August 14th, 2016 – Our Last Shabbat of SAC 2016

Our last Shabbat of camp was filled with singing, friendship and relaxation. We had a morning of Tefila, sponsored by Jack and Adina Almo, in memory of Velma Almo Z”L, where many of the campers read Kriyat Torah for the camp, and Moises Tache read the maftir, while others were engaged in Parsha Talks with Julia Owen. Singing was plentiful, borekas were tasty and the brownies and milk reminded us of every other SAC Shabbat kiddush, thanks to David and Esther Rafael and the Mizrahi family. The afternoon was filled with games, Shabbat walks and rejuvenation.

After Shabbat ended, our Jewish community entered into the holy day of Tishaa ba’av. Sephardic Adventure Camp has had a unique experience this year in that our camp coincides with this fast day. Today we commemorate the many travesties of our Jewish nation, including the destruction of our Holy Temple because of baseless hatred between Jews, the exile of the Jews into the desert, the unfavorable report of the spies, the Spanish Inquisition, and many more terrible incidences. We donned our non-leather shoes, sat on the floor, and refrained from eating, drinking and bathing, while trying to connect personally to the immense loss of the Temple. Saturday night was filled with slow singing late into the night.

This morning, the older bunks sat together to find the destruction that still exists in today’s newspapers, while younger campers met with Sarina to write their own piyutim (poems). We were also privileged to hear from Menachim Taiblum, who shared his story of bravery and faith as he escaped Poland during the holocaust. The afternoon activities included serious movies, relaxation and important conversation for the fasters, while the non-fasters went on a nature hike and engaged in other meaningful activities.

As the fast ends in just about an hour, we reflect on the importance of the day, the importance of Jewish unity and look ahead to times where we can all live peacefully with the Temple rebuilt again.