emmalee S., Age 10
Tribe of Naphtali

One of Camp Gilgal’s fun activities is swimming. Gilgal campers go swimming in our pool, or as we call it, the Gunite Pond. There are so many activities to do in the pool. Some of them are monkey in the middle, gymnastics underwater, cannon balls and many more. The pool temperature is perfect. When you get in it it’s a little cold, but it will warm up. Just the other day we made a whirlpool, which is when all the people in the pool swim one way to make the pool go around in a circle. The whirlpool was so much fun, everybody had a struggle when we switched ways swimming. Our Gilgal pool goes from three feet to five feet deep. I love swimming in the pool. In the pool, people like to bring tubes, pool noodles, and snorkel gear. All the girls in my tribe love to swim. There is always a lifeguard on duty, so that we will be safe at all times. The Gunite Pond is an awesome place to be on a hot summer day!

Merekah P., Age 9
Tribe of Naphtali

One of the best things about Camp Gilgal is Skit Night. The Skit Night this year was hosted by Susie and Stella (Poppins and Snapple). They would talk back and forth, and would call people up from the audience to do stuff (like singing). My tribe’s (Naphtali) skit was a restaurant that sold things like salvation and grace. Zebulun’s skit was a Bible story about a left handed man who killed an evil king. In my opinion it was the best skit of the night. It was really funny. They even had a violin in it! Another skit was a show about different beliefs. Part of the skit was a commercial about Justin Bieber (boo!). Issachar’s skit was about friends who broke promises to each other but still forgave each other in the end. A different skit was about three campers whose degel was stolen. They had to go past lots of temptations. It was hard for them, but they did succeed.

Leia B., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon

Ladies Day is always so much fun! My first year of camp we did a Candyland theme. It was really exciting. All the other years were very fun too, but I think this year was the best so far. This year for Ladies Day we did a pajama theme.

We all lined up for lunch and Skye, Amanda, and I said to each other, “I bet it’s Ladies Day.” Then like five minutes later music went on in the dining hall and Poppins and Snapple came down the hill screaming in their PJs. All the ladies started screaming and walked into the dining hall to eat lunch.

After eating lunch we had FOB. It wasn’t very fun because our tribe leaders made us actually have FOB. Nobody in our cabin actually slept, we just passed notes and ate candy.

Later on, the whistle blew and all the ladies came down to swim for a little while. In the middle of swimming they called us all out to do some zumba. Then we went and put on our PJs.

When we got back down to the dining hall, we were so excited to find out what it looked like inside. We walked in and saw a photo shoot set up. The staff did our nails and put tinsel in our hair, and we had popcorn and other good snacks.

When our hair and nails were done, we all gathered around to tell mad lib bedtime stories. We didn’t want the fun to end, but then we heard the guys pull up in the big white vans. As soon as we heard them we all scattered to our cabins to change out of PJs to make Ladies Day remain a secret.

Isaiah L., Age 8
Tribe of Benjamin

Knot tying is when Moose teaches campers how to tie knots, such as the figure eight knot, taut line hitch, square knot, and fishing knots. I liked tying knots because you can do a lot of things with the knots. I think I will use these knots for rock climbing and fishing. Moose’s favorite knot is the taut line hitch. I like that knot because you can tighten and loosen it. I like the fishing knots because I can use them for fishing, and I also liked tying them. If you want to learn how to tie knots, you have to learn all the steps. For the square knot, you first have to take the two ends and tie them into a normal know, then you have to do another normal knot in the opposite direction. Then you pull in the opposite direction. Moose said this knot was very useful, but he said the taut line knot was the most useful knot for him. I’m going to teach others how to tie knots because tying knots is really fun. I hope Moose teaches us how to tie more knots next year. It’s been one of my favorite parts of camp, and I can’t wait to do it again.

Nathan B., Age 8
Tribe of Benjamin

I like playing basketball with my friends. It is fun. I had fun playing Knockout with the campers. I interviewed my friend, Danny, and he likes to play Horse and Pig. We played a regular game of Lightning, or “Bump It,” Around the World, and Granny Throw. Sam likes Knockout. I don’t play basketball that often though. I just sometimes like to play. I am very good at shooting the ball. I like playing with Elliot, Danny, Elias, Sam, Garfield, Nacho, Simba, Nathan, Jaden, and Ben. I like playing Knockout. I enjoy playing basketball during free time before I go swimming. I don’t win a lot because there are a lot of tribe leaders playing, but I still have a lot of fun. I also lose sometimes because I get really tired when it’s hot out. That is why I go swimming after I play.

Isaac J., Age 11
Tribe of Judah

Splash! Through dense undergrowth that is. The creek is fun, but can be dangerous if you’re not careful. You have to travel down rocks, and over wires. It does not run rapidly, but in fact acts more like a pond. Rocks encompass most of  it, creating an algae pond from lack of current. Most of the rocks are at least partially underwater, making them slippery so you have to be careful. Also a wide variety of wildlife live there, including: leeches, tadpoles, frogs, and water spiders. And also probably over about one hundred thousand germs in it, too. It is pretty disgusting, so make sure to take a shower afterwards! Also put bug spray on for sure. This last time it rained and poured, and we all got soaked. It was muddy, rocky, and we were all cold and wet. It was a long trek, and when we got back to the dining hall we got to go and take warm showers, and then we got Taco Bell delivered to us. It was a long day and night, but also a day of history because we got room service! It was a very memorable occasion.

Nathan P., Age 11
Tribe of Judah

The men’s campfire is right in front of the cafeteria, with the green benches. Simba did worship for us. He did the songs “Inside Out” and “How He Loves Us.” After worship, Professor spoke about how we should forgive and not try to be perfect, because we all make mistakes. After Professor spoke, Moose said that we should take an intermission. When the intermission was done Moose said the tribe leaders were there so we could go pray with them. When we were done with that we worshiped some more and just praised God. Then we were dismissed to our cabins. I enjoyed the men’s campfire a lot. Isaac H. thinks that the campfire was fun. Techno thought it was spiritually awesome.

Malachai W., Age 13
Tribe of Zebulun

Campfire: Campfire is a time when the entire camp goes behind the dining hall to the campfire. One of my favorite things about it is when we worship in God’s creation, which is lots of fun (except the bugs). But the songs make up for that. After worship, one of the seasoned tribe leaders comes forward and shares their testimony with the rest of the camp. So far, Squirt has shared her testimony and after that, a few days later, we had men’s and ladies’ campfire, which is when the ladies go to the lower campfire and the men go to the upper campfire. First we had worship, then Professor shared his testimony. The testimonies are amazing! And they challenge you to live a life more glorifying to God. At the end of the speech, we have open prayer, in which campers and tribe leaders can pray on whatever they want. Or one on one prayer. I love campfire because it gives me a chance to get closer to God. And that is one of the many reasons I like campfire so much.

Mia C., Age 11
Tribe of Asher

During a historic night of rain at Camp Gilgal, we were all in our cabins in the middle of devotions when a loud beeping noise came from outside. Several of us thought it was Poppins’ car alarm while others thought someone was stealing a car. The few minutes of confusion ended when Streetlight came running down to our cabin holding a bulging bag, while screaming, “Room service!” At first I thought they were going to clean our room until I saw Taco Bell on the bags they were carrying. Although the tribe of Asher already brushed their teeth, we enjoyed the late snack of burritos and tacos. My tribe and I laughed and ate for another 20 minutes before actually going to bed. I was glad that this happened because 1: I was still hungry, and 2: because I would always remember how I was a part of Camp Gilgal’s “thunderstorm moment.” Thank you, Streetlight, and all the other out-of-cabin staff that bought and served each cabin Taco Bell! And from now on, I will remember the difference between “room service” and “housekeeping.”

David S., Age 12
Tribe of Zebulun

This year, Malachai had his bar mitzvah at camp. This was a part of Camp Gilgal history. It was the first and only (until now) bar mitzvah held at junior camp. Malachai’s birthday was on July 1, at camp, and since he was turning 13, he had his bar mitzvah here (July 2, 2011). His family came a few days before it. Rabbster, Mrs. Walker, Tirzah, Kezzi, and Talia (Zemeira and Jaden were already here). His parsha was Balak. He read Numbers 22:2-6 in the Hebrew. For his drash, he went through the story of Balaam and Balak. He talked about how God will not let Israel be cursed. Then, since it was Shabbat, Rabbster talked about some verses and the lessons we can learn from them. I am really glad to be Malachai’s friend. Moose called up the “manly tribe of Zebulun” and Chai’s family and we prayed for him. I learned a lot from his bar mitzvah, and I hope that he will grow closer to God as he reaches manhood.

Isaac Y, Age 12
Tribe of Zebulun

Ping pong – the legendary game in which you hit a ball. You must bounce the ball on the other player’s side. It must bounce two times or bounce one time then off the table to get a point. If your opponent fails to return the ball one point is awarded. You can play to 11 or 21 points.

The game is hard. David is amazing at it. The game is really fun. If you don’t bounce it on their side the other player gets the point. You have to win by two points. You have to serve five times, then the next person serves. I enjoy the game a lot as many others do. As with most games, the more practice the better you are. It is really fun to play at free time. I like playing with staff and campers. It’s a great way to bond with your fellow campers.

Olivia P., Age 11
Tribe of Manasseh

One night of Camp Gilgal, all the campers came to dinner and Streetlight announced that night’s theme was…. UTENSIL NIGHT! Everybody started screaming and I had no idea why! Then I remembered what my friends Abbey and Lindsay told me about Utensil Night.

That’s when I got really excited. My utensil was a ladle. It was kind of weird because most of the girls in my tribe got ladles, so I think Esquire fixed the bucket of utensils.

Anyways, the ladle was super hard to eat with. One of the ways I got the spaghetti in my ladle is when Bologna used her tongs to pick up and put the spaghetti in my ladle. Another way is just when I used my fingers to kind of push the spaghetti into my ladle.

Here are all the utensils my tribe got: Amanda got tongs, Skye got tongs, Bologna got tongs, Tutu got a spatula, Destiny got a ladle, Judi got a ladle, Lindsay got a ladle, and I got a ladle. Since it was so hard for some of us to eat with our ladles, I think some of us might have lost our appetite. The rest of the night we all tried our hardest to get that food in our mouths. Everyone had a great time struggling to eat and that is what happened on Utensil Night.

Skye R., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh

My name is Skye R. and I am writing about Once Upon a Time Night. Once Upon a Time Night is when all the tribes dress up as characters from fairy tales. You also have to either do a little skit or just go through your line and say your names at dinner. Here are some interviews. Here is Amanda R. I asked Amanda what her tribe dressed up as, and she told me it was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Then I asked what her favorite costume was. She said she liked Issachar’s. Finally I asked what Amanda’s favorite part about Once Upon a Time Night was. She said she liked getting all the costumes ready.

Now here’s an interview from Smalls. “What was your favorite part about your tribe’s characters?” I asked. She said she liked that they were blind with walking sticks! Then I asked Smalls what her favorite fairytale was, and she said Snow White and the seven dwarves. Last I asked her what her tribe dressed up as. Smalls said they were the five blind mice, the farmer, and his wife.

So as you can tell, Once Upon a Time Night was really fun! My favorite part was getting to see all the costumes.

Amanda R., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh

During Stop and Go Night Streetlight blows the whistle at random times, and that happens everyone in the dining hall has to freeze. When Streetlight blows it again we can resume our dinner. If you get caught moving you lose a utensil! Some people lost all their utensils so they had to eat with their hands.

I asked Skye if she lost any silverware, and she said no. Lindsay said she lost her knife and LaTanya lost her fork.

Sometimes people had to freeze in mid-swallow or when they were drinking. A couple people cheated by taking more than one fork or spoon!

Overall, everyone had tons of fun!!

Judi W., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh

On the Fourth of July we went to Columbia. There were so many things to do. And there were so many stores. And we did the egg toss and we did candle dipping and we got ice cream and shaved ice and soda. It was so yummy. And there were people playing music and I did the watermelon eating contest. It was good and hard. And at the end of the day we ran out of water, and it was not fun at all. But then we got more water, and everyone drank a lot of it because we were so thirsty. We ate lunch there and it was a great lunch. And the Gilgal Bank was brought there with us. And we all had a great time. And we all got a camp picture taken. A couple people stood on a steel roof and I was one of them. It was fun. And a boy next to me had a jar of gems and he put them down, and the water inside the jar was boiling. It was so cool. And while we were there we marched in the Fourth of July parade. We sang songs and wore the same shirts. The shirts are so cool.

Elliot K., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

Crazy Hair Night was a great night. Crazy Hair Night is where we make our hair crazy. You can do whatever you want to make your hair crazy! That night was one of my favorite nights. My tribe wore tinfoil on our heads. I tried to make a helmet of a Roman soldier, but it sadly failed. One tribe dyed their hair red. Another tribe put uniforms on and put pony tails on. A tribe put their hair super crazy. I tried to make my hat, the whole entire time that we had to make our hair crazy. I thought that my hat would work really well, but as you know it failed and instead it looked like the iron giant in combat gear. Some people wore really weird and crazy wigs. I thought some people were so clever that they nailed it on being crazy and weird. I thought Crazy Hair Night was a crazy night.

Mia C., Age 11
Tribe of Asher

I was so excited when I heard that it was Feed Your Friend Night, because I had a lot of fun with it last year. However, this night was unexpected. It started when the tribe of Asher was picking partners. I was going to ask Waffles to be my partner, but Haneen asked her before me. I asked around, but to my disappointment, everyone already had a partner. Feeling sad and downhearted, I began to feed myself. As soon as I started, Smalls asked if I had a partner, and when I said, “No,” she looked around and saw Ewok recording everyone. Immediately, she asked him if he wouldn’t mind being my partner. “Oh, no!” I thought. How embarrassing! I asked Smalls what she was doing, and she said, “He was the closest person I saw.” From the first moment Ewok came to feed me, I knew this was not a good idea. He sat down and stabbed my fork into my lasagna and made me eat something that was way too big to fit into my mouth. He fed me one bit and then left to continue recording. He came back and forth with the same routine, forcing a huge piece of food into my mouth and then recording some more. Ewok would count the amount of veggies or memorize how much bread was left, and he made me promise not to touch it while he was gone. The mean part was that I had to go through choking hazards, and he cheated and fed himself however he pleased. I was surprised when he came back and fed me dessert. Hopefully, Waffles doesn’t put any of the pictures she took of us anywhere public.

This experience was challenging and fun at the same time. I totally call dibs on someone in my tribe next year!

Reuven R., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

In the Fourth of July parade, we sang two songs. One of them was “Prince of Peace” and the other one was “Psalm 23.” They are awesome songs. We were the 30^th group in the parade and our feet got really tired. We practiced on the grass near the parade. As we walked in the parade people kept on clapping for us. When we approached the judges we turned toward them and sang “Prince of Peace” and everybody clapped. Then we continued marching and singing in the parade, and everybody continued to clap for us, and then they started cheering and yelling at us because of our great march and singing. It was awesome. We all raised our flags really high and we wore our Camp Gilgal t-shirts and colorful red, white and blue bandanas. We were allowed to wear them anywhere we wanted. We finished walking through Columbia and we got a big huge cheer. After the parade we sat down on benches and ate some lunch. We got the first place award for best singing group. The award is on the Camp Gilgal fridge in the dining hall.

Lindsay M., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh

My name is Lindsay M. and I’m writing about the campfire. The campfire is when the whole camp comes down to the campfire spot and we sing worship songs, campfire songs. Staff will share testimonies. During this particular campfire we sang, “Always Forever,” “Father Abraham,” “I am an M” (you spell out “I am an m-e-s-s-i-a-n-i-c jew!), and many other songs. For the testimonies, Squirt shared about how God is faithful all the time, even when we’re in doubt and in sorrow. Then, after Squirt’s testimony, we prayed. Last we had s’mores. The marshmallows were HUGE! Moose roasted his marshmallow perfectly. First, Snapple and Streetlight called tribes down to get their skewers and giant marshmallows, then we went to the fire pit and roasted them. After that, we got chocolate and graham crackers. And that was the end of the first campfire at camp.

Isaac H., Age 10
Tribe of Judah

It’s near the end of FOB (Flat On Bunk) time. Then you hear a TWEEEEET!! Immediately, moods change: It’s free time!

Free time is the part of camp that lets you do about anything you want to. Feelin’ competitive? March right up to carpetball. You can also play basketball and ping-pong. If the summer heat is too hard on you, take a ride on the wet slide and jump in the pool. (Watch out for the five-foot deep end, Oy Vey!) And when you feel like not doing anything, you can draw. There’s even a tree you can climb up that’s become a camp hotspot.

To me, free time is the best part of camp. I usually try to have the most fun I can have. The tree is where I spend my free time. I stayed there last year, too.

FREE TIME FOR ALL!!!

Isaac H., Age 10
Tribe of Judah

This is the time when all you need is your towel, sunscreen, and swimsuit.

It’s so wet! So cool! So…big! What happens is you leave the Camp Gilgal grounds and go down the hill? You arrive at another campsite. But there’s also a huge pool. And what do you do when you see a pool? Leap, leap, leap!

Then you start to swim. It’s a long distance to the other end, so I like to swim there. Ah, so original, isn’t it? Some people like to play pool basketball, because there’s a basketball net. You can also just do free swim. If you have goggles you can go underwater and watch everybody else swimming.

My favorite thing to do is ‘play shark.’ It doesn’t always work, but what you do is look for someone with their back to you. That’s your ‘victim.’ Then you slowly swim up to them. Finally, when you get close to them, go underwater, then jump up suddenly and yell: “LUNCHTIME!!!” The pool is a wonderful place.

The fish think you taste good!

Corey W., Age 9
Tribe of Judah

The campfire was great. We sang songs of praise and we sang happily. People told about their backgrounds during the campfire. Even though it was a little chilly we still had a great time talking to and learning about God. I almost fell asleep but luckily I didn’t. They had surprise s’mores for us, the marshmallows were huge and the chocolate was delicious. I like my s’mores light brown – I had two. That was at the end though. Before that, Squirt shared her testimony, then at the men’s campfire we had so much fun. Professor gave us two of his favorite Bible verses: Romans 8:37-38 and Galatians 5:12. All in all, both campfires were a great time to fellowship. The men’s campfire especially was a great way for the men’s side of camp to bond.

Jacob S., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

Dodge ball was a fun activity. The best players were Diesel, Nacho, Garfield, Simba, and Esquire. Everyone had a good time! Garfield accidentally hit Danny G. in the ear, but he was fine. When I was playing dodge ball, I got probably 5,000,000 people out. When all of the players of dodge ball got a break, everyone ran to the water fountain to get a drink of the nice cold water. When we went back to playing dodge ball, I cried during the whole game because I stubbed my new toe nail into the wall at the dodge ball courts. The person at the dodge ball courts that got out was Elliot. I felt sorry for him. When we were done playing dodge ball we walked up a hill. When I walked up the hill I had Nathan on my back. That was a fun dodge ball game.

Dinah N., Age 10
Tribe of Asher

Carpetball is probably the most fun game in camp. Every day there is a long line of campers waiting to play. It’s so addicting that it is guaranteed that you won’t be able to stop. Sometimes it can get aggressive.

“It’s the funnest game in the world,” said one of the campers.

The game is simple. There is a long table with a hole on each side. One player has to be on both sides. Each player has five balls. There is one gray ball which you have to try to hit the opponent’s balls into the hole.

“It’s really fun,” said an eight year old camper. “You should try it.”

Carpetball takes place outside the dining hall near the pool area. You can play carpetball anytime you have a break or when it’s free time. When you get in a tie with the other player, you have to get three balls and do it again, and if you have another tie again, then you get one ball for each ball.

Haneen R., Age 10
Tribe of Asher

On Men’s Day, the ladies go horseback riding. When we got there we ate lunch. Then the tribe of Issachar went horseback riding, then the tribe of Naphtali, then Manasseh, then my tribe, Asher. We had lots of fun. Streetlight came with us. We sang worship songs. We were right by a cliff, and it was scary. Then a deer ran right in front of my tribe mate’s horse. We were so scared. When we got back we went to a pretty little creek and next to it was snow. I almost fell in the creek. Then we did zumba on the snow. I love horseback riding. It was sooooo much fun. I can’t wait until next year.

Only At Camp Gilgal

Monique L., Age 9
Tribe of Naphtali

The Camp Gilgal food is delicious! They have theme nights, and something called cuppage at lunch. Cuppage is where you bang your cup on the table in a loud and fast but orderly way. They have delicious spaghetti. They have dessert every day. They also have a salad bar. In the morning they have fruit juice and in the afternoon, fruit punch, and at dinner, there is water. Water is supplied throughout the day. The dining hall is warm. They have special pancakes on Shabbat with strawberries. There are always vegetarian meals, such as PB sandwiches, tofu, salad and veggie burgers for people who want them. You can ask someone to sit with your table. Ewok, Snapple, Moose and Streetlight serve food. We also compliment people, make jokes, or sing to be first to eat. You can always have seconds or thirds if you are still hungry. Meals are so fun that you never want them to end.

Madison H., Age 9
Tribe of Naphtali

The Camp Gilgal store is so fun. There are drinks, candy, toys, and more! There are sodas, AirHeads, candy burgers, teddy bears, toy dogs, wolves, fish, deer, and rocks. There is a bank that you can get your money out of. Streetlight, Moose, and Snapple run the store. Poppins runs the dry goods part of the store for some toys like kites, bows, and ribbons. I bought a bear, some candy, a water gun, and a soda. They sell Twix, Milky Way, the Three Musketeers, M&Ms, big water floaties, water balloons, water guns, bubble blowers, water noodles, water blasters, and girls’ and boys’ toy bags. The Camp Gilgal store was open on Skit Night and they made popcorn. The popcorn was delicious. They have fuzzy wuzzies and popsicles. The store has fudge, rice crispies, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and more food, so please come to Camp Gilgal.

Michael K., Age 9
Tribe of Benjamin

At the beginning of mail call everyone is excited. Mail call is when people get mail that was sent to them. Snapple and Diesel were running around like crazy. I thought it was really funny. A lot of people got packages and letters. They brought Julia up to the front to spin around when tribe leaders get mail. After that, finally I got mail. I got a letter from my parents and they said that they missed me very much. Also, I got a package that had stuff for Columbia. There were also all sorts of candy. So far I’ve got about four or five cards and one package. When Moose was called on, which happened many times, he sprinted and looked hilarious as he kept almost running into people. A lot of the other campers got mail, too. Some of them got multiple cards and boxes, and some only got one. Sometimes Snapple and Diesel get a little mixed up, because one of the times they called Sarah’s and my name by accident. But altogether, they do a really great job doing mail call. And I’ve enjoyed mail call and hopefully I get more mail next year.

Danny G., Age 9
Tribe of Benjamin

I like arts and crafts because you can make lots out of art; like you can make ice cream out of paper. I have been working on a cow. I am making it out of white and black paper. It’s turning out good so far. I also have been working on a mosaic. To make this piece of art I have been cutting pieces of paper to form a peace sign. Then I picked the tiles I needed. After that I stained the frame. And then I glued the tiles down. I waited for the glue to dry overnight. The next day we spread grout over the tiles and then scraped it off. Once I finished scraping all the extra grout off, I sponged it so I can see the tiles. Then I put it on the done table for the tribe leaders to polish them. And then I climbed a tree.

Kayla H., Age 8
Tribe of Issachar

Our degel was cool, pretty, and lovely to look at. Our tribe’s name is Issachar. Issachar means sun. On the degel the girls in my tribe wrote their names on it. We also put the ocean on it. The paint for the sun was bright yellow, orange, and gold. The ocean was painted blue.

Our degel was white so it looked nice. We had a lot of colors to choose from, but we thought white would look good. It is very beautiful. Every tribe in camp has to pick a tribe name. Each tribe name is one of the tribes of Israel. Issachar was our favorite because we love the sunshine. I help paint the sunrise and the ocean. Our flag is really wonderful to look at. We took it back to our cabin and we take it everywhere with us. It really represents our tribe well.

Abbey M., Age 12
Tribe of Asher

Worship is a time to sing and praise the Lord. Streetlight always leads worship. She has an amazing voice. Some of the songs we sing are: “Always Forever,” “Psalm 23,” “Prince of Peace,” “The Stand,” “Cannons,” “Inside Out,” “The Happy Song,” “Marvelous Light,” and many more wonderful songs with beautiful meanings. Streetlight plays the acoustic guitar, Simba plays the bass guitar, Professor plays the piano, and I play the frame drum. It’s so beautiful to see everybody participating during that happy time we have with God. I asked some people questions about worship, including Smalls and Hershey to conclude the article.

First, I asked Smalls what her favorite song that we sing during worship was. She replied, “They would have to be Psalm 23 and Always Forever.”

Then I asked Hershey why worship was so special to her. She answered, “Worship is special because I love music, and it’s amazing listening to everyone praise God.”

David S., Age 12
Tribe of Zebulun

Shalom! Hebrew at Camp Gilgal is fun and a good way to learn Hebrew. Our teacher, Freckles, divided the Hebrew class into two sections: Alef and Bet. Hebrew is suitable for people who don’t know any to people who are learning new words and sentences. Alef is for learning the alef-bet and vowels. Bet is for the more experienced. Bet reads about Sherei, the llama. Once during Hebrew, one of Freckles’ friends brought some llamas. He told us about them and we got to pet and feed them. One day, we also watched Shalom Sesame, which is the Hebrew/Israeli version of Sesame Street. It was a movie on Hanukah to help kids learn Hebrew and have fun. It was kind of funny, too. I am really glad that we have Hebrew at camp. This is where I learned my alef-bet and a lot of words.

Hebrew is so fun! Freckles’ Hebrew is helpful. I like to learn it.

Olivia P., Age 11
Tribe of Manasseh

Camp Gilgal’s meal traditions are super fun and interesting at the same time. For example, before every meal all the tribes say something together to declare who goes in first. Also, everyone asks out of cabin staff members to sit with them for the whole meal.

During lunch time, all the tribes sit down and do cuppage. Cuppage is where everyone takes their cups face down and bang it on a table to a beat. The beat gets faster and faster until it’s just a bunch of cups being banged against the table.

Before every meal, we always say the kiddush, the hamotzi, and we pray. Also, after every dinner, Snapple and Diesel yell…. MAIL CALL!!! We have a spinner that does a special spin for the staff when they have mail. The campers do a certain clap for other campers when they get mail.

After all the normal mail is done being called we have BONUS ROUND! Bonus round is like packages and packets. Those are Camp Gilgal’s meal traditions. 

Josh L., Age 10
Tribe of Judah

Every night after dinner everyone goes back to their cabin and gets ready for showering and brushing their teeth. Everyone gets back to the cabin and we all get ready for lights out. Everybody gets in bed for tribe devotionals. Some are interesting and some are boring.

Some are long and some are short. Some are fun and some are not. Sometimes people fall asleep. Sometimes they happen late and have to be short. If they start early we can have long ones and sometimes they can be fun.

Sometimes we have games at night and can’t do devotionals. After the devotionals we pray.

Everyone prays to learn more about God and for everyone to have good health.

The devotionals help me learn more about God. Some of the devotionals talked about how God is faithful and provides for us when we need. It also tells me how to pray. The devotionals make me feel better and closer to God.

LaTanya H., Age 11
Tribe of Asher

Everyone loves FOB except for most of the campers. But one day the campers of Asher had a lot of fun during FOB. (We messed around a lot.) Waffles was trying to sleep, but she couldn’t because of us. While Haneen was asleep, Abbey started smacking her stuffed rabbit. Haneen wouldn’t wake up so we decided to have fun with that. We took a picture of her and some parts of our cabin. Then all of a sudden Waffles got up and said, “You guys HAVE to be quiet so I can SLEEP!” So we were quiet… for about a minute. (Just in case you were wondering, Smalls was asleep the WHOLE time.) I (LaTanya) got down from my bunk bed to get my water bottle because I was coughing. So I opened it and started drinking… then when I wasn’t paying attention I spilled the water all over me! (It was COLD.) Those were some things that happened during Asher’s FOB (not really flat on bunk).

Haneen R., Age 10
Tribe of Asher

Tabernacle is something we do every morning. First in Tabernacle is worship, beautifully done by Streetlight playing guitar and singing, and Simba playing guitar and singing. Also, my tribe mate, Abbey, plays the drums. Professor plays the piano as well. We usually sing one of these songs: “The Happy Song,” “Psalm 23,” “Always Forever,” “Prince of Peace,” and “Every Move I Make.” After worship we say the Shema. Then Moose comes up and gives us a very interesting, funny but serious Bible lesson. Yesterday we talked about creation. Today we learned about Adam and Eve from Genesis. This year’s theme is God’s faithfulness from generation to generation. After Moose gives a Bible lesson we are excused to then have Hebrew and craft.

The Creative Side of Gilgal

Mekerah P., Age 9
Tribe of Naphtali

I looked around. Was someone saying my name? It was coming from the woods. I listened very carefully, but it was only the wind in the trees. Then I saw something. Was that a cow? It wasn’t moving, so maybe it was dead. I went to get my tribe leader, and she said I could go look at it if she was with me. When I got there it looked like a sink without a faucet. I was about to head back to my cabin when something else caught my eye. It looked like a roof. I was about to go explore it when the lunch whistle blew. After lunch and FOB (Flat On Bunk), I finally got to explore it. Turns out it was a storage shed filled with hay and logs, but it still was a good adventure!

Julia K, Age 12
Tribe of Simeon 

Thunder and lightning,
It can be very frightening.
The rain pouring down,
Till it hits the ground.
Though we try to keep dry,
Rain makes it look like we cry
From the ground steam does rise.
And a Taco Bell surprise,
Making us well fed
Then we cozy up in our bed.

Malachai W., Age 13
Tribe of Zebulun 

When the sun breaks the sky and it shines into my eye, it fills me up o so high to know
that I will reach the skies when He calls me up on high

When He calls me up on high, we will draweth from Him nigh, and be the apple of His eye

We will be the apple of His eye and draweth from Him nigh, when He calls me up on high

By Evan S., Age 13
Tribe of Zebulun 

Campfires are real fun!
Eat s’mores really tasty Ya!
Camp songs are super!

    Haiku

        By Isaac Y., Age 12
        Tribe of Zebulun 

        Camp Gilgal yeah!
        We get to learn about God!
        The fun camp for Jews!