On July 6, Camp Bnos Kanfei embarked on “Bnos Kanfei ECAT 2020,” a two week east coast adventure trip (ECAT) that traveled to Lake George, Lake Placid, The Finger Lakes Region, Hershey Park and the Poconos. The girls came from Maayanot, SKA, Prospect, TAG, Bais Yaakov Baltimore and Shulamit High Schools. The trip was a response to the COVID restrictions that made travel to the usual Kanfei destinations of New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii impossible.
The trip was an attempt to make lemonade out of lemons and use the COVID restrictions as an opportunity to explore and experience the natural beauty close to home. Activities on the trip included speed boating and cliff jumping, adventure ropes courses, whitewater rafting, amazing waterfall hikes, tubing, horseback-riding and just about any outdoor activity one could think of. Each night there were chaburas focusing on Torah ideas and middos development. The trip included 23 participants who traveled with a 15 seater van, a cargo van and two cars. The girls had an amazing time and expanded their boundaries through physical challenge, geographical awareness and inspirational
discussions.
Rabbi Benzion Scheinfeld, the founder of Camp Kanfei and Bnos Kanfei, commented, “The regular Kanfei trip travels to New Zealand and Australia, to some of the most exotic and beautiful parts of the world. It also goes skiing which is an activity that is close to my heart both physically and spiritually, as I find much inspiration from the beauty, exhilaration and challenge of skiing. Due to COVID restrictions this year, we created an itinerary traveling mostly through upstate New York and a bit of the Poconos in Pennsylvania. To be honest, I expected the trip to be fun, but was resigned to the fact that I would have to live this year without being touched by the beauty and uplifting excitement that comes with the regular Kanfei trip to the South Pacific. Never did I imagine that upstate New York would be able to fill that void.”
He continued, To my great surprise, I was mistaken. I have been astounded by the beauty and adventure that we have experienced on Bnos Kanfei these past 10 days. There have been so many moments of heart-touching magnificence and exhilarating challenge. It was just so special to feel touched and inspired so deeply and unexpectedly by something that exists in our own backyard. “
Camp Kanfei is planning to run a coed version of the trip from August 3- August 13 and another iteration of the Bnos Kanfei trip from August 17- August 27. For information, please contact the Kanfei office at 201 362 0310 or [email protected]
