When my mom became the Tsofot Head Counselor in 2015, it was truly the best thing that could have happened to me. Attending Camp Tevya over the next decade, I gained lifelong brothers, unforgettable memories, incredible friends, and mentors who will be a part of my life forever. I learned invaluable lessons, like the idea that you are only as strong as your weakest member—a core belief of my age group last year, Tel Chai, which played a major role in creating our strong bond. I learned to find trust in myself and my friends, as well as learning to become comfortable in being my true self. Camp has shaped who I am and will always be a part of my identity, no matter where life takes me. In this blog, I’ve selected six photos that stand out to me, and I explain exactly why they hold such significance for both me and my age group.
Number One: A Quote From The Rafters
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” and “take in each special day because at some point, it is going to come to an abrupt halt” were the backbone quotes of our age group. This quote from Dr. Seuss was part of our age group’s identity as we made it our goal to have fun ourselves every day, but also create fun for the rest of camp. Each second, minute, and day felt as if we were on 10x speed. We taped this to the wall of our bunk, making sure to see it every time we went in or out, to remember our values. As the clock kept on ticking, this quote became more and more important to me. We had to cherish every Friday night Shabbat, every elective, and every evening activity, for these would be the last ones we would ever experience as campers.
Number Two: Lake Potanipo
“Lake Potanipo is where I like to go; it brings back special memories when my heart is feeling slow” is perhaps one of the most well-known lines in one of our camp’s most well-known songs: “Tevya Spirit.”
I truly cannot remember a normal summer outside of camp. I grew up here for the past 10 summers, starting as a young child in 2015, and over my past 10 summers, Lake Potanipo truly holds some of my favorite memories. One of my favorite memories of Potanipo this summer was when I was taking my lifeguard certification course. Even though all I had heard before was that “it’s so awful,” my friends and I decided it would be fun to do it together, which really showed the strong bond in our age group. Looking back, yes, it was a lot of work; however, doing it with my best friends made it so much easier than I expected. We supported each other through tough training sessions and tests, and we were all thrilled when we received our certificates, whistles, and lifeguard shirts (which, let’s be honest, was the main reason many of us signed up). Whether it be sailing to the other end of the lake to talk with “townies,” swimming during I-Swim (what we call instructional swim) to the WARK (our waterpark), or having a bonfire on the beach, the shores of Lake Potanipo have given me countless stories to share with anyone willing to listen.
Number Three: The Bunk
Bunks 13 and 14: Tel Chai, a brotherhood. It was always nerve-racking to see everyone walking past our bunks to and from meals and activities. Some might say the bunk should be spotless to avoid turning into a biohazard, which it often did. Others would argue it should stay messy because we were there to have fun, not stress about cleanliness—after all, our parents sent us to camp to enjoy ourselves. The bunk usually stayed somewhere in between.
I could walk through that bunk blindfolded and tell you a story for every spot I stood. Whether it was playing Chi-Po, a boys’ area favorite, an occasional fight, or a special age group activity, each night brought something new. While most of our day was spent outside, the time we spent in the bunk before bed often led to the most memorable moments. From a shower curtain falling to a whole bunk bed collapsing, to rap battles breaking out, if you asked me where I had the most fun, I would instantly answer, “My bunk at camp.”
And, of course, the best part of my summers were my bunk counselors. They worked tirelessly, losing sleep to plan activities and make sure we had the best summer possible. I’ll always be grateful for them and the times we shared in the cabin together.
Number Four: Queen
As part of being in Tel Chai, another Tevya tradition (yes, there are a lot of traditions) is choosing a Queen. The Queen is a female staff member who has been on staff for at least two years. She spends time with you, plans special events, and surprises you with gifts from time to time. There are designated “Queen-times” along with surprise “Queen-times,” so it’s important to pick someone you enjoy being around, who’s a good person, and who’s a great counselor.
One of my favorite memories was a movie night in El-Bess where we watched “Borat.” Our Queen was approachable, funny, and kind, which is why we all chose her. She designed and bought custom Tel Chai 24 bucket hats and even played in our annual Staff vs. Tel Chai softball game as our starting pitcher.
Another unforgettable moment she gave us was when we went stargazing on the tennis courts. There was pizza and other food, and some of us shared our Tel Chai stories—secret stories that only our age group knows, which come from doing something silly or stupid over the years as a camper. Having a Queen after so many years of looking up to other Tel Chais and their Queens was surreal when we finally announced ours to camp. Our Queen made my summer more enjoyable and there was never a dull moment around her.
Number Five: Three Rivers
This photo was years in the making. From hearing stories of the white water rafting, to the bunk-houses and outhouses, to the crossing of the highway, stories about Three Rivers circulated its way through camp each summer, and finally it was my turn to go.
The night before we left, our age group had a meeting in Girl’s Rec to talk about our upcoming adventure, detailing every little moment of our trip, from the excursions we were going on to what we wanted for our brown-bag lunch. Once we were let out of the meeting, we were sent back to the bunks to pack, then fall asleep as we had to wake up before the crack of dawn the next morning.
When we arrived, we were surprised to find the campground right off a highway, with log trucks speeding by at 80 mph. We unpacked, got familiar with the layout, and were assigned our bunks. Afterward, we played lawn games and had lunch. Our first activity was a peaceful two-hour tubing ride, followed by a one-hour hike to Moxie Falls, a stunning 90-foot waterfall. But the highlight was yet to come: white water rafting the next day. The next morning, we crossed the highway for breakfast, had a safety lesson, and were assigned our rafts. Then, we took two buses for a 30-minute ride north to the rafting starting point. The scene was incredible: the biggest dam I’d ever seen, with hundreds of large rafts waiting in the staging area.
My group, along with the guide, walked over to one of the many rafts, and our guide gave us yet another safety lesson, teaching us the commands he would be giving us during our rafting. After about two hours of rafting class four and five rapids and being able to get out to swim in the class one and two rapids, the adventure was done. The overnight trip did not disappoint in the slightest, and this was in my top three best days from the summer. When it was time to leave and head back, we knew what we had waiting for us at the bunk. It was our turn to experience “The Prank.” Another one of Tevya’s long-standing traditions is to have the second-oldest age group, Tel Yehuda, prank Tel Chai on the night we get back from our overnight. It was somewhat annoying because we were all exhausted from the trip, yet still very funny to see what they had done to our bunk.
All in all, it took around an hour to clean up. Once cleaning up was over, and we all went to bed, the trip came to an end.
Number Six: Birya and Tel Chai
Birya and Tel Chai, or BTC, are the two oldest age groups at camp. We’re expected to be role models, bring the energy, and maintain a strong bond as a group. At the start of the summer, we were pretty divided, with boys hanging out with boys and girls with girls. But thanks to our counselors, who gave us countless opportunities and activities to connect, we became a much closer group over time.
From BLT (Bog Leadership Training) to bonfires and special activities at Skunk Hollow, these three events were key in bringing us together. The most memorable for me was an activity at Skunk Hollow. Our counselors took us to Skunk Hollow, a second beach about a five-minute walk through the woods that Tevya owns. Once we arrived, they had us sit in a circle and explained what we’d be doing. It was nighttime, and we sat under a blanket of stars, making it harder to see each other and helping some people feel more comfortable sharing. We did a “popcorn” activity, where anyone could speak at any time. We shared weaknesses, regrets, or things others may not know about us—not just fun facts, but deeper, more vulnerable things. It was a chance to trust that what we shared would stay within our BTC bubble. I learned so much about other people that I had not known before, which helped us become much closer as an age group solely from this one activity. This was important to me because after this night, it truly felt as if we had fulfilled the roles of BTC and were truly one united age group.
In conclusion, these are just six of my favorite days and memories of camp overall. If you’re reading this and debating whether or not to go to camp, consider this your sign to sign up for camp this summer. I’m forever grateful to Camp Tevya for giving me lifelong memories, friends, and mentors that I will cherish forever!
Sam Fishman is a sophomore at Natick High School. At school, he is involved in the Jewish Student Union, athletics, and Key Club. Out of school, he is a JTI Peer Leadership Fellow and a member of Temple Israel in Natick. He spends his summers at Camp Tevya in Brookline, New Hampshire.
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