Dec 28, 2025
Every summer, parents drop off their kids at CYJ. Some cry because they’ll miss them. Some cry because—let’s be honest—they finally get the house back. Either way, everyone’s thinking the same thing: What’s going to happen to my kid this summer?
And every summer—whether it’s one week or three and a half—they pick up someone… different. Maybe your daughter now leads Friday night blessings like she’s been appointed family Rabbi. Maybe your son makes his bed because nikayon (cabin cleaning) somehow works better than twelve years of parental nagging. Or maybe it’s more subtle—they hold the door, ask how your day was, or actually say “thank you” without being prompted.
(We know. Weird, right?)
Yes, CYJ builds strong Jewish identity and love for Israel. Kids leave singing Hebrew songs, talking about Israeli current events, and counting the days until Shabbat. That’s the mission. But here’s what really happens out there in the hill country.
Your kid learns to live with a dozen other humans without causing a diplomatic incident. They practice kindness– comforting a homesick bunkmate, cheering when someone else wins at ga-ga or crushes the talent show.
Camp is one of the last places where you can succeed without stepping on someone else. Where kindness is practiced, not just preached. Where counselors notice the quiet kid who stays close until they feel brave enough to jump in.
They climb the ropes course while terrified. They bomb a skit and survive. They attempt pottery or archery and surprise themselves. None of it is comfortable. All of it is growth.
Counselors build confidence on purpose—celebrating the kid who finally spoke up just as loudly as the one who scored the winning goal.
So when your kid comes home refusing to explain what “wakey wakey” means, wearing more friendship bracelets than they have wrist space, smelling faintly of sunscreen and confidence, and singing Hebrew songs at volumes that violate local noise ordinances?
That’s not just camp magic. That’s growth. That’s a kid who discovered that being proudly Jewish, being part of the community, being challenged and supported—that’s the foundation for everything.
So, welcome home the kid you dropped off at CYJ . And welcome home the kid who came back—kinder, more confident, and already counting down the days til next summer.
Happy New Year. Maybe consider making some resolutions to make your household just a little more camp-like.
Frank “the Tank” Silberlicht
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