God’s Plan Has Always Been to Save Us

“Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story”
Psalm 107:2a

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

Tribe of Reuben: Eliana R., Raina W., Rebecca S., Rebekah P., Zoe A., Pippin, Macaroni

Tribe of Issachar: Ahavah M., Channah A., Eliana R., Emma B., Shelby H., Saute, Mango

Tribe of Dan: Ellie M., Lily H., Sarah M., Shalom M., Talia W., Sherlock, Chip

Tribe of Zebulun: Bailey H., Carrie M., Erica B., Persaeus B., Zoë N., S’mores, Mahoney

Tribe of Benjamin: Isaac P., Jonah M., Joshua B., Ryan H., Samuel S., Stix, Chewbacca

Tribe of Naphtali: Jonathan P., Alex. S., Steven M., Tyler H., Heimlich, Oofnik

Out-of-Cabin Staff: Streetlight, Snapple, Poppins, Sherbert, Yamaha, Esquire, Ewok

Special Guests: Moose, Bazooka, Rocky, Simeon, Acorn, Packer, Sonic, Rocko

Isaac P., Age 10
Tribe of Benjamin

For this article, I got to interview Stix. Here are the questions and answers from my interview. Did you used to be a camper here? Stix said, “Yes.” Next, what is your favorite activity? Stix said, “Wells Fargo!” Next, when did you come to camp? Stix said, “When I was nine years old.” What is your real name? Stix replied, “That is an excellent question.” Why did you come here to camp? “To have fun and get closer to Jesus.” What is your fake name in Hebrew? Stix said, “?” How did you learn how to play the drums? Stix said, “From my dad.” Which team do you root for, Smoggers or Foggers? Stix said, “They both have a purpose.”

Joshua B., Age 9
Tribe of Benjamin

My name is Joshua B. I am nine years old and am in the tribe of Benjamin. At camp, I interviewed Sherbert. She’s an out-of-cabin staff member at Camp Gilgal West. I asked her many questions.

I asked, “What type of ice cream are you?” and she said Sherbert. Also, I asked her about how she got her name and she answered, “My mom ate a lot of sherbet ice cream when I was in her belly. When I was born she named me Sherbert.” I asked, “What is your favorite sport?” She said, “Tennis. I love tennis. I also love baseball.” “What is your favorite color?” I asked. “Orange and blue.” I asked, “Have you ever been injured?” She said, “I sprained my ankle.” “Have you been to space?” I asked. “No, I have not been to space.” I asked, “Have you been to Mexico?” She said, “Yes, I have been to Mexico.” I asked, “Where did you grow up?” This was my last question. “I grew up in Orange County, California.”

Who is Sherbert to you? She is a wonderful woman. Sherbert is really nice.

Raina W., Age 8
Tribe of Reuben

I decided to interview a really cool staff member named Yamaha! I asked him how long he has been going to camp and he said he has been coming for twelve years. Next I asked about his favorite camp food and his answer was the breakfast we actually ate this morning, pancakes and turkey bacon. His favorite worship song is “Holy Moment” and he is our worship leader this year. He has been playing guitar for four years and he played the guitar in the Fourth of July parade in Columbia for us this year. One thing Yamaha likes to do during free time is to sleep. I asked him about his favorite night game and he said that his favorite is Wells Fargo. When he was a camper his first tribe leaders were Sonic, Cosmo, and Gonzo, and his favorite cabin he stayed in was Yankee Hill. His favorite thing about camp is being with all the campers, and he has been a part of the camp staff for five years now. Yamaha accepted Yeshua into his heart when he was in the first grade. I’m really glad Yamaha was here this year and I’m glad I got to interview him!

Rebecca S., Age 9
Tribe of Reuben

Guess what my tribe name is? It is Reuben. A flower is what represents Reuben. On Super Hero Night my tribe was Flower Power. We have flowers on capes, flower hair clips, and everything flowery. For cabin decoration we did the sower and the seed. My cabin mates are: Zoe, Raina, Ellie, and Rebecca P. My tribe leaders are Macaroni and Pippin. On Fashion Disaster Night, we had crazy hair, crazy makeup, and crazy clothes. When it was Mission Impossible, our first clue was to go to the carpetball tables, then we went to the campfire, the gazebo, water tower, volleyball court, and the dining hall. We got second place.

I’m interviewing my staff. First off I asked Pippin. She said her favorite food is potatoes. She has been a tribe leader for two years. Pippin’s favorite camp game is Capture the Degel. When I asked her if she liked being staff or a camper better she said she liked being both the same.

This is about Macaroni. Her favorite night game is also Capture the Degel. Macaroni’s favorite camp food is chicken and vegetables. When I asked her which theme night was her favorite, she said it was Bible Story Night. She likes being staff better than a camper.

Tyler H., Age 10
Tribe of Naphtali

Hi. My name is Tyler and I’m ten years old. I’m going to tell you a little about a tribe leader named Chewbacca. Chewbacca’s tribe is Benjamin. Chewbacca says he is anywhere between five and 25. Chewbacca’s favorite part of camp is Capture the Degel. He likes it because he likes to strategize and sing in the jail circle. Chewbacca’s favorite color is red. Chewbacca’s favorite food is ribeye steak. Chewbacca likes to watch thriller movies. Chewbacca loves sleeping and cooking. Chewbacca once was Camper of the Year. He is proud of it. Chewbacca’s favorite theme night is “What a Mensch” Night because everybody is nice to each other. Chewbacca’s favorite worship song is “Indescribable” by Chris Tomlin. Chewbacca’s favorite drink is an Arnold Palmer. Chewbacca plays the guitar. He’s not very good at it though. When I asked Chewbacca if he had a girlfriend he said, and I quote, “Probably not.” As you can see Chewbacca is a radical dude and a great tribe leader.

Carrie M., Age 12
Tribe of Zebulun

We are the tribe of Zebulun. Our tribe members are Bailey, Zoë, Persaeus, Erica, and Carrie. Our tribe leaders are Mahoney and S’mores. We do almost everything together! For example, we eat together, have Tabernacle together, play night games together, and lastly, we work as a team together. To get to our cabin, we have to walk up a HUGE hill. Since we are the oldest tribe, our cabin, “Grizzly Flat,” is the farthest away. During Tabernacle, we sings songs before Streetlight, the camp director, leads us into our morning Bible study. We usually sing songs we all know, but when we learn a new song, we try to harmonize to it. When it is F.O.B. (FLAT ON BUNK) time, we memorize bits of the Bible that Streetlight assigns for us to get points. At the end of camp, they total our score of however many points we got, and they announce the Tribe of the Year. Then, we have an awards ceremony for all of the campers. Camp Gilgal is a second home for me and my campmates.

Erica B., Age 12
Tribe of Zebulun

A veteran to this glorious camp, a comedian who makes us laugh hysterically, a singer with a beautiful voice, and the thing she’s mostly known for…is being a noodle. I have grown up with Macaroni mostly in winter camp. Although she’s obviously not been in the same cabin as me, I have still witnessed the powerful impact she puts in our lives. Here are some of the things I have learned about her:

The first thing I asked Macaroni was, “How long have you been involved with Camp Gilgal, staff and camper wise?” She replied, “Ten years” in a confirmative voice after silently counting with her fingers. Second, I asked her, “What environment did you grow up in?” She answered, “I was raised in a Christian home.” She also told me, “I became stronger in the faith when I was thirteen at teen camp.” Another question I asked was, “Who do you consider your role model?” She said, “My sister, Hoops.” I also asked her, “What is the most epic moment you have seen God’s presence?” Macaroni responded, “I was at Yosemite and worshiping when a strong wind came and shook the trees… I felt His power.” She told me her future dream was to be a nurse, and I hope Jesus works in her life.

Bailey H., Age 11
Tribe of Zebulun

Oofnik is a very interesting tribe leader. In F.O.B., Oofnik sleeps. Oofnik’s favorite cabin is Dry Gulch and his favorite tribe names are Judah and Reuben. Oofnik’s favorite Bible story is Jesus’ death and resurrection. When I asked him if he thinks his tribe will be Tribe of the Year, he answered: “Maybe…Lord willing.”

Oofnik has an impressive history. He has been part of a Tribe of the Year AND was Camper of the Year!

His favorite movie is Talladega Nights. His favorite animals are dogs and giraffes. When I asked him what his favorite month was, he couldn’t decide between August and December. His most favorite day of the week is Friday.

If you are wondering about Oofnik’s hobbies, wonder no more. While at camp, Oofnik spends his free time watching the campers and playing carpetball. Oofnik told me that his favorite show is Shalom Sesame Street, but he doesn’t watch it any more.

Oofnik’s favorite sport is surfing and his favorite word is “quite.” He likes college-ruled paper much better than wide-ruled because he doesn’t “feel like a kindergartener” when he writes on it. Since Oofnik originated from Shalom Sesame Street I thought it would be appropriate to ask him his favorite Hebrew word and it is Soof-ga-nee-YAH. That means Jelly Donut. Oofnik’s lucky number is 777 and his favorite drink is boba.

Oofnik’s favorite theme night is Utensil Night (because of the food) and he likes Men’s Day better than horseback riding. He “maybe” wants to be out-of-cabin staff someday and his favorite color is pink and his favorite food is pizza. Oofnik is a fascinating tribe leader that you should meet for yourself.

Eliana R., Age 10
Tribe of Issachar

Hi I’m Eliana, I’m ten years old and I’m in the tribe of Issachar. One of my tribe leaders’ name is Sauté. So I decided to interview her. My first question for her was, “What do you like best about camp?” She said, “I love seeing campers worshiping and loving God. I also love night games.” The second question I asked was, “What tribe are you in this year?” She said, “I am the tribe leader of tribe Issachar” (which is the tribe I’m in). The next question I asked her was, “What is the best thing you like about your tribe?” She said, “They are sweet and kind to each other, but the best thing I like about them is that they work together.” Then I asked her, “What night game do you like best?” She answered and said, “That is a hard question. I think the answer to that one is I like them all.” Then I asked her what her favorite ice cream was. She said, “I like English toffee crunch. That is my favorite ice cream.” Then I asked her, “What is your favorite color?” She said, “I don’t know. I like two different colors. One is red and the other is orange.” Then I said, “What is your favorite thing to do at Camp Gilgal?” She said, “I love to do activities with campers and staff.” (That is what I like to do best.) Then I said, “What do you want to do in the future?” “Do dance or art therapy with kids.” Sauté is a very interesting person in my opinion.

Emma B., Age 9
Tribe of Issachar

These answers are the key to success! Did you know that Snapple actually likes Snapple! I asked Snapple what’s her favorite cake and she said, “I love my mom’s red velvet cake with an almond butter cream frosting.” Snapple has been at camp Gilgal for 17 years. Snapple got her name by chipping her tooth on a Snapple bottle and she still drinks it today because it is so delicious! Snapple has never been snowboarding. Snapple used to play softball as a pitcher. Snapple’s favorite food is sushi. Snapple’s favorite camp activity is water balloon volleyball. Snapple’s favorite memory is sky diving with her best friend. Snapple knows sign language. Snapple’s favorite flower is a dahlia. Her job is a stylist when she is not at camp. Her favorite ice cream is mint chip. She wants an olive green Jeep Rubicon. Her favorite fruit is a plum. Snapple has been to Disneyland. She has known Streetlight for 11 years. She has also been on a plane. Her favorite movie is Stand By Me. Her favorite place to shop at is Target. Snapple says that she is good with technology. Her favorite part of camp is spending time with campers. Snapple likes to read. Snapple likes her hair down and wavy. Snapple’s favorite night game is Wells Fargo. Snapple’s favorite theme night is Bible Story Night. She knows Avi in Pentatonix from camp. Snapple has won a game of water balloon volleyball as a camper. I asked Snapple what her name was and she said, “Excellent question.” I hope you enjoyed my Snapple interview!

Channah A., Age 9
Tribe of Issachar

My tribe is Issachar. There are five girls in my tribe. We have lots of fun. Their names are Ahavah, Emma, Eli, and Shelby and me, Channah and my tribe leaders are Sauté and Mango. This year our degel has a big sun on it with our names in the rays. Our tribe did really well with water balloon volleyball. We almost won! It was so fun. During FOB the other ladies and I pass notes to each other and we get a little loud. Our tribe is really close to nailing the memory verse! For Skit Night we did a version of the Good Samaritan. We enjoyed doing it because we worked together as a tribe. My favorite part about our tribe is that we are friends. Kulanu B’Yachad!!!

Channah A., Age 9
Tribe of Issachar

I’m in the tribe of Issachar and this year I interviewed Mango. Mango is one of my tribe leaders. In the first question, I asked Mango, “What is your favorite food?” She said, “My favorite food is mangos,” and that is kind of funny, because her name is Mango. The second question I asked her was, “What was your favorite craft at camp?” She said, “The mosaics,” and that is actually really nice, because we are doing mosaics this year. I asked her, “What theme night was your favorite?” She said, “Stop and Go Night.” We haven’t done that night. But I hope we can do it in the future. Next, I asked, “Do you like being a tribe leader?” She replied, “Yes!” And that’s what I was thinking. I next asked her, “If you could be any animal, what would it be?” She said, “A cheetah or a bunny.” Did you know that cheetahs are the fastest land animal on earth? Last, I asked Mango, “What’s your favorite sport?” She said, “Running.” I enjoyed interviewing Mango.

Talia W., Age 10
Tribe of Dan

Mahoney is a tribe leader here at Camp Gilgal. She is the ATL (Assistant Tribe Leader) for the oldest tribe of Zebulun. She lives in San Diego.

Mahoney’s favorite thing to do as a tribe leader is to be with campers all the time. Her favorite food is matzoh ball soup. She loves Wells Fargo.

She wants to visit Israel and Australia. Mahoney’s favorite books of the Bible are Exodus, Psalms, and Romans. Her favorite song at camp is “Ten Thousand Reasons.”

She really likes What a Mensch Night. Her favorite things to do during F.O.B. are plan devos, write postcards home, and organize her suitcase. Mahoney’s favorite verse in the Bible is Romans 12:9-13.

Her favorite books are Cyrano de Bergerac and I Am the Messenger. She likes to play silent football at free time. Her favorite colors are periwinkle and emerald green.

Elie M., Age 10
Tribe of Dan

This year is Pippin’s second year as a tribe leader at Camp Gilgal. She is the tribe leader for Reuben, the youngest cabin, and Macaroni is her ATL. She’s really good at doing braids and helps everyone with their hair. She’s really cool and I wanted to interview her.

When I asked her if she liked line ups as a camper, she said yes because her tribes always had funny sayings. Her favorite Ladies Day as a camper was her first year because the theme was pirates. During free time she liked to play basketball and carpetball. It wasn’t difficult for her to choose a camp name because according to her, she was born with a love of Lord of the Rings and a need for second breakfast. As a camper she preferred Wells Fargo to M.I. because she always admired the tribe leaders and their accents. Pippin didn’t like F.O.B. at all as a camper. The only thing she did during it was stare at the ceiling.

Pippin grew up into a really great tribe leader and she’s even going to be a tribe leader at teen camp!

Steven M., Age 12
Tribe of Naphtali

My tribe is Naphtali. In the cabin we work together to get things done. In my cabin there is Sasha, Steven, Jonathan, Tyler, Oofnik, and Heimlich. When we clean we work hard until it’s done. We wake up early in the morning and clean to have time to play. We each clean our bed. Then we take turns sweeping. If we work hard enough together we can nail it.

We use teamwork also with water balloon volleyball, which we won. In all the games we stick together. We all get along. To win the Cabin of the Year we must work together and get along. We like to share things together.

Our mascot is the deer because a deer represents the tribe of Naphtali. We saw many deer and gained our courage as a group. We saw four to five in one group right by our cabin. Mission Impossible was a surprise. As soon as we went to bed it started. Our last envelope had a D, so we thought it was dodgeball, but it was dining hall! We always stay together. Naphtali is awesome.

Lily H., Age 10
Tribe of Dan

I am in one of the best tribes ever, Dan. I love being in the tribe of Dan because it’s what me and all my friends wanted to be in. I have four other cabinmates: Elie, Sarah, Shalom, and Talia, and two amazing tribe leaders, Sherlock and Chip. Our cabin is lots of fun because we get to eat lots of candy and play music. I love being with my four other friends because I’ve known them for two years. Our cabin is always full of laughter because, well, there’s a lot of funny stuff! My tribe always likes to be first at line up even if we don’t know what to say. My tribe also has a specific spot we like to sit at for meal times which is the front-right table. I asked one of my cabinmates, Sarah, what’s her favorite thing about being in the tribe of Dan? Sarah likes being with all of her cabinmates/friends. So overall, the tribe of Dan is really fun and probably the best tribe I’ve ever been in.

Alex S., Age 12
Tribe of Naphtali

It is so fun you get to shop, pan for gold, and make candles. Every year we go and march in Columbia. We show people the Lord. And they have an awesome drink called sarsaparilla. It’s so good. It’s like root beer. At Columbia they have a lot of candy. One is a jaw breaker. If you chew it your jaw will break. You have to lick it till it’s gone. There is one store where the gold panning is that sells nice things like rilly guns, stones, fun kid toys, and other things. And there is a store where you make candles. One year I made one and it was so fun. And there’s a pond behind it. And there are poles with money on them that you have to climb but there is grease on the pole so it is very hard. And there is an egg throwing contest one year that I won with my friend Boaz. Every year to start the parade they shoot guns or fire a cannon.

Sarah M., Age 10
Tribe of Dan

One of the camp traditions at junior camp is playing dodgeball. It is optional to play dodgeball, but I play every year at Camp Gilgal. We are split into two teams. There are three games. Whichever team wins the most out of three games will win. This year my team lost.

According to Shalom M., she had a good time except for when she got hit in the face by Carrie M. Chip had a great time besides the fact it was burning hot outside. Shalom and Chip had a great time playing dodgeball.

My personal favorite part about playing dodgeball at camp is when I catch the dodgeball and bring in one of my players back in. I like to be on a team with Esquire because he is super hardcore and throws the ball really fast. I don’t run up and grab the ball immediately, so I don’t become out quickly.

I enjoy playing dodgeball with all of my friends at Camp Gilgal.

Jonah M., Age 8
Tribe of Benjamin

Ryan, what’s the highest price you would pay at the Camp Gilgal Store? “The highest I would pay at the Camp Gilgal Store is ten dollars.” Ryan, what was your favorite thing you bought at the Camp Gilgal Store? “A cool keychain.” What’s the highest you have paid? “The highest I have paid is six dollars.” Ryan, what’s the lowest price you’ve paid? “Twenty-five cents.” What’s the most spending money you have brought to camp? “Forty dollars.”

Now I am interviewing Tyler. Tyler, what’s the highest price you will pay at the Camp Gilgal Store? “The highest I will pay is three dollars. And my favorite thing I have ever bought was my squeaky turkey and it was only twenty-five cents!”

Shelby H., Age 9
Tribe of Issachar

Free time is my favorite time of the day. You can go swimming, and you can play carpetball. There are a lot more things like making friendship bracelets. At free time I usually go swimming. Swimming is a lot of fun. There are a lot of toys to play with in the pool.

Carpetball is a lot of fun. You can play against other people. Carpetball will teach you patience and strength.

And don’t forget about making friendship bracelets. This activity takes patience and concentration. My tribe leaders make good friendship bracelets.

Erica B., Age 12
Tribe of Zebulun

It was a hot Saturday in Silver Spur… We were practicing for the Fourth of July Parade which was just two days away, when suddenly, Streetlight took a turn into the dining hall… When we saw the incredibly large dessert. The 20 foot long sundae had been presented to the campers.

Everyone scrambled to the small styrofoam bowls placed on the table and began piling ice cream into our bowls. When everyone finished serving themselves, we sat down to enjoy the delicious treat. Now, I will interview Zoë in what she thinks about the event. I asked her, “What was your favorite part of the 20 foot long sundae?” She replied, “Ooh! Me chugging down the ice cream!” It was amazing how just a small event can create such joyful memories. It’s funny how we can tell people we ate out rain gutters.

In conclusion, we had a ton of fun enjoying the ice cream, and having a mini dance party with wild music playing in the background. It was truly amazing and exciting. We all absolutely LOVED IT!

Bailey H., Age 11
Tribe of Zebulun

Mafia is a game we love to play at camp. The narrator secretly chooses a Mafia, Sheriff, and Doctor. Everyone closes their eyes. The Mafia can kill who they want by tapping them on the shoulder, the Sheriff can accuse who they want, and the Doctor can save whoever they want. If the Doctor saves the person the Mafia tried to kill, that person will not die. I interviewed some people about the game Mafia to see what they thought of it.

Chip
Q: Do you like to play Mafia?
A: Yes.

Q: What’s your favorite role to play?
A: Mafia.

Yamaha
Q: Have you played Mafia yet since camp started?
A: Not since camp started.

Q: Do you think you are good at Mafia?
A: Nobody’s good at Mafia.

Emma B., Age 9
Tribe of Issachar

I am going to be talking about what Camp Gilgal does in Hebrew. We do booklets, shrinky dinks, and other activities. With the booklets we get stamps when we say a Hebrew word on a page in the booklet. Once we get ten stamps we get a small prize or candy. When we finish all of our pages we get a big prize or more candy. Shrinky dinks are little plastic boxes with drawings that get shrunk into necklaces or bracelets. I have done my name, my tribe, and a Magen David. One of our other activities was braiding licorice to make a Havdalah candle. I made a fish tail and a regular braid. Usually Heimlich, Ewok, Esquire, Sauté, Mahoney, S’mores, and Pippin are in there. We are using Hebrew words all throughout camp. For example, during the food line we say “Ken todah” which means “Yes thank you” and if we don’t want something we say “Lo todah” which means “No thank you.” Learning Hebrew is so fun; getting to use the Hebrew we learn is awesome.

Ahavah M., Age 9
Tribe of Issachar

So here’s how it started. It was my second year and I got there and me and my sister, Shalom, went to the “Awesome” POOL! Also, the pool gets cold! But… then it’s… WARM!!!!! And when it’s warm I play with all of the noodles and then…BAM!!! I throw the ball to Sherbert and BAM!!!!!! Again she throws it back and then… we just keep throwing to each other. It’s so fun that’s why I’m writing about it. I love <3 to write also. But let’s get back to the story. But then after I swim for a very long time, I go out and play carpetball. It’s so fun when I get out and play I play against Tyler. That’s all for my pool story. I <3 the pool!!!

Jonathan P., Age 12
Tribe of Naphtali

Worship is a very important part of Camp Gilgal. Not only does it give you the opportunity to come closer to God, but you get to do that while singing and having fun. I love singing! One of the good opportunities of this is getting to praise the Lord through our voice. We get to sing to Him and tell Him how much we love Him. Worship is very important. My favorite part of worship is the variety of songs that we get to sing. One of my favorite songs to sing during worship is “Your Love Never Fails.” I like other songs too though. So worship can be really fun especially to sing with the rest of camp. I really hope the next year we get to learn a lot more fun songs and praise God. Heimlich says, “Worship is a great way to connect with God.” I agree. I really hope that you enjoyed my article.

Bailey H., Age 11
Tribe of Zebulun

The Fourth of July Parade is a privilege for all campers and staff. First, we go to Columbia and we practice our marching, singing, and chanting all together. Then, we fully get ready to march. This is a long, tedious process, because waiting in dusty hot weather isn’t always too fun. But soon we get to march in the parade and represent Yeshua and His love. And even better… on the Fourth of July!! Afterwards, we sit down to eat lunch. This year, my family drove all the way up to Columbia to surprise me so I got to eat lunch with them too! The Fourth of July is a memory I will never forget, or any of the other campers.

Lily H., Age 10
Tribe of Dan

Ladies Day is a very fun day because we (the ladies) get to have the whole camp to ourselves. On Ladies Day the men leave the camp while we have fun doing activities based around the theme for that year. We had “Around the World” as our theme this year.

It was really fun because we could travel to five different places which were Israel, Japan, Costa Rica, France, and Spain. Each country had a little station where you could do a little activity. We also got a little passport that we brought with us to each country to be stamped.

My favorite place that I went to was Japan because we got to make candy sushi with Poppins. In Israel we got to make a sugar scrub. To make the scrub we combined sugar, coconut oil, and essential oils. I used it on my lips to make them softer.

At France we got to take pictures at a photo booth. Costa Rica and Spain were in the pool so we got to swim from one country to another on gondolas (pool noodles).

Ladies Day lunch was also really good. We travelled to Mexico and had a nacho bar and danced to songs. I asked one of my cabinmates, Shalom M., her favorite thing to do during Ladies Day. Shalom likes swimming in the pool best because there’s no boys.

So in conclusion, Ladies Day was super fun and probably one of my favorite days!

Talia W., Age 10
Tribe of Dan

The ladies went horseback riding when it was Men’s Day. My horse’s name was Tornado. He was splotched with brown and white like a cow.

Now I will interview Lily about horseback riding. Lily’s horse’s name was H₂O. H₂O was a nice horse but liked eating grass. Lily had a lot of fun horseback riding. It is her favorite thing to do. Lily’s horse trotted once. Thank you Lily for the information.

I will now also interview Shalom. Shalom’s horse’s name is Booper. Her horse wasn’t the nicest horse. She didn’t trot once. Horseback riding is her favorite thing to do.

Horseback riding is fun for everyone. I love horseback riding. It is so much fun. Thank you for reading this Gazette article on horseback riding.

Sam S., Age 8
Tribe of Benjamin

First we have a tree for creation. That was first. Then we have this nice house for the Garden of Eden. After that… this… juicy looking fruit. But don’t let this fool you. That’s when Adam and Eve sinned. Alright moving on to this rainbow! You know. The flood. Oh! This big tower. The Tower of Babel. The one where the different languages began. Sigh. Ah. Abram. Now known as Abraham. The father of many. Next a flag. This is a nation. Ah yes. Abraham’s son. Isaac. Next a ram. Sacrifice! Jacob. Uh. A deceiver. The next sign means when Jacob stole Esau’s birthright. But then he wrestles with God. I wish I lived in that tent. But no time. Ah. Joseph’s robe. You know the story. Next an Egyptian pyramid. Now to Exodus. The rules. The Ten Commandments. Now someone’s hands giving the Ten Commandments! Rocks! A hammer. Not for hammering nails. It’s a judge’s hammer! I wish I had this crown. But it only fits kings. Lamb. Not to eat kids. Because it’s David and Goliath. Jewelry in a chest! Solomon! David’s son. These punching thingies. A fire. Maybe a campfire. No I’m messing with you. Elijah. E-l-i-j-a-h. The sacrifice to prove God is real. These nice grapes. Who gave these to me? A nice T-shirt. I’ll keep this. Am I moving away? But…I haven’t finished. Okay. Ah. Another house. Babylon? A colored lion’s mane. Daniel! And the lion’s den. Yes! I get to go back! I get another chance. Okay. This thing. I guess it is Esther. A coffee maker or cabinet. I don’t know. Anyway a wall. A sturdy wall. THE LAW IS SPOKEN! Now the last one.

Actually it’s not the end. Streetlight’s favorite subject is Camp Gilgal! Her favorite food is sushi. Her favorite book is the Weight of Glory. Her favorite show is The West Wing. And she has been part of Camp Gilgal for ten years. Wait. What? You can read it up top? Oh. Looks like you can. Well my job’s over. Peace or shalom.

THE END.

Talia W., Age 10
Tribe of Dan

This year we chose to be in the tribe of Dan. We made a snake curled up with grass around it. The color of the degel is maroon. We put our names on the mountains. We used red and white for the snake. We did black for the writing of Camp Gilgal 2016, and Dan in English and Hebrew. We outlined the mountains with tan and grass green. We also outlined the snake with black. The red and white stripes were vertical on the snake. When I was going to write camp the black exploded. It went all over my hand. I went and washed it off. The degel looks amazing. Lily, who’s in my tribe, gets to take the degel home. Degel making is really fun. Everyone in my tribe loved making it. I will now interview Lily. She likes to look at it when it is finished. She wrote 2016 in black. Lily had a fun time making it. Thank you for reading this Gazette article.

Tyler H., Age 10
Tribe of Naphtali

Hi. My name is Tyler and I’m ten years old. I’m going to tell you about water balloon volley ball. It all started when Streetlight brought us to the volleyball court. Then she told us the rules. Your tribe had to get a tarp and fling a water balloon over the net. Then the other team had to catch the water balloon in their tarp. You had to pass back and forth until one of the teams drop the water balloon three times. Whoever missed it three times lost. Every tribe can only lose two times. If you lose two times you are out of the tournament. This year when I played our team started out vs. Zebulun, the oldest ladies tribe. They beat us three to two. Then we were vs. Issachar. We had a long game. We won the game three to two. But then Issachar complained that they weren’t ready so we got the last point again. For our final battle we were vs. Zebulun again. They were undefeated so if we were going to win we would have to beat them twice. Also on the final battle you have to get five points to win. So we had to get ten points to win. It felt like the battle went on for hours and finally Naphtali (my tribe!) overcame Zebulun with points and won the game.

Ryan H., Age 8
Tribe of Benjamin

At the campfire you sing camp songs and have worship. You can roast marshmallows too. After you roast a marshmallow you have to wait till everybody has had a marshmallow to have another one. One of the camp songs you sing is “Hinei,” and another song you sing is the yodeling song. You are supposed to wear long pants and bug spray for the campfire. After the campfire you go to your cabin and get your pajamas and get soap and a toothbrush then take a shower with soap then you brush your teeth for teeth inspection then go to bed. I interviewed Yamaha with some questions. Yamaha said his favorite part of the campfire was Sauté leading worship and he ate one marshmallow.

Rebekah P., Age 8
Tribe of Reuben

Camp Gilgal is awesome! We had a theme night called Skit Night. My tribe’s skit was about Esther. I was Haman. I got to go on a fake cell phone and got to shout at Morty, short for Mordechai. Rebecca S. was Esther. I found it funny she was the main character and had no lines. Ellie R. was Asher, short for Xerxes. Zoe was Morty and Raina was Queen Vashti, and a dancer. I love the way we changed it! It was in our time. It started with a verse. Many times God uses an ordinary person in extraordinary ways. At the beginning of the skit, Vashti and Asher danced, then he stepped on her foot and she quit. The great Asher wanted me to tweet that Asher wanted a new dance partner and all the ladies prepared for their dance. Asher picked Esther because she was kind and a good dancer. The next day I was walking and Morty bumped into me and got hurt and I said, “A plague on you and your people, I’ll break all their legs!” Morty talked to Esther and Esther told Asher. And I was about to break their legs but Asher said stop! And the Jews were saved. I think that Skit Night is fun! I asked Ellie R. what she thought about Skit Night and she also said, “It was really fun.”

Eliana R., Age 8
Tribe of Reuben

Theme nights are a big part of camp! On Feed Your Friend Night you have to switch plates and drinks and you can’t eat your own food. Also you take turn feeding each other and my partner was Rebekah. I interviewed Rebekah to get her side of the craziness. First, I asked her what the hardest food to feed me was and she said, “The hardest was definitely the bread.” Then I asked her what was the funniest thing that happened and she said, “When she spilled water on me.” Also I asked her if she got enough food and she said, “Actually, yeah.” Then I asked her, “Were you afraid I was going to bite your finger?” It was funny because I bit her finger. Feed Your Friend Night was such a fun night we were laughing the whole night and I can’t wait till we do it next year.

Persaeus B., Age 11
Tribe of Zebulun

I was in my cabin, we were all talking about what we were going to do tomorrow, when all of a sudden, the power went out! We all started screaming our heads off! While it was still dark we still had to change for the game. Our tribe leaders have a clue and decoder to start with and wherever it says to go you go for the next clue. Once you go through all the clues, the last one will say go to the dining hall and that’s when you finish. You and your tribe have to be really quiet or else you will get sent back to your cabin and then pick up where you left off. This year we couldn’t get caught on purpose. For example: if you’re at the soccer field and it say to go to the ladies restroom you wouldn’t have to be quiet going to the restroom. When my tribe (the oldest) went in the dining hall we tied with the youngest ladies, and the youngest men won. Today, I’m going to be interviewing Sherbert, one of the spotters.

Q: Where were you spotting this year?
A: At the water tower.

Q: Do you help put out the clues?
A: No, I don’t.

Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how good was this year’s M.I.?
A: 11.

Q: Have you ever fallen or tripped in the dark?
A: Yes, tripped and fell.

Q: What was your best year of M.I., and what happened?
A: This year because I got to dance all night.

Zoë N., Age 13
Tribe of Zebulun

During the game of Wells Fargo, the campers (the Outlaws) are against the Faithful and Loyal Wells Fargo Agents which are the camp staff. How this game works is the Faithful and Loyal start out with the gold and the campers have to try and steal the gold without getting tagged. If the Faithful and Loyal tags you then the campers who get tagged have to walk back to their base and count to one hundred. If a camper manages to get a bag without dropping it and getting tagged then the bag becomes the campers for that round. How we determine who won that round is by counting the bags and whoever has the most bags wins that round. Only the campers are to steal the gold on the Faithful and Loyal’s base which is where the bags of gold are scattered everywhere not in one individual place. The Faithful and Loyal have to protect the gold from being stolen by campers. Now if a camper drops a bag by tossing it to another camper or just dropping it then the Faithful and Loyal take it back to where it was first picked up. Every year the campers always win the game of Wells Fargo but now this year the Faithful and Loyal won which has now made Camp Gilgal history of 2016. When this happened all of the campers wanted a rematch but we couldn’t because it was too late at night. The campers shall take back their victory.

Persaeus B., Age 11
Tribe of Zebulun

What a Mensch Night is a dinner theme where all the tribes make up nice, funny, and clever puns. The point of the night is to be kind to everyone. “Mensch” is Yiddish for being a good person. For example, one of the tribe leaders is Mango so we said, “Mango more like mangorgeous.” If a tribe says something nice to another tribe you usually say something nice back. Throughout the whole night staff and campers offer to take cups, plates, and utensils, and also to wipe down the tables. This theme night really inspired campers to be mensches throughout the rest of camp. Being mensches shows love, kindness, caring, and compassion for others. I asked Mango what her favorite part of Mensch Night is and she said, “I love being kind to others and I think it’s a very special thing.” I also asked my friend Carrie and she said, “I think it is nice when people are mensches to others.” The most important thing I think is knowing that God loves us, cares for us, and knows that we are precious to Him.

Zoe A., Age 7
Tribe of Reuben

Super Hero Night is a theme night that the tribes dress up as super heroes. My tribe dressed up as flower power heroes. We had headbands with flowers on them and bracelets with flowers on them.

I am interviewing Macaroni: What was your favorite part of super hero night? Answer: “My favorite part was getting to dress like a flower because we are the tribe of Reuben.” After line up they took pictures of every tribe. The other tribes were dressed as super nerds, super market, super preppy, super puppet show, and The Incredibles. Everyone looked really good. Besides my tribe my favorite tribe was the tribe of Zebulun because they dressed as The Incredibles and one camper was Frozone. The one I thought was funniest was the tribe of Dan because they were super nerds and on the back of their shirts it said “Kick me.” The most creative idea was from Issachar because they were foods from a super market. I loved Super Hero Night.

Shalom M., Age 11
Tribe of Dan

After dinner and tribe time, Snapple and Streetlight blew the whistle and we went down to the basketball court and they said to go and get our “bathing suits, towels, and sunscreen.” When I asked Talia W. “What do you think it is?” she said, “I think it is the waterslide.”

I asked Sarah M. what was her favorite subject during night swimming and her answer was water basketball. The reason why was because she was defense. That was also my favorite subject too.

The whistle blew and everybody ran and lined up so we saw Snapple and she said, “Follow me if you are ready to go night swimming!” We were going down to the pool and it got dark and most of us were playing water basketball first. We did teams then we did tribe leaders vs. campers.

It was finally time for us to leave and Heimlich asked me if I wanted to get the last ball. So I said yes and I jumped in and I saw Sherbert had the ball. After that we did lost and found. Then we left. That night was so cool.