Gan Yisroel? Or Gan Chayos?
Why should I spend my summer in Gan Yisroel , when I can have a much stronger effect in ‘C-Kids’?
At this time of year, Bachurim often find themselves sitting around in Zal, in the dorms or anywhere for that matter, discussing ‘Summer Camp’.
its a hot topic, understandably so, after all… a full 2 month summer can either go amazing, or terribly wrong.
One point through these ‘camp bullshoves’ that really hurts is the fact that Bachurim don’t understand the value of their Shlichus - wherever you end up.
Some say “If it was C-Kids, or Yeka, or L’maan Achai, I would actually have an affect”.
They are wrong.
As wrong as a goldfish trying to explain its understanding in המשך תרס״ו.
The positive affect a counselor or learning teacher can have a regular Oholei Torahnik brat (to put it bluntly), is as strong and real as anyone would in any of the other camps mentioned above.
Some say: we like to see the ‘Peiros’ of our work, which is more explicitly seen in a camp like L’maan Achai.
Ok, that’s valid. Just don’t undermine the Shlichus of the Bochurim who chose to work with the mainstream. They are both needed as much as each other.
Your Shlichus when working in a ‘mainstream’ Lubavitch camp, is as much of a Shlichus as is working in a camp for Non-Frum kids.
When the Rebbe instituted Gan Yisroel, he knew what it was going to be years down the line. And understood the importance of it for every Jewish Child, Frum or not.
“The kids in camp nowadays learn more bad than good” - what a load of [word-eradicated].
Kids might not even understand how much they gain through the summer. Even a kid who thinks he only learned bad things, and never showed up to class, doesn’t understand that the point of Gan Yisroel is the all around-Torah environment, not necessarily the Farbrengen’s and stories. Just the fact that a kid is in camp is effecting his Neshama tremendously.
The Chassidishe Lachluchis every child soaks up throughout his time in camp, without even realizing it, is tremendous.
Obviously, the more stories and Farbrengens you get in there, the better, but that's not the main point.
Obviously, the Shlichus of a camp for non-Frum kids is a tremendous thing too, but who will be the counselors of L'maan Achai in a few years time?
Yup, It's the former campers of Gan Yisroel, and they wouldn't be able to do it without the time they spend in the environment of a Chassisher camp.
You can hear any Shliach nowadays speak about their time spent in Gan Yisroel and the effect it had on them as young children.
No doubt whatsoever, that children that go through Gan Yisroel nowadays, are effected as much, if not more.
Every single one of them, each in their own way.
So Tayere Bachur:
Working in a mainstream Gan Yisroel is an incredible experience, yet a tremendous responsibility and Shlichus.
Put yourself to it, get involved, show that you care and your effect will be greater than you can imagine.
Gan Yisroel Chai.
(I missed a few points, pls help me out in the comments.)
Is it really shlichus?
Yes i know everyone says that going to a regular camp is shlichus and you can change the kid's life vchulu however אינו דומה the influence you have on the kid in ckids (or even CGI Florida) compared to a "regular" camp.
For example in a regular camp, you can have השפעה on the kid to wear a bendel or start saying berachos or be more mekushar to the rebbe - which is great and i'm not here to bash it, however the השפעה that you have on someone in a ckids camp is (lichorah and i think most people would agree with me) higher, better, and more profound on the kid and his entire family for example the kid will start doing mitzvos and his family will start keeping shabbos and קען זיין (and thats the case by some kids (וכידוע ה) that he will marry jewish אך ורק because of his counselor and learning teacher in camp
So not to bash other regular camps but i don't think the "shlichus" is as real or as much of a impact on the kid than ckids וכדומה
In Gan Yisroel
100% agreed.
It's a huge responsibility on the staff's part to convey the right message, vichulu.
Every little thing has an effect. The way you speak, the care you show, the songs... and the list goes on.
To illustrate:
Gan Yisroel Montreal has a song with the words "the chayus made davening so real to me." As staff, when you sing along, it's like, "Yeah, right," you mean the jumping around and disturbing made davening so fun for me?
But this year, after the summer, a kid—whose brother was a counselor—told his brother, "The chayus takeh made davening real to me." His brother probably had a hard time holding back a laugh... but the facts remain.
Whereas a song like "A Tear for Gan Yisroel"... whoever made a song like that should probably do C-Kids...
Down the line...
I know @Tana Kama felt it important to point out that "When the Rebbe instituted Gan Yisroel, he knew what it was going to be years down the line. And understood the importance of it for every Jewish Child, Frum or not."
It seems like he forgot that the Rebbe fought against summer vacation and clearly wished that Frumme kids stay in school through the summer...
And @Moshe Mechel, are you just excited to finally be here or are you working toward 200 points?
Missing the point…
Good evening Shmo, and thank you for your comment.
It seems like you’re missing my point entirely.
The Rebbe taught us that every type of Yid has his Shlichus in the world, no matter where he stands.
Like a construction site, every worker has his specific input to the building. The work of the contractor or the tractor driver is as important as the work of the bricklayer for the completion of the project.
The term ‘Shlichus’ doesn’t necessarily mean helping non-Frum people come closer to Yiddishkiet.
‘Shlichus’ means doing your part in creating a דירה בתחתונים.
For example, the Rebbe told Avraham Fried that he is a Shliach, doing what he does.
And again, the counselors who do go to ‘C-Kids’ or the like, and have the tremendous effect they do, wouldn’t be able to have that effect, without their counselors when they were campers in Gan Yisroel years before. Like the bricklayer, who wouldn’t know where to put the bricks without the contractor.
So although the brick layers work is seen physically much more, the contractor is as important.
Thriving instructed that teachers in Lubavitch schools be considered Shluchim, for the same reason.
Of course it’s a Shlichus.
Thank you for bringing this up.
-Tana Kama