As Thursday Mishmar came to an end, the thought of the coming Shabbos came into my brain and starting doing somersaults in excitement. The week itself had been full of exiting trips and sports galore, but I was in need of a desperate break and my body was sending messages that it was time to shut down.
Early Friday morning I woke up to the smell of dirty laundry and an amazing realization hit me. Tonight Shabbos begins and I told myself that since this is the last Shabbos of camp, I better make it count. Eager to get on with my day I raced to shacharis. After learning had been completed, I was blessed with the gift of playing softball, the sport that causes the average human to exert the least amount of energy possible. A very intense game of softball ensued and after a great catch by Rabbi Cooper, my team took the victory. It was simply a fantastic way to end the week.
Once the sports were all completed we set out for 7 Mile Market for pre-Shabbos shopping and to partake in a contest set forth by Rabbi Weiner to buy snacks for the oneg that night. I made a few great purchases and in the blink of an eye, I was right back at camp getting ready for shul.
Kabalas Shabbos was simply fantastic and inspirational, with singing and dancing to greet Shabbos. At the conclusion of Davening I went to the dining room for the Shabbos meal, which included very scrumptious food. And in the middle of the meal the other camp that shares Ner Yisrael with us called Ohr HaNair joined us in singing Shabbos zemirot. After the meal, the snacks from 7 Mile were brought out at the oneg and the significance of each one was explained.
The next morning tipped off with shacharis which was followed by a delicious meal filled with cholent, deli, and cake for those fortunate enough to have their birthdays during camp. The cakes scent was simply overtaking. After a great rest/ menucha, we davened and ate shalushudis and finished off the final Shabbos of camp with ebbing. It is sad to see camp coming to an end, but this Shabbos made me realize that we are one camp and one voice that we can really make an impact on one another and help each other grow.
-Efraim Weiner, Memphis, Tennessee