Get in Jewish professionals, we’re going to camp!
On the blessings of nature, and Judaism as a game
Hebrew Word of the Week:
The other day, I was speaking in Hebrew and realized I didn’t know how to say Judaism. Woopsie. It’s yahadut (יַהֲדוּת). The more you yoda’at (know).
If you’re new here, or haven’t read my Great Jewish Journey (which I just updated for the first time in four years), you might not know that I’m a Jewish professional. Been in the game for eight years and what a whirlwind it’s been, especially the last three.
There’s a lot to discuss about working in the Jewish nonprofit sector: the culture that greatly varies by organization, salary, philanthropic allocation, the saturation of nonprofits and the overlap in their work, learning and travel opportunities, um… all the holidays we get off?!
But this piece isn’t about working. It’s about not working.
A few weeks ago, I attended a day of camp for Jewish professionals run by Trybal Gatherings!
220 Jewish professionals representing 40 organizations learned and played together at Camp Ramah Nyack, and it was the embodiment of Jewish joy (who else is excited Substack now has colored text?!).
The goal was to provide a space for adults to laugh, play, and recharge after working tirelessly to make the world a more joyous, safe, and educated one for Jews.
… okay, and to see who can make the longest snake out of toilet paper in the shortest amount of time. 🧻🐍
Instead of meetings, we had electives. Instead of an office or a conference center, our backdrop was the lush rolling hills of the Hudson Valley.
The day served as a reminder that this field is so steeped in play and creativity. I don’t even need the current state of global antisemitism to tell me this is where I belong.
Here’s what I experienced!
Blessings in Nature
There were all sorts of electives to choose from: pickleball, Mahjong, yoga, Shrinky Drinks bracelet making (a 90s flashback!), Moroccan lemon preserves, Torah in the Tarot, and more.
My first elective was nature bathing led by Adamah, a Jewish environmental organization (to read about their retreat I went on, read this Drop!).
No, this session wasn’t sun bathing. It was a meditative stroll in nature while learning about different brachot, blessings, related to nature.
There are many brachot for wondrous sights you may come across in nature, like thunder, lightning, and a rainbow.
Fun fact: The blessing for seeing a rainbow refers to G-d keeping the covenant and keeping a promise, because it’s a throwback to Genesis 9:12-17, when a rainbow appears after the flood, and G-d promises to never again destroy the world with water.
BLESSING UPON HEARING THUNDER
Blessing: “Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, shekocho u-gvurato malei olam.”
Translation: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, whose power and might fill the world.”
One blessing I enjoyed learning about on this nature walk was the blessing you say upon seeing an unusual and beautiful creature, like an elephant, peacock, or an ostrich.
BLESSING UPON SEEING AN UNUSUAL AND BEAUTIFUL CREATURE
Blessing: “Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, shekocha lo b’olamo.”
Translation: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, that such [beauty] exists in His world.”
It sparked an interesting conversation on what makes a creature strange as well as beautiful. We came to the conclusion that beauty’s in the eye of the beholder.
It reminded me of the time I was hiking in Alaska and a porcupine crossed my path. I was dumbfounded. If only I had this blessing to recite!
👉 See a full list of Jewish nature blessings here.
Judaism: The Game We’re All Playing
Next, I attended a workshop on ice breakers.
Ah, the ever-polarizing ice breaker. Some love ‘em, some dread ‘em.
I love them when they’re creative and engaging. I think it’s a fun way to get to know people, especially at a Shabbat meal where not everyone knows each other.
Our group went around and answered the following ice breaker: “Go around, introduce yourself, and say the answer to your favorite ice breaker.”
Ex. “Hi, my name is Carol. Potato chips.” “I’m Josh. Purple dragon.”
I said, “Miranda. Last week when I was feeling bad about something.” My favorite ice breaker is: “When was the last time you cried and why?” I like to get personal.
What’s your favorite ice breaker? Let me know in the comments!
This discussion, led by Foundation for Jewish Camp, also touched on games in Jewish education, and games you can play with your team at work.
One of the participants made an astute observation, which was that Judaism is like a game: Everyone has the same set of rules, and how we choose to play within those rules is up to us.
Which prompted the question: What does it look like to win in Judaism?
No one really answered it (it was more rhetorical), but it got me thinking of all the different ways how winning in Judaism might look:
Keeping up with the weekly Parsha
Keeping up with the Jewish calendar
Following the Ten Commandments (ahem, not stealing)
Keeping Shabbat, even just lighting weekly candles
For me, it’s that I am constantly learning, growing, and having fun. After this day of adult camp, I think I nailed it.
The rest of the day involved Japanese tie-dyeing, color war, and deliciously fluffy cookies. Thank you so much to Trybal for a day of play. After Shabbos, it’s back to work.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Juneteenth,
💦 Like Jewish camp? Check out this Drop:
Let's Talk About (Jewish) Sex, Baby
Last month, my work hosted an event called Sexual Citizenship: Shifting Teen Hookup Culture. It was about toxic hookup culture at Jewish teen camp, and how to address the issue in teen education spaces. This informative event got me thinking about the pressure to date, marry, and procreate.