Choose the Way of Life

(Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

“Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.”

The Gilgal Gazette is published by Camp Gilgal campers for Camp Gilgal campers and their families and friends!

Tribes:

Tribe of Benjamin: Carrie-Fu M., Claire C., Elizabeth R., Erica B., Persaeus B., Sophia M., Waffles, Galaxy

Tribe of Judah: Maddie H., Noa B., Shannon O., Zemeira W., Zoe N., Acorn, Whimzy

Tribe of Zebulun: Elizabeth K., Lizzy N., Monique L., Sarai M., Taliah S., Nike, Vintage

Tribe of Manasseh: Dinah N., Emmalee S., Haneen R., LaTanya H., Mia C., Yamen L., Sauté, Hershey

Tribe of Simeon: Boaz B., David R., Isaiah L., Nathan B., Sasha S., J-Box, Ewok

Tribe of Ephraim: Corey W., Danny G., Elijah Y., Josiah C., Michael K., Maverick, Yamaha

Tribe of Dan: Daniel P., Emmanuel R., Isaac H., Josh L., Reuven R., Sam F., Simba, Professor

Tribe of Gad: Elliot K., Isaac J., Jacob S., Jaden W., Jeremiah H., Nathan P., Nacho, Java

Out-of-cabin staff: Mr. Tumnus, Snapple, Bazooka, Sherbert, Sonic, Onyx, Poppins, Streetlight, Moose

Guests: Swedey, Hoops, Esquire, Sparkler

Only at Camp Gilgal

Corey W., Age 10
Tribe of Ephraim

When you decorate the flag you put paint and glitter and you get a cool tribe name. And you get to help pick the flag color and flag name. It is fun. You can have the bull, snakes, grapes, wolves. Then you let it dry. The next day they give it to you. You take it to the cabin. You take it with you to every meal. Everyone writes their name and tribe name in Hebrew. You take the flags to Tabernacle, too! We also march in the Fourth of July Parade with our degelim. Everyone in Columbia sees our beautiful flags. The tribe of Ephraim has a bull with fire in its eyes on a white background. It has a golden ring in its nose and red horns. Every tribe writes “Camp Gilgal 2012” on their flag. At the end of the year the camper of the year gets to take their degel home. Everyone always wants to carry their tribe’s degel around to meals and Tabernacle.

Taliah S., Age 11
Tribe of Zebulun

If you are looking for a camp that is the most fun, the best, or the most awesome camp ever, come to Camp Gilgal! We have everything from campfire, to games, to craft. I don’t think I have ever met anyone or ever will meet anyone who hates or does not like camp.

Not only do we have crazy activities at this camp, we also have Hebrew, devotions, and Tabernacle. This camp is sponsored by Jews for Jesus, so we also want to focus on learning more about God, and what it means to be believers in Y’shua. In Tabernacle we sing and worship, then one of the out-of-cabin staff will give a short message. For devotions, every night we have a short talk and pray together as a tribe. Every year at camp we also have Hebrew class and learn how to say, write and chant things in Hebrew.

We also have awesome games at camp. The best one (I think) is M.I. or Mission Impossible. This is a night game, and you have to try to find all the clues, and if you get spotted by the staff you are out. Everybody loves this game because right when you are about to go to bed, a van with Mission Impossible music drives through camp, and nobody knows when it is going to be.

As you can see, everything here is awesome, and if you are looking for an amazing camp, Camp Gilgal is the way to go!

Jaden W., Age 12
Tribe of Gad

Shabbat was really cool. Me, Nathan, Noa, and Mia read Bible verses and did blessings. First we worshiped and said the Sh’ma afterwards. Before we worshiped we ate dinner, but it wasn’t an ordinary dinner. We dress up for Shabbat and are more orderly about what we do. Onyx spoke and sang the Aaronic benediction. Sherbert shared her testimony. Moose read Colossians 3:12-14: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Emmalee S., Age 11
Tribe of Manasseh

This year in the Oylimpics, Maverick dressed up as Moses and he said, “Let my people go.” We teamed up with a men’s tribe and competed in the Oylimpics, which involved obstacles based off the ten plagues. My team paired up with Simeon and our team’s name was Simenasseh. We won because we were the only tribe that did the leap frog right. Some of the obstacles were shaking tic tacs out of the container, throwing cheese balls on a shaving cream head, eating a bucket of popcorn, and milking a plastic glove like an udder. Also there was the sit-on-the-balloon relay race, filling half a cup with red water with straws, swatting fake bugs with a fly swatter, blindfolding a tribe leader and screaming directions until they got to Moses, and sliding on the slip’n’slide. It is super messy but really fun. My favorite part was when I went on the slip’n’slide because there were bubbles that make you go fast. The Oylimpics was really fun and I fully enjoyed it.

Elliot K., Age 12
Tribe of Gad

Just as I am in the middle of prayer, Dr. Root Canal knocks on the door then comes in. He checks our teeth, but before that we say, “Once again you interrupted Elliot.” Then he says, “Sorry,” or, “Wow, again.” We think he’s doing it on purpose. While he is checking our teeth, Jacob hides his gum in his mouth. Before he checks Isaac’s mouth, Isaac literally drinks Scope mouthwash. At one time, I lost my toothbrush and used mouthwash. One day, Jaden had his jawbreaker out. Another day he did not even brush his teeth. Once Nathan walked out the door saying, “I need to brush my teeth.” Dr. Root Canal has really awesome and huge glasses and a toothbrush. He has a coat and this untied tie that he always wears. You have to brush your teeth and then make it really white with nothing in your mouth. It has to be pearly white and minty fresh. If it is not any of those then you lose points. You can get a maximum of 100 points. It is kinda easy to get the maximum points because all you have to do is brush your teeth every day and then it will be as easy as pie, if you have a toothbrush. We always say our tribe leaders have bad teeth. No matter what you should brush your teeth.

Dinah N., Age 11
Tribe of Manasseh

Did you ever want to learn a different language? Camp Gilgal has Hebrew class. You can learn the alphabet and vowels, or if you are more advanced you can learn phrases. There are two groups: Team Alef which is for beginners, and Team Bet which is for more advanced. If you are in Team Alef and if it is too easy, you could switch classes to Team Bet. The teacher is Mr. Tumnus. He grew up in Israel so he knows how to speak and write in Hebrew. In the class you can write in your own ABC Hebrew book. You can write the alphabet or phrases in the book. So when you go home you can show your family what you learned. Then maybe you can go to Israel. Mr. Tumnus teaches the alphabet song and how to greet people and have conversations. You also learn how to write in Hebrew. Hebrew is after Tabernacle or arts and crafts, depending on which class you are in. It takes place in the Tabernacle area. It is every day except on Saturday, which is the Sabbath. Sometimes we might go horseback riding so we can’t do Hebrew. In Hebrew Mr. Tumnus sometimes gives out snacks like sunflower seeds. It’s really fun.

Sarai M., age 11
Tribe of Zebulun 

After lunch comes nap time (FOB which means Flat On Bunk), unless it is Lady’s Day. On Lady’s Day FOB is more like fun on bunk. On that day most of the girls did each other’s hair, make up, nails, and designed each other’s outfits for the rest of the day. Sadly, there is only one Lady’s Day. So on most days it is regular FOB. FOB is one hour of nap time. In my cabin we made up six rules about FOB:

#1 No camper may ever look forward to FOB
#2 No camper may sleep during FOB
#3 No camper may speak during FOB
#4 You may never wake up counselors during FOB
#5 You must be flat on your bunk during FOB
#6 If it is fun, it is not FOB.

So these are our six rules of FOB in which we try our best to follow.

David R., age 10
Tribe of Simeon 

Devotions are more like a story before you go to sleep. My favorite part of devotions is it helps me go to sleep. One night during devotions I heard “iron sharpens iron.” God speaks to us through the Bible and He speaks through parables. The meaning of iron sharpens iron is if you’re a believer in Y’shua your life could help someone else’s faith in Y’shua. Last night in devotions we talked about training; if a child is trained in something when he grows old he will never depart from that training. The meaning of the parable is when a child is still young he should train well so that child does not forget what he was taught. I really like devotion time with my tribe because I learn a lot about God.

Isaac H., Age 11
Tribe of Dan 

Ah, your tribe just got picked by out-of-cabin staff to go into the dining hall for lunch. Nourishment awaits!! Could it be burgers? Noodles? Tacos? Pizza??! These thoughts make you relaxed and hungry at the same time. All ruined when you enter the dining hall: BONKITTY BONKITTY BONKITTY! Ear shattering sounds of not one, but ALL the plastic cups bashing into wooden tables. Most people think it’s quite the outrage. But have no worries, it is simply the ancient tradition of CUPPAGE! Everyone at lunch time bangs their cups on the table top. This will not last all lunch time though. How could we eat lunch while smashing cups? It all ends when the out of cabin staff raises their hands and swipes it down. Cuppage ends, then we eat. Some probably wish cuppage never existed. Even I have. But always remember: IF THERE AIN’T NO CUPPAGE, THERE AIN’T NO CAMP GILGAL!!!

Emmalee S., Age 11
Tribe of Manasseh 

Mail call usually happens around the end of dinner. It starts with Snapple, Bazooka, and Maverick running from the deck screaming “Mail call,” carrying a box of mail and packages from your friends and family. When they run through the doors screaming, a roar breaks out, then Snapple raises her hand and slices it down to stop the screams. There is always a spinner who does a spin when a tribe leader is called. It is exciting to get your name called. There is one special night where you sing or dance for your mail. Sing and Dance for Your Mail Night is when music plays and if you get called you can either sing or dance for your mail. This year, I sang the macarena and I got my mail. Then I got called again! But you don’t have to sing or dance if you’re called again. Mail call is super fun!

Sarai M., Age 11
Tribe of Zebulun

Once after FOB we all came down for free time. Before we had really started Streetlight called us all together for lost and found. Before she finished, “It is way too hot, let’s go inside to cool off.” When we went in there was a 20-foot clean gutter of ice cream sundae. In the ice cream sundae there were strawberries, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream with cherries, sprinkles, chocolate bits, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and who knows what else! It was really good, especially on a hot summer afternoon. Some people got so much that it towered over the rim of their bowls and drenched the floor. In my ice cream I had chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream with sprinkles and nuts. I think my favorite part of my ice cream sundae was the nuts.

Haneen R., Age 12
Tribe of Mannaseh

Morty and Minerva are the Camp Gilgal Cabin Inspectors. Every day all of the tribes have to make their cabins spotless clean! If a shoe or hair brush is askew, you receive an infraction. An infraction is when five points are deducted. You start off with 100 points each day. A minor infraction deducts five points and each major deduction is ten points. Major infractions rarely happen unless you do a horrible job cleaning. Morty and Minerva are supposed to be an old Jewish couple, but they are really Streetlight and Sonic. They are really funny. You can also get an infraction just for having a spot of dirt on the cabin floor or if a bag is unzipped. In case you wanted to know, the unzipped bag infraction is known at camp as “open bag syndrome.” Another thing that is really funny is Morty has a hunchback and wears ugly old man’s glasses. Minerva has an ugly dress, a curler in her hair, and an annoying voice. It is important to remember as a camper that it is possible to nail the cabin inspection. If your cabin nails it that means there were no infractions in the inspection.

Crazy Nights

Mia C., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh

Superhero Night is a Camp Gilgal tradition. It’s when every tribe dresses up as superheroes! This allows people to be creative and make up awesome costumes and a phrase for line-up. Other tribes did “Super Sheep,” “Super Stars,” and more. Our theme was “Super Seniors.” We all dressed up as seniors, and practiced our “accents.” For line-up, we each said something funny. Some said random stuff like “I love grapes,” Or “Where’s Lenny?” Some of us pretended to be forgetful or totally unaware of the conversation, which was our “Super Chant.” Then altogether, we shakily put our arms up and said, “Go, Super Seniors!” I really got into it and put baby powder in my hair to make it gray. Our leaders, Hershey and Sauté, bought hair curlers for us to wear. Eventually, that caused a lot of ripping, frustration and many tangles and split ends. While we were still in costume, we took a tribe photo, trying to look as old and hunched over as possible.

Sam F., Age 10
Tribe of Dan

Skit Night is so much fun! You get to see what all the tribes come up with. My tribe (Dan) did the Ten Commandments. Manasseh did a Do Not Steal message. Zebulun did a magic carpet ride through Moses’ life. Benjamin described and acted out 1 Timothy 4:12. Judah did people from the future and Bible times. Simeon did pantomime. Ephraim did a detective story. Gad did a puppet show. Skit Night was very funny. You try to get more points for Tribe of the Year. In the intermission you could buy refreshments from the Gilgal Store. They sell throwback sodas made with real sugar and good candy. When we got there we picked who would go first out of a hat. We also got to bring our sleeping bags and pillows. Morty and Minerva would play a song on the piano and did funny stuff and the judges would give our points at the end. Then we watched part of a movie with Waffles in it when she was little. It was very fun and encouraging to watch all the skits and hear different spiritual messages from all the tribes.

Shannon O., Age 10
Tribe of Judah

“Hey, kids, who wants to know what tonight’s theme is?” asked Streetlight. “What?” “It’s Stop and Go Night!” “Yay!” the kids shouted. Stop and Go Night is when Streetlight blows her whistle at dinner, and if you don’t freeze, no matter what you’re doing, you get a utensil taken away from you! One time, I was moving and Streetlight didn’t even notice me! One of the tribe leaders even randomly broke into song. When Streetlight blew her whistle, the tribe leader “sang” the new version of “If you take away my fork, you take away the biggest part of me,” but he got his knife taken away instead. Usually, the boys want to get their utensils taken away. Streetlight kept blowing the whistle so much and so fast that we didn’t know if it was stop or go. “This is the funnest night ever!”

All this news is weird (and funny), but it’s Stop and Go Night. It’s the way it is. Until next time, for those of you who understood what I’m saying, this was Stop and Go Night.

Isaiah L., Age 9
Tribe of Simeon

On Monday, July 2^nd, we went to an awesome creek. First we went in back of the dining hall, then we went on the rough path to the creek. When we got there, we sang the Kiddush and Ha-Motzi, then some of the staff went back to get the dinner. For dinner we had sandwiches. While we were eating some people tried to fish but they didn’t succeed. Some dropped food in for the fish to eat. There were these little crawdads Danny caught in a water bottle but in the end they let them go.

Jaden says his favorite part was when he saw Daniel reach under the algae and pull out a little crawdad. There were a lot of water insects and fish. It was a fun time and I enjoyed it.

Isaac H., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

It hits everyone at random. It cannot be foreseen. But all must be prepared when Streetlight announces it’s………….. FEED YOUR FRIEND NIGHT!! During this meal, you must find a friend, get your food, and begin feeding your friend. Everything on your plate must be fed to you by the friend. But not everything must be eaten. A good strategy is to switch the plate with your food with your friend’s plate, so when you reach to get some food, it’ll be the friend’s food, and you can feed them. Take turns and there will be no mess. On each turn, ask your friend what food he would like. He or she will say what their choice is. Proceed by feeding them what they request. Don’t put too much or too little on your spoon; the food should actually go into your friend’s mouth. While all solid food must be fed by your friend, it is perfectly fine to drink from your own cup. When all your food is gone, you may put away your dishes. This meal is over, and you can look forward to your next great activities. Feed Your Friend Night is one of the most fun but silliest parts of camp.

LaTanya H., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh

Mission Impossible is a fan-favorite at Camp Gilgal. Kids love the darkness and the intenseness. One of the oldest campers, Mia, says, “MI is a lot of fun with stealth.” MI is a mission that can be impossible. Tribes have to go from clue to clue. Doesn’t that sound easy? Well, it’s not. Out-of-cabin staff have flashlights and try to catch you. When you get caught you have to go back to your cabin, no matter where you are.

Every year MI is a big, fun surprise. This year the lights went out when we were in our cabins. One camper, Jeremiah, says, “When the lights went out, my cabin went crazy!” I agree, cabins went ballistic. Playing the game is absolutely so much fun. You have to roll, slide, and drop down hills or surfaces.

This year the youngest girls cabin, Benjamin, won. Even though other tribes didn’t win, they still go to have fun!

Madison H., Age 10
Tribe of Judah

One day at camp, Streetlight announced that it was Animal Night. All of us went crazy. Zemeira said, “I wanted to be a chinchilla.” Zoe said “that I wanted to be a wolf.” Shannon was a sheep, but she wanted to be a raccoon. All the people I’ve asked are in my tribe. I wanted to be a tiger. But instead our tribe leader Acorn had a glue gun so she glued cotton balls to our white shirts so that we would look like sheep. Then we went knocking on other cabin doors because we needed to borrow some black pants. After that we ran down the hill and lined up for diner and when they called us we said, “We feel a little sheepish.” Then we took pictures. And finally, we got to go to dinner. Animal Night was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Claire C., Age 7
Tribe of Benjamin

The campfire I liked because… The s’mores were gooey and hot and they tasted awesome. And the flames looked like they were dancing tall and wide and pretty. And Onyx said some things about himself and did a long testimony and it was amazing. And the moon was glittering everywhere I looked. Also the staff sang beautiful songs about the Bible, God, Jesus and good and bad. Also when we came to the campfire I got a piggy back ride, and after that I sat down on the campfire benches. Taliah came up to the front of the patio and sang another song from the East Coast Camp Gilgal called Hine Ma Tov with Streetlight. It was a camp song in Hebrew. Every time we repeated the song it got faster and faster. We lastly stood up to sing more songs and pray. Then everyone was excited from having s’mores and really tired, too. So we finally went up to our cabins as a tribe and fell asleep.

Daniel P., Age 10
Tribe of Dan

Hi, my name is Daniel. The night swim is a great event and thing to do on the Fourth of July. We played Moby Dick and basketball. But to all I must advise: get Simba or Professor to ride on. It was a really refreshing time because the day was hot and long. I was playing Leech and it was a really fun day. Leech is where you hang onto someone like Simba – he’s fun. I like to play Leech and a football game. We were playing knock out, but soon we had a lot of fun and there are a lot of kids and I mean a LOT OF KIDS! That swim was great and I am really enjoying my first year of camp with the tribe of Dan. I can’t wait for next year!

Josh L., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

After Streetlight announces it is Utensil Night everyone gathers in the dining hall. Onyx brings out a big pot full of random utensils, and everyone reaches in and grabs a utensil without looking. I see some people getting spatulas, big spoons, slotted spoons, whisks, etc. The lucky people get plastic forks. Isaiah says he got a big spatula with a wooden handle and had a really hard time eating with it. He says he scooped the food up and ate off the spatula. Sam says he got a spatula. Also he says he had an easy time eating. He scooped up the food and sucked it off. I got a small spoon and had a hard time eating. For dessert there is chocolate cake that is really good. The only bad thing is if you have a hard-to-eat utensil. Utensil Night can be hard, messy and sticky, but there is no more fun than having to eat with a whisk. The End.

Sasha S., Age 8
Tribe of Simeon

The moon was very bright when we went stargazing. We all got our sleeping bags and we went to the black top. We saw Saturn, and Mars, and the moon, and the Big Dipper. We also saw the Little Dipper and the North Star. We were talking about the nebulas, where stars are born and how they are made out of gas. Some stars are hot and some are cool. Some stars are old and some are young. We also learned that our sun came from a nebula. We had lots of sun. I saw a bat gliding through the sky. We saw lots of stars and all of us were lying next to friends, so we were not afraid of the dark. We talked about the black holes and how supernovas form. We also learned that no matter how big the universe is God is with us, no matter what. I had lots of fun doing stargazing at Camp Gilgal.

Isaiah L., Age 9
Tribe of Simeon

The first thing we did was split up the teams. The boy campers grouped up with the girl tribe leaders and the girl campers with the men tribe leaders. Next we made the groups. The people who were defense guarded the jail and the degel (flag). The offense went to the enemy’s side to get the degel or free people from jail. Josh said his favorite part was chasing the boy tribe leaders.

David’s favorite part was trying to help the offense find the flag by screaming in the jail. My favorite part was when I was behind enemy lines. Onyx found us and we ran in the paintball course jumping over rocks and logs and then we slid under the net and lost him! Then I really had to go to the bathroom so I let myself get caught. All of the people who escorted me didn’t know that I wasn’t the one. As soon as one of our people got in the flag circle the other team won.

Danny G., Age 10
Tribe of Ephraim

I am going to tell you about the men’s campfire. It was so funny because I fell asleep. I helped start the fire, and it was pretty cool. I like when we worship God. I thought we were going to make s’mores again, but we didn’t. I liked when we all sat down on top of the tables. It was funny when I fell on the floor. Sonic and Maverick were the speakers. It was the best campfire I have ever had. The fire was pretty big. I hope this year we make a big fire. Well, I think you should come to campfire. It is very fun. I hope we have another men’s campfire. Well, now you know about the men’s campfire.

Fun Days

Carrie M., Age 8
Tribe of Benjamin

I woke up really early for the trip on Sunday. We went to pick up the vans and drove to pick up the kids, five girls, and so many boys!

It was quiet. We played music. I didn’t know the song, but I liked the music.

I liked the view! But we had to stop a lot because the boys had to go to the bathroom!!!

Then we got to eat at McDonalds! I got chicken nuggets and a milkshake.

I liked to sit in the back because it’s like a roller coaster. It’s so bumpy!  😉 But then I got a headache from reading in the van. I fell asleep for an hour or so. I woke up by someone kicking me. When we got there, there were people pounding on the window to welcome us.

Nathan P., Age 12
Tribe of Gad

Morty and Minerva helped teach us how to make the challah. I learned how to braid challah from Jeremiah. The challah tasted pretty good for me making it. We learned why we braid challah. It stands for justice, peace, and love. We added poppy seeds to our challah to make it taste and look nice. They gave us like 30 or 20 minutes to make our challah. Some people tried to write their names with food coloring. It didn’t work out that well, so they had a blob of food coloring on it. Most people wrote their names on the side of the wax paper that we had to put challah on. We put the challah on the trays that they gave us and we put them on it.

Erica B., Age 8
Tribe of Benjamin

My first day of camp was greeted by my tribe leaders. When I got to my cabin, everyone in my tribe was making name tags. I made a name tag, too. I wrote my name in turquoise because it is my favorite color. After, we heard the whistle blow. That meant it was dinner time. My tribe and I all walked really fast down the hill together. We sat down as tribes and found out it was Utensil Night! My utensil was a pie-server. A girl in my tribe named Elizabeth got tongs. I could barely eat anything with the pie cutter so I asked for another utensil. This was my first time at summer camp and I was already having so much fun. After dinner, all the tribes made their degelim (flags). We had to compete for the aqua degel and we got it! Benjamin’s symbol is a wolf. We all helped make the background, and Sophia drew the wolf. I drew a tree next to the wolf but that’s not the end of it yet. After we made our degel, we went back to our cabins and got our toothbrushes, toothpaste, and went to bed.

The end

Jeremiah H., Age 12
Tribe of Gad

The Fourth of July parade had gone as planned for Camp Gilgal. We had won the award for “Best Marching Group” in Columbia’s Glorious Fourth of July Parade once again. Gilgal was singing until their voices were completely gone from worshiping the Lord. The songs that we had sung were “The Happy Song” and the chorus and bridge of “Our God.”

Many other marching groups were also competing in the parade to win best marching group for the parade. After the march, the camp got a break and ate lunch in the SHADE!!

Once we ate lunch, we went out to explore and enjoy Columbia. Once our freedom was up, we took our group picture and went back to camp.

Monique L., Age 10
Tribe of Zebulun

Carpetball is awesome! Carpetball is a rectangular table, with rims and a drop off on both sides. There are five pool balls on each side and one ball that is used to knock the other balls off the table. How you play is you set up your pool balls on the table in any order that pleases you, and then take the other ball and try to knock the opponent’s balls off the table by rolling the ball across the table. In the beginning when you start, you are supposed to set up your balls, but after that you aren’t allowed to move your balls, unless you hit your own ball. Then you can only move it back to where it was before.

Noa thinks carpetball is a really fun game. She also thinks that the rules are fair and should be followed. Carpetball is truly awesome!

Zemeira W., Age 10
Tribe of Judah

We were lining up and this music just started blasting our ears out, and everyone started yelling, “It’s Ladies Day!” It was lunch time so we went in to the dining hall. For lunch we had pizza and the boys would just walk in for fun. Every time they walked in we would sing, “Hit the Road, Jack.” On Men’s Day, we never go in to the dining hall, we just get ready and go.

Now back to Ladies Day. After lunch we had FOB, which means “Flat On Bunk.” But this FOB was different. We didn’t have to be flat on our bunks, so I said that it was “Fun On Bunk,” and we got to be on each other’s bunks. We ate candy and talked all FOB until the whistle blew. Then we had free time. I mostly swam. This year our theme was colors. I went on a hike to find things to make a wreath. It was so calm without the boys and I loved it. There were no rude jokes, less bad grammar, and just girls. Who wouldn’t like it? Well, I guess boys wouldn’t. So that just tells you how fun it is here. My friends and I had a great time the whole day, even after the boys came back. Don’t worry, every day is really fun.

The end

Carrie M., Age 8
Tribe of Benjamin

After Hebrew, we have free time! We get to go swimming! After swimming, we played carpetball.

We have choir!!

I play the piano. I just learned the chords on the piano. Yamaha told me that the more you practice, the more you can play other instruments. We have choir for about 30 minutes. They also teach guitar, drums and dancing.

We get to eat snacks because there’s a shop. They have ring pops, popcorn, goldfish, Airheads, gummy bears, gummy worms, Otter Pops, soda, gummy hamburgers, fruit snacks and more!!!

When Yamaha gives me a break, I take out two dollars for the snack. They’re really cheap. I always put the money I don’t need back into the money bank. Sonic carries the money case with him so he won’t lose it. I buy Otter Pops because they are only ten cents.

Josh L., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

Everyone is hoping it’s that day and suddenly music from the dining hall comes on. All the boys start yelling and laughing and screaming, “It’s Men’s Dayyy!!!” Soon Onyx wearing plastic medieval armor and carrying a sword runs out and yells, “It’s Medieval Men’s Day!” Then all the boys run into the dining hall. We say the blessings and pray then they bring out pizza. After lunch we have FOB, then we hear a whistle blow, and we go outside. We see lots of staff wearing armor, then they split us up in three groups. They take us over to the picnic tables and have us pick a champion out of our group, and we voted on Jacob. Then we had to suit up Jacob using cardboard boxes, duct tape, and aluminum foil. The judges (Sonic, Onyx, and Mr. Tumnus) voted on Jacob as champion, but it’s okay because everyone had fun and in the end, everyone drank men’s brew.

David R., Age 10
Tribe of Simeon

Archery was really hard at first. We had to hike downhill and then hike down another hill that was really narrow and steep. Then we ran across the soccer field and there was an archery guide there expecting us. It definitely feels really cool pulling back the string on the bow with an arrow in it. You have to pull back the string with two fingers and you have to aim just above the target. The arrow has a holder on the back of it for it to attach to the string. You need to hear a snap in order for you to know the arrow is placed in the right place. You need to pull the string until the string is about to touch your cheek; you will have maximum power if you pull that far. If you pull the string further than you should it will snap. I have not experimented to see if that is true, but if I even bought my own bow I still would not experiment with it because the bow would cost too much and that would be just a plain waste of money. There is a shed that has a lot of bows and a lot of arrows because if someone broke an arrow they could run in and grab a new one. And that concludes archery.

Josiah C., Age 10
Tribe of Ephraim

In free time you do knockout, carpetball, swimming, tree climbing, knot tying, and you can buy things at the Camp Gilgal store. You usually have free time after Tabernacle, after Hebrew class, and after FOB. My favorite thing in free time is knockout. The best knockout player is J-Box. If J-Box misses it he shoots it back up and almost always makes it before the other person. I usually come in third or fourth. In carpetball my longest winning streak is 11. In the store there are Sour Punch Straws, popcorn, Airheads, soda, and other things. When you tree climb you get to climb a really big tree. Also the tree has lots of branches. In knot tying you get to learn how to tie really good knots. There is also choir. In choir you get to dance, you get to sing and you get to learn how to play the piano, drums, and guitar.

Emmanuel R., age 12
Tribe of Dan

Swimming is a fun way to cool down, especially on a hot summer day. Some days the pool is cold, other days it is mild. Most of the time we get a sudden urge to swim or it is a desire to relax when we see the pool. There are a lot of things you can do besides swimming; you can tan, or sit and relax with friends. Swimming is a great way to work out and get your mind off things. While you swim your body uses your arms to pull yourself through the water. If you swim daily you will see a difference in your upper body strength. While you swim you can just forget the day and relax. The pool is also completely safe: it goes down to five feet, the pool is cleaned every day, and there is always a first aid kit nearby. The pool is open from 3:00 to 5:00 during free time. Some days the pool is not open because we are going somewhere or the lifeguard is not there at that time. The pool is a wonderful place to be on a hot sunny day. Just ask your friends. So come on down at free time and have a little dip!

Corey W., Age 10
Tribe of Ephraim

Tying knots is fun. Moose teaches a bunch of knots like the taut-line hitch, the square knot, or the bowline. With the bowline you can’t get it undone by pulling one part of the rope. The slip knot is another knot that is fun to show to your friends. When you pull it in the right place it will undo. The bowline knot won’t come undone when you pull the rope. The fisherman’s knot is good for holding onto a piece of rope or tying a hook. The figure eight knot looks like the number “8.” The square knot is easy to undo, because it has a “safety latch,” but it takes practice to undo it right. Moose always brings ropes for us to tie with!

Lizzy N., Age 10
Tribe of Zebulun

Water balloon volleyball takes place in a volleyball court. There are two tribes that take place on either side of the net. They each have a tarp on which one of the teams gets a water balloon and must throw it over the net, but the water balloon must stay on the tarp. If the water balloon hits the net and it pops, it is a point against you. If the water balloon goes under the net it is also a point against you. If it hits the net and doesn’t pop, and it makes it back to your tarp safely, no point is given. If the water balloon makes it over the net but doesn’t make it into your tarp, it is a point against you. If the water balloon makes it over the net, and into your net, no point is given. If the other team has three points, you lose. Each team gets two tries. Benjamin and Simeon were up first. They were the two youngest tribes. Simeon won and Benjamin lost. The next two tribes were Ephraim and Judah and Judah won. It went on and on and on until the finals. Simeon won and had victory to themselves. When our team was playing, it was so much fun. The other tribes were cheering for us, and it was wonderful. I wish we could play it again! It was a fun and wonderful game!

Jeremiah H., Age 12
Tribe of Gad

Men’s horseback riding was very enjoyable and scenic. The horse-to-camper bond had enhanced the thrill of this activity so much.

Specifically in my group, Jacob S. would stop his horse as we went on our ride until there was room between him and the person in front of him. He would then give his horse a kick and off Jacob would go running on his horse, causing the horses behind to run forward. All the others caught up to him except Java’s horse. Java’s horse would not move like the other horses. He was left behind so far that the cowboy had to go get him.

After a long ride up a big hill, we safely got back to the ranch. There we got off our horses and headed to the meadow to play beside the creek going through it. While we were playing by the creek, campers were jumping up on rocks. One of them, Reuven R., fell on a rock! Luckily, he was ok. Everyone played until we headed back to camp.

My friend Jaden had some words to say about the ride. He enjoyed horseback riding very much. Jaden’s horse, Dorothy, had at one point bitten Jacob’s leg, which was Jaden’s favorite part of the ride.

Tribes of Gilgal

Persaeus B., Age 7
Tribe of Benjamin

There are nice ladies in the cabin of Benjamin because the tribe leaders are really nice and we made name tags for all of the beds. We love Camp Gilgal because they split you up with the staff members and I got Waffles and Galaxy. They are super nice. When you first came, they banged on the car doors. It’s super fun. After you get there they tell you their names and after a couple hours they tell you the cabin that you’re gonna be in. Camp Gilgal is awesome because it’s like you’re in a huge family and you are. Camp Gilgal has like forty-four people here this year. It is awesome because you are never lonely in your cabin because you at least have to talk to somebody in your cabin. The tribes are awesome but the tribe of Benjamin is much better. The name of our cabin is Hermit Valley. It’s awesome because the cabin can fit a lot of people. Claire likes to eat outside of the box. She makes funny food creations.

Yamen L., Age 11
Tribe of Manasseh

Eight ladies in our cabin make up the tribe of Manasseh. We have six campers in our tribe. Their names are Haneen, LaTanya, Mia, Dinah, Emmalee, and Yamen. (That’s me.) My two tribe leaders are Sauté and Hershey. They are really nice. We have the Grizzly Flat cabin. That’s where the oldest girls stay. We also like this cabin because it’s the biggest one. We all like to work together when it’s Animal Night, Cabin Inspection, and Cabin Decoration Day. Every night we have devotions. Sometimes we go in a circle and everyone tells what they want to pray for.

In our cabin, Mia is the oldest. We have this thing. Since me, LaTanya, Haneen, Emmalee and Dinah are all turning 12 we just say that we are. Mia says that she is 13 because that’s how old she’s turning. Even though I was new I made friends with them instantly. They are probably the nicest people you will ever meet. Our tribe also tries to guess what we are going to do. We like to wear each other’s clothes. We all get along, and we have never gotten in a fight. I’m the only one in this tribe who’s only been here for one year. Everyone in my tribe pretty much wants to be a tribe leader when we are older.

Elijah Y., Age 9 2/3
Tribe of Ephraim

I am in the tribe of Ephraim. Our two counselors are Maverick and Yamaha. The campers are Josiah, Danny, Corey, Michael, and me. During FOB we invented a game called FOB Ball. You sit on the top bunks and pass the ball around. Here are the rules: if in any way it falls off the bed, the person whose bunk it is ends up out of the game. If the person who throws it makes the ball hit the wall and go out they’re out. If it hits the wall then the bunk nothing happens. It is also the same if the person catches the ball. If it hits you then the wall it is a foul. If you get a foul you have to sit on your back and throw and catch the ball once. If it lands on your bunk without touching the wall you’re out. That is how you play FOB Ball. We also invented FOB Hockey. Basically, you flick a piece of noodle, shape it into a disk and try to score it into the opponent’s goal. It cannot roll or flip.

That is my article.

Jacob S., age 12
Tribe of Gad

The people in the tribe of Gad are Nacho, Java, Isaac, Jeremiah, Nathan, Elliot, Jaden and myself (Jacob S.). The things the tribe likes to do are eat, sleep, swimming, and everything that can be done with water balloons. Most of the time, approximately 90%, we are goofing around. One time, Jeremiah, Nathan, and I were filling water balloons and then J-Box came in and asked what we were doing. Nathan hid the water launcher in his pants. I put the water balloons in my arm pits and Jeremiah ran away. Then we regrouped and started launching water balloons at our own cabin. When Nathan remembered this story he said, “We looked great when we did that!” When FOB comes along, our tribe goes nuts. We run to our bunks, scream, and have a great time. Also our tribe loves to care for each other. Gad is an awesome tribe!

Elizabeth K., Age 11
Tribe of Zebulun 

The girls of Zebulun run a tight ship. Literally. The tribe leaders, Nike and Vintage, keep it that way. For Cabin Inspection, the hard rock mine sparkles. Shoes are lined up. Suitcases are zipped and beds are neat and tidy. Nike strives to make these two weeks the best for first-time campers. She’s very sweet, just like candy we can buy at the store. Taliah is good at everything; from swimming to doing makeovers to lining up shoes, she is the one to ask. Monique has a unique personality that calms the spicy tempers in the cabin. She is a good listener and very funny. Sarai is the fashion chick in the group. Her outfits are cute and her sunglasses go well with anything. Ooh La La! Lizzy is the athlete like Nike. She is a competitive swimmer. Vintage is quiet and reserved. She likes to listen to us toss around ideas for the upcoming theme night. She helps us make the fun ideas possible to do. I like to laugh and talk with Sarai and my favorite time is right before FOB. We all like to get our giggles out. I enjoy being in the tribe of Zebulun. I hope to come back to Camp Gilgal next summer.

Interviews and Family

Lizzy N., Age 10
Tribe of Zebulun

Onyx is an out-of-cabin staff member at Camp Gilgal this year. Onyx has been coming to camp for eight years. His favorite part about camp is getting to know the campers and to let them know more about God in a fun way. When he is at home, he loves to cook and play backgammon in coffee shops. He likes to study psychology and languages. 

More about Onyx:

Q: Did you already graduate from college?
A: No.

Q: What do you think about FOB?
A: I love FOB. It saves my life from being exhausted.

Q: Do you have a job?
A: Yes, an internship at Jews for Jesus.

Q: What is your best memory from when you were a camper?
A: Being at Bass Lake at teen camp in a banana boat.

Q: Describe Capture the Degel from your past.
A: It was kind of the same. It was one of the most exciting things in camp.

Q: How were the meals from the past?
A: I ate salad, never anything else.

Q: Who are your closest friends?
A: Mr. Commissioner and Cucamonga.

Q: What are your favorite hobbies?
A: Calligraphy, swimming, and reading.

Q: What is your favorite game?
A: Carpetball.

Elizabeth K., Age 11
Tribe of Zebulun 

For my second article with the Gilgal Gazette, I chose to interview Whimzy, a fun-loving, assistant tribe leader of Judah. This is her first year as staff, although she has been a camper many times. She loves the colors of the rainbow which shows how bright and bubbly she is. Her favorite foods are chocolate, potatoes and fruit, though not together! She loves to swim, but she’s not into sports very much. She has a favorite hobby – reading! She loves to read. Her favorite books to read are fairy tales. When asked if she had any advice for campers, she paused, thought a bit, and then said: “Have fun at camp, still make time to do business with God.”

Daniel P., Age 10
Tribe of Dan 

I asked Sherbert questions and here’s what I got. Her favorite sport is tennis. Between tacos and pizza, she said she likes tacos better. She likes Coke over Mountain Dew. Her favorite animal is an elephant. I love penguins. I have a stuffed penguin that everyone in my cabin likes. Her favorite car is a Mustang convertible. My favorite car is a Bugatti Veyron. I asked her why she likes Camp Gilgal and Sherbert said because she loves all the campers. Camp Gilgal means a lot to her. She says it’s a family of people growing closer to God. She thinks my hair is awesome. She got her name because she loves sherbet ice cream and it was her grandmother’s nickname. I asked her how she liked Ladies Day and she said it was fun and relaxing. Her favorite part about camp is getting to know all of us campers. Her favorite spot in camp is sitting out on the porch because it’s peaceful and has a beautiful view of God’s creation. Her favorite ice cream is sherbet, of course.

Jacob S., Age 12
Tribe of Gad

J-Box is one awesome tribe leader. He is very athletic and loves Y’shua. When I interviewed J-Box I asked him some questions. The first question was how long he has been playing basketball. He said he has been playing for five years. The second question is how long he has been coming to camp. J-Box said, “Two years.” The third question is, “Where do you get all your swag?” He said, “From my momma.” I thought that was funny. The fourth one is how much he can bench press. He said, “I don’t usually bench press but I usually get up around 200 pounds.” The fifth question is when he accepted God into his life. He said, “Eight years old.” The next question is whether he has any siblings, and he said, “Yes, one brother, three sisters, one half-sister.” “What are you going to college for?” J-Box is going to college for sports. The eighth question was how many sit-ups he can do. J-Box said, “125 in a row.” The ninth question is what’s his favorite food. He said, “Pizza and hamburgers.” The last question is how much he reads his Bible daily. He said, “Two to four times.” That was an interview with J-Box.

Nathan B., Age 9
Tribe of Simeon

I interviewed Snapple. She is awesome. I asked her how old she is and she said, “That is an excellent question.” She has been at camp for six years as staff. Her favorite Snapple flavors are Lemon Tea or Diet Peach. Snapple comes back to camp because she LOVES camp. She wishes it was all year. I do, too! I love camp and want it to last all summer. There is a game called carpetball and I love it. Snapple loves it, too. I played her. She beat me. I was sad. We’re still friends. I am so happy Snapple is at camp. She is always happy and funny. She is nice. Snapple always gives me hugs. I love Snapple.

Zoe N., Age 9
Tribe of Judah

Mr. Tumnus has been part of camp for two years. He likes playing soccer. He loves the color blue and eating sushi. He grew up and went to school in Jerusalem. Mr. Tumnus likes teaching Hebrew. He thought Narnia was great. Mr. Tumnus’ favorite game was Capture the Degel. He learned Hebrew from the age of three and he has five siblings.

I am in the Alef group. We are learning the Alef Bet, which is the Hebrew alphabet. I only have to learn three more letters until I know the whole thing. Mr. Tumnus sings us the Alphabet Song to help us remember it. He is a good teacher and Hebrew is really fun. We write the letters that he teaches us in a book so that we can use it when we are older. At line up before every meal, Mr. Tumnus gives us the Hebrew word of the day. Mr. Tumnus gives words to us for the meals and food we eat. I hope I get to learn more Hebrew with Mr. Tumnus.

Mia C., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh 

My article is about Sauté, my co-tribe leader. This year is Sauté’s first year as a tribe leader. She has a great personality and many talents. She loves dancing and has been doing it for nine years. Her ballet teacher had her compete with boys, and that pushed her to become a good jumper, and thus the name “Sauté” was born. She can do so many cool things that she learned as a dancer, like the splits. However, Sauté has also played soccer, and she had to choose between that and ballet. She also loves being in the outdoors, traveling, swimming and physical stuff. She even wants to pursue physical therapy as a career. In the past two years, Sauté has been to Germany and the Netherlands. She is very enthusiastic and energetic.

Aside from her hobbies, I need to also address her staff member career. Although Sauté was never a junior camper, her brother, Simba, told her all about camp. They met the same people, and she became friends with a lot of current tribe leaders. Sauté said that everybody that she and her brother met either are or have been camp staff. Sometimes siblings don’t always get along, but Sauté said, “It’s fun leading with him because I can ask him stuff since he’s been doing it longer.” She said that she loves “spending time with awesome campers and staff.” She hopes that she can continue at camp as long as possible.

She loves kids and obviously likes playing with them. If you wanted to know Sauté, she would want to tell you that she loves dancing, being in the outdoors, swimming, traveling and being with kids. And if you wanted to know her favorite food, she loves almost every kind of pasta with good sauce and meat in it.

So, moral of the story: meet Sauté and you will have lots of fun!

Nathan P., Age 12
Tribe of Gad

Nacho likes jalapenos on his nachos. Nacho has secrets but refuses to tell me. Nacho is 5’9” and weighs 147. He has curly brown hair, has glasses, a wonderful beard, and has a perfectly oval head. He thinks he has tons of swag and my nickname for him is Swagedy. But I’m being sarcastic with the nickname. He says he loves all my siblings equally. Nacho is confident in himself. He listens to Indie music. He tells me that it’s none of my business if he has a wife or girlfriend. He likes rock underground hip hop and old people music. Nacho doesn’t know his social security number. He goes to college in Texas and lives in his mommy and daddy’s house in the summer. Nacho is majoring in Anthropology and wants to become a better critical thinker in college. Nacho’s happiest times were at camp. Nacho says his favorite food besides nachos is ribs with delicious barbeque sauce flavors. Nacho’s favorite part of San Antonio is the food. Nacho has two parents, an older sister and older brother. Nacho’s favorite beverages are Dr. Pepper, green tea, Sprite, mango juice, and water. That’s the basics of Nacho.

Elliot K., Age 12
Tribe of Gad 

Q: What is your favorite food?
A: Scones with clotted cream and lemon curd. 

Q: What is your favorite restaurant?
A: Chili’s. 

Q: What does Vintage mean?
A: Old-fashioned. 

Q: How long have you been involved with Jews for Jesus?
A: Nine years. 

Q: How long of a drive did it take you to get here?
A: Six and a half hours. 

Q: What are your favorite hobbies at camp and at home?
A: Writing poetry, knitting and illustrating. 

Q: What is your favorite camp in Camp Gilgal?
A: Junior camp. 

Q: How was camp when you were a kid?
A: Encouraging.

Q: Which is your favorite part about camp?
A: Worship and Wells Fargo. 

Q: Are you a lefty?
A: Yes, I am. 

Q: What was your favorite year?
A: My last year at junior camp.

Michael K., Age 10
Tribe of Ephraim 

This year at camp, I interviewed Moose. He has been the director of camp for 21 years. His favorite part of camp is the campers. He likes Capture the Degel a lot, but Waffles kept catching him and he didn’t like going to jail. Moose’s favorite meal is breakfast. He said that horseback riding was fun and his horse was named Bullwinkle. He liked to eat pine needles! Moose liked being a rooster on Animal Night. Moose has actually been a camper before, but not at Camp Gilgal. Moose doesn’t sleep during FOB. He loved men’s campfire. He also liked the campfire with s’mores. He thought Skit Night was wonderful. Moose really enjoyed the 20-foot sundae. He also thought stargazing was amazing. His favorite color is blue because of the LA Dodgers.

My favorite thing about Moose is that he loves me and he is my friend. Once during Mail Call he was so excited he fell over, that was really funny. Moose teaches in Tabernacle, where we worship and learn about God. I saw Moose throw at the egg toss in Columbia on the Fourth of July. He won third place! Moose caught my tribe twice during Mission Impossible. He was really good at that game. During free time, Moose hangs out with campers tying knots.

Noa B., Age 10
Tribe of Judah 

Galaxy is Benjamin’s ATL (Assistant Tribe Leader). She does things with wolves. In their tribe they have six girls. And I’m Noa (from Judah) and I am going to be interviewing Galaxy. Now Galaxy has gone to three summer camps and five winter weekends. Her favorite part of camp is being involved in the spiritual growth of campers.

When she was in fifth grade she went to a five-day nature science camp. And she was 12 years old when Galaxy first came to Camp Gilgal. Her teammate made her bed. Her favorite Bible verses are Matthew 6:25-34.

When she came to camp as a camper she enjoyed it so much that she wanted to help other campers have the same experience. She likes every shade of blue. Her favorite animal is a horse. And her tribe has never won Tribe of the Year.

I enjoyed interviewing with Galaxy and I am glad she is here.

Boaz B., Age 8
Tribe of Simeon

I was able to interview Sonic for my first year of camp. Speedy Sonic has been at Camp Gilgal since he was nine years old. The next question I asked Speedy Sonic was what things he has done at Camp Gilgal. Speedy Sonic replied he has done everything at Camp Gilgal. He loves the night games. I asked him what things he likes about camp and he said that he likes Capture the Degel and having fun with campers. He has been on staff for seven years and he enjoys doing it very much.

Sonic was able to travel to Jerusalem two years ago. On this trip my dad was able to meet him and get to know him. When he was there he learned a lot about the Bible. I get along with Speedy Sonic very well. Sonic is always kind to me and hangs out with me. He is nice to the campers and I am glad he came this year. I like when we play games in the swimming pool. I always get horsey rides from him.

I had a great time getting to know Sonic. I know Speedy Sonic has had a great time at camp just like I did.

Latanya H., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh

Waffles is a beloved tribe leader at Camp Gilgal. She has been at camp since she was eight years old. You would think that Waffles, as a camper, would have been outgoing when she got to camp, but she wasn’t. She was really nervous with tears in her eyes. Soon after, she was totally fine and had lots of fun. She made lots of friends like Snapple, Bazooka, Hoops, Acorn, Nike, and lots more.

When she is not at camp she likes to bake, ride horses, and photograph. Her favorite color is minty green. Waffles’ parents named her Waffles because she had hair color like the color of waffles and she loves to bake.

Everyone at Camp Gilgal knows about the tribe of the year. Well, Waffles won it three times in her whole experience at Camp Gilgal. Her favorite part of it was paddle boating in 2011. I, Latanya, was in her tribe that year. I totally agree with her. Paddle boating was so much fun. When I asked her if Camp Gilgal has helped her with her journey with God, she said, “Definitely, yes!” Waffles is a fun, loving, awesome person. Camp Gilgal loves her, especially me!

Danny G., Age 10
Tribe of Ephraim

Simba is a very awesome tribe leader at camp. Simba has been my tribe leader before, so I want you to get to know him. I asked him some questions about his life and I got some awesome answers. The first question I asked him was how long have you been here? He has been on staff for three years. Then I asked him what are some of his favorite sports and he answered Ultimate Frisbee and dodge ball. When I asked him what his favorite thing to do with the campers was he said Mission Impossible because it is a very awesome game to play with campers. If he had another job he would choose to do whatever God told him to do. Some things he likes to do for fun are singing and playing the guitar. I asked if he went to junior camp and he didn’t; he started at teen camp. I asked him what he liked to do at teen camp. He enjoyed paintball, jet skiing, and Capture the Degel. I asked him how he has been and he said, “Pretty good, thanks.” I thought I should ask him something crazy so I asked him what he would do if I pushed him off a cliff. He said he would most likely get hurt. I asked if he went horseback riding. He said he did and he had an excellent time. Then I asked him if he liked Wells Fargo. Of course, he said “Yes, it is a very fun game.” If you didn’t know, Simba is an awesome lion.

Jaden W., Age 12
Tribe of Gad

Java’s favorite part of camp is Capture the Degel. He is a tribe leader because he felt God called him to be here. Jacob, Elliot, Nathan, Isaac, Jeremiah, and I were in his cabin. He also had Nacho as a tribe leader in our cabin. The name of our tribe was Gad and we were definitely rad! His favorite place in the camp is the dining hall because the food is served there. He seems to like camp and he likes having the opportunity to interact with the campers because he can get to know them and pray for them as well. The thing he likes most about Capture the Degel is when jail break happens after he is imprisoned. I think he had a wonderful experience. Also he loved the 20-foot sundae and ate too much. Maybe he can work it off by swimming from me, Reuven, Elijah, and everybody else in the pool. He decided to be on staff after he went to Ingathering and found about it. He got excited and made it a goal to join the Camp Gilgal staff. This is his second year as a tribe leader. In Tabernacle he especially likes the worship because that is where God speaks to him. His favorite food at camp is a tie between spaghetti and hamburgers. He hopes one day they will have steak at camp. I don’t think that will ever happen. I also asked him who his favorite camper is. He answered saying, “That is an excellent question.” I’m not going to lie, that answer annoys me, but I enjoyed having him as a tribe leader.

Sophia M., Age 9
Tribe of Benjamin 

Q: What did it feel like when you first met Snapple?
A: It felt like a refreshing sip of ice cold tea.

Q: How old were you when you believed in Jesus?
A: I was six. 

Q: Who got you involved in Jews for Jesus?
A: I was on a Jews for Jesus music team. 

Q: What is your favorite story in the Bible?
A: When Jacob wrestles the angel. 

Q: Has God ever done a miracle? What is it?
A: Given me a job where I get to spend time with amazing campers. 

Q: What is your most favorite thing to do at camp?
A: It’s to play in the pool with campers and Ladies Day.

Streetlight loves music and having manicures. Streetlight is awesome because she’s sweet, kind, fun to talk to, and most of all beautiful and awesome in music. I met her last year in 2011 at my first year!

Elijah Y., Age 9 2/3
Tribe of Ephraim

I am writing an interview on Yamaha. These are the answers. He picked the name Yamaha because he likes pianos and the company Yamaha makes pianos. He loves camp. To the question, “Do you like being a camper more than a tribe leader,” he says, “That’s an excellent question.” I asked how is it being in charge and he answered, “See above answer.” He loves all of camp. His favorite camp food is the pancakes. His favorite thing at camp so far is his tribe. He thinks Skit Night is awesome and everybody’s skits were great. He lives in L.A. That is my interview with Yamaha.

Elizabeth R., Age 8
Tribe of Benjamin 

I met Nike at Camp Gilgal. She heard about camp from her sisters. She loves sports. Her favorite is soccer. What Nike loves about camp is that it is one big family. Her favorite night game is water balloon volleyball. Nike’s favorite theme night is Feed a Friend Night. She has been going to winter camp for a year. Her name is Nike because her parents knew she would like sports. Nike’s favorite meal is chicken and rice. Nike doesn’t just like camp, she most definitely loves camp. She loves everything about it. Some of the things that she loves most are FOB, cuppage, M.I., campfires and Tabernacle. Nike really likes spending time with her tribe as well as all of the campers. She is so thankful she got to be here this year. She’s very sad that camp is coming to an end, but she knows God did a great work over the last two weeks. She is looking forward to seeing her Camp Gilgal family next summer.

Reuven R., Age 12
Tribe of Dan

In my interview with Maverick, I found out some nice stuff. For example, this year is Maverick’s fifth year at camp. Also, not shockingly, his favorite activity at camp is going to Columbia. That day is a lot of people’s favorites. He really likes sushi, but Maverick’s favorite camp food is barbeque. Maverick loves FOB. His name is from the movie, Top Gun. He plays baseball, racquetball, and basketball. He only sings when he has to, but he loves humming tunes anyway. He says, “That’s an excellent question,” a lot. He has two brothers and one sister. He bakes well. He was nine during his first year at Camp Gilgal. Capture the Degel is his favorite game. He is rumored to be amazing and stupendous at it. Maverick’s brother is Professor; they mostly get along. He loves studying science, especially biology. He wears loafers and sports his own unique style. Maverick is a very supportive and good tribe leader. Maverick is a long-serving member of Camp Gilgal staff, and is a key part of the Camp Gilgal family.