The Magic of Shabbat at Camp Laurelwood

Shabbat is a special time at Laurelwood. It is where the magic of Camp comes to life, and where we celebrate the uniqueness of our community. Shabbat is also a welcomed opportunity to take a breath. The weeks at Camp are full of non-stop fun and activity as our campers spend their days connecting, exploring, and inspiring. As we head into Friday night, there is the push and pull of excitement and energy. The ruach (spirit) of Camp is most alive for me on Friday nights. At once Camp is buzzing with excitement for Shabbat services, dinner, and song session on Friday night while at the same time looking forward to sleeping in and a late breakfast on Saturday morning!

This summer, there are new traditions being made, old traditions continuing, and new generations of campers who are coming to see Laurelwood as their home. Last week, when we gathered for our first Shabbat back at Camp, it felt like the weight of the longest journey lifted. Our community is back home after 22 months, and the traditions of our 84-year history were continuing. This summer, we are also celebrating the arrival of a new Torah scroll on Camp. This Torah, which came to us from the Jewish Foundation and Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, is just another reminder of the power of our community. Together with our counselors and cornerstone fellows, we rolled out the Torah over our campers as a reminder of the ways in which they are the inheritors of this beautiful Camp that has been lovingly cared for over generations

Visitors are typically a regular part of Shabbat at Camp. Alumni, community members, and other stakeholders often return to Camp for services, dinner, and song session on Friday nights. It is something that our entire community looks forward to every year. Because that isn’t possible this year, we made a video to give you a small taste of the joy, the excitement, and the energy of Shabbat at Camp.

In years to come, we hope that you will come back and join us for homemade challah fresh from our kitchen, matzah ball soup and roasted chicken on Friday nights. We can’t wait to see you wearing white on our Shabbat walk, or singing your heart out at song session. Until then, we are sending you love, Shabbat-o-grams, and songs from Camp!