Israel came to camp on Monday – quite literally.

From IDF training to inspirational videos, campers experienced the history, kedusha and culture of Israel firsthand, gaining a greater appreciation for the Jewish state.

During breakfast, campers watched an inspirational video from Nefesh B’Nefesh about making aliyah and the excitement of Jews to move back to their homeland. Then, campers headed out for IDF training. The sports staff gave campers a taste of the army, putting them through authentic drills and training activities. “My favorite part of Israel Day was learning what it takes to be a soldier and what sacrifices they make to protect our country,” said Eitan Newman. Subesquently, Israeli basketball superstar Zack Rosen spoke about living and playing professional sports in Israel, and afterwards campers eagerly asked questions. For a lunch break Israeli cuisine was served, and campers munched on schwarma and falafel. During the day campers also underwent mock IDF intelligence training as they performed logic-based activities in teams. “I really liked the intelligence boot camp because it was fun to work together,” said Yehuda Pfeiffer. “Israel is our homeland and I love it,” he added.

To gain a stronger appreciation for the devotion of the IDF, the teen division watched “Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Home Front,” a movie about the transition of a group of Israeli teenagers to a platoon of elite paratroopers as they overcome various challenges along the way. “It was very good and had a beautiful message about serving the Jewish people and overcoming hardships,” said Avi Kupchik about the movie. Shlomo Schwartz also appreciated the sacrifice Israeli soldiers make to protect the Jewish homeland: “My favorite part was watching ‘Beneath the Helmet’ because it showed me how much people are willing to sacrifice for the Jewish people,” he said.