Shabbat Shalom, Camp Louise!

This week’s middah is one of my favorites – kindness/adivut.  When our kids were little, every night at the dinner table we would ask them two questions:

How were you kind today?

How was someone kind to you?

We wanted to instill the importance of kindness at a young age to help them grow into compassionate, empathetic, confident, respectful, happy, and responsible adults.  

How privileged am I to get to witness this every day at camp – in my own kids and in so many others!!  I am so proud when I see kindness shine through here with bunkmates, staff, and everyone at camp.  And of course, we all know that kindness can be contagious!

We have seen SO MANY examples of kindness throughout camp, and 13 campers were selected to light candles on Shabbat because they demonstrated this Middah of the Week.  Here are just some of the reasons they were nominated:

• Sharing stuffies with friends who were scared of thunder or missing home
• Comforting friends
• Inviting bunkmates into games
• Sharing clothes
• Making banners for friends in Talent Show
• Helping bunkmates change their sheets 
• Taking a camper to the Health Center
• Spreading joy and positivity 

Two of our 2026 CITs shared some thoughts during services this morning that I also wanted to share…

This week we have a double Torah portion. ‘Mattot’ introduces a look on laws values, and promises. While “Mas’ei” talks about the journey of the Israelites through Egypt continuing to keep God’s promise on preserving land. 

While reading through this week’s Torah portions, we immediately related it to our journey through camp and our friendship values.

We both started our journey separately in different sessions until we met in bunk 29, Unit D. Though we had separate interests, we immediately clicked. Throughout the years up until CIT summer, our bond has grown and our values of trust, friendship, dependability and especially humor have flourished. We could go weeks, months, or even years without contact and still pick up where we last started. That’s why camp friendships are so special and rare. This ties back into the Torah portions that have kept trust and values through the journey the tribes took together. 

While being at camp, I have received a few letters, each from one of my mom’s CIT sisters from 1993. They only just reconnected but came back stronger than ever staying in contact as much as they can. They continue to prove the uniqueness of a Louise bond. One of them shared a speech they wrote during their CIT summer. This quote resonated with us. She shares “Even though our lives are going through many changes and somewhere down the road the wildest oceans and the highest mountains will try to keep us apart; I know that our common thread of Camp Louise will always keep us together.”

6 years later, down the hill we’re on a new journey as CITs while continuing to hold our same values. Being a 2nd and 3rd generation camper, we recognize how important the Camp Louise legacy and the journey you take on with different people and the bonds you’ll make along the way. 

During this last week of camp, we hope you can find the values to carry with you until you’re back in your summer home.

And to wrap up, this middah also reminds me of one of my favorite lines in our Saturday morning Shabbat service that comes at the end of the poem “The Value of a Smile” by Dale Carnegie:

When people are too tired to give you a smile, give them one of yours.

No one needs a smile so much as he who has none to give.

How true this is!

Share your smiles and your kindness – even when it’s hard.  It can make a huge difference in someone else’s day and perhaps in the world!  And who couldn’t use some of that right now?!

Shabbat Shalom!

Alicia