Term 3 has started well, with the annual Zooz Camps a highlight. The first one was our Year 12 students鈥� last camp as a student (we hope that many of them will return as madrichim in future years!) and they embraced the occasion accordingly. Mr Lawrence and his fabulous Jewish Life team had organised the usual fantastic activities and our very own canteen led by Mrs Horwitz and a team of wonderful parents contributed their cooking skills. I had the privilege of joining the Year 12s overnight on Friday as well as the Year 5 and 6 students on Monday evening and have to say that the food was significantly better than I would have eaten at home!

Friday evening was filled with fun and games after a delicious dinner including the best roast pumpkin I鈥檝e eaten in a long while. The madrichim organised activities including a particularly bizarre game often apparently played at weddings and involving answering unexpected questions with a partner鈥檚 shoe 鈥�

It is always a supervising teacher鈥檚 hope that an overnight camp stay will be uneventful during the hours of darkness and this was the case on Friday night. After a wonderful day, the students were ready for sleep. I had learnt from various students about pimple patches, the rules of poker and the word 鈥榤enucha鈥�, which I added to my Hebrew vocabulary. I also learnt that as one鈥檚 eyes fail with age, a camping head torch is a brilliant aid to being able to read a book in poor lighting conditions. Having always wondered why old teachers take so much bedding on camp, I can now confirm that a good pillow and doona are worth bringing. Along with the inaugural wearing of a new merino hat crocheted by a friend, I had a good night鈥檚 rest, safe in the knowledge that CSG staff member Tzur was keeping us safe during the night.

I have been involved in many discussions about student camps over the years and I know that some schools are considering either cancelling them or reducing the number of camps they run. For me, they are an invaluable learning experience on so many fronts as they involve living and learning with others, collaborating, being away from home and spending time on a deep exploration of what is important in Jewish life. The theme of Hagshama, the connection between actualising your values and living a meaningful life, was an appropriate way to provoke discussion and thought.

I think the key to our Zooz camps鈥� success is the careful planning of programs, the good food, and the significant messages of Jewish Life, reinforced by an excellent team. Thank you to all of those involved and long may our Zooz camps continue.

听

From the Principal