My Gan Izzy Experience

"We want Mesiach now! We want Mesiach now!" are the cheers you would hear coming from the Gan Izzy camp room. Gan Israel is a day camp that is filled with laughter and fun, excitement and joy. It is one of the best day camps I have ever gone to and each year starts a new memory. Every year, I get ready to take that great Gan Izzy experience and put it in a special place in my heart.

Gan Izzy wouldn’t be the same without the wonderful counselors that come along with it. They make day camp so much fun and show so much enthusiasm in everything they do. They are amazing role models to all of the campers and teach us amazing things that we will never forget. All of the counselors have shown me what it is to be a proud Jew, to show the world that we have a special piece of G-d inside us, a N’Shema. I will never forget the counselors in Gan Izzy because they reach a special place inside of you and tell us to always be proud of who we are....

Each counselor has done and accomplished wonderful things in Gan Izzy. My head counselor, Rivky, has shown me a lot about the mitzvahs from Hashem, taught me about being a proud Jew, and how she will never forget us.. She has also made us outstanding lunches and dealt with my crazy tuna orders.. Rivkey, the head counselor, has taught us amazing cheers and made us bring out our Gan Izzy spirit. Chaunie taught me all about the importance of marrying a Jewish man and all about growing up proud and strong.. Chayla has taught me all about how Jews are all over the world and we are all united by the Torah. Goldie taught me about being a wonderful person inside and really loving a fellow Jew as yourself. Chanky has taught me all about the wonderful things of being Jewish; singing the songs, cheering along, and praying to Hashem. Rivkah has also taught me about being a wonderful Jew inside and taking good care of your N’Shema since it is a special piece from G-d. I have truly appreciated everything the counselors have done for us.

In Gan Izzy, we always have something exciting and fun to do. Rabbi plans amazing field trips for us and makes sure we are always having a great time. Also, the counselors make sure to plan fun activities that always seem to connect with our theme for the day.

This year at camp was my last year being a camper. Next year I will be a counselor. Since it was my last year being a camper, I really wanted it to go out with a "bang." And of course, it always does.

This year it is going to be really hard to say goodbye. Everyone always grows so close to the counselors and you feel like they are your really close friends that you bonded with really well in the last three weeks. I will miss everyone.

Well, since Gan Izzy was wonderful as it usually is, I would like to say a couple thank yous:

First off, I would like to thank Rabbi and Morah Sorah for planning amazing trips and activities and especially for choosing outstanding counselors to come to work at CGI Peoria.

Secondly, I would like to thank all of the counselors. You have been great to us and made this camp so much fun and really enjoyable. We all will really miss you and are so thankful for what you have done for us! We love you all!

And lastly, I would like to thank all of my fellow campers. You guys have made this camp extremely fun and we have all had a blast together. So, if you aren’t in Gan Izzy you are definitely missing out. This camp is amazing and you won’t regret coming here. And if you don’t really know about Gan Izzy, this speech doesn’t explain all of it. Look back on our last three weeks and see all of us laughing and smiling because Gan Izzy Peoria is full of it!

So thank you Rabbi, Morah Sorah, and all of the counselors for making another wonderful year at Gan Israel! You truly are the best!

Love,
Mazel

(posted by Rivkale who was having trouble posting it herself...)