Medium Canoe Trip

The participants of the Medium Canoe Trip of 2012 had an amazing time! From July 15th-17th, 11 campers and 4 staff spent three days and two nights of their precious summer break away from the camp they call home. On the morning of July 15th we packed our bags, and boarded a bus headed out of Sudbury. After a very bumpy ride, we arrived in Killarney Provincial Park, stunned by the majestic beauty of the park's lakes and mountains. We loaded up our canoes, and headed into the wilderness.

Over the next three days, we had the time of our lives. From crystal-clear lakes, to setting up tents, to back-breaking (but fun) portages, every moment spent on the canoe trip was one to remember. Although we were prohibited from making campfires, our group still managed to bond well together. All in all, everybody on the trip had a fantastic time, and both campers and staff had an experience they will never forget.

Looking forward to another great time next year!

Jacob Brown, Rookie 2012

July 16: Jets Vs. Panthers

Today during menucha, two rivals, the Carolina Panthers and the reigning SFL champions, the New York Jets faced off in an exciting game. Although the score was four to nothing in the Panthers favor, the game was still worthwhile. First of all, the rivalry between these two teams is steadily growing. Past outcomes have increased the importance of this game. Additionally, there were very key moments during the game that ultimately forced the final score. To add on, there were key players that drastically affected the outcome of the game. No matter the final score, this game was definitely a great one.

            This budding rivalry has roots going all the way back to the 2009 SFL season. In that year, the Carolina Panthers reigned supreme over the SFL as champions. However, last year, the New York Jets, led by active co-coaches Josh ‘Ziggy’ Zigler and Kyle Ungerman took the title of SFL champs. The speculation behind this game is enormous. Both teams felt like they had something to prove to the rest of the league. Panthers co-coach Jonathan Gottesman, a two-time SFL champion as a coach proclaimed “ It is good to have beat two great coaches and show that we can beat the defending champs”. He also declared that the two teams would meet again in the playoffs. Jets co-coach Josh ‘Ziggy’ Zigler agreed that there is a “Strong Possibility” that the two teams will play again. However, the Jet’s coach thinks that his team will be “Better prepared” for the ball game. Even though this is a regular season game, it means a lot to both teams and coaches.

            In every game, there are some key moments that ultimately change the fate of the game. In this game, there were a few crucial turning points that drastically affected how the game went. First, early in the game, the Jets were on the verge of scoring a touchdown and tying the game up at one. The Jets were a mere five yards from scoring, when they turned the ball over. Jets receiver Josh Aber caught the ball but was forced out of bounds only one yard short of the end zone. Additionally, the Panthers had two very key plays that gave them their victory. First, quarterback Jason Sacke threw a touchdown strike to receiver Josh Maker that gave them an early 1-0 lead. Shortly after, Jets quarterback Ethan Cohen threw his first interception of the game to Panthers defender Josh Maker (players can play offence and defense). This interception lead to the Panthers second touchdown. The Panthers never looked back from there. These plays proved to be the turning points in the game.

            In every game, the referees recruit a stat keeper. Obviously, their job is to record all of the major statistics during the game. In total, there were four touchdown passes thrown and two interceptions thrown. Panther’s receiver Josh Maker caught two touchdown passes along with his fellow teammates, Zach Brill and Ben Rabvogal each catching one touchdown pass. Panther’s defender Sam Baranek intercepted one of Jet’s quarterback Ethan Cohen’s passes as well as his teammate Josh Maker. Of course, everyone played great, but in each game there is also a player of the game. This player not only plays well statistically, but also takes on a leadership role and has great sportsmanship. This game’s P.O.G. (Player Of Game) was Panther’s quarterback Jason Sacke. Jason threw four touchdown passes and made key flag pulls on defense. This game was very full of statistics, sportsmanship and leadership.

            In all, this was a very fun game to watch as well as to play. Both teams played great and had a lot of fun doing it! Now that this game is over, the SFL can leap into week four! The season is young and very promising! The schedule is not yet revealed but we are in for another round of great games! Come back next time for another article on the next game being played. As Jets co-coach Josh ‘Ziggy’ Zigler exclaimed “The next time we face, it’s going to be a fight to the death!” Thanks for reading and look for our next article coming your way soon! Don’t forget, Visitors day is fast approaching, see you there!

By: Jesse Burrows, Solelim Sports Journalist, Rookie

The Solelim Cup

Fire – Bravery

Jackie Robinson, Mordecai Anielewicz, Aaron Ralston

The first team in the Solelim Cup is hotter than hot, and has the power to consume everything around it. The ancient Greeks say that Fire was stolen from the Gods and given to man by the great Prometheus. Fire has always been an important part of all cultures and religions and was vital to the development of civilization.

            Fire has provided a means for communication, and an ability to signal warning. Furthermore, just as darkness is a symbol for evil and emptiness, the ability of fire to illuminate its surroundings is a symbol for passion and bravery. Fire, and the bravery that it represents, allows people to better themselves. Just as Prometheus took a risk to better humankind when he stole fire from the Gods, so too does risk taking and bravery allow human society to progress. It is the bravery within each and every one of us that allows us to achieve greatness.

Three Champions of Fire:

Jackie Robinson:

The first player to break the colour barrier in Major League Baseball, Jackie Robinson was much more than just an athlete. Robinson was a leader and symbol for the Black Civil Rights movement in the United States. On and off the field he received death threats and racial slurs, yet his bravery and the fire that burned within, allowed him to continue playing and end up in the hall of fame.

Mordecai Anielewicz:

The leader of the Warsaw ghetto uprising, Mordecai Anielewicz is a prime example of bravery. During the Holocaust Anielewicz lead an uprising against the powerful Nazi forces. With little supplies and ammunition, the Warsaw ghetto uprising was aimed at regaining the humanity and dignity of the Jewish people in Warsaw. It did much more than that, as it lasted for many weeks and sent shockwaves throughout Germany and Nazi occupied Europe.

Aaron Ralston:

Aaron Ralston was a normal man with a passion for adventure, who was thrust into a dire situation. Ralston was hiking in Blue John Canyon when he fell and had his arm stuck beneath a bolder. Ralston acted with the utmost bravery when he decided that in order to save his life, he would have to cut off his own arm. Ralston still lives today and is immortalized in the film 127 hours.

Water – Wisdom

Ghandi, Albert Einstein, Aristotle

The next team in the Solelim Cup represents a different type of power. Throughout the generations the wise have always risen to the top. Just as water is a necessity in all forms of life, so too is wisdom necessary for mankind. Our home planet and the human body are both comprised of at least 75% of water, and this only scratches the surface of water’s depth.

It is water, and nothing else, that provides shelter, safety and comfort from the blistering heat. Yet, water can also wreak havoc through tsunamis, flooding and other disasters. Water can be both fierce and graceful, and here in lies its innate power. Wise people understand the importance and power of water. Wisdom was the driving force behind the enlightenment, and continues to progress society forward today.

Three Champions of Water:

Gandhi:

The epitome of wisdom, Mahatma Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi was a man of the people and a pacifist, and through his incredible wisdom he was able to improve the lives of millions.

Albert Einstein:

A Jewish theoretical physicist, Einstein represents both the positive and destructive power that wisdom can have. Einstein is the father of modern physics and his theory of relativity led to both great discoveries for mankind but also to the destruction and havoc of the atomic bomb. Einstein provides a cautionary tale for what can happen when one man’s wisdom is in the wrong man’s hands.

Aristotle:

One of the most important figures in western philosophy, Aristotle is a true champion of wisdom. Also an ethicist, a mathematician, and a scientist, his works had a profound effect on the medieval period, the renaissance and still have a notable impact today. Wisdom, such as Aristotle’s, lives on forever.

Air – Strength

Achilles, King David, Terry Fox

            Since the beginning of time, strength has marked distinction between men. Air, like strength, can use brute force to alter its surroundings. Darwin wrote about the survival of the fittest, and strength is a core component of this concept. Air, a representation of strength, is often seen as a universal power or substance. Stemming from the Latin word spirare, the importance of air can be seen in words of fundamental importance such as aspire, inspire, and spirit. It is said that air is our life spirit, and that our soul passes through the gateway of air to the world to come.

Without air, and oxygen, man cannot survive. It is air, therefore that acts as the difference between life and death. Strength, like air, is a great power and those who have it should be feared.

Three Champions of Air:

Achilles:

A hero of the Trojan War, Achilles was arguably the greatest warrior of all time.  He was ruthless on the battlefield, and feared by common men and kings. The son of a god, Achilles epitomizes the power of brute strength.

King David:

The greatest military king in Jewish history, King David illustrates that strength is not simply a matter of size and that even the small can achieve greatness. The famous story of David vs. Goliath launched David to unparalleled heights. As a king he gained many lands, and was such a relentless conqueror that God himself would not allow David to build his temple.

Terry Fox:

A beacon of strength and determination Terry Fox was a victim of cancer. Yet, he did not give in to the terrible disease and even after losing a leg embarked on a journey that will forever be a part of the Canadian identity. With one leg amputated, Fox embarked on the run of hope – a run across Canada to raise money and awareness for Cancer. When his cancer spread, Fox had to end his journey at 143 days. Yet his strength never died, and Fox is a hero to Canadians everywhere and a symbol of mental strength.

Earth – Loyalty

Hannah Senesh, Mario Lemieux, Winston Churchill

            Last but certainly not least is the element beneath our very feat. Earth is a constant in life that can always be relied upon and represents the quality of loyalty. No matter how much the earth may shift, it always regains its form and characterizes sustainability and stability. Between people and in politics it is loyalty that provides the basis and trust for a relationship to flourish. Be it patriotism, sticking up for a friend, or standing beside a people through thick and thin loyalty is the building block of everything that grows between people. Just as earth is the building block of everything that grows on our planet.

            The earth is the one element that has witnessed all of history. From the earliest cavemen, to the ancient Greeks, to the enlightenment to modern times and everything in between the earth has been the single constant. Without earth there is no grounds for humanity, and without loyalty there is no grounds for human contact.

Three Champions of Earth:

Winston Churchill:

Regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20^th century Sir Winston Churchill led Britain during the Second World War. Eventually defeating Hitler and Nazism, Churchill had to stand strong and never waiver in his leadership as prime minister of England. He overcame great criticism and stood loyal to his country, his people and his ideology. Churchill is a symbol of loyalty in the darkest of times.

Mario Lemieux:

One of the greatest hockey players of all time, Lemieux is no stranger to adversity and temptation. As a member of the Pittsburg Penguins, Lemieux was forced into early retirement after being diagnosed with cancer. A strong individual, Lemieux overcame the terrible disease and would only return as a member of the Penguins. Throughout his career he could have received more money to play elsewhere but he decided his loyalty remained with the Penguins organization and their great fans. Lemiuex is an example of loyalty in modern times in the sporting world where it seems money, and not loyalty takes precedence.

Hannah Senesh:

Senesh was one of 37 Jews living in Palestine to serve as a member of the British army during World War two. A paratrooper, Senesh epitomized loyalty. She was captured near the Hungarian border by the Nazi troops. After being transferred to a Budapest prison, Hannah was repeatedly interrogated and cruelly tortured, but she refused to reveal any of her comrades’ names and refused to provide the much needed transmitter code. Even when her mother was arrested, and the Nazis threatened to kill her mother, Senesh stood strong behind her ideals and loyally to the British army and the Israeli cause. Senesh was eventually murdered by a firing squad, but never provided the information the Nazis need.

Traditions

Tradition is a concept that is commonly practiced here at Camp Solelim. Campers may not be aware of it, however each and every day, their daily routines are infused with the traditions that have been alive since the beginning of this camp. Each morning at mifkad following the Canadian anthem, campers absent-mindedly place their right arms over their hearts and together sing the Judean pledge, “If I forget thee O’ Jerusalem may my right hand forget its cunning, may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I don’t remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.” Campers file into the chadar each meal, take their seats, say the blessing, and we see the hands raise up and clap above their heads or the index fingers touch their noses. We end a majority of our days in a circle on the basketball courts, linked to the person beside us, singing rad hayom and humming while the madrich of the day recounts what we have done. These are just a few of the every day traditions here at camp. Not to mention Post-Hityashvut, Maccabiah, every single crazy va’ad (or club), shira and rikkud on Friday nights, throwing people in the lake on their birthdays, going up to the Rock on the last Shabbat, our summer themes, and painting a mural to be displayed for years to come. Every year new traditions are formed. Traditions that hope to serve forever in Solelim history. On Saturday evening, one such tradition was introduced. Here is the speech that each and every member of Camp Solelim heard on this legendary evening:

“Camp Solelim of 2012. You sit here confused. But I assure you that after tonight not only will you have clarity, but you will understand that a new era of Camp Solelim is unfolding before your eyes. Back in the early days of Camp Solelim, a tournament used to exist. The pioneers of this camp came from various backgrounds. Many came from the former Soviet Union, others from North and South Africa, and some journeyed from the Middle East. With them they brought traditions, values, and customs that came to define what Camp Solelim is today. What you see here is the formulation of different cultures of diaspora Jews. However, there was one thing that transcended the different cultures. One thing that was familiar to all of the founders. A competition existed long ago. One that all peoples across this globe used to partake in. A tournament. Four teams, Four elements. The winner, given eternal glory. At Camp Solelim, as with everywhere else, people gathered to take part in this tournament. The winners had each of their names engraved into a building that has since been torn down and time has faded those names away.

As you sit here. We are bringing back what has long been lost. Today you are witnessing the creation of a new tournament. Campers and Staff of Camp Solelim 2012, I give you the Solelim Cup."

The campers have been split into four different teams. Each team a representative of one of the four elements of the earth; air, water, fire, and earth. These are not simply teams, but legacies – birthrights – bestowed upon each and every camper. Siblings will be forever paired with siblings, as there is no tie stronger than blood. There will be challenges and competitions throughout this summer as well as those to come. Challenges that test wit, creativity, athletics, intelligence, and teamwork. The winners of said challenges will receive points for their victory that will be displayed on a board kept in a public place. At the end of each summer, the winning team will have their team name etched on a plaque for years to come.

There was an excitement Saturday night, equal to that of electricity that hums through the air. Campers lay anxiously awaiting the coming challenges, intrigued by this new phenomenon that is, The Solelim Cup. 

First Impressions

This blog was started this summer with high hopes. Hopes that the campers could have a means to express how they truly feel about this camp. To encourage them to write things down, to really think, and to be a part of something more. The hopes are that each day at least one camper will speak their mind and a post on this blog will be made so that you, reader, can attempt to understand even a little about what Solelim really means to these kids. We as the staff have given them the opportunity for freedom of speech, here is our first post, by one of our campers.

Camp Solelim is, in essence, organized anarchy. It is a mishpacha; a family. It is freedom. It is responsibility. It is coming of age. Camp Solelim is the most unique experience on earth. The spirit that so greatly resides in the campers, the staff, the chugs and activities is obvious even from the first few moments of camp. As the bus rolled in carrying the rookie unit, their staff and fellow campers, the post unit, welcomed them with open arms - and open mouths. No matter the cause, Solelimnicks will put all hands and feet behind it. This unconditional ruach is what makes our camp more like a family than anything else. Furthermore, the freedom and privileges, aptly geared towards our age group, encourage all to rise to the challenge - not abusing said privileges. This attitude is the laid back persona that everyone needs in the summer. Even with our busy schedules and filled days we manage to have a relaxed time on the beach in tents or around camp - the operative word being relaxed - the dedication in the hearts of the staff, the energy in the campers, and the homeyness of the facilities makes Camp Solelim indescribable. It is, simply, Camp Solelim.

-Anonymous  Rookie, July 5th 2012