Once a part of the Camp Gilgal family, always a part of the Camp Gilgal family.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Junior Camp East
Teen Camp East
Junior Camp Midwest
Junior Camp West
Teen Camp West
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
The Gilgal Gazette is published by Camp Gilgal campers for Camp Gilgal campers and their families and friends!
Tribe of Judah: Naomi W., Rachel M., Rebekah C., Reva G., Simona B., Ruski, Nature Valley
Tribe of Ephraim: Alyssa C., Eden A., Gita G., Liora S., Mariya A., Anonymous, Eureka
Tribe of Simeon: Alex J., Asher W., Elliot A., Isaiah H., Keane R., Trent F., Hiccup, Google
Out-of-Cabin Staff: Baby Carrots (health director), Beardo, Scooter, Strings, RedSox
Trent F., Age 14
Tribe of Simeon
Our health director Baby Carrots is a very passionate, outgoing person. Because she has been a believer since she was very young, she looked forward to being an assistant tribe leader (ATL) since she was a camper. When she had the opportunity to be an ATL she jumped at it. Her valuable experience led her to be a tribe leader and then out-of-cabin staff. Now she serves as the health director. She told me she thinks God gave her the ability and passion to be in the medical field because it’s not for everyone. She currently is an EMT going to school to become a Physician’s Assistant as well as specializing in critical care. When she can use her medical skills in such a wonderful atmosphere she feels fulfilled. At night she helps me with my meds but she doesn’t rush me so she can go to sleep. She’s a patient person who plays a very important role in the Gilgal staff.
Elliot A., Age 13
Tribe of Simeon
Google was born in Jacksonville, FL. He was a tribe leader for junior and teen camp on the East Coast this year. He has been attending Camp Gilgal West Coast for many years but came to Camp Gilgal East this year because he attends college in Pennsylvania. His favorite Bible verse changes quite often, but is currently either Isaiah 11:9 or Galatians 2:20. He
has played many instruments, starting with the clarinet. He truly let Jesus into his life at adventure camp on the West Coast in 2013. His overall favorite camp shirt is the one from 2010, and it’s my personal favorite as well. This is his first year as staff. His favorite color is the rainbow and his favorite tribe to be at camp is Simeon. He LOVES french toast at camp and his favorite all-camp activity is Mission Impossible. Google loves movies that make him cry. His favorite one is a romance called Listen to Your Heart. If he had to tell someone a favorite joke on the spot it would be this: “A man was praying to God. He asked God how long 1,000,000 years was to him. God replied, ‘A second.’ He then asked how much a million dollars was to God to which He replied, ‘A penny.’ The man then asked God if he could have a million dollars and God said, ‘Wait a second.’ I have greatly enjoyed having Google as my tribe leader this year and hope that one day you can have him as yours too. I can’t wait until I can be staff! I hope you get to experience the fun with staff here at camp.
Rachel M., Age 13
Tribe of Judah
At Camp Gilgal we do something called staff testimonies. After every lunch a couple of staff members come up to share their life stories. I honestly love hearing how God changed people’s lives and brought them closer to Him. As a camper, I think that it brings us all together as a family. Some of us go through similar struggles as the staff and it personally helps me get through it. For me, at least, camp is my second home. You get welcomed warmly.
There is a tribe leader and her name is Ruski. Ruski’s testimony was very relatable. Growing up through high school Ruski had many great friends that helped her stay accountable to her faith. They were there to support her and encourage her. This personally gives me an example of what group of friends I should associate myself with.
Overall I love camp and they treat every single one of us like family. I wouldn’t miss it for the world!
Liora S., Age 15
Tribe of Ephraim
A loud thud echoes through the cabin, windows rattling. A startled flock of birds takes flight, jabbering in surprise and fright. Upon first thought, it may seem that the dinosaurs from Jurassic Park have come to life and started roaming Camp Gil
gal, but… The wooden door swings open and a girl steps out. Dark hair frames her face, cascading down to just below her shoulders. Her brown eyes sparkle mischievously. This is no dinosaur, this is Gita.
Known for her wonky and rather… unsavory food combinations, her loud and exciting presence, and energetic personality, Gita is one fine specimen of a first-year camper. Always jumping headfirst into awkward situations and de-awkwardizing them is her specialty. Gita fears no one. She is forever in sync with her identical twin Reva, and they dually astonished, amazed, and excited the audience during talent night. Gita is up for anything, and once you get to know her she is a chatterbox that is always willing to discuss life with anyone and everyone.
Thundering down from her bunk every morning after spending the night watching her cabin-mates sleep, Gita greets everyone in the morning with a loud thump as she leaps from her bunk bed. Sharing a cabin with Gita is an ongoing endeavor that requires much patience and a sense of humor. Gita makes camp exciting, and is a rechargeable battery of wackiness and energy. Gita helps make camp fun. I’m glad she’s part of the Camp Gilgal Family.
Asher W., Age 14
Tribe of Simeon
(The Italicized portion of this article is a dramatization of our day on the paint ball course and my time hanging out with Hiccup.)
With his Go-Pro slapped to his chest, Hiccup crept behind yet another victim. He leveled his gun and glared through the sight, his tie-dye shirt flapping in the wind.
“How long do we stay like this?” I asked.
“’Till we’ve created maximum awesomeness.”
Hiccup pulled the trigger and a stream of paintballs rocketed out of his gun. Paint exploded over our prey. “AAAAARRRGGG!” Elliot, now covered in a coat of neon yellow pigment, glared at us and marched out of the range.
Gun fire jetted out of a bunker as Nature Valley yelled an agonizing war cry. Hiccup and I dove behind some plywood and returned fire. Nature Valley was proclaimed hit and she tromped out of the arena. Two down, two to go.
Hiccup is a hilarious, fairly obnoxious serial killer (but only in paintball). He was born in a town at the bottom of upstate New York, but currently lives in central Florida. He loves talking like a traumatized Indian at a Chinese restaurant or like Sara (S-A-R-A with no H ‘cause H’s are EWW!) from Jimmy Fallon.
His favorite Bible story is when Jesus cast some demons into a herd of pigs. It shows that God works in weird and mysterious ways for His glory. His favorite memory verse is Romans 8:28 because it reminds me that no matter what happens God will work it out for good, even if we don’t see it.
Hiccup enjoys being crazy awkward and doing the crab dance. Hiccup is awesome, energetic, and optimistic. He gives us time to relax, have fun, an altogether have a great time. Hiccup is an amazing tribe leader and is one of my favorites.
Eden A., Age 14
Tribe of Ephraim
This year at teen camp my counselor Anonymous and I were selected to be put in the tribe of Ephraim along with a few other girls. I decided to interview her and discovered a few key facts you should know about her. First off, she is really into music and a way she expresses her love for God is through worship. She has a strong connection with God that seems to strengthen every year. Her favorite verse in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11, which talks about God and the future He has planned ahead. At camp her favorite all camp activity is an outdoors game called Gaga, which involves a lot of screaming, running, and hitting people with rubber balls. Her favorite year as a camper was the junior camp year when she was ten. Her favorite sport outside of camp is softball and her favorite sport to watch is football. I think she is definitely one of my favorite tribe leaders and these are just a few facts about her. Anonymous is awesome and I hope you’ll get to know her too.
Simona B., Age 13
Tribe of Judah
Every year at teen camp we go on a camping trip followed by white water rafting. After lunch, all of us 16 campers jumped in the car to make our journey to the campsite. After a very long hour and a half drive, we arrived at the site. While the staff cooked us dinner, the campers played Nukem, swam, pla
yed on the playground and more. We had a very tasty dinner after activities followed by a campfire talk and s’mores. When we were all tired, we went in our tents and fell fast asleep. Early the next morning we were woken up for the main activity of the trip – white water rafting! We went over so many rapids but all managed to stay safe. The guides were so skilled and funny. After a long day in the sun and on the water we were served a yummy dinner. Then we went to the gift shop and people bought souvenirs. Sadly, it was time to go home. It was the best field trip ever, and it lasted two days! My personal favorite part was the fastest rapid. There was a huge rock that we went down and I almost fell out! Our guide told us exactly what to do so we were safe. The fast rapids were definitely the most fun. I’m looking forward to next year already!
Alex J., Age 14
Tribe of Simeon
This year at Camp Gilgal my tribe/group and I did a low ropes course involving high levels of intense team building and strategy as well as trust. Personally, I have a fear of falling, and at the ropes course I had the opportunity to do a trust fall. And after a while, I just did it. I believed in my friends and they caught me. But getting more on a spiritual note I learned a lot through this amazing experience about trusting not only in my friends but in God. On the walk to the site I saw beautiful trees. I took in every breath and knew that God was with me. Therefore, when these experiences arise I have to trust in God and give it all to Him like everything else. Another obstacle we did was when all of our tribe stood on a log all in order. Then we needed to get everyone to switch sides, and every time someone fell off we had to start over. The last major obstacle we did was a tight rope. Ano
ther tribe member and I had to achieve getting to the other side. If you were a spotter you had to be behind the people on the rope and cup your hands and when you’re the person that has to go across you have to evenly push against your partner 50/50 to achieve getting to the other side. And all in all you should send your child to Camp Gilgal.
Keane R., Age 15
Tribe of Simeon
This year at Camp Gilgal there was an activity known as “Zombie Survival.” I was the only camper to participate so this is some top-secret information. First, we discussed what five things we would have in the case of the apocalypse. I said food, water, a pistol with a muffler, a machete, and shelter. Then we made an ideal, completely ridiculous, survival shelter. It was comprised of genetically engineered redwood trees – they would be extremely high, fireproof, very wide, and could bear fruit. Storage and normal civilization would be closest to the tops of the trees, along with solar panels and a botanical garden because the tops of the trees would be flat. The houses would be sort of set up like Ewok houses with bridges connecting the tops and surrounding the trees like rings. The differences are the houses are inside the trees and are used for different things. Lastly, there would be a lower floor with a huge drop ladder that is for the army to live in so they can shoot down zombies and invaders. This is what Zombie Survival was like. I love teen camp activities because they require creativity and imagination, and I can’t wait for next year!
Alyssa C., Age 14
Tribe of Ephraim
Oh paintball… Where do I even begin? It was traumatizing. And awesome, but traumatizing. I am writing this right now, covered in welts and mosquito bites, and frankly I can’t tell which are which.
This was my first paintball experience so I didn’t know what to expect, except that it was going to hurt. So, we get to the paintball place, which is located at the camp in the woods. We were split up into two teams. From this point on, it gets kinda surprising. We learned how to use the paintball gun, and put on our helmets. The two teams had to stand across from each other and shoot each other to get used to it. Everyone was shocked to be shooting their friend right across from them. The first time I got hit it felt like what I’d imagine a bullet is like. It was right on my thigh and I wanted to cry. It was surprising, but went away after a few seconds.
Well, after that happened, we played mini six-minute games. I was about to give up but realized it really wasn’t that bad and fought through the pain. I was happy that I shot a few people, but my aim was still pretty bad. After it was done we all talked about our experiences and then Elliot ate a paintball for a dollar (after making sure it was non-toxic). I’m not gonna talk about that. It was weird and kinda gross (obviously).
I realized that even though it was scary I’m glad I experienced it with all of my friends and that paintball isn’t just for some people. I would definitely do paintball again next year because turns out it was really fun and exciting. I encourage everyone to try paintball at least once in their lives because it’s an awesome experience once you get going.
Rebekah C., Age 14
Tribe of Judah
On the way to rafting I had a fun time on 
the bus with my friends. When we were rafting it was so exciting because it is fun and you get to see the beautiful scenery. We went into big waves and got splashed a lot. On the raft we had a contest of how many horseflies we could whack. We killed around 43 flies. Our guide was really funny and outgoing, and we gave him the name ‘Viking’. The rafting felt more intense this year and exciting. We also went “surfing” – it’s when we all go to the front of the boat and glide on a wave. After rafting, we went back to the Wild Waters rafting area. Then we had a really great dinner there. They also had a shop with a lot of really neat souvenirs. We all had a really great time on our rafting trip. This was my second time and I love it! I can’t wait ‘till next year.
Reva G., Age 14
Tribe of Judah
One of my favorite activities was fort building. We had to go in the cabins and get all the mattresses that weren’t being used. We had to carry all the mattresses to the tree knoll. S
trings, Hiccup, Keane, Simona, and I had to find out how to keep the mattresses from falling, what we wanted in our fort, and how we wanted it to look. By using the mattresses, we formed a big rectangle. Inside it was a tanning area, a shade area, and a tunnel. We used seven mattresses alone for the tunnel. After we finished making the fort, we talked about how cool it was. As a group we decided that the rules were no shoes and you had to go through the doorway. Everybody in the group worked as a team which was good because we got the job done. Out of the whole thing the hardest part was bringing the mattresses to the tree knoll and putting the mattresses away. Overall, we had a lot of fun because we got to work together and then relax together. This is my first year at Camp Gilgal. I didn’t expect activities like this, but I really liked it and I hope you can do it next year!
Gita G., Age 14
Tribe of Ephraim
The first day I came we had the swimming test. Without hesitating I jumped in the water as soon as my tribe was called. We had to swim to one side on your stomach and back on your back. Then we had to float on our back for a minute. We then swam to the deep end and had to keep our head above water for a minute. It was really easy and fun. After everyone finished taking the test we got to jump in and swim around. The water was the perfect temperature. The pool is an awesome fun way to have fun.
The rest of the days I didn’t want to go swimming. I decided not to swim anymore during the week. I spent the day playing ping pong, card games, and air hockey. Those games were a lot of fun, even though I am terrible at them. Mau is a really fun card game but it makes no sense at all – we don’t talk about the rules!
The best part of all is that you can just sit and relax in the game. You can even memorize the week’s verse. The game room satisfies pretty much anyone. You could have a fun and relaxing time in the pool or a crazy time in the game room. Having down time at camp is a nice break. This is my first year at camp and I’m so glad I came!
Isaiah H., Age 13
Tribe of Simeon
For an all-camp activity we play an amazing game called Screamo. Screamo is a game where you roll a dice and flip the tile of that specific number, and once all of your tiles are flipped then you win. In this game you have to choose a partner. My partner was Elliot. Also, he’s my fake twin brother. During the game, Elliot and I were winning every game until… the twins. (These twins are my tribe leader’s sisters.) They were the first people we lost 
to. Elliot and I were sad because we lost. While we were competing against them everyone was yelling because the game is so, so, so, so intense. Sweat was dripping down our faces as we were flipping over the pieces and rolling the dice, and then all of a sudden the twins yelled “SCREAMO!!!” Once they yelled that, Elliot and I were so upset but they didn’t see their other card, so Elliot and I won and were so happy. We can’t wait to play this amazing game again next year.
Naomi W., Age 13
Tribe of Judah
Archery is a fun activity you can do at teen camp. I like archery because I like to try to shoot the bullseye and just have fun and challenge myself. After you shoot all your arrows, you have to retrieve them and sometimes have to look in the woods to find them. Every year I get better because I get good tips from the camp staff and my friends. Sometimes we do a shooting challenge where either we see who shoots the most arrows on the target or who can shoot the most balloons. We have to make sure we don’t accidentally hurt each other with the arrows because they’re sharp and can cause injuries, but luckily we haven’t hurt anyone or shot anyone. Learning how to shoot a bow and arrow can be a little scary but it’s a great experience and you get more into it the more you shoot and get closer to the bullseye. It’s also a fun way to play with your friends and challenge each other. Teen camp is a lot of fun and you should come here, too.
Mariya A., Age 14
Tribe of Ephraim
Excitement, frustration, enjoyment, terror, and elation! These are the feelings I get when I play Nukem. It’s just so awesome!!! If you like to move around and catch a ball, Nukem is for you! You get to see the members of the other team (as well as your own team) get out. In order to get back in the game, one of your team members has to ca
tch the ball with one hand and it can’t touch their body. Before I go on, the way you get out of the game is by not catching the ball when you are the closest to it. This happens to me a lot when I play Nukem at camp. When I get out of the game, I get so frustrated but then I get excited at the same time because I know that people in my team will catch the ball one-handed and I will be able to go in. My favorite part of Nukem is throwing and catching the ball. This is because I have this jumping technique that I do due to my height. It’s so fun throwing the ball in a certain way so that the members of the other team can’t catch it. I enjoy the looks of pained frustration on their faces as they slowly realize they’re out of the game. Nukem is a truly campy experience that I have to wait all year to enjoy. This is why Camp Gilgal is really AWESOME!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
The Gilgal Gazette is published by Camp Gilgal campers for Camp Gilgal campers and their families and friends!
Tribe of Judah: Ezra L., Isaac G., Levi S., Matthe
w S., Noah N., Hiccup, Horizon
Tribe of Benjamin: AJ S., Daniel C., Ephraim L., Gavyn R., Google, Pamplemousse
Tribe of Naphtali: Halie F., Keren A., Olivia T., Sofiya M., Sitruce, Guacamole
Tribe of Ephraim: Alana F., Dinah G., Eliana W., Netanya W., Rachel H., Anonymous, Squid
Tribe of Joseph: Hannah K., Kaelee F., Penina S., Sydney F., Storm, Sneezy
Out-of-Cabin Staff: Beardo, Birkenstock (Craft Teacher), Buster (Camp Baby), Ruski (Intern), Scrabble (Babysitter), Scooter, Strings, RedSox
Halie F., Age 8
Tribe of Naphtali
My name is Halie. My tribe name is Naphtali and I’ve been at camp for two years. Craft is really fun because you get to make these really 
cool tzedakah boxes. My box has dogs on it and it has sparkles, and inside of it when you open it you see my name, and when you look at my ‘A’ you see a circle with a star on it. Birkenstock is the craft teacher. I really like her because she’s always really nice to me. Birkenstock reads her Bible every week and she’s trying to read it more often. Her favorite colors are Matisse blue, orange, and yellow. Her favorite style is stripes. Her favorite thing at camp is the people, the horses and the craft, of course! She also really likes the outdoors. Her favorite word is “transformational,” her birthday is April 7 and Buster’s (her son) is August 17. Her favorite food is a big fruit salad. She doesn’t do the same craft every year. I can’t wait to come back to camp and see Birkenstock again.
S
ofiya M., Age 8
Tribe of Naphtali
Guacamole was my assistant tribe leader this year and my first year at summer camp. I wanted to interview Guacamole because she is really funny and she was pretty and nice and I want to tell you a lot about her. Her favorite color is pink. So is mine. Really it is. Her favorite pet is a guinea pig because she had one and they are cute and fluffy. Guac’s favorite number is four because it’s her soccer number. Her favorite verse is Hebrews 11:1 because it tells about faith and that’s her middle name. She said to pray for patience in school and stress in school. She likes to sleep because she’s tired sometimes. She accepted Jesus into her heart in her first time at junior camp as a camper. She loves guacamole because she is Guacamole herself and it’s tasty. Guacamole loves camp because she gets to see Squid and she loves learning about the Bible. I loved camp and I can’t wait to come back next year. And I loved being in Guacamole’s cabin. The End.
Olivia T., Age 8
Tribe of Naphtali
Hi, my name is Olivia. This is my first time at East Coast summer camp. Last year I was at the Midwest summer camp. I love Mad Science. It is my favorite activity because it is fun and there are experiments. Hiccup is a tribe leader, his tribe’s name is Judah and he is in charge of Mad Science and hiking. He’s silly, so silly
. I interviewed Hiccup because I like Mad Science and hiking. He likes some science, like physics and chemistry but hates biology. The Bible is his favorite book and he tries to read it every day. His goal is about three chapters a day. His favorite colors are green, red, blue, and orange. He loves to eat mac and cheese (in a crockpot)!! He likes football books by Tim Green. He’s going to college in Florida and he’s going to live an hour away from Disney World!!! His favorite animal is a dog. I can’t wait to come back and to see Hiccup again! BYE! 🙂
Noah N., Age 8
Tribe of Judah
Nukem is volleyball where you have to catch the ball. Then you throw it and if the person misses it or touches it without catching it then they are out. My tribe was playing nukum and I don’t normally like doing things with the whole group, but I had a lot of fun playing Nuke
m because Baby Buster was there. Haha, no he wasn’t playing…he is a baby! It’s so funny that Baby Buster was eating cheerios and laughing at us playing nukum. P.S. Baby Buster is actually Baby Busted. Well, that is what my cabin calls him because we like the word “busted,” and Baby Busted hits his head on stuff.
Baby Busted’s mom is Birkenstock. Birkenstock is in charge of craft. Scrabble takes care of Baby Busted when his mom is in craft. I tried to guess Baby Busted’s name, but he doesn’t talk so he couldn’t tell me. I asked Horizon what his real name was and he wouldn’t tell me but said, “That is an excellent question!” The staff are a weird and cool part of Camp Gilgal and part of what makes Camp Gilgal awesome. Baby Busted is cool too. I’m glad he was here.
Isaac G., Age 9
Tribe of Judah
I decided to interview the ATL of my tribe, the tribe of Judah. This was my first year as a camper and Horizon’s first year as staff. I asked him sixteen questions that I wanted to know about him. Here are some of the questions I asked him. The first was: why do you always wear a beanie? His answer was, “Beanies are amazing. They’re comfy, warm, and it’s almost like a warm hug on your head. It looks cool, and once you wear one you can never go back.” The second question was why he chose to be an ATL. He said, “I love Camp Gilgal. I was a camper for two years in teen camp, and I always wanted to be on staff with Camp Gilgal, and so for this year’s junior camp, I was able to be an ATL.” He said, “I love the people here. They’re loving and ca
ring, and even if I don’t see them very much because I live far away, they feel like family.”
This was my first year as a camper, and I learned how to shoot a long bow. I learned how to use a wood burner, and I learned a lot in Tabernacle. I loved playing soccer and field sports. Me and Horizon both love cats, and I’m thinking about wearing a beanie. I can’t wait to come back next year!
Keren A., Age 9
Tribe of Naphtali
I’m Keren and this is my first year at Camp Gilgal junior camp. My first tribe leaders were Sitruce and Guacamole. I asked Sitruce a couple of questions because I wanted to know more about her. I discovered that her favorite animal is a cow because it has a funny face. I also learned that her favorite colors are black and blue. She told me that the first time she accepted Jesus was at Ingathering when she was seven. Her favorite book of the Bible is Psalms because it’s extremely poetic. Her favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because her family is there and there’s a lot of food. She likes going to the forest and going on hikes. Finally, her favorite food is any kind of Italian food. I learned a lot about Sitruce from these questions. I really enjoyed being her camper and I can’t wait to know her more.
Sydney F., Age 12
Tribe of Joseph
A few days ago I interviewed the amazing Squid! Spiritually, she prays for family, friends, campers, and just about everything constantly. Also, Squid reads the Bible mostly every day when she gets the chance. Squid’s favorite books in the Bible are the Psalms, Jeremiah, Esther, Ephesians, and Philippians. In fact, she’s always been a believer in Jesus because she grew up attending church.
A question that I asked Squid was, “Do you want a boyfriend?” Her response was, “When I’m older and when God’s ti
ming is right for me.” Another interesting fact about her is that her favorite number is seven because it’s written in the Bible many times. Did you know that her favorite color is pink and she loves all the food at Camp Gilgal? Also Squid was born on December 23.
On a camp-related note, I asked her why she wanted to be an assistant tribe leader, also known as an ATL. In response, she always wanted to since she was little, because she knew it would be super fun. Then I asked her why it would be super fun and she said, “You get to know everything the campers don’t know.” You also get to stay up later, and you have more freedom. The final question I asked Squid was, “Did you like having me here at camp?” and she said, “Yes! Of course!”
That was my interview of Squid – an ATL at Camp Gilgal.
Netanya W., Age 11
Tribe of Ephraim
The first thing we do in Camp Gilgal when we wake up is get changed and go brush our teeth and then line up in our tribes and walk to breakfast and when we get there we eat! Their food is awesome! It’s so yummy! And after that we go to our cabin and clean up! And when we are done cleaning we go to Tabernacle and have worship, and we sing! And then learn a Bible story lesson! After that we go to our first and second activities, then we line up for lunch and walk down to lunch and eat! Then we see our score for cabin clean up and that’s how we get points so we can go to the big party at the end of camp! So then we go back to our cabin and do our third and fourth activities, then we go to dinner and eat! When we get back we either do a big camp activity which is really, really fun, or some other big surprise! I love camp because every second we are doing something awesome and fun! And every second we are getting closer to God! It’s amazing and we are always excited for what happens next, and there are always surprises! That is our camp day! I hope you’ll come and check it out!
Rachel H., Age 11
Tribe of Ephraim
S
ince Camp Gilgal is on a mountain, sometimes we have some strange weather. For the first night of camp, the whole campsite was enveloped in a thick mist. Some people had to go down to the infirmary to get medications, and the mist was so thick that they had to be driven back in a van.
Camp Gilgal has some odd weather, but also some beautiful sights. There are lovely sunrises and sunsets, and rainbows so close that you can almost touch them. We once saw a rainbow from the Mishkan, and the colors were so vibrant that it was unlike any other rainbow I have ever seen.
Yes, the weather at Camp Gilgal can be storm-tossed, but you can also see some of God’s most wondrous creations from high up on the mountain top.
Kaelee F., Age 13
Tribe of Joseph
Each day all campers and staff who attend Camp Gilgal transport to the Mishkan for Tabernacle. This is the time when we gather to worship the Lord and listen to a message presented by RedSox. However, before the message begins, we all worship God through song. My favorite praise songs include Oceans, As the Mountains, and Prince of Peace. Even though I’ve messed up the lyrics in the past, I need to remember who I’m singing to. Should I be singing to the congregation? No. To the Lord? Yes. God doesn’t care how your voice sounds out loud. He cares about the voice inside your heart. That’s most important.
Kaelee F., Age 13
Tribe of Joseph
Yummy! The food at Camp Gilgal is always delicious and creative no matter the year or date. Many campers look forward to meals cooked by Chef Bill. Other summer camps have food that tastes downright ‘bleh.’ It’s also noted that other camps have meals that are worse than typical cafeteria food! Not Camp Gilgal, though! Hot food is served every day with a salad bar, which 
includes several toppings and dressings. There’s another option of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with fruit during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Meals differ from sandwiches to tacos to chicken to waffles. My personal favorite is Chef’s mashed potatoes because they’re buttery and hand mashed.
Don’t forget dessert! At both lunch and dinner scrumptious treats are offered. This may include cookies, churros, brownies, popsicles, ice cream, etc. When you take a bite, you take a trip to a delicious dream. I hope that you’ll love the food at Camp Gilgal just as much as I do!
Penina S., Age 12
Tribe of Joseph
Tabernacle is a place where everyone gets together in the morning to worship and praise God. We sing songs, read stories, recite the memory verse and more. It takes place after breakfast but before your activities.
One day we got blow pops to represent the remnant of people left who believed in G
od. The gum was what we were supposed to leave. Some people ate their gum, others left it on their sticks and some people didn’t open theirs because they knew it would be too tempting.
In Tabernacle I learned that it is important to always trust God, no matter the circumstances.
Penina S., Age 13
Tribe of JosephAt Camp Gilgal we have a tradition. The first tribe to finish a meal has the right to bang on the tables. So, it was nearing the end of dinner. Both of our tribes (Joseph and Judah) were almost done with our meals. It was hot dogs and hamburgers. Judah is about to bang the table because they are done. Just then, Noah walks in the room with a burger. He’s part of the tribe of Judah. Everyone cracked up. It was really funny. In the end we (Judah) won. At Camp Gilgal, we have lots of funny moments like this; it’s great!
Netanya W., Age 11
Tribe of Ephraim
In Camp Gilgal there is a lot of teamwork! Teamwork is use
d in a lot of things, like going to the party at the end of camp! And also we use teamwork in camp activities such as Capture the Degel (that’s a game), and we have teams and we have to work together to get the degel (flag), and also other fun games like that! I love Camp Gilgal! It’s really fun! You might be sad leaving home for two weeks, but Camp Gilgal is just like a home. Everyone here is so nice and when it’s time to go home you’ll be sad leaving because it’s like you’re leaving your Camp Gilgal family. I love it here!
Gavyn R., Age 12
Tribe of Benjamin
I like cats because they are cute and fun and sleep a lot. I have four cats at home. They sleep in my room with me. All are nice, and one is shy. Toru is my favorite cat at home. She
is a kitten and extremely playful. The other cats are always tired.
Even at camp, cats know I like them. On my way to camp and the dining hall, two cats seem to follow me everywhere. One was striped and orange the other was grey and striped. They follow me till the hill starts up to camp. When my mom picks me up they might jump in my car.
Hannah K., Age 12
Tribe of Joseph
Every night we come together as the tribe of Joseph to read about Joseph. Joseph had 10 older brothers. They did not like him because Joseph’s dad favored him. He even gave him a robe. His brothers didn’t like that so they sold him to Egyptians. The Lord gave him success wherever he went. He became the person in charge of Potiphar’s house (Potiphar was a rich Egyptian). One day Potiphar’s wife was telling Joseph to do something bad but he did not listen to her because if he did he would not be obeying God. She lied to Potiphar and Joseph got in trouble but he did not do anything wrong! He went to jail, but even in jail God gave him success. He even interpreted two dreams! It’s really cool learning about how God worked through Joseph.
Kaelee F., Age 13
Tribe of Judah
You may be asking yourself, “What is F.O.B.?” Well, it stands for a phrase Camp Gilgal uses which is Flat On Bunk. F.O.B. can last approximately an hour and puts the stop in nonstop. Campers and tribe leaders can feel fatigue and tired as the day goes on. Now, don’t get me wrong! Camp is super fun with the activities, but it’s healthy to take a small break.
“What can you do during Flat on Bunk?” You’re permitted to sleep, write letters, read appropriate reading material, etc. Depending on your tribe leaders, you may be allowed to even get out of bed if no one is sleeping. Then F.O.B. can turn into quiet time. However, most importantly, F.O.B. is SILENT. F.O.B. helps everyone and it is great!
Alana F., Age 11
Tribe of Ephraim
Hi! I’m Alana F. and my favorite activity is Capture the Degel! (Degel is Hebrew for flag.) We played in a big field when it was getting dark. It is crazy and fun all at the same time! The best time to play is a little after eight at night. The best way to win is while the other team is hiding their degel, and you’re not doing anything, spy on them. Once you know where everything is, and the game has started, you need two people; one to distract the other team and one to get the degel. I really liked Capture the Degel, and I hope it sounds fun to you. I can’t wait to play next year!
Matthew S., Age 9
Tribe of Judah
On Monday of the second week of camp we packed for a campout. After we packed we headed to our campsite. Since we didn’t have a fireplace we went to Benjamin’s site. We made a fire and ate hot dogs and hamburgers. One hot dog rolled off the grill. Then Gavyn started chasing us with sticks. Then we noticed that there were fireworks on t
he other side of the valley. When we went back to our campsite we tried setting our tent up, but it kept falling down so we called Scooter and he came. He also tried but it fell again, so we slept on the blacktop. I had camped a bunch before with my family – this wasn’t the best camping (because our tent didn’t work), but it was the most fun! I hope you enjoyed my story.
Ephraim L., Age 11
Tribe of Benjamin
Rules. The rules of Counselor Hunt are listed below:
What happened this year was that on the way to getting Beardo, Rachel got stung by a wasp twice. Then Daniel got stung too, so I told the other girls to run but it was too late, and the wasp got Sydney. So Ezra and I ran to campfire. Then we went in a different direction and tackled Pamplemousse (the T-Rex) and held Horizon hostage. Even though people got a little hurt, it was really fun. It is my favorite game next to Mission Impossible and I can’t wait to play again next year!
Ezra L., Age 8
Tribe of JudahI was excited and also nervous that I was going to fall off of my horse. But I went on my horse and I didn’t fall off. I felt alive because I never went on a horse before. Also I felt scared and frightened in a good way! I went around ten times in an oval ring. My horse was doing funny things with the horse in front of it. Also my horse’s name is called Fred. Also my horse’s color was dark brown. The only thing that I wish they taught us on the horses was how to run on the horses.
Keren A., Age 9
Tribe of Naphtali
Camp Gilgal is really cool. It’s also very funny. One day, we were coming back from the pool, and we had a theme meal. The theme was Fashion Disasta’. Our tribe was getting ready and having fun, and finally, we were a disaster. I was wearing shorts on pants, so was Sophia. Halie had a tail! Olivia had a mismatched clothes combo and so did the tribe leaders. We were all wrapped in pink tape also. Guacamole was wearing a chicken hat and Sitruce was wearing a long black trench coat. Guac had to sing in front of 
everyone for a package that night! Then our cabin realized that everyone was missing! They had left without our entire tribe! We must have been too busy to hear the whistle blow and didn’t see everyone else line up. It was sort of embarrassing, but we were unfashionably late (perfect timing!). It was very funny when we walked in. Everyone was clapping for us. It was hilarious! I love theme meals!
Sneezy, Storm, Hannah, Sydney, Penina, Kaelee
Tribe of Joseph
It was a beautiful day when our tribe found out that it was Campout Night! We were so excited to see our campsite. We prayed th
at our site would not be uncomfortable to sleep on – thankfully it wasn’t. We walked to our campsite which took about 15 minutes. When we arrived, we found that where we were was dangerous (we were right next to a pond) and we were surrounded by suspicious plants (Penina was convinced it was poison ivy). We were all frustrated and upset so we took a break for dinner. After dinner, we moved all our stuff to a new campsite which took two trips! It was ok though because we were together and we sang worship songs the whole time! When we got to our tent we were exhausted, but happy. We prayed and talked for a little bit, but then we fell fast asleep and slept so well! We learned so much about God’s love, protection and patience on Campout Night. We also learned that Sneezy is a very violent sleeper when she sleeps in a tent!
Levi S., Age 8
Tribe of Judah
At Camp Gilgal we have four activities every day. You get to pick two activities and then everyone has Hebrew and craft. Activities are a lot of fun and you get to learn to work together. Soccer is my favorite activity. It is my favorite because I love to run and I’m really good at shooting goals. Soccer is my favorite sport at home, too – last year my team won the championship!
I also really like Hebrew. This year is my first year and I learned the aleph bet. My Hebrew teacher Beardo taught us a song and it made it easy to remember. We also learned to introduce ourselves in Hebrew, and the days of the week and our colors.
Craft is also awesome! Birkenstock teaches craft and she brought her baby, Buster. In craft we made a tzedakah box with a metal lid, and I will use it to hold my special favorite stuff at my house.
Activities are really fun and I can’t wait to see what activities are available next year.
Dinah G., Age 11
Tribe of Ephraim
Having control over the arrows can be very challenging, so many people lose arrows. Finding the arrows can be very hard, so we don’t always find them. Hitting the target can also take a lot of skill and aim. Nobody in my archery class actually hit a bullseye, but many people did get quite close to hitting the target. It was exciting and a great challenge.
Some of the bows were harder to use than others, so some of the campers were very picky when selecting their bows. There were times when people lost so many arrows that they had to use the bad arrows instead of the good arrows and they were harder to aim.
Archery was a fun experience for me and everyone else. I really liked it and hope to get better at it next year.
AJ S., Age 9
Tribe of Benjamin
Basketball is an activity that we play at camp and it is fun. I got to play with Scooter in our activity when we went to the basketball court. We played three on three and we had so much fun until it had to end. One day when I was waiting for basketball, it was too hot to walk to the basketball court so we played nukem in the field instead. We played against the rockwall group. I can’t wait to play basketball next year. Also, Scooter encourages me to be a better basketball player and basketball makes me feel good.
Kaelee F., Age 13
Tribe of Judah
Dear Camp Gilgal,
Use this as a reminder to not go too fast on 
the merry-go-round! Let’s just say that one morning at spectacular Camp Gilgal, playground games were played. At the park, there’s a fun, spinny piece of equipment called the merry-go-round. In fact, Hiccup and Anonymous were using their strength to spin us ‘round and ‘round. The merry-go-round caused the gravity to become abnormal until I was at the edge trying not to slip off! The force, however, was too powerful so I had to jump off! The merry-go-round threw me to the ground, though. It was hilarious and funny so all of us, except for Anonymous, laughed!
-Camper Kaelee
Hannah K., Age 12
Tribe of Joseph
After Tabernacle, we decided to do a jumping jacks contest because we all wanted to move around. So we all went to the back of the room and we started to do jumping jacks. At first, it was really easy but then it got much harder. After about 10 minutes, Ephraim and I were the only ones left jumping. A lot of people were cheering me on which made me really happy. After RedSox blew the whistle for us to stop jumping, my legs were burning! But then I ate a banana and it really helped my legs. I got first choice of what I wanted to write about in the Gilgal Gazette, so I chose to write this article! I really love Camp Gilgal and all the silly things we do!
Eliana W., Age 11
Tribe of Ephraim
On my way to lunch at junior camp 2015 I was thinking about what we would do for cabin inspection. We have cabin inspection because we if we didn’t our 
cabins would look like we were swimming in clothes. After we finished lunch we waited in breathless anticipation as the cabin inspectors (Ruski and Scooter) walked to the front of the dining hall. They started with the boys’ tribes, then the girls and finally us, the tribe of Ephraim. They opened their mouths and the words we have been waiting for came out, “You did pretty well. However, there were NO INFRACTIONS!” and we all yelled and cheered and we had a great rest of the day. Last time we got an 85, but this time we got an 100 because we worked together and made sure everything was perfect. I can’t wait to earn another perfect score at Camp Gilgal.
Daniel C., Age 10
Tribe of Benjamin
Camp Gilgal ended field sports, then RedSox said it’s tribe time and then me Gavyn, Ephraim, and AJ said let’s go to the playground. I picked the playground because of the merry-go-round and I like spinning like crazy and feeling gravity pull me. Then we went down to the playground and I went on the merry-go-round and then Pamplemousse spun me really hard. The tribe of Ephraim was there too and some of them came and went on the merry-go-round, but before that I went on the merry-go-round 10 times. Then the tribe of Ephraim hopped on and then Elie and her friend said to me, “Your face is white but a little blue,” and it was those colors because it was going so fast. That’s because Pamplemousse and Gavyn and Squid and more people were spinning me and Elie and her friend, and when I got off the merry-go-round my head kept spinning. Then I got in the cabin and I was perfectly fine. I love that feeling. It is like a roller coaster and a great adventure.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
The Gilgal Gazette is published by Camp Gilgal campers for Camp Gilgal campers and their families and friends!
Tribe of Reuben: Grace M., Rachel S., Rahela D., Shira T., Tikva C., R
ocky, Maple
Tribe of Asher: Emily H., Hannah H., Hannah S., Lydia G., Selah C., Shayna T.,Shoshi S., Ruby, Balloo
Tribe of Issachar: Abigail D., Adelaide M., Annalise P., Hannah B., Krystalline L., Mariam G., Toto, Buttercup
Tribe of Manasseh: Abigail H., Anna A., Deborah S., Lydia H., Maddie H., Bologna
Tribe of Judah: Aaron S., Benjamin A., Joshua D., Matthew M., Seth M., Hero, Riff Raff
Tribe of Benjamin: Efren S., Elijah S., Max M., Nathan L., Cauliflower, Captain Crunch
Out-of-Cabin: Abacus, Bullfrog, Butterfly, Maven, Sneakers, Blewish
Campers in Training: Ari “Baby Ari Crocodile” Z., Aviva “Twilight Sparkles” Z., Bl
ueberry R., Joshua “Yoda” H., Judah Z., and Bubbles
M
ariam G., Age 12
Tribe of Issachar
The tribe of Issachar is a group of six unique campers and two staff. First is Toto, one of the tribe leaders. She is from California and this is her third year as camp staff. Second is Buttercup. She is a really funny person and this is her first year as camp staff. Next is me, Mariam. This is my second year at camp, and I am twelve years old. Hannah is next. This is her second year at camp and she is also twelve. Then comes Adelaide. This is also her second year and camp and she is twelve years old. Next is Talyn. She is ten and this is her second year at camp. Then comes Abigail. This is her first year at camp and she is eleven. Last but not least is Annalise. This is her first year at camp and she is eleven. I like my tribe because we have a good balance of ages and personalities. I also like this tribe because some of my closest friends are in it. I hope you feel like you have met our tribe and have enjoyed it.
Rocky
Tribe of Reuben
Hi! My name is Rocky. This has been my first time I ever got to go to junior camp. Although I’m a bit too old to be a camper, I’ve still been having a blast here as a tribe leader! My tribe is the tribe of Reuben, and my 
assistant tribe leader is Maple. The girls in my cabin are all very funny and a ton of fun to be with! We’ve all had to work together in many ways to help each other grow and be successful as a tribe. As a team, we designed our tribe degel (flag), and came up with a tribe chant. Every day we work together to clean our cabin and clean the girl’s restroom as well. The most fun thing we got to do together was build and race our own cardboard box boat in the lake. We brainstormed together, then constructed a raft-type boat with cardboard, duct tape, and plastic. Our boat lost the race, but our whole cabin had a ton of fun anyways. All of the girls in my cabin have helped make my first year at junior camp super enjoyable, and I hope to come back again!
Deborah S., Age 13
Tribe of Manasseh
Have you ever wanted to play kickball with a big group of people? Well, Bullfrog decided to play with us. We were all happy he was playing. He was on my team with Joshua, Abigail, Lydia, Nathan, Riff Raff, and others. Then it was Bullfrog’s turn to kick. All of us had our hopes up. We all thought he was going to hit it far and high. Well, guess how far and high Bullfrog kicked it? For kickball you have three strikes. Seth was going to roll the ball so that Bullfrog can kick it and run. Seth runs the ball, and we all have our hopes up. He kicks it….. right to us! Bullfrog kicks it to Joshua first, and Joshua was on his team. That was his first kick. Here comes the second one. Guess where he kicks it? No, he doesn’t kick it high or far. Yes, he kicks it to his own team again, but this time right to me! Overall Bullfrog is a really nice, awesome, and cool tribe leader. But after that we all make sure to back away from Bullfrog when he kicks.
Abigail H., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh
I am in the tribe of Manasseh. There are five girls in my tribe. We have Debbie, Maddie, Anna, Lydia, and myself. Our tribe leader is Bologna. She is amazing! We are a very athletic tribe. My favorite game is Ha Dov Ratz
. It is like Sharks and Minnows and it is very fun. Another thing I really like is all my new friends, and the Kehila (community). I love the younger girls. I am excited because our tribe has gotten 100 points for cabin clean up each day. I hope we win tribe of the year.
The symbol of the tribe of Manasseh is a bundle of arrows. On our flag we have a bow and arrows flying all over the flag. Each of our names is inside one of the arrows. We painted streaks of red and orange to make the arrows look like they are flying. I can’t wait to see what happens at camp next year!
Abigail D., Age 11
Tribe of Issachar
Toto is a believer in God and Yeshua. I have asked her a total of five questions about Camp Gilgal. I asked Toto how she felt about her campers. I was not surprised when she answere
d that she loves Mariam, Annie, Talyn, Hannah, Adelaide, and me. She also said she has a lot of fun with her tribe, especially in the mornings. Before Toto came to the Midwest she went to Camp Gilgal in California. As I listened to her, I realized it is pretty different. One thing is that the Midwest has different activities than the West Coast. Also, Camp Gilgal West is near Yosemite National Park, and Midwest is in the middle of the woods at CranHill Ranch. Another question was what her favorite activity is, and she said riflery. She chose it because she loves to shoot things. Toto and her dad used to shoot clay in the air. When Toto first got here, her first thought was that the cabins were rustic and different from the West Coast. Now for the last question, I asked her if she likes the Midwest or West Coast more. She said she can’t decide because she likes them both a lot. I really enjoyed learning about the inside scoop of Toto’s experience at camp.
Efren S., Age 12
Tribe of Benjamin
One thing we do at camp is have Tabernacle in the Mishkan. What I like about Tabernacle is that we worship God. I also like when we sing songs. I like the 
Mishkan because Blewish gives all of us a turn to talk and ask questions. Another thing we all did together in the Mishkan was Skit in a Bag. I liked it because we used our tribes to make a mini play with the props that were given to us. My tribe’s skit was pretty good because it made a lot of people laugh. I was a princess and the story was about my friend Max who was supposed to save me from being kidnapped.
I also enjoy the lake because I get to swim and play with my friends. Another thing I like is when we play sand volleyball. My favorite thing to do there is getting to go on any type of boat I want. My favorite is kayaking. I really like my tribe because we all like to do the same things at camp. Another thing I like is when we play gaga ball. I especially like to play with my tribe because we all know each other well. I really enjoy spending time with my tribe.
Lydia G., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
My favorite thing about Camp Gilgal 
is the gaga ball pit. The one thing that I love is that you make lots of friends. Everyone in my tribe is already friends. I’m really excited about doing Skit in a Bag. Everyone in your tribe has to be in the skits. There are also fun activities like fort building. One day after swim time we played a bunch of games. I really liked Clump and Ha Dov Ratz. How you play Clump is that a referee says a number and we have to get in groups with the number of people the person called. How you play Ha Dov Ratz is that there are two lines, and all of the people go to one side except for one person, who is the bear. They go between the two lines. They yell out Ha Dov Ratz and then try to catch people as they run to the other line. If they tag you then you are also a bear the next round. I also really like the petting zoo, and there’s even a donkey! At the lake there are lots of activities like a diving board, paddleboats, canoes, and kayaks. At the end camp is sad to leave, and you will be really glad you came to Camp Gilgal.
Hannah H., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
I like Camp Gilgal because we make boats out of cardboard, plastic, and duct tape. I also liked swimming and splashing in the lake. I especially liked making friends. I am really excited to go horseback riding and do riflery. I also liked archery and face painting. I liked finding frogs and toads. I love going to the petting zoo, and I even got to hold a chicken! I’ve had so much fun and camp isn’t even halfway over yet! I love coming to Camp Gilgal and playing games and making friends.
Lydia H., Age 13
Tribe of Manasseh
I’m writing as a camper who hasn’t experienced any other religious camp before, and I can say it was a completely wonderful surprise that Camp Gilgal is now one of my favorite camps. I learned many new things such as Hebrew, jiu jitsu, and rock climbing! I did many new activities and I loved them all. I’ve experienced many different camps and I will be heading off to more later this summer, but I know that I will come back to Camp Gilgal. This is my last year at junior camp, and next year I will
be heading off to teen camp! Junior camp has had its good and bad moments, but I got to enjoy them with people I love and hope to stay in contact with when camp is over. The campers I share my cabin with will always have a place in my heart and mind. I have made friendship bonds that probably will never break. I am in the tribe of Manasseh, the oldest girls tribe. Even though I am one of the older campers, I feel like my age makes no difference. Many of us came to camp as strangers, but we have bonded together as a single community. That community is together in friendship and close in faith. I like that we all stick together. I love Camp Gilgal, and I hope I never stop coming.
Deborah S., Age 13
Tribe of Manasseh
Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be a new camper? Or to not know anyone? Well, that’s how I felt the first day of camp. I was so excited when Blewish told my siblings and I everything we were going to do in camp, but when it came to start packing I was scared. I didn’t want to come to camp because I wasn’t going to know anyone, and I was going to be far away from my family. I came on the bus, and it took about four hours. I was so bored on the trip, but I was getting used to meeting kids on the bus. When we finally got
to camp everyone was yelling other campers’ names, and I was scared. I was a little calmer because at least my siblings were with me. This is a good experience for me because I get to interact with God more and get to learn more about Him. Within the first five days I got close to my cabin mates and others outside my cabin. One camper in particular was Rahela. In one activity where we were face painting she drew a butterfly on my left cheek, a caterpillar on my arm, and a rainbow on my knee. Then Captain Crunch drew the Superman logo on my face. Grace also drew a butterfly on my hand. Camp Gilgal is the best, and I am so glad I got the chance to meet Blewish and Sneakers and come to camp. I have the best cabin with Lydia, Abigail, Anna, and Maddie. I also have the best tribe leader, Bologna! She is so caring, and she is a fun person. I’m so happy I met other staff like Hero, Balloo, Rocky, Maple, Buttercup, Toto, Captain Crunch, Riff Raff, Cauliflower, Butterfly, Bullfrog, and more! Even if I miss my family the camp staff make me feel like I’m home. Blewish and Cauliflower gave me nicknames like Little Debbie, Nutterbutter, Diddle D, and OCP, which stands for oatmeal cream pie. I’m so glad I get to come to Camp Gilgal and meet new people and learn things about our one and true Father who provides everything, helps us, and comforts us. I’m so thankful that God helped my parents be able to send me here. Camp Gilgal was the best experience ever. It’s the best camp you should come and join, even if you feel scared. God will be with you the whole journey.
Talyn L., Age 10
Tribe of Issachar
Tabernacle is a place where you worship the Lord. In Tabernacle we sing praises to God, say the Shema, and listen to the lesson of the day. The Shema is a prayer that reminds us why we pray to God. The lessons that we’ve done are Genesis, Jeremiah, Daniel, Exodus, and Esther. We do lessons to help us know what happened in the past. We learned that the first exile was in Genesis with Adam and Eve. Then Blewish taught us that the next exile was in the time of Jeremiah. This is when the people were exiled from Israel by God. They were kicked out of the land because they were disobedient to God. They were then taken to Babylon. God told them to plant crops, have kids, and get married. What I’ve learned from this is that my temporary home is here until I can get home to heaven.
Nathan L., Age 12
Tribe of Benjamin
There are a lot of examples of perseverance in the Bible. The one that stuck out to me is Job. He is a great example of perseverance. In the story, God let Satan take away all of Job’s possessions. God was testing Job to see how loyal he was. Job had to go through a lot of stuff, such as his sons dying, cattle dying, and crops dying. Job had to go through a lot of hard stuff, yet he still stayed loyal to God. Although Job went through all of Satan’s tests, he still remained loyal to God. He believed so much in God that even when his friends said he did something wrong, Job kept praying and believing in God. After going through all of this, he still trusted God, despite that he had a hard time. Because he stayed loyal to God, Job was given double of everything he used to have.
Selah C., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
I like Camp Gilgal because I like being w
ith friends. My favorite activity is FOB. My second favorite activity is crafts. I also like swimming in the lake. The food here is good, too. For crafts everyone is making a tzedakah box. We have a campfire almost every night. We sing lots of songs there. We also sing at Tabernacle. I am in the tribe of Asher. Our symbol is a tree. Yesterday, I went climbing on the rock wall. I was a little sore afterwards, but it was very fun. I also like holding Emily’s toads. They are named Cherry, Pepe, and Eclipse. I have been having a good time at camp.
Maddie H., Age 13
Tribe of Manasseh
Dear future Camp Gilgal camper, I know that you might be scared to come here, but you shouldn’t be! It is really fun. You get to do face painting, go to the general store, and cook things! Another really cool thing is picking your tribe name and designing your tribe’s degel (flag). This camp is the best camp that I have ever been to! The people here are really nice and kind. The staff are super fun, too! Plus each cabin is a tribe and has a tribe name from the twelve tribes of Israel like Issachar, Manasseh, Asher, and so on! We all get to compete to be tribe of the year. The tribe that wins gets a special prize.
Elijah S., Age 13
Tribe of Benjamin
Before I came to Camp Gilgal I was really timid and shy. My tribe leader Cauliflower has been teaching me that everything will be okay when I trust in God just like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did. Now I can stand braver and more confident with God while facing any obstacle. Having a cabin of guys my age has been really nice because we can relate to each other on a level that most other people cannot. The point of this tribe is men coming together as a squad and as friends. My favorite activity at camp is gaga ball. You might be wondering what gaga ball is. I’ll tell you all about it. It is kind 
of like dodgeball. The rules are that you hit the ball with your hands and if it hits you under the knees you are out. The last person standing is the winner. I like it because it is constant action and the games go really fast. Two more of my favorite activities at camp are Mission Impossible and Clump. Clump is a game where you have to get into a group the size that the referee calls. If you cannot get into a group with that amount of people then you are out. Mission Impossible is a game played when it is completely dark outside. It essentially is a late night scavenger hunt, but there are spotters. They will spot you if you are not careful and sneaky.
Aaron S., Age 12
Tribe of Judah
One thing that I liked doing during camp this year was the field trip to the zoo. First thing after breakfast we went to the restrooms and then to a bus. After a couple minutes of waiting we got on the bus and then Sneakers and the camp staff counted everyone to make sure we were all there. After that we got moving. Like most bus rides it was loud and noisy, but I daydreamed out the window. Everyone else was singing camp songs until we pulled into the John Ball Zoo. After we got off the bus we all got in tribe lines and the staff counted the kids again. I used to go to the John Ball Zoo a lot when I was younger, but I hadn’t been there in a very long time. Then we started to walk, and we saw a lot of animals, like kangaroos and lemurs. We saw a frog place, poisonous dart frogs, and lots more with Bullfrog. Then we went to the larger animals. We went to the other side of the zoo. Over there they had lions and wild boars. We were running out of time so we went to see the chimpanzees. They mostly sat there grooming, so we left and saw some reptiles on the way out. Finally, we went to the gift shop to spend some of our own money. I liked the dart frog a lot so I bought a plastic one. The day ended with a quiet bus ride home.
Mariam G., Age 12
Tribe of Issachar
One of the best parts of camp was horseback riding. While we waited for our horses to be ready we played gaga ball. It was fun, but it had rained earlier that day so it was not easy to play. When we got into the barn the lady working there let us choose a helmet. She then showed us how to g
et on the horse and how to ride it. After that we split up into two groups. Each person got on a horse. The horse I had was named Bo. The horse was a male and he was a caramel color. He was probably the tallest horse there. He was really slow on the trail, but he was easy to control. On the trail ride I was second to the back, and there were about nine horses on the trail. There were two people who worked with the horses there to help us. They helped us when something happened or if we had a question. They talked to us and asked us questions about Camp Gilgal. I loved horseback riding, and I hope you come to camp and ride too!
Adelaide M., Age 12
Tribe of Issachar
The field trip this year was the best! 
We got amazing donuts while half of the tribes went cherry and strawberry picking. After that we switched. I chose to go strawberry picking! It took a while to pick all of them, but it was fun. Afterwards we came back and got lunch. When we got back to the bus, we got stuck in a ditch as we were pulling out of the driveway. We were on our way to the zoo, so we really wanted the bus to get out of the ditch. Of course, we eventually got out. When we got to the zoo we went to the aquarium. Then we saw some warthogs and I screamed “It’s Pumba from the Lion King!” Then my whole tribe started singing “Hakuna Matata.” It was the best day of camp ever!
Matthew M., Age 12
Tribe of Judah
It was a Wednesday, and right after breakfast we got on a big bus. I was so excited because we were going cherry picking. I collected two full baskets of cherries and ate one of them while we were at the cherry picking farm. I also had a cherry donut, and trust me it was so good. There was about one full acre of cherry trees. In the center of the farm there was an air compressor that looked like a cannon. It was really loud when you were right next to it. The cannon has a red top and a blue body. It was connected to this white house, and it is used to scare off the birds from the cherries. The people that work there told us to collect the darker cherries because they are the sweetest and the best ones. In conclusion, cherry picking was so much fun. I want to thank Blewish for everything he did for camp to get us there. If you go cherry picking, I hope you have fun too.
Joshua D., Age 9
Tribe of Judah
I am going to tell you the rules of gaga ball, how fun it is, and how to play. The rules are that if you get hit by the ball under your knees you are out, and if the ball goes out of the arena without bouncing off the ground you are out. If the ball hits you above your knees you are still in. If the ball bounces and the
ground and then goes out, then you are still in. I am a good judge of awesomeness, and I give gaga ball a 10 out of 10. You might think it is easy, but it is not as simple as it looks. To hit the ball you make a fist and then you hit the ball. You can use your palms too, but it isn’t as powerful as your fist. Also, you can’t catch the ball. You can hit the ball against the wall of the gaga pit multiple times to get momentum. I hope you now have a better understanding of gaga ball.
Benjamin A., Age 10
Tribe of Judah
This was a typical afternoon at Camp Gilgal. We went to the beach and raced cardboard boats. My tribe got second place! The first place winner got a ton of points. We built our boat in the shape of a bubble. We thought it wouldn’t work, but surprisingly we got second place. It took us twenty minutes to fill it with air. After the race we went kayaking. We went all the way to the other side of the lake. We peddled fast away from there. Afterwards we had tribe time. We went to the game room and played carpetball. Then we played ping pong. We then spent our money at the general store! After that we had a campfire where we cooked hotdogs and roasted marshmallows. It was a really fun day at camp!
Annalise P., Age 10
Tribe of Issachar
Archery is a very intense activity. You have to be careful at the shooting range, and follow all the rules. You get to shoot at a fake dinosaur! There is a certain archery stance that you have to be in. It is sort of like a superhero position. You face the side of the arm that you write with. Hold the bow with the arm you do not write with and use your thumb to hold the arrow. With your dominant hand, put your middle and ring finger below the arrow, and index finger on top. Then hold, pull back, and shoot! My first time shooting, I had trouble doing it correctly. After practicing a little, I pulled back as far as I could go, aimed, and shot very close to the bullseye! My friend shot one of the fake animals in the eye once. So no matter what kind of person you are, you should take archery. It’s my favorite.
Rachel S., Age 9
Tribe of Reuben
Hi, my name is Rachel, and I am going to tell you about my favorite thing to do at Camp Gilgal. It is swimming in the lake. You can jump off of rafts, and you can play with water toys such as rubber floaties, noodles, and other fun things! We even made cardboard b
oats. My tribe’s boat sunk, but it was fun because we got to splash each other when we were done. When we go swimming, people that pass the swim test get a blue band and get to go in the deep end. When you get a yellow band you have to stay in the shallow end, unless you are wearing a life jacket. At the lake you can also go canoeing, kayaking, and boating. I went kayaking with my brother and my best friend, Rahela. It was her first time and she did great. I passed the swim test and got a blue band. The next time we go swimming I’m planning on going kayaking with Rahela and then going swimming. I also like to get a floatie and let my brother push me off the raft. Sometimes I go with Rahela in the shallow water. There are even activities like volleyball for those that don’t want to get in the water! I have so much fun spending time at the lake!
Hannah B., Age 12
Tribe of Issachar
The one thing that every camper and tribe leader looks forward to at camp is the general store. You can buy souvenirs like sunglasses, bandanas and other things. They also sell food and drinks such as ice cream, soda and a lot more. It’s also a great place to just hang out with friends, chill and talk. Personally, I like the chocolate malt. Before they put the malt in, they put in chocolate syrup around the inside edges. It makes it taste so good. The general store is one of the only buildings with electricity and air conditioning! Every day, the campers ask their tribe leaders if they can go to the store for tribe time. I love going to the general store!
Anna A., Age 13
Tribe of Manasseh
At camp, we have been to the beach, like thousands of times. Probably my favorite part of all of it was the mat the lifeguard puts out. My brother Benjamin and I love that thing so much. We always play this one game. In the game, if you fall off the mat you are automatically a shark. Then you’re supposed to get other people off the mat. I was always the last to get off. There was this one time these two boys from outside of camp played with us. The older boy and I didn’t get out for a while. When he did get out he was the only shark that stood a chance against me. Other that the mat, there are many other things to do at the lake. I swam in the deep end, and hung out with my friend Hannah. There were so many fun things I did at the lake.
Abigail H., Age 12
Tribe of Manasseh
My favorite activity at camp was cooking. We made these delicious sugar cookies, mashed up Oreos, and then put melted Hershey’s chocolate on the Oreos. Then, we put the Oreo mixture on top the cookies. We put little choc
olate edible candies that look like rocks on top of the Oreo mixture. We then dyed dried coconut pieces red, orange, and pink to make them look like fire. Lastly, we put mini pretzels into a triangle. It looked like mini campfires and tasted awesome!
I would suggest going to Camp Gilgal because you learn a lot about God, and do amazing, really fun activities like cooking. I also really like FOB. It stands for Flat On Bunk. You can memorize Bible verses, write letters to your parents, sleep, or write articles for the Gilgal Gazette (like this one)! You get pretty tired at camp so FOB is amazing. I really recommend it. So my point is, Camp Gilgal is amazing and extremely fun and a great place to make new friends and have a community. So go to Camp Gilgal! You will not regret it.
Grace M., Age 10
Tribe of Reuben
Campfire is so much fun because you get to sing and dance. My favorite song is about twelve men spying on Canaan. Ten w
ere bad and two were good! I also like the “Banana Song.” It is about how sweet God is. Each of our songs has hand motions. Sneakers teaches us lessons about Jewish values at campfire. The first was Kehilah, which means community. The second was Tikkun Olam, which means to heal to world. An example of community is eating together, worshipping God together in Tabernacle, and spending with each other. An example of healing the world is picking up trash from the ground and helping one another, like a doctor or nurse. Campfire is about learning about God, respecting Him, and praising Him.
Shayna T., Age 10
Tribe of AsherMy name is Shayna, and I like Camp Gilgal because I get to see the animals in the petting zoo and I get to ride horses. Today I got to play with my camp friend’s pet toad, Pepe. Today was also fun because I got to do face painting with my sister, who let me cover her hands in rainbow colors and glitter. I’m really excited to find my own toad because I love toads. When I find a pet toad I’m going to name him Chum.
Rahela D., Age 8
Tribe of Reuben
Hi, I will tell you about Camp Gilgal. The first thing I will tell you about is kayaking and swimming. The thing is, I love kayaking and swim
ming! The first time I went kayaking was Wednesday, June 24, 2015. It was my first time ever kayaking with my best friend Rachel in the lake. Kayaking looks like it is hard, but it is not. It feels shaky like you are going to fall, but you won’t. Now I will tell you about swimming. There is a swim test. If you pass you get to go in the deep end. If you do not know how to swim or if you don’t want to take the swim test, you can get a yellow band. If you pass the swim test you get a blue band. There is a boat race where you have to use cardboard, duct tape, and plastic. My tribe didn’t win the race, but I still had fun.
Shira T., Age 9
Tribe of Reuben
There is a petting zoo at Camp Gilgal. I didn’t get to touch the goats, but I saw the brown one and got to brush him. There was also a ram. The horns were pointed up like a mountain goat. He reminded me of a mountain goat that I once saw. There is also a donkey. He is really big. I hear him in the morning! The llamas look silly. They’re pretty much donkeys but with long necks. There are bumps with smooth parts in between. The sheep there kept trying to squeeze into the chicken pen! The petting zoo is pretty much my favorite activity.
Seth M., Age 11
Tribe of Benjamin
At Hebrew class there are three teams. Almost every day each team gets a new list of vocabulary words to learn and study. The teams then compete, and the winning team gets a prize. Bologna asks questions, and you have to be the first one to answer correctly. We have lots of fun and all have gotten a prize. The teams are really even and fair. I am studying for my bar mitzvah, but I did not know a lot of the things they teach, and I am having a blast learning new things. Every day I know more and more. I have Hebrew right before lunch, so I get to stay in the dining hall afterwards. Last year Hebrew was different. It was divided by beginner and intermediate. I love Hebrew this year much more than last. Hebrew is awesome.
Max McClusky, Age 11
Tribe of Benjamin
During the first week of Camp Gilgal we had a campfire where we talked about community. It made me think that camp is a safe place to make friends and learn about God. It’s been fun hanging out with people during activities, and having my brother here as a tribe leader. I like shooting things at the range, and it’s fun to hit the targets. I didn’t even hesitate to pull the trigger. It felt very natural. Archery reminded me of video games. At lake time it’s fun to play volleyball, go swimming, and kayaking. It’s fun to hit the volleyball. Kayaking is fun because it’s intense to be floating on the water. I like swimming because it’s a good workout. Skit in a Bag was also fun because I got to make up the story. Mission Impossible was the best because we had to sneak around in the dark and not get caught. I also like my tribe and hanging out with our tribe leader, Cauliflower. It’s been fun goofing off with the tribe and being at camp.
Anna A., Age 13
Tribe of Manasseh
One of my favorite activities after lu
nch was jiu jitsu, which is a kind of martial arts. The instructor was a tribe leader named Cauliflower. We learned how to do proper stretching techniques. I didn’t do so great with the cartwheels, but other than that I did well. The most fun part was learning the actual moves. I especially loved the grab. It kind of reminded me of ballroom dancing. We were shown this one move that looked really awkward. Anyways, the most important thing I learned is that jiu jitsu should only be used for self-defense. Use it for offense and you’re sure to lose.
Shoshana S., Age 11
Tribe of Asher
I love Camp Gilgal because of all the friends you make here. My name is Shoshi, and I’m in the tribe of Asher. I’ve made so many friends, and I’ve only been here a couple of days! The first day was awesome. I got here early and played gaga ball for the rest of the day! Gaga is pretty much Octoball. The rules to gaga are simple: hit the ball with your hands. It’s pretty much reverse soccer. You play in an octagon-shaped court and try to hit people below their knees with the ball. My favorite day was when I went rock climbing. The rock wall was amazing. There is an easy, medium, and hard wall. I mostly climbed on the easy wall, and almost got to the top once. I also went on the medium wall and got halfway up! The next day I was sore, but it was fun anyways. We share the food court with another camp, but we have our own room. It’s a bit of a walk to get there, but the food is awesome! Sometimes they have dessert and it’s always delicious. So far we have had brownies and ice cream sandwiches. There is also a beach and a petting zoo. The petting zoo is pretty self-explanatory. There are goats, lambs, and a donkey. There are also horses, but you can’t go in the pen with them. There are only certain animals you can go in with, which includes the goats, lambs, and donkey. There are also llamas, but you can’t go in the pen with them. Then there’s the beach. It really isn’t a beach so much as a lake. You have to pass a swim test to go in the deep end. There are two colors of bands you get. Blue is if you pass the swim test, and yellow is if you choose not to take the test or don’t pass. Even if you have a yellow band you still get to go in the deep end, but you have to wear a life vest. Camp Gilgal is awesome, and my tribe is awesome too!
Emily H., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
There were a lot of fun things at Camp Gilgal 2015. There was horseback riding, toad and bug catching, swimming, and a petting zoo. Horseback riding is very fun. If you are ten years old and over 52 inches tall, you go on the horse trail. If you aren’t, you go around a horse arena. There are lots of toads and
bugs at Camp Gilgal. I like to catch the toads and bring them back to my house. Swimming is also awesome! Before you swim you take the swim test. There are floating rafts in the deep end. We like to play king of the hill on the raft. The petting zoo is really fun. There are sheep and chickens that you can hold. There are also rabbits, goats, a ram, and a donkey. Camp Gilgal is really fun. There are also tribes. Each tribe gets a name from the twelve tribes of Israel. Then you get a symbol for your tribe and make a degel (flag). There are Hebrew classes and Tabernacle. During Tabernacle we learned about the exile of Israel. We also learned about Abraham. During Hebrew we learn how to speak and write the aleph bet, numbers, and some animals. For a craft this year we made tzedakah boxes. We painted and decorated them. Making friends at camp is so easy. I love coming to camp because I have so many friends here!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
The Gilgal Gazette is published by Camp Gilgal campers for Camp Gilgal campers and their families and friends!
Tribe of Issachar: Raina W., Rebecca S., Channah A., Ahavah M., Acorn, Chip
Tribe of Judah: Talia W., Elisheva M., Sarah M., Shalom M., Yadi, Mango
Tribe of Asher: Erica B., Persaeus B., Claire C., Mia G., Bailey H., Waffles, S’mores
Tribe of Simeon: Fiorella M., Carrie-Fu M., Sophia M., Zoe N., Elizabeth R., Sh-boom, Pippin
Tr
ibe of Dan: Samuel S., Isaac P., Conner M., Tyler H., Yamaha, Oofnik
Tribe of Benjamin: Steven M., Jonathan P., Alex S., Samuel C., Ewok, Taco
Tribe of Gad: Elijah Y., Nathan B., Isaiah L., Michael K., Stix, Heimlich
Out-of-cabin staff: Esquire, Poppins, Rocko, Snapple, Sonic, Superduck, Streetlight, Moose
Elizabeth R., Age 11
Tribe of Simeon
I chose Waffles because she is sweet, patient, compassionate and has an amazing personality! Waffles focuses on the needs of others. Whenever someone is homesick she is willing to step right up and help them!
Waffles got her name because her golden hair reminded her parents of waffles! Waffles is a veteran Camp Gilgal member. She first started camp in 2003. Waffles’ best experience at camp was meeting people who are now her best friends. Those friends are Acorn, Snapple and Bazooka. Waffles’ favorite night game is Capture the Degel.
Now here is some basic information about Waffles. Her favorite colors are blue and green. Her favorite animal is her sister’s dog because it is cute. Right now Waffles is preparing to apply for a master’s program in nursing. Waffles has wanted to be a nurse since she was little.
Waffles is an amazing person who loves to be at camp and with Yeshua.
Elijah Y., Age 12
Tribe of Gad
The tribe of Gad is comprised this year of Stix, Heimlich, Nathan B., Isaiah L., Michael K. and myself, Elijah Y. We live in a tent (just joking, we have a cabin) and we are the oldest cabin. So far, we have made many, many tent puns. Heimlich, if you’re wondering, is not named after the Heimlich maneuver but after the caterpillar in Bug’
s Life, who turns into a “beautiful, beautiful butterfly.” Our degel is a three-dimensional tent with the sun at the edge of the horizon. We chose a “coffee-with-lots-of-milk-and-cream” colored cloth for our degel. One fun experience was in Columbia at the Douglas Saloon. We got nachos and sarsaparilla and Nathan joined a biker gang. What really happened was that somebody in a biker gang who was sitting next to us suggested that one of us wear his vest and tell Stix that they had joined the gang. Well, Nathan jumped at the opportunity. It was kind of funny seeing Nathan in the biker’s vest. Of course, that was only one of my cabin’s fun experiences, but it is one of my favorites. I believe that I have an amazing tribe and that I am lucky to be in it.
Nathan B., Age 12
Tribe of Gad
I interviewed Yamaha. He started playing piano in kindergarten. His favorite food is grilled cheese. He says he is 100 years old. He’s been coming to camp for 11 years. He likes carpet ball. His tribe leaders were Gonzo, Sonic and Cosmo for his first year. His 
favorite super hero is Heimlich. His favorite staff when he was a camper were Sonic and Brickhouse. I asked him his favorite type of soda and he said “Dr. Pepper.” His favorite cabin is Rawhide Ridge. Yamaha’s favorite night game is Wells Fargo. Yamaha also said cliff jumping was his favorite activity in adventure camp. His favorite name for a tribe is Levi, which is the breastplate. Yamaha’s favorite adventure camp was whitewater rafting. He loves to worship at junior camp and even said it was his favorite activity. In his free time he said his favorite activity was sleeping. When asked what his favorite type of guitar was he responded, “A Yamaha, of course.” Yamaha is a great tribe leader.
Samuel C., Age 11
Tribe of Benjamin
My tribe is Benjamin. We play cards in our cabin. We go to the pool together. The people in my tribe are Taco, Ewok, Steven, Sasha (Alex), Jonathan and me. Our degel is a wolf howling to the moon on a mountain. Our cabin is at Peddler Point and has four bunk beds with mattresses. We have one rule in our cabin inspection – we always clean our bunk beds first. Sasha (Alex), Jonathan and Steven play cards but Ewok and Taco just rest. At free time everybody in our cabin goes to the pool. Taco likes to sing with Ewok. We have a Doctor Snaggletooth that checks our teeth every night. We have a verse in our cabin, Psalm 147:1-11. We do Hebrew and craft after Tabernacle. In Hebrew we made Shrinky Dinks. In craft we make our boxes. In horseback riding we do frolicking in the field. Also we ride on horses and eat our lunch there. In Columbia, we went to the gold rush area and after that we ate ice cream. Men’s Day was so much fun for me and my tribe. I hope you now know our cabin.
Isaiah L., Age 12
Tribe of Gad
Heimlich has been going to camp for ten years. He has to drive eight hours to get to camp. His favorite food is sushi. His favorite soda is Diet Coke. He said his favorite tribe leader when he was a camper was Maverick. His favorite night game is Wells Fargo. His hobby is reading. He also enjoys going to New York City. Also, his favorite sport is water polo. He likes to play carpet ball, which is a game which is only here at Camp Gilgal. His favorite part about being staff is the campers because he likes spending time with them. I asked him how old he is and he said that that is an excellent question. That is what all the staff say when they don’t want to answer a question. He likes to listen to Christian music. He likes to sleep and enjoys participating in CrossFit. He likes adventure camp more than junior and teen camp. He likes to go on hikes every once in a while.
Carrie M., Age 11
Tribe of Simeon
We are the tribe of Simeon. There are seven of us in the cabin with eight bunk beds. As a tribe, we do everything together.
Most years we go to Columbia in cool buses. There, we witness to non-believers by marching and singing in the Fourth of July parade. As a tribe, we do 
cabin clean-up. Cabin clean-up is where we clean the cabin till it is spotless and then we get points. If we get the most points for different things, then we win Tribe of the Year. If you win Tribe of the Year, the whole tribe gets $100 to spend on anything you want. Lastly, as a tribe, we go on waterslides and go night swimming. But that’s not all, I just don’t want to spoil all the fun we have at camp!
The people in my tribe are Sophia, Elizabeth, Zoe, Fiorella and my tribe leaders, Pippin and Sh-boom. Together we have F.O.B., which stands for Flat on Bunk. That’s when we take a nap because we do so much! We also have devotions and Tabernacle together. That’s when we grow closer to Yeshua/Jesus. We also do campfires together where we roast marshmallows and eat s’mores. There are these people called Morty and Minerva. They are really funny old people and they make kids laugh so much. We are the tribe of Simeon and we always stick together.
Sarah M., Age 9
Tribe of Judah
My tribe is Judah. Judah means lion in Hebrew. The people in my tribe are Shalom, Talia, Eli, Mango and Yadi. Our cabin name is Fiddle Town. We enjoy staying in our cabin. Our degel is white and has a golden lion that is roaring. In our cabin at night we have devotions, and we read lots of verses before going to bed. One time we found a humongous June beetle. My tribemates were very scared but it was okay because I was there and I caught it. I also found a very big locust. Also, one night we thought it was Mission Impossible and got all dressed in black and fell asleep in running shoes. Our tribe is very nice, and we all care for each other. When one of us is feeling sad or hurt, we help each other out. My tribe is very happy and funny, and we have lots of laughs and giggles any time we are all together. Our cabin is very caring and loving to each other. My tribe is my favorite tribe because I have all my friends and my Camp Gilgal family. This year has been a blast with the tribe of Judah.
Elijah Y., Age 12
Tribe of Gad
Moose has been camp director for all of Camp Gilgal. He first joined Jews for Jesus because he wanted to be involved in helping others to know Yeshua as their Savior. He chose the name “Moose” because “If the name fits, you wear it.” His 
favorite Camp Gilgal game is a three-way tie between Wells Fargo, Capture the Degel and M.I. His favorite part of camp is the campers. The biggest change he has seen in camp is the fact that at the beginning of camp Moose had to do everything by himself, but now many campers have grown into leaders and have taken responsibility. His favorite food is sushi. Before he retires from the position of camp director he would like to say that “Camp Gilgal is my family and always will be, and my greatest desire is that all of us would stay close to Jesus all the days of our lives. He is what is most important.”
Erica B., Age 11
Tribe of Asher
I chose Snapple for my Camp Gilgal Gazette feature because Snapple is my role model at camp. I want to have her kindness and her pa
tience. As I began to examine her I realized I didn’t know much about her personal life. I asked questions and received answers. So here it is!
Snapple’s favorite color is green because she loves being outside. She has one brother named Brickhouse. He serves camp and she does, too! Snapple’s favorite food is sushi and she thinks everyone should try fresh, warm, out-of-the-oven brownies.
Snapple’s favorite camp out of junior, teen and adventure is junior camp. Why? Well, she said, her favorite part about camp is the campers and she loves seeing us learn about God at a young age. Her favorite childhood memory is being at camp and being an outlaw for Wells Fargo.
Claire C., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
My tribe contains seven lovely ladies, Waffles (my tribe leader), S’mores (my assistant tribe leader), Persaeus, Baily, Erica, Mia and I. We learn to work together and how to be a tribe.
Persaeus is 10 years old and loves the name of Asher because it sounded cool. She has experience in a tribe. She loves camp and her favorite color is mint.
Baily is 10 and loves foursquare. This is her second year at camp. She loves camp and bananas.
Mia is 10 and happy. She is not homesick. It is her first year and she is having a blast!
Erica loves the tribe. She has gone to camp before and her favorite color is black.
S’mores’ first year of camp was 2007. Her favorite color is pink. She does not play sports. She became camp staff because she loves camp.
Waffles’ favorite color is seafoam green. She runs as a sport and plays tennis. She is a tribe leader because she has fun and wants to encourage us in our walk with Yeshua.
Our tribe does almost all of the activities at camp together, like craft, Hebrew, cabin clean up, Capture the Degel, M.I. and much more! Every day our cabin cleans so we can get points for cabin of the year, which is when one tribe from each side (boys/girls) gets $100 to spend any way they want. My tribe rocks!
Ahava M., Age 8
Tribe of Issachar
Rocko and Snickerdoodle came up with Sonic’s name because he’s so fast. Sonic has been at Camp Gilgal for 17 years. He leads worship in the dining hall for Tabernacle. He sings songs and shouts it out. First he says the song title. We sing two songs every day. His favorite song is “To Our God.” Sonic has one brother and one sister. His wife is Rocko. He said that his favorite activity at camp is Capture the Degel. He was the boss for all the other staff. Sonic loves wildlife and seeing it during night games. As a camper, he liked Capture the Degel, Wells Fargo, and Mission Impossible. He likes camp because his best friends are there and God is there. Sonic really likes playing the guitar and worshipping God. He likes the guitar because it sounds nice. When Sonic gets mail he gets excited and does flips. When other people get mail, he claps for them because he wants to be nice to them. He knows it’s the nice thing to do. When he tells about his life at campfire, sometimes he has sad stuff in it, but he told us God is with him and he believes in Him. I like that Sonic helps people and is kind. He treats people the way he wants to be treated no matter what because he knows it’s the right thing to do. He also helps people when they fall. When I think of Sonic, I think of him being nice to us and being funny. Sonic is a good person and is the best staff I’ve ever seen.
Channah A., Age 8
Tribe of Issachar
I am in the tribe of Issachar. We chose the tribe name Issachar because it means Sun. We have lots of fun together because we are a family. My tribe leaders’ names are Acorn and Chip. The other girls in my cabin are Rebecca, Ahava and Raina. For all of us, it is our first year of camp! We are all having a great time
. We love going to the pool as a tribe. Every night we get to have devotions together. We read the Bible and pray. We all help each other feel better about ourselves.
During Ladies Day, as a tribe we went swimming and made shell clips for our hair. We got to have a boy free day. When it was Men’s Day, we got to go horseback, riding and our tribe got to ride horses on a trail. When we were done we went into a field. At F.O.B. we pass notes to each other or get to rest for later on the day when we do activities. As a tribe, we get to have cabin clean up and help each other do different chores to get points. If we get enough points we can get tribe of the year. We got to memorize a verse, Psalm 147:1-11, and say it in front of the whole camp as a tribe. We almost have it. The tribe of Issachar loves to be together. I hope to be with all of them next year because we love the way we’re always helping each other as a family.
Michael K., Age 13
Tribe of Gad
I’m interviewing Stix this year because he is one of the best tribe leaders I ever had. He has been serving as staff for three years, including this year. He likes to be with campers and minister to them. His favorite night game is Wells Fargo. Reasons why he likes Wells Fargo are chasing the campers, h
aving a Texas accent and hiding bags of gold from campers. He loves to worship in Tabernacle and playing the box drum. One other thing he loves about camp is swimming in the pool. He enjoys throwing the campers around in the pool and having the campers attack him. His favorite food is Chinese. His favorite sport is wrestling. He has been part of Camp Gilgal for ten years and has been camp staff for three years. Stix got his name because he likes drum sticks. His favorite meal at junior camp is enchiladas, although he likes most foods and will eat all kinds of foods. I think that Stix is an awesome tribe leader and I hope that anyone who goes to camp gets a chance to meet him.
Bailey H., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
Rocko started camp when she was eight years old. Her first tribe was Naphtali. Her favorite night game is Wells Fargo and her least favorite is Snag-A-Staff. Her favorite tribe leader that she had was Pepper. Rocko has been a tribe leader also. Her favorite part of being on staff is building meaningful relationships with the campers.
Rocko has three siblings. Her favorite restaurant is In-N-Out and her favorite food is eggs. She loves Coca-Cola and Raisinettes. She enjoys the color yellow. Her favorite grade is senior in high school. She is most fond of the state of California, which is in her favorite country – the USA! Her favorite song is Transatlanticism. Rocko’s favorite verse is 2 Kings 6:15-17 because it is a reminder that God is with us even in the difficult moments and even when you can’t see Him. Rocko is super cool and an awesome leader, especially in crafts. Thanks for reading my article.
Persaeus B., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
Hello readers. I interviewed Superduck, who is a staff member and serves as out of cabin staff. Superduck has been on staff since 2013. He wanted to be on staff because he likes kids and it’s super fun. His favorite food is definitely not duck, but is sushi. Superduck didn’t grow up in camp. His favorite color is green. His job here at camp is to get campers excited, set up games, take pictures/videos, and throw campers into the clouds in the pool. Superduck’s favorite night game is Capture the Degel. He currently lives in San Francisco. His favorite verse is Colossians 2:13-14. Superduck’s favorite sports are spikeball, wrestling, and basketball. I think Superduck is really fun to be around. It’s Superduck’s first year as junior camp staff. Superduck is very good at volleyball and it is fun to play that with him. He is really good at working with technical devices. He is always taking pictures/videos of the campers. It was an amazing summer having Superduck on staff!
Claire C., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
I am interviewing the S’mores. S’mores is a human. Her favorite color is pink. She loves s’mores….obviously. She has a beagle-pit bull mix named Duchess. S’mores is awesome. 
She has glasses. Her favorite food is mac n’ cheese. She was eight when she started camp. Her favorite night game is M.I. S’mores’ eye color is hazel. She loves every camper.
S’mores is nice, sweet, patient, kind and cool. She LOVES CAMP. Camp is her favorite thing. S’mores’ best friends are Mango, Skye and Abbey and Lindsay. Her horse this year is Poncho. We love S’mores.
S’mores Fun Facts: Her first year horse was Hobo and he was my horse this year. Her tribe leaders her first year were Bazooka and Dynamite. Her favorite theme night is Super Hero Night. She was super small, but mighty, her first year. She is awesome and a great person. She is my assistant tribe leader and AWESOME.
Talia W., Age 9
Tribe of Judah
The 25th anniversary of camp is very fun. Everything is fun. 
We have played Capture the Degel and Wells Fargo. Games are fun but this year for me is super fun and it is more biblical for me. It’s more about God than anything else. This year there are a lot more people joining the Camp Gilgal family.
Ace, Squirt, Tank, Big Tuna and Snickerdoodle all came back for the 25th anniversary. Many of the visitors have been going to camp longer than some campers have been alive. The visitors brought gold balloons that were a two and a five. We got to take our picture with the Wells Fargo stagecoach and tribe pictures. At Shabbat, they shared one thing they learned at camp, or a way that camp influenced their lives. Moose has been serving for 25 years. He is kind and encourages others. This will be the last year Moose will be serving as the camp director.
Sasha (Alex) S., Age 11
Tribe of Benjamin
My name is Alex but I go by Sasha. I’m 11 years old. I’m in the tribe of Benjamin. There are rules and throws and plans. The Rules: If the ball goes off the table you are out. You put five balls on the table. To win, you knock all five balls on the other side. You lose if the other player knocks your balls out. Throw: You can throw the ball many ways. We call them names. So far, there are three that have names. People have many ways to throw the ball. Here’s Nathan’s point of view. He said the Heimlich is the best. Plan: There are many plans in carpet ball, like how you place the five balls. One way is put three on one side and two on the other. Or, another way is to put all five on one side, or four on one side and one on the other side. Opinions from Jonathan, “It’s a lot of fun and cool.” Steven hates carpet ball.
Jonathan P., Age 11
Tribe of Benjamin
Hebrew is really fun! You get to learn lots of things like Ima is mom and Abba is dad. Also, you get to learn an entirely new language! You also get to fill out books that teach you Hebrew words. Two of the books I have completed are named Family and Days of the Week.
You also get to earn prizes if you get staff to stamp the page for learning Hebrew words. Every time you get ten stamps on a page you earn a small prize, but when you fill out a book you get a large prize!
You can learn a lot of things in Hebrew, and you get to use the words you learn in lots of activities like writing to your parents or pointing out wildlife.
One of my favorite things to do during Hebrew is to collect all sorts of stamps. My favorite stamp is Heimlich’s, which is a caterpillar. One of my other favorites is Superduck’s, which of course is a duck.
Anyways, I really enjoy Hebrew and it was an amazing topic to use for the Gilgal Gazette. Hebrew is really, really fun and I think that Hebrew is awesome. It can teach you so much. And also, imagine if you go to Israel – you can always use Hebrew there.
Tyler H., Age 9
Tribe of Dan
At Camp Gilgal we always do crafts. In 2015 we are making a tzedakah box. We start by drawing our design. When we are done with the top of the box design, we get a piece of tin 
and a scratch-awl, and we punch holes in the tin. Then, when you are done with the top you draw the side designs. When the sides are done you wood burn the designs. Wood burning is when you burn wood. Finally, we paint our boxes. To paint the box we had to put on wood conditioning. Then we had to choose the color. There was rustic red, desert brown, natural and American chestnut. And when you are done with all of that, the craft is finished. My favorite part of making the box was painting it because when I painted it, it looked a lot cooler. The color was American chestnut. American chestnut looks like a very dark brown. And that is how you make a box for anything.
Conner M., Age 8
Tribe of DanI like to swim in the pool and I brought things for the pool including goggles. I like cannon balls in the pool. Some people swim in floaties and lots of people
like to be thrown in the water. Claire wanted an inflatable salamander but it had a hole in it. We do whirlpools. We go around in the pool. When it is hot you could go to the pool because the pool is cool for you. Yadi is a tribe leader and a lifeguard. She holds a big red buoy for when you need help. One time, I found a quarter in the pool at four feet deep and Tyler helped me get it from the bottom. The pool is my favorite part of camp because we can swim and cool off and it is just so much fun. Some people buy pool toys from the Camp Gilgal store and sometimes people will buy something to swim on in the pool to have fun.
Isaac P., Age 9
Tribe of Dan
I am Isaac. I’m going to tell you about Men’s Day at my camp. First, we built two forts out of chairs and blankets. We were in two teams. Then we went outside and played Pop the Balloon. We ate pop rocks and drank soda. I did not like it. Vultures came when Moose put out raw chicken for them to eat. Then we went to the pool. I had a donut floatie and a small surf rider. I created a tank out of them both. Then we made cones out of different candies and chocolate chips and marshmallows and the others put it on the fire. I made three
cones. Then we made bombs to scare away the vultures.
Interview with Yamaha:
Q: What did you use to make the bombs?
A: We used dry ice, water bottles and hot water.
Q: How do you get dry ice?
A: You buy it.
And that is what Men’s Day was all about.
Tyler H., Age 9
Tribe of Dan
Every year we do dodgeball and it is 2015 when I had my favorite dodgeball game. So in the beginning of the dodgeball game, the other team was winning and only me and my friend were left. Then, suddenly, my friend was out. It was all on me to catch the last ball. Then, suddenly, I came up with a plan. So the strongest dodgeball player was trying to catch a ball, so I fake threw it and he didn’t know till I actually threw the ball. Then he was out. After he got out all the people threw the ball and I caught one so my whole entire team got back in. Finally, we all had a comeback, and they only had one person left. But she caught the ball so her team was back in, and one by one our team got out. In the end, we lost but it was fun. The most fun part was catching balls. And that is what happened this year. The End.
Bailey H., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
Slip, slip, slip and slide! The waterslide at Silver Spur Camp and Retreat Center is so fun. When you first get to the waterslide, an expert on the slide explains the rules.
#1 Always go down the slide with a mat.
#2 Fold up your mat like a taco to have a better water slide experience.
#3 Don’t go down the slide until an adult tells you that you can.
Next, you form a line, and the fun begins.
One by one campers go up the slope to the top of the slide and one by one they come down with a smile. The actual water slide starts with a small drop and then has a few turns. At one point, staff can dump water on your face with a pan. Unfortunately, this year the contraption didn’t work.
The waterslide is a great addition to the camp. I look forward to it every year. Thanks for reading my article.
Carrie M., Age 11
Tribe of Simeon
Horseback riding is so much fun! At camp we first put on long pants, sunscreen, we bring water and go to the bathroom because it is a long ride there. Then we go in cool vans and drive about an hour to get to the stables. When we get there we first put on helmets and pick out a horse. After everybody gets a horse we ride! You have to not be afraid of a horse because they can sense fear. The ride takes about an hour. When we get up to the mountain it is such a beautiful view. It is amazing! You see many trees, mountains, hills and the bright sun. We get to see this beautiful view for about a minute. When we get back, we eat snacks and play with the dogs that live there. Then we play in the big meadow that they own while we wait for the other group to come back. When they come back, we go back to the camp and take a small nap before dinner. At dinner, we get to talk to each other about our horses and their personalities and names.
Elisheva M., Age 10
Tribe of Judah
Friday, June 25th, 2015, began as any other day. The only clue that something was different was that we were told after breakfast to put on our Camp Gilgal shirts and sunscreen. During Tabernacle we looked outside the windows and saw a line of vans and cars waiting for us. We were quickly shuttled into the vehicles, still wondering what was going on. Then, slowly, we started driving down the curvy road. It was a 106 degrees out. What could we possibly be doing?
After driving for 45 minutes we saw that we were going to Columbia. As we all shuttled out of the vans, you could feel the excitement in the air. We all found our tribes then headed into Columbia to eat lunch. There we met Tour Guide. It was such a blessing to meet him. He used to be and still is a big part of Camp Gilgal.
After lunch, we as a tribe decided to go candle dipping, which was really fun. I liked all the colors that everybody put on their candles. Afterwards, we went to the candy shop. I bought soda gummies. Then, we went down to the gold mining store where I got a switch pocket comb. Finally, after that, we went and bought sarsaparilla. It was delicious. Since we still had some free time, we went across the street to go bowling for free. Fifteen minutes before we had to leave, we went into the jewelry store. I saw a backscratcher and I just knew I had to buy it. Then, it was time to leave so we slowly trudged over and went into our designated vans for the drive back to camp. Overall, it was a really nice day in Columbia, despite how hot it was.
Shalom M., Age 9
Tribe of Judah
When we got to play Snag-A-Staff, Talia, Sarah and I tried to get Superduck, who was a monkey. When we would try to get close, sometimes he would grab our hats or bracelets 
and he would just sniff them, and then would throw them. Also, sometimes he would pretend we had bugs in our hair and eat them. He grabbed my bracelet and glasses and Isaac’s flashlight and then ran off. He put Isaac’s flashlight high inside the gazebo and my glasses in a hole, but I got them. He was climbing in a tree with my bracelet.
How you play Snag-A-Staff is all the staff pick an animal or a thing and you have to wait till they find a spot to hide, then when you hear a whistle you run out to find them. When you find one, if they are an animal, for example, a dog, you would probably be a cat. So you would run and the staff member would chase you into the cafeteria or by the benches. Then, when you would get them there, you go find someone else.
We only had one counselor left, which was Taco, who was an armadillo. We had to get bugs but nobody knew that, so that is why he was the only one left. You would probably love the game because I do and I can’t wait till next year.
Rebecca S., Age 8
Tribe of Issachar
On Ladies Day all the men left camp for the day and the women got to pick something fun to do. All the ladies got to go into the dining room first. There was seaweed and jellyfish
in the dining room. We went into the pool. We also had cheese puffs as beach balls and pudding as the sand on the beach. We had small umbrellas in 7-Up as a beach. I played a fishing game for the treat of the day. I got a notepad and pen in a set. Then all of the girls went to a photo booth and Acorn took the photos. We found toy fishes in the pools. Then we made shells into hair clips, but mine broke. After that, we went back to the pool for 15 minutes. Eventually, the men came back and the rest of the day went on. We played Capture the Degel as a night game. Later in the week it was Men’s Day and the women went horseback riding. I can’t wait till Ladies Day next year.
Talia W., Age 9
Tribe of Judah
Making the degelim was awesome! The color of our degel is white. Making the degelim means you also get to pick a tribe name. There are twelve tribes of Israel in the Bible to choose from. Out of the twelve, seven were chosen. On the ladies’ side there is Issachar, Ju
dah, Asher and Simeon. On the mens’ side there is Dan, Benjamin and Gad. My tribe’s name is Judah. We got to design our degel and paint it. It was so much fun!
You must never leave your degel behind. Sometimes you can leave it in your cabin, like during Hebrew and crafts. But for everything else you must bring it with you. This includes bringing it to breakfast, lunch, dinner and Tabernacle. Some other things you should know is that you should never let your degel fall or leave it outside on the ground, and never leave it down at the dining hall. This is very important. Another thing is that you should never let your degel get dirty.
In order to make your degel you must have a tribe name, your degel color and you must write your tribe members’ names on it. I hope you have fun making your degel!
Sarah M., Age 9
Tribe of Judah
Yesterday was M.I., Mission Impossible. We had a lot of fun playing the night game. Let me tell you what we did. We were in our cabin and were finishing up devotions when all the lights turned off. Then, we all knew it was M.I. so we changed into black clothes and headed off in the pitch blackness of night. First, we read our first clue. It was by the campfire. We had to be very fast when Superduck came by and we had to lay down very quickly. When we laid down Superduck almost ran into my face. When he walked past we got our next clue which said to go to the girls’ bathroom, so we ran past Streetlight and went to the bathroom. Then we kept finding clues. Our last clue was in the dining hall. Then we realized we came in first place and won Mission Impossible. All in all I had a great and fun time playing the night game Mission Impossible.
Raina W., Age 7
T
ribe of Issachar
Creek Night was different because we usually eat on tables and at the creek we ate on rocks instead of tables. Poppins and Snapple sat with us. I walked along the rocks with Superduck. I got burrs all over me. Some of the boys were even catching fish. Sasha got a big long catfish. Some of the campers and staff were playing silent football. Even though there wasn’t much water, we were all laughing and playing and having a great time. It was different than most dinners because we ate from paper bags and sat with people from other tribes. After everyone finished eating, they had time to play around. That was different from normal dinners because we didn’t have to clear our plates or wipe down our tables with rags and wait. Creek Night was a lot of fun.
Rebecca S., Age 8
Tribe of IssacharOn Feed Your Friend Night, I fed Raina. We were laughing most of the time. We ate tacos and cookies. It was hard to not spill so in the end it was very messy. Feed Y
our Friend Night is where you feed a friend. It was very messy.
The tribe of Asher was on sweeping duty, which meant your tribe had to sweep the dining room. Moose was fed by Yadi and he had plenty to eat. That was one of my favorite theme nights. There was ground beef, cucumbers, onions, tomatos, etc that can go in a taco. Ahava and Chip fed each other. Acorn fed Streetlight. Each person fed someone else instead of feeding themselves. Most people were laughing. The food was good. We had fun. It was different from normal dinners because you couldn’t feed yourself. You should try to do a Feed Your Friend Night. I love Feed Your Friend Night. We never know when it’s going to be Feed Your Friend Night. Superduck fed Sh-boom. If you do it, I hope you have a good time.
Isaac P., Age 9
Tribe of Dan
I am Isaac. I am telling you about Capture the Degel. (Degel means flag.) The rules are: Get the flag. Hide your flag. If you are out, go to jail. Try to let someone get you out of jail.
We went to the barbed wire fence on the left of the dining room to hide the flag. Then, we sent Conner, Tyler and Yadi as bait. Then the offense went out, including me. I snuck around the girls’ cabins. It looked like almost all of my team was captured. Finally, I came close to the top of the hill. Suddenly, Yamaha spotted me. I started to run away. I kept going up and running down, and finally I got captured. That’s when I came up with the phrase, “Take risks, get messy!” When Sonic went by, he freed me, but Heimlich caught me. But he ran away. It was awesome.
Interview with Sonic:
Q: How did you get past Yamaha’s defenses?
A: I waited until Yamaha and Ewok started walking away, and then I ran out from hiding in the bushes.
Q: Did you get caught in the end?
A: After we escaped with the degel, I got caught just before the line.
Q: How?
A: There were a lot of people and Superduck escaped with the degel and I thought we had won, so I let myself get caught.
Baily H., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
Campers by day. Actors by night. That’s how the campers here at Camp Gilgal are when Skit Night is coming up.
Skit Night is a time when each tribe performs a skit that they’ve worke
d on together. That skit is judged by creativity, teamwork and biblical content. The maximum amount of points you can earn for each section is 50. While you’re doing your skit, it is important to keep under eight minutes or else, you’re done.
“I love the acting,” Claire C. states. “I love the snacks and the funny lines…” says Carrie M. “I like it when my tribe does well,” Taco explains, “because then we get good scores and my tribe is happy.”
In the middle of Skit Night, there is an intermission. You can buy snacks from the Gilgal store.
Our skit was about Adam and Eve and how sin came into the world. Two news reporters examine the story as it goes along.
Skit Night is an awesome part of Camp Gilgal that all tribes practice and look forward to. Thank you for reading my article on Skit Night.
Erica B., Age 11
Tribe of Asher
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go back in time? Well, here at Camp Gilgal we have something called Throwback Thursday. Throwback Thursday is a theme night when every tribe dresses up like something in the past. It’s 
almost like hopping in a time machine!
In 2015, my tribe dressed up as girls from the 60s! We were in a small little box and we made a mini little black and white film! This theme night is a good experience to see the history of this world. I’d encourage everyone to have this fun experience.
Now we are going to hear from a couple of members from the Camp Gilgal family. Here are Claire’s words: “I love how we get to see the potential of the other campers.” I agree with Claire, but let’s hear from a staff member! Taco’s words: “I think Waffle’s and S’mores’ tribe had a very good and creative idea.”
Everybody has a different perspective of TBT. What’s yours? Do you think this sounds fun? How would you like to participate in this theme? The fun begins when you come to Camp Gilgal. See you there!
Erica B., Age 11
Tribe of Asher
Is it the running, the game, the excitement or just the fun that makes this night game so awesome?! Hi, I’m Erica and my Camp Gilgal Gazette article is based on one of my favorite activities that goes on here at camp. What is this adventurous event? We call it Wells Fargo.
Here at camp we have many night games, such as Capture the Degel, Snag a Staff, Mission Impossible and Wells Fargo. I am going to be asking my friend Bailey what her favorite part about Wells Fargo is. Her words are: “Getting the bags of 
gold.” That is also my favorite part. However, it’s way different from a staff member’s perspective. These are Moose’s words: “I love scaring and catching the outlaws.”
This year we had a special visit by the one and only Wells Fargo stagecoach.
Now, we are going to hear one of Moose’s war stories from Wells Fargo. “I was using the element of surprise on one of the outlaws. I crouched down behind an oak tree and waited for the outlaw to come closer to the bags of gold. I walked behind the camper very slowly, three seconds later….Boo! And I caught the camper!” Thank you for reading!
Tyler H., Age 9
Tribe of Dan
I’m Tyler and I’m going to tell you what I did for Animal Night.
First of all, the people told me that I needed to get ready for Animal Night. My tribe ran back to the cabin. Our tribe leaders had something ready for us. Then I found out it was a red, fat, hippo head. All of us rushed to tape red stuff taped on the hippo. It was hot and hard to move but it was AWESOME! We had to walk on the rocks. We almost fell but we didn’t. Finally, we got in line. They called other people, then they called us. We did our cheer. Then they took a sick picture of us looking under the red stuff. We all walked right inside the door. We sat down, took the stuff off and ate dinner. That is what we do on Animal Night at Camp Gilgal.
Steven M., Age 11
Tribe of Benjamin
I am writing about the campfire! The campfire is when we are together. The staff members come and tell us their story and that we need 
to trust God. We sing great camp songs. It’s a great way to enjoy camp. At the end we roast marshmallows and eat s’mores.
The campfire is very touching. You can grow closer to God! You can feel the nice warmth of the fire. All the tribes are on the tables in a circle. The fire is in the middle.
Last, the two staff talk about their relationships with God. It touches your heart. We do it for a while till it’s dark and the s’mores are gone. It’s a very nice way to enjoy a nice time at camp!
Claire C., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
Utensil Night is when everyone gets their food but doesn’t get any forks, knives or spoons. Then, some out-of-cabin staff come around with a huge bucket full of crazy utensils like spatulas, pie servers, tongs and everything you can imagine! The only utensils not in the bucket are the basic utensils like forks. When the bucket comes 
around you close your eyes, put your hand in the bucket and pull one out. And voila! The utensil that you picked is what you eat with. The food is always spaghetti, so it makes it difficult to strategize your technique for eating!
Now for interviews: my tribe mate Mia said, “I like Utensil Night because I got tongs so it was easy to eat with.” Another tribe mate, Erica, says, “I like the experience of trying something new.” Even people out of my tribe LOVE Utensil Night, like Tyler, a tribe mate of Dan. “I like trying hard to eat. I had to stab stuff and eat it.”
This year, I got a spatula… It was really difficult to eat! And you don’t necessarily need to eat with your utensil. Some eat with their hands instead! Utensil Night is mostly on your first night. Utensil Night is AWESOME! The End.
Zoe N., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon
Arriving at camp is very exciting. When you first go up the hill the staff are hiding and then they come out and start drumming on the cars. Then you get out of your car, the staff give you hugs and you get to see all of your friends. Every year there are new campers and staff. When you get all your stuff out of the car you get to go swimming, play carpet ball and ping pong. After your parents leave you, you go and see what cabin you’re in, meet your tribe leaders and the campers you’re staying with in your cabin. They then tell you the girls stay on their side and the boys stay on their side. You cannot go on either side or you will make purple.
Sometimes on the first day after you bring your stuff to the cabin, you have Utensil Night. How you do it is you close your eyes and pull out an item from a pot and use it to eat. After dinner you go outside and choose a tribe name from the twelve tribes of Israel. Then you choose the color and a design on your degel. This year for our tribe we did a flaming sword for our tribe Simeon.
The first day at camp was very exciting for a first start of camp. The first day of camp gives you an exciting start for the rest of the two weeks. The theme verse for our camp is Joshua 1:9.
Fiorella M., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon
At our camp we do a thing called Cabin Inspection every day. We have to clean and organize our cabins. Then Morty and Minerva “the old people” check our cabins and later in the day they give us points on 
how clean and organized our cabin is, like 85 points.
If your cabin gets the most points, then you get like $100 for your whole tribe to spend on something fun. You can get ice cream, go fishing, bowling, or lots of other fun things.
Morty and Minerva are hard core, like if you leave one shoe a little bit out of order you get an infraction, which makes you get less points. I personally think that it’s hard to not get an infraction.
You can leave Morty and Minerva a note for them to find in your cabin and then they will read it aloud when they are grading your cabin. I think that Cabin Inspection is a fun way to earn points. Thanks for reading my article about Cabin Inspection.
Fiorella M., Age 12
Tribe of Simeon
At our camp we do a thing called Dental Inspection. We do it almost every night at camp.
Dental Inspection is basically someone checking your teeth, but it’s Tabitha Plaquewhacker checking your teeth.
Tabitha Plaquewhacker takes away points if you don’t brush your teeth, and if you do brush your teeth, Tabitha gives you points.
Tabitha can tell if you brushed your teeth because she checks the inside of your teeth and your breath.
If your tribe gets the most points of all tribes, the tribe gets to spend $100 on something fun. That is why you should brush your teeth. I think that Dental Inspection is an easy way to lose and win and lose points. Tabitha has an accent and big black hair. She carries around a flashlight and a bug swatter. Thank you for reading my article.
Sam S., Age 7-1/2
Tribe of Dan
Welcome to Sam’s Art! Starring your host Sam S.! And your contestant, Conner!
First Event! “Card of you!” Awards – Maximum Hilarity and Compassion.
Years you’ve been here: One.
Next event! “What you like!” Pizza!! Popcorn!! Chips!! Dinner??
Third Event! “What do you want to do when you grow up?” Robot builder!
Welcome to Sam’s Art! Starring y
our host Sam S.! And your contestant, Tyler!
First Event! “Card of You!” Awards – Leadership, Dapper Dan-ery, Camper of the Year!
How many years have you been: Two!
Next event! “What you like!” Friends, candy, Camp Gilgal, pool, crafts!
Third event! “What do you want to do when you grow up?” Chemistry, science!
Welcome to Sam’s Art with your host Sam S. and your contestant, Israel!
First event! “Card of You.” Awards – Joyfulness and Boulder Pro.
Year you have been here. One!
Second event! “What you like?” All animals!
Third event! “What do you want to do when you grow up?” Artist!
Sam’s Art, your host and contestant Sam S.!
First event! “Card of you.” Awards – Game Engineering and Courage!
Years you have been here: One.
Second event! “What you like!” Ice cream! Pizza! Pasta!
Third event! “What you want to be when you grow up?” Author: fiction.
Sophia M., Age 11
Tribe of Simeon
Our God is great, strong, healer, and amazing in power. These are four out of one million things the Lord is to us and we get to experience these elements and get to learn about God every day during Tabernacle through singing, teachings, reading the Word of the Lord and memory verses.
We sing to God to thank Him for many miracles He brings to the world. Talking to 
God is an amazing privilege, but singing is praising and thanking Him through our voices. Many favorite songs are “The Happy Song,” Bailey H. exclaims to me, and “Blessed Be,” Sasha S. says to me. Worshiping God is an opportunity to talk to God through singing during Tabernacle.
Every day we get taught by our wonderful one and only Streetlight. We learn that God never gives up on us and that we live in a broken world with our broken selves. We also learn that one day we will have a future home in heaven because of what Yeshua has done for us.
In conclusion, Tabernacle is our way of thanking God for all He has done for us by song with praise and learning about our history. God is alive and is our main focus at Camp Gilgal. Our relationship with God grows more and more throughout camp like our height throughout the years.
Bailey H., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
Letters! Spinners! Bonus Rounds! Mail Call is exciting for everyone, if you get mail or not.
Mail Call starts with the exciting banging of the table. Screaming and pounding is encouraged.
Next, Snapple chooses a courageous volunteer to be a spinner.
If you become a spinner, your job is to jump in a circle and shimmy your wrist above your head. If you can successfully complete this difficult challenge you are very talented. But, the trick is, you only spin when staff is called, so you have to be a good listener to have this role.
One of the most exciting parts of Mail Call is the bonus round. The first round, where you get letters, is okay, but the bonus round is spectacular! For the bonus round, if you are called, you have the honor of receiving a package. “I felt amazing the first time I got a package. I mean, there were cheese puffs in it!” states Claire C. “My favorite part of Mail Call is the bonus round!” Sophia M. exclaims.
Mail Call is one highlight of the day here at camp and I always look forward to it. Thank you for reading about Mail Call.
Bailey H., Age 10
Tribe of AsherSwimming? Carpet ball? Campfire? What’s your favorite part of camp?
Claire and Tyler love Wells Fargo. It is their favorite thing about camp.
Zoe and Carrie love night games. “I like night games because they’re fun and you get to play with your friends.”
Pippin loves worship and Capture the Degel. Persaeus’ favorite part is learning about Yeshua.
Taco’s favorite part is hanging out with all the campers. “It’s my favorite because…it’s just fun to me,” Taco explains.
“M.I.,” Isaac P. decides. “M.I. – I call it Mission Completed,” Sam S. says.
Snapple loves “hanging out with the campers.” Acorn agrees.
Mia G., Age 10
Tribe of Asher
I wrote about special guests for my Camp Gilgal Gazette article because I wanted to learn more about them and what it was like growing up in the Camp Gilgal family. Every guest grew up in the Camp Gilgal family. Tank has been coming to camp since 1994. He is kind, funny and likes to play music. Shalom and Ahava are his nieces. That’s Tank.
Riff is a guest. He used to be a staff member. He likes to play sports, he’s musical and also very smart. He told me, “There is nothing more satisfying than Riff.” Well, that’s all you need to know about Riff.
Snickerdoodle is also a guest. She 
cares a lot about people, she is also very generous and a lot of fun. She has a wiener dog named Stella. And that’s Snickerdoodle.
Here’s Big Tuna. Big Tuna is gentle and very tall. Some of his tribe names were Simeon and Judah. He cares about people and likes to cook. I’m done with Big Tuna.
Squirt is a guest. When she was a camper she got sick but persevered. She is very kind. Some of her camp friends were Dynamite, Rocko and Sonic. Squirt, Ace and Waffles are siblings. That’s Squirt.
Now Ace. Ace would always make sure his cabin was perfectly clean. He would be everyone’s friend and he’s very nice and very smart. He sleeps in a lot. That’s Ace.
Sparkler is a guest. She is afraid of fireworks and she is very kind and funny. She really likes to make videos and she has a lot of animals. That’s Sparkler.
Waldo is a guest. He was at the very first Camp Gilgal ever. He likes games and crafts a lot. He always wanted to follow God.
The end!
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
The Gilgal Gazette is published by Camp Gilgal campers for Camp Gilgal campers and their families and friends!
Campers:
Corey W., Daniel C., Daniel P., David S., Dinah N., Elijah Y., Elizabeth E., Elizabeth N., Elliot K., Emmalee S., Haneen R., Isabella B., Isaac H., Jaden W., Josiah C., Laney P., LaTanya H., Logan G., Madison H., Michael K., Monique L., Mekerah P., Rain M., Reuven R., Samantha S., Sarai M., Shannon O., Taliah S., Zemeira W., Zion M.
In-Cabin Staff:
Acorn, Elrond, Packer, Rocko, Sauté, Superduck, Whimzy, Zamboni
Out-of-Cabin Staff:
Pi, Snapple, Sonic, Streetlight, Moose
Elizabeth E., Age 13
This is my first year meeting Sauté of teen camp. Sauté has been a tribe leader for teen camp for four years! She was a camper for adventure camp when she was 16 years old. Her older brother, Simba, is a tribe leader also, and her younger brother Michael went to adventure camp at 16 as well.
Sauté’s favorite part of camp is having fun adventures with campers. Her favorite camp song is between “12 Men” and “Once an Austrian.” Sauté loves making campers laugh and likes putting sticks in her hair.
Some fun facts about Sauté is that she is from Fresno, but currently lives in Santa Barbara. Sauté’s first word as a baby was “Mommy.” When she was little she wanted to be a ballet teacher, but now she wants to be an occupational therapist. Sauté got her camp name because she did ballet for 8.5 years and her ballet teacher wanted her to jump with the boys because she was a really good jumper. Sauté means “jump” in French.
Camp helps Sauté’s relationship with the Lord. Her favorite Bible passage is Philippians 4:6-10. Now you know just how wonderful a person Sauté is and I hope one day you have a chance to meet her.
Elijah H., Age 12
This year I interviewed Elrond. He has been with Camp Gilgal for eight years. His favorite food is T-bone steak. His favorite color is blue. He lives in Rivendell. His favorite camp game is Wells Fargo. He was named Elrond because his parents knew he would like Lord of the Rings. He wanted to be camp staff this year because Camp Gilgal means a lot to him and he wanted to serve. His favorite subject is literature and his least favorite is chemistry. His favorite Bible verse is Psalm 23:6: “Surely
goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of Adonai forever.” This is his favorite verse because Psalm 23:6 is the emotional climax. His favorite part of camp is the camp community and developing long-term relationships while still meeting new people. His favorite grade in school was fourth grade because it was before life got complicated. He would like to say to everyone, “L’Chaim!”
Haneen R., Age 14
Acorn is a super sweet, encouraging and awesome staff member, so I decided to write my Gazette piece on an interview with her. In the interview, she told me that her most embarrassing camp memory was two years ago at teen camp. Everyone went to Polar Bear Pond and when she was about to swing across, her foot caught on a rock and she tripped and fell flat on her face into the ice cold water. Not only that, it was also all recorded. Her favorite year of camp was when she and her whole family were on staff together at junior camp. The best day so far of Acorn’s life was the day she became an auntie when Bazooka had Simeon. Her favorite part of being a camper is doing theme nights and worship. While being a tribe leader, Acorn most enjoyed watching campers grow up in age and faith. Her favorite year of high school was senior year because she had a lot of fun leading her volleyball team to a championship. I loved spending time with Acorn and interviewing her!
Logan G., Age 15
For my paper I decided to interview Superduck. This year, I was in the same cabin with him. I have a good time teasing him and just talking with him. Superduck was in wrestling since eighth grade. During the interview I asked him for his name, date of birth and social security number. For some unknown reason he wouldn’t tell me. He did tell me that his favorite thing to eat is sushi and his favorite snack is Sour Patch Kids.
His favorite pet was a dog named Missy, but currently has none, and he said that his favorite animal is a wolf. He is currently going to San Francisco University. He said that his favorite part of camp is hanging out and playing with the campers and being able to talk to them.
Superduck’s favorite color is green. He loves wrestling and a sport called spikeball. Snapple says that his favorite ice cream is mint chip. The reason I asked Snapple is because Superduck left me cause I just pulled a sick prank on him. Overall, Superduck is awesome and one of my favorite camp staff and I think everyone should get to know him.
Zemeira W., Age 13
In my opinion Streetlight is pretty awesome. She has been going to camp for nine years. When growing up she wasn’t a Camp Gilgal camper, but went to another Messianic camp.
When asking her what her favorite camp was she told me three different answers. “I like junior camp because of all the theme nights and games. I like teen camp cause I get to watch campers grow up, and I like adventure camp because I get to be like one of the campers.”
As you probably already know, Moose will not be the leader of camp anymore, sadly. So, Streetlight is taking over. She told me that she felt excited and scared, but that she knows God is going to be with her always. Her favorite Yiddish word is “shmaltz” and an ideal meal is fresh fruit with bread, cheese and sliced turkey. She thinks of the staff as her children and loves them all. Streetlight’s favorite Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9.
Corey W., Age 13
This is Pi’s third year at Camp Gilgal. He came to camp this year to spend time with campers and to have fun. Pi lives in Orange County. His favorite color is deep ocean blue. His least favorite school subject is English. His favorite animal is a lobster. Also, his favorite food is Mexican. His favorite activity is the climbing wall. During camp, Pi is an out-of-cabin staff member. Pi is a very funny person, and he is also really nice 
and friendly. At Bass Lake, he drove the ski boat that pulled the banana all day. It was hard work but I think he had fun anyway. Pi is a great guy to hang out with. Also, Pi likes to be helpful to campers and staff. During Capture the Degel, he played offense on the winning team. Pi’s favorite memory verse is Philippians 4:13. This is Pi’s favorite memory verse because Yeshua helps us to be strong. Pi is related to Esquire, Poppins, Ewok and Heimlich, but no one knows how they are related. Pi is a math teacher outside of camp. He also likes math and every form of pi. You can write pi three different ways: TT, Pi, and Pie. One of Pi’s hobbies is trying all different kinds of pie, his favorite of which is haupia pie, which is a chocolate coconut milk pi with Oreo crust. He especially likes eating pies with all his friends and campers if they’re around.
Laney P., Age 13
This is Gilgal News and the report today is about the one and only Whimzy. First question is what is your favorite camp story? My favorite camp story was about Camp Decorating Day when I was nine. We decorated our cabin like Disneyland. I loved it!
Ok everyone, after talking to Whimzy for some time I discovered one of Whimzy’s embarrassing stories. She said that when she was little she kissed a boy and her parents teased her about it. Well, getting back to camp stories, did you guys know that Whimzy came to Camp Gilgal because she saw the Columbia parade? She thought, “Well, I’m Jewish and I believe, so why don’t I go to that camp??
Did you guys know that Whimzy is actually afraid of the rock wall? Like you really can’t tell because she climbed that wall like no tomorrow, and she did bomb on the giant swing. So Whimzy, I just want to say that you are so outgoing and I love having you as my tribe leader. This is the end of Gilgal News. See you next year.
Reuven R., Age 15
I first met Packer when I got off the LA van and he walked up, fist-bumped me and said, “I’m Packer.” Later that day, I was given the opportunity to interview him and I gladly accepted. This is what I learned.
P
acker’s favorite color is royal blue and his favorite food is chicken, tomato, onion, and green pepper pizza. His favorite snack is kettle-cooked potato chips. His favorite movie is The Dark Knight, and his favorite genres are action movies, country music and historical narrative books. Packer’s favorite parts of camp are the worship, relationship making, and Yosemite. The school he attends is Concordia Seminary St. Louis. His favorite song is “Long Black Train” by John Turner and his favorite hymn is “When Peace Like A River.” He loves the number 21.
(Back to camp) Packer became camp staff through being friends with Moose. This year just happens to be Packer’s very first Camp Gilgal experience. His favorite worship song is “From The Inside Out.” Packer’s favorite holiday is Easter and his favorite Jewish one is Passover. His current height is six feet. Packer’s favorite time of the day is morning. He has a mom, dad, two brothers and three sisters. Packer drives a 1999 Honda CRV. His name is based off of the Green Bay Packers. Packer lives near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His favorite Bible verse is Matthew 6:33 because it’s about seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness.
21 information facts just like his favorite number. It might be Packer’s first year, but he is a great tribe leader. I hope to see him again next year.
Sarai M., Age 14
Today on this fine afternoon I am interviewing Rocko. Lucky her, she has never gotten really hurt while at camp. Unlike me, who gets hurt way too often because I am very clumsy. 🙁 Rocko’s advice for new campers is 
to “jump into things” and don’t be afraid to mess up. I highly agree and wish I would have known this earlier.
Her dream house would be a big rustic house in the woods that has a lot of ferns, big leather couches and plenty of room for friends and family. I think that sounds really nice and I wouldn’t mind visiting her. She says her most funny/embarrassing moment from camp was when she was about nine or ten and it was Skit Night. Her tribe mates had all practiced a dance but when it was time to perform, they all forgot it. Oops, sounds like something I would do. Now, for the best part, I think I have finally figured out her age…it’s somewhere between 16 and 65. She says if she could give baby Rocko advice she would tell herself that God has her back and don’t be afraid of what other people think. Very wise. I am soooo glad I am in her cabin. She is an amazing tribe leader. She is super fun and energetic, but also really inspirational and very supportive, and always ready to help and support me when I am not feeling well. It has been so much fun getting to know her better. She has been so nice, patient and encouraging to me and always ready to help. I love Rocko and hope to have her as my tribe leader next year.
Sam S., Age 14
After asking several other staff and comrades of Sonic, writing a simple article could not do him justice. Zamboni said he was responsible, Elrond said he was the “veteran tribe leader,” and Sarai, a camper, said he was funny and cool. It’s pretty hard to narrow down a guy where no one can say the same thing, isn’t it? Fortunately, I’ll do my best.
It’s my first year meeting Sonic, so naturally I was curious about who he was. So, one day, I asked him what gave him the idea of Sonic. I assumed maybe he liked the burgers or milkshakes from Sonic, the restaurant. He explained that Rocko and Snickerdoodle actually helped him come up with the name.
Speaking of friends, Sonic evidentially has a lot of them because he can’t stop talking about them! During his first experience at camp (as a nine year old), he was shy, self-conscious and a little scared, much the same as everyone else his age. But, he mentioned that what helped him get over his fear was getting to meet new friends. One of the best parts of camp is making unexpected friendships, and not just with fellow campers either! A lot of campers tend to be around the staff, so Sonic’s favorite camp staff (as a camper) were Waldo, Jaws and Kappuccino.
On a more serious note, I know from personal experience of the spiritual moments and awakenings that campers have had while at camp. Sonic had one of his own while at adventure camp when he went down to the river bank to worship. As he turned around, he realized the whole camp had joined him.
Now it’s my turn to describe Sonic. He’s an inspiration. Camp Gilgal is lucky to have him.
Taliah S., Age 14
In this the 25th season of Camp Gilgal, I had the honor of interviewing the founding West Coast camp director. This amazing man is referred to (at camp) as Moose. Camp Gilgal began in 1991. I asked Moose how he came up with the camp name, and he answered, “If the name fits, wear it.” Moose’s funniest/most embarrassing moment at camp was when he was playing soccer with an earth ball. He went for the ball, toppled over it and fell flat on his face! Moose is a long-time fan of night games. Moose’s favorite night games are Capture the Degel, Mission Impossible and Wells Fargo.
Moose also serves with the organization Jews for Jesus. Because of this, Moose is a very spiritual person. His favorite Bible verses are Philippines 2:5-11 and his favorite chapter of the Bible is Romans 8. I asked Moose what was the first thing he would say to a new believer who is struggling, and he replied, “Hang in there, God understands and wants to help you.” My personal experience with Moose is a very good one. Moose is extremely encouraging to me. There are many instances where Moose has told me exactly what I want and need to hear, both in my spiritual and normal life. He is an amazing person who, if you have the opportunity, would be a pleasure and privilege to meet. By the way, in case you’re wondering, Moose coined the phrase, “It’s all in the wrist action,” which is now famous among all Camp Gilgal alumni.
Daniel P., Age 15
Zamboni is an amazing person I had the pleasure of meeting at Camp Gilgal. So I decided 
to interview him. Zamboni was one of my tribe leaders this year at camp. We called him Zambrony just for fun, get it? “Brony.” To start this off, Zamboni went to camp for the first time when he was only 12 years old. Then I asked, why did you want to become staff? So he answered, “Well, Moose asked me to and second, I wanted a challenge.” So, there you have it. Next, I asked him what’s your favorite camp activity? He answered with, “Why, Capture the Degel, of course.” I have to tell you, most people would say that, since everyone loves that game. Now that we got through that, we can get to a more serious topic. I asked how long have you been a believer and he answered, “Four years.” I then asked him, what’s your favorite Bible verse? He replied “Hmm, that’s a hard one, but it has to be Proverb 3:5-8.” Next, I asked what are your hobbies? He replied, “Hockey, Camp Gilgal and tennis.” So there you have it, that’s Zamboni in a nutshell.
Daniel C., Age 12
Have you ever played Capture the Degel? I have and it was fun. We played it in a national forest, and the teams were boy campers with lady staff and girl campers with guy staff. Of course, the boys won. Sonic got the degel before the end of the game. Our degel was in a valley-shaped area. I was on defense/border patrol and caught six people, Bella, Mekerah, Zamboni, Sam, Liz and Shannon. The most interesting person I caught was Shannon 
because she was a very fast runner and very hard to catch. We played as the sun was setting. The environment had a lot of trees with dead branches everywhere. The game made me tired, excited, energized (during the beginning of the game), it gave a lot of suspense and was about teamwork and trust.
Here is one of my war stories. It was getting dark, the sun was setting, and four people were already in jail. I was patrolling a ridge 50 feet near the jail. I heard a cracking of branches nearby. Then I saw the intruder and yelled, “I see someone!” And I started to run towards her, she saw me and ran away. We were running for some time when she tripped and I caught her and brought Shannon back to jail.
David S., Age 16
So you want to hear of the endless abyss, yes the bottomless pit? And, the tales of the men who built bridges over the void? So, I will tell you, but it will doubtless sound strange to you; and indeed, it is strange, for it is not often that we mortals catch glimpses of the flying pig in its full glory (unless they rewind time and repeat it…).
Oh, yes, pardon me; you wanted to hear about team initiatives. A group of weary travelers, who are not particularly weary, travel up a hill, lush with…well, with dried grass and burrs. Yet that is the least of their challenges, for they soon approach an infinitely steep cliff at the end of the abyss. There are two islands floating in the nothingness – and beyond that, the other edge. [The travelers failed to answer the questions three (‘ere the other side they see)], so they must build their own bridge with nothing more than two undersized planks, great determination and teamwork.
They face not only the great abyss, but also the king of the land (or lack thereof) who torments them with oddly specific flash bombs of a certain targeted and deadly accuracy. *Flash!* and Elliot’s voice box…disappears! The struggle is great, but the travelers learn to cope with the changes.
Soon after, another flash!…(at the unashamed and cruel request of one particularly mischievious traveler) and Rain’s eyes, once filled with the sparkle of youth, are lost forever (for the specific challenge). Another’s leg is blown off (temporarily), and he must attempt to cross the bridges with a very silly hop. And another odd occurrence… Josiah has an overwhelming desire to break into a run, at the danger of falling into the abyss. Hence, his fellows must hold him still lest he run too far and end up beyond the edge (which did happen once…). Rather, it is the start… all over again… of the whole group (teamwork!). On and on, I can tell you of the important lessons learned by the team while working together, but perhaps the most 
important lesson is that Superduck can fly, which means they could glide gracefully over the abyss in the embrace of his webbed feet.
Having (perhaps successfully…) overcome the first challenge, their spirits were bolstered and their bodies fixed. They soon came to a river, a river of lava with the appearance of bark. What ruler dare leave her realm in such a disastrous state?! T’was the terrible (and wonderful!) Streetlight. What means had they to cross the river? A single rope, hanging overhead on a metal branch of a tree that arched over the river. During their endeavor to cross the lava, they learned an important lesson: a good leader knows the followers and leads side by side. They learned, too, that a good leader listens; that a good team leaves no member behind; that a good team utilizes its strengths and minimizes its weaknesses with the help of the whole team. Yet these lessons took time to learn, and Streetlight hastened the approach of night with her powers. The travelers slept on the bank of the river that night and woke to another dawn fresh with opportunities and lunch. Though all these challenges seemed to them to be obstacles on their path, those same challenges became the path to the learning of important lessons and the bonding of each team member with his fellow.
Jaden W., Age 16
Dodgeball is a game in which you throw dodge balls at the
opposing team while dodging, catching and deflecting dodge balls from all directions. Some people who threw the hardest were Moose, Superduck, Sonic, Packer, and Zamboni. Superduck’s strategy was to put a ball inside the back of his shirt so Moose didn’t know it was there. It worked several times. Zion’s strategy was to stand as far up as she could go and not move. Sonic made a rule that if you are the last player on your team you can catch the ball and get your whole team back in the game. This only happened to my team. The last game which was for all the marbles. We were dropping like flies. Finally, Laney was the last player in and was against at least five players on the opposite team, and she caught a ball letting our whole team back in. I could see the disappointment on the opposite team’s faces as our team came back from our dodgeball grave to win and we did!
Zion M., Age 15
Zion M. here, reporting for the Camp Gilgal Gazette. Today, I am writing about a popular attraction at Calvin Crest, known as the “ropes course” or “zipline.” As a good reporter does, I checked out the course for myself, with exhilarating results. The first step that you take while attempting the ropes course is to don a safety hat and harness, tightened to fit your body, excellent for aerodynamics and speed. Just looking up at the task set in front of you, equipped with safet
y gear that becomes seemingly fragile and useless, is daunting. You climb up onto the first step, swinging already from your weight and the breeze, even if there is a person below steadying the sway of the ropes connected to planks of wood with knots. It only gets more difficult from there, with obstacles sprinkled in the air from tree to tree as you walk a tightrope over a thirty-foot drop to the forest floor. Concentration and acting on your senses is key, as is not thinking and closing your eyes, too. It is hard work navigating the seeming perils of the height and lack of stability but it is all rewarded with a trip on a zipline through the forest.
Michael K., Age 13
So it started after breakfast when Streetlight announced that we are heading to Yosemite. So we went back to our cabins to get ready, then we went in the vans for a two-hour ride. Then we arrived at Yosemite, then we walked into the woods for Tabernacle and then we ate lunch. Then we walked to Glacier Point to hang out and enjoy the breathtaking view of Yosemite, and that was when we took the Camp Gilgal photo. Then we went to the Glacier Point gift shop, then we went to take our five-mile hike and the hike took at least three hours and it was one of the best hikes I have ever done in my life. When we were done with the hike, we went back to the vans. When we got out of Yosemite it was almost dark out, so we stopped at a restaurant called the Pizza Factory for dinner. Then after dinner it was time for the cabin inspection report and my cabin had the worst score in Camp Gilgal history, but we had fun and I can’t wait till next year.
Monique L., Age 13
On Wednesday, after Tabernacle, all of the campers went to the rock wall area. We picked out harnesses and helmets to ensure our safety as we climbed. As we donned our red and black harnesses, the staff explained the different climbing commands and safety measures. There were six different belay systems, or routes, up the rock wall. They were numbered from 1-6 in increasing difficulty. As the campers slowly inched up the steep, wooden face, six staff members operated the belay systems and called out advice from down below. When they reached the top of the wall, the campers rung the bell and read the Scripture and then slowly descended. When they reached the bottom, they were untied and either stood in line to climb the wall again or walked over to the cement slab to take off their harnesses and helmets. After we thanked the staff and cleaned up, we left the rock wall and ended our little adventure.
Elliot K., Age 15
It was a dark and stormy night when I realized we should play Silent Football. It all started when I was too sore and tired to swim. I decided after five minutes of chillin’ to get a group together and explain the rules. After explaining the rules, we began. The first round was a little shaky at the start because people were first-time peanut gallerians. A peanut gallerian is a player in the game. Elrond and David had a rivalry throughout the game. At the end of the game Reuven got three penalties. We thought of different consequences to decide his fate. He ended up having to hug Sonic and say, “I like your hair, it’s spiky like a hedgehog,” while petting his hair.
I love playing Silent Football at camp because it is super fun. I especially like being Mr. Commissioner because I get to control the game.
I remember when I first learned silent football. I was taught by the Comish (Mr. Commissioner) himself. It was at winter camp when I was seven years old and I’ve loved it ever since.
The next few rounds of Silent Football were interesting. Everyone’s dare involved Sonic until he banned it. One round David knew he was going to get three penalties, so while he was talking, he attempted to take everyone down with him. He eventually got 2/3 of the peanut gallerians another penalty. In the end, David had to hug Sonic like Reuven did while the other peanut gallerians lived to tell another tale. I love the game of Silent Football.
Emmalee S., Age 15
It was a long summer’s day when Camp Gilgal decided to take a hike. The hike started at the Glacier Point snack shop where we bought snacks. I like the snack shop, and I got some cashews. After the cashews, we went to take pictures. I thought that was the hike, but it wasn’t. Our hike was a whopping four miles. The
beginning of the hike wasn’t so bad, and I walked with Acorn and Haneen and we talked about sports we played. Occasionally, along the hike I would be stopped to get my picture taken in front of beautiful vines for the Camp Gilgal Facebook site… www.facebook.com/campgilgalwest. The middle part of the hike was when my feet started to hurt. Hurting feet was no excuse to stop walking according to everyone around me encouraging me to keep walking. The hike’s views were amazing, so it was nice to look at them while I walked. Sometimes, I would stare at the view too long and would trip and fall, but the hike wasn’t ruined by me falling. Towards the end of the hike, I walked with LaTanya and Dinah. While I walked with them, we talked about hopes and dreams…. There was also a lot of falling but we made it and all in all the hike was fantastic!!
Mekerah P., Age 16
Every year at Camp Gilgal various ice breakers are played on the first night once all the campers and various staff have arrived. This year, there were three – The Human Knot, “Honey, If You Love Me” and, of course, Steal the Kosher Bacon.
These three games have various rules. In The Human Knot, you play by forming a circle with campers and staff alike, joining hands with two different people and then attempting to un-knot yourselves – basically, you twist and turn until your group has formed a rough circle once again. And, all this, without releasing each other’s hands!
This year, there were several different results of the game. 
One group managed to get untangled twice! Two cabins didn’t get untangled at all and one group achieved it once. Sadly, I was a camper among one of the two groups that were never able to get completely untangled.
For the game “Honey, If You Love Me,” the rule is simple – don’t smile. How the game is played is that everyone gathers into a circle, except for one person. That single person goes around the circle until they pick a victim and say in varying degrees of strangeness (one staff member did a handstand!), “Honey, if you love me, won’t you please, please smile?” The chosen person must then – without laughing or smiling (if they haven’t already) – respond with “Honey, I love you, but I just can’t smile.”
The last game played was Steal the Kosher Bacon. For this game, we all went onto the one big grassy field and were sorted into three teams. Three objects (the kosher bacon) were placed in the center – a roll of tape, a tennis ball and some unfortunate person’s shoe. Every person was numbered when placed into their teams and either Streetlight or Snapple would call out random numbers. The people with those numbers would then sprint into the center in an attempt to obtain one of the three objects – if not more. All in all, it was a pretty eventful first day of camp.
Isaac H., Age 14
It’s about an hour before noon. The camp staff tell you to put on long pants and closed-toed shoes. It’s time to go to the giant swing!
The swing is located at the end of a path inclining slightly into the woods. Along the path on one side is the trapeze and the beginning of the ropes course. At the end of the path is a large cleared-out area for swinging across. For this swing you have to climb a 20-30 foot tree to swing from. But first you have to suit up. Everyone waits their turn for a safety harness and vest. Once it’s your turn, you hook up to a rope and begin your journey up the tree. At first, it’s a little tricky: the metal rungs that are easy to grip don’t start until after a wobbly rope ladder. This is when people sometimes freak out and go back down. But, if you go on, don’t look down. Just look up and focus on reaching the next rung. Once you get to the top, one of the workers hooks you up to the swing, unhooks you from the platform and asks if you’d like to pray. Then it’s up to you to push off the platform. From there you can go upside down, spread your wings and fly, etc. Just do whatever you want to maximize your enjoyment swinging between two trees. Eventually, the swing winds down and a worker helps you down with a ladder. And you’re done. You can go to the trapeze or go again, but the satisfaction of being a Jewish bird stays fresh for the rest of camp.
Shannon O., Age 13
And so, after a slippery, long, scorching, and might I add, exhausting trek, our van slowly came to a crawl in a large parking lot. We all searched about pointlessly to discover why we had stopped. Most of us suspected a quick McDonald’s meal, but to our pleasant surprise, Streetlight promptly shouted “Pizza Factory!” which was followed up by a cheer.
When we got inside we immediately were smitten with the inviting, warm, savory aroma of the freshly baking pizzas. We soon sat down in an outside parlor and partook of a much-needed bathroom and beverage break. And then, it finally happened.
The irresistibly, heavenly pizza smell was no longer just a smell. It was brought out and arrayed before us and became the embodiment of perfect pizza. It was pizza perfection. And like lions, we didn’t waste time quickly devouring our food.
After full stomachs, satisfied people and close bonding time, Moose made a last-minute cabin inspection report and proclaimed THE worst cabin inspection result in Gilgal history! Then, we were forced to say a sad farewell to the newly beloved Pizza Factory.
When we emerged from the restaurant, we saw a beautiful, majestic horse named Cookie and stood ‘round to pet her. Then (finally), we left for the vans, to camp, to bed. All in all, this trip was a pizza-tastic success. 🙂
Rain M., Age 14
I’m from Southern California and I took the transportation provided by Camp Gilgal. It was a smooth five-hour drive. While we were driving up the hill to camp in the Ford van, I saw that there was a fire there from two weeks ago. While driving up the hill I saw the staff charging at the van and they started to bang on the windows. My theory regarding the staff banging on the windows is to get the campers hyped up for camp and give them an overwhelmingly joyful welcome as the van drives up the hill. In addition, I felt very excited when the staff slammed on the windows of the van because it got the campers and me stoked for all the fun that we were going to have at camp. It 
was a different experience from last year because last year they didn’t bang on my car and I didn’t know what to expect. Once we got out of the vans the excitement continued.
And we saw campers whom we knew from last year and other winter/summer camps. Everyone was filled with joy seeing staff and campers, introducing ourselves to the staff as they helped unload the van/other vehicles. Later they told us which tribe leader we were going to have and who our cabin mates were going to be. Everyone seemed happy with where they were placed. Then we went to our cabins to unload our luggage and hang out with our tribe mates. In conclusion, arriving at camp was a joyful experience because it got me hyped up and excited for camp and all the fun activities we would have during the week.
Lizzy N., Age 13
The tribe of Acorn and Whimzy…. Where do I begin? We’re loud, friends, some love books, some love anime and we all love Netflix. We wake up really early and have to take turns getting ready. We live in a cabin called Co
lumbine, with four bunk beds, two cots (small beds), and one mattress on the floor. Our crowded cabin of eleven can get really messy and a pain to clean in the morning.
I decided to interview Laney (one of my cabin mates) for her opinion on our cabin. First, I asked Laney, “What is your favorite part of our cabin?” She answered, “That I know and am comfortable around everyone.” “Do you like the bathrooms better here or at junior camp?” The bathrooms at teen camp are connected to the cabin while the ones in junior camp are in a separate building. She answered, “Here, because it’s cleaner, easier to bring stuff to and it’s connected to the cabin.” Bella, another of my cabin mates, said, “My favorite part of our cabin is all the people,” after I asked her the same question.
Cabin life is very crowded, funny, amazing and loud. We go rock climbing, jump from a tree, do a ropes course, go to Yosemite and do trust exercises. The cabin of Acorn and Whimzy in the best cabin in the camp.
Isabella B., Age 12
Askews, disheveled curtains and infractions! What an epidemic! After a week of cabin inspection I have a tip – bring string on ribbon to tie together your disheveled curtains and duct tape for your 
trash can lid. After interviewing the inspector, I feel like a pro. When inspecting cabins, Inspector Moose says that it is a necessary duty. After observing Inspector Moose’s outfit for a week I started to wonder, “How does he look so good in it?” Inspector Moose says it’s all his STYLE CONSULTANT! And who is it? HIMSELF! Do you wonder if he ever gets lonely in an empty cabin? Well, he doesn’t. He gets happy at the sight of clean cabins and likes the notes campers leave for him.
Now let’s talk about neon gloves. They grip well and make him feel happy. But he has a problem because he doesn’t want them to get dirty. Do you ever think that he goes easier on junior campers? No! He says everyone should have the cleanest cabin they can have. So, his voice. He loses it all the time. After camp, he feels lonely with no campers.
LaTanya H., Age 15
At teen camp, our schedule is definitely very packed, but we get
a long session of free time every day. During free time, campers have many different options on how to spend their time. For example, there is a coffee shop on campus that everyone loves. They have everything from simple lattes to complicated americanos. The only downside to the coffee shop is that it takes forever. However, you can get to know your fellow campmates in line. There is also a volleyball and basketball court. Campers don’t even need to know how to play the specific sport because everyone is welcome. The guys (and Sauté) occupied the huge grass field and started a game of Ultimate Frisbee this year. I personally like to get a drink at the coffee shop after playing some volleyball, and sit and talk with friends. Free time is a great time to just do whatever you want instead of playing a planned game. It also provides you time to get away from the chaos and relax. Free time is my favorite part of camp and I know other campers and staff enjoy it as well.
Dinah N., Age 15
In the cabin of Sauté and Rocko, there are eight girls. Their names are Haneen, Dinah, LaTanya, Zion, Emmalee, Sam, Sarai and Taliah. Our favorite Febreze is sage-
lemongrass to keep our cabin smelling nice and fresh. Sauté, likes to eat at least 20 Sour Punch Straws a day. Our motto in our cabin is “community unity” because we are a family. For Cabin Inspection, we got 90 and above each time. Our secret is to stuff everything in the drawers. Most of us have known each other since we were nine years old, but there are some new campers like Zion and Sam that we are just starting to get to know. Coming to camp is a time for us to reunite with our cabin mates and catch up. The nice thing about our cabin is Taliah gives us free massages because at camp we get sore a lot. We also like to share food and eat together. It is a time to try delicious food and bond. We also share clothes because we have amazing fashion taste. So, as you can see, our cabin is pretty amazing.
Madison H., Age 13
Mail Call is very important at Camp Gilgal. We bang on the tables, scream and play music. Not just one person runs Mail Call. It changes every year. However this year, Snapple, Streetlight and Sonic own it. The best thing I have gotten in Mail Call so far had to be a giant box of candy. At junior camp it’s a bigger deal because the camp is two weeks and you will be more likely to get something. The reason is because some people feel better when they get mail. The funniest thing that happened at Mail Call was when Moose ran around screaming, yelling, and he ran outside and was jumping over tables until he slid and got his mail.
Josiah C., Age 13
Being in a cabin with other campers and staff is a fun time. The cool part about staying in a cabin is that you get to meet new people. Some activities that we do in the cabin is play cards, eat snacks, talk and have devotions. Devotions is where the two staff members discuss what they are going to teach us out of the Bible. Devotions is a time to learn about Yeshua and His Word. Yet it brings up many interesting questions. We also played a card game called Spoons. Instead of playing with spoons, we played with Slim Jims. Spoons was very entertaining because everyone was fighting for the Slim Jims.
The names of campers in my cabin were David, Logan, Rain, Reuven, Jaden, Elliot and myself. Our two tribe leaders were Superduck and Packer. One of my least favorite things about staying in a cabin is Cabin Inspection. Each morning we go to breakfast and when we come back we clean our cabin till it’s spotless. So, when we go to Tabernacle, Moose, the cabin inspector, inspects our room for any sign of messiness. Every time he sees something out of place or not organized, he subtracts five points, which is called an infraction. Then he adds all the infractions up and subtracts it from a hundred. My favorite activity in the cabin was F.O.B. Appreciation Day, which stands for “Flat On Bunk.” This is where each member of your cabin takes a nap. This is the best cabin activity.
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