West Camp 2026

Pool Stars

Lilah
Age: 9
Tribe: Simeon

One of my favorite places at camp is the pool. I go there at free-time. I go to the pool with Piper and Ruby. To go to the deep end, which is 9 ft deep, you have to pass the swim test. The swim test is where you have to jump into the deep end and go all the way to the shallow end while swimming under the lane. You get a red wristband if you pass the test and you are allowed to go in the deep end.

After passing the test, I loved to play with Piper and Ruby. We played a lot of different games that we made up. Some of the games we played were run away robot, friends or enemies, and some other fun things. Run away robot is where someone becomes a Robot that keeps escaping. Friend or enemy is where we try to spy on someone but they keep seeing us. One day, we attacked a counselor named Aquaman and he spun around and around to get us off! (Even though it seems dangerous, it's actually really fun and funny!)

People should go to the pool because it is heated. Plus, it’s fun! This is why I like going to the pool!

Ultimate Frisbee

Owen
Age: 11
Tribe: Reuben

What is “Ultimate” Frisbee, and what does that even mean? That’s what I first asked before coming to Camp Gilgal this year. Well in this article I’m going to teach you the ins and outs of the fast-paced sport!

Rules are the biggest part of any sport, game, etc. Unlike other sports, the rules of ultimate frisbee are very simple. On offense, the biggest rule is not being allowed to move whilst holding the disc. Although the person possessing the disc can’t move, other people on the team can do whatever they want. The goal of offense is to score a touchdown by passing and throwing. On defense it’s also very simple too. The objective is to slap the frisbee down to turn the disc over to their possession and try to score. Other rules like kickoff and counting are also important during the game.

Another big part of the offense and overall frisbee, is how you throw the disc. A classic outside side-arm is the most common technique and used in everyday passing. It’s an outside of the wrist flick to curve it around the opposition and to a teammate. The second most common throw is a classic side-arm flick. This is done by pointing your hand into a finger gun and flicking your wrist in a side-arm position. A less common throw, like the hammer, is used to sink the disc by throwing it over your head for it to gain speed effectively “sinking” the frisbee down. After learning all the rules and throwing techniques, grab some friends and try playing a game yourselves!

Snag-a-Staff

Ariah
Age: 11
Tribe: Benjamin

The game snag-a-staff is a very fun game. The staff that I helped to snag were Spot, Marmalade, Paws, Solo, and Bear. We knew the game started when the whistle blew. As soon as it blew, I took off running. The first person I ran to was Spot. He was sitting criss-cross applesauce looking sad. I had turned away because I didn’t understand what I needed to do but then I heard some people playing Silent Football with Spot so I went back to them and joined the game. The way to bring Spot back was to call him out when he messed up. The first time we moved up, someone started the game with the thwacka but when I did it, Spot moved back down because I later figured out he thought I did it for the 3rd time in succession which is Illegal. After 4 quick games of silent football, we brought Spot back.

After running back down the hill, I witnessed Eleanor and Marmalade talking in a funny accent saying things like “no nails, that's why you have no boyfriend” and “let me take many pictures.” When we were walking back, people that were pretending to be chicken walked past us and Marmalade said she wanted some of that fried chicken. To lead Marmalade back to base, we had to let her take fake pictures of us and tell her there were good restaurants up there in an accent.

I think Paws was the hardest of them all. She was a wii character playing pickleball and she moved forward when you scored on her. Something funny happened when I was with Paws. S’mores said on a walkie “go to the slab” but it was meant only to be heard by counselors as a joke, but a bunch of kids heard her say it and started bolting to the slab. They had to come back. Eventually, everyone was back and we conga lined Paws back.

Sky Interview

Rafi
Age: 13
Tribe: Ephraim

Sky is the camp nurse for Jews for Jesus. She has been attending Camp Gilgal with her children for the past 3 years, since 2023. During our interview we brought up the deep questions of the origins of Sky’s camp name, the reason she loves being a camp nurse, how was her relationship with God as a child, how did she make her relationship with God her own as an adult, and how she became associated with Jews for Jesus. Sky’s responses were not only deep and real, but also genuine, emotional, and from the heart.

The reason for Sky’s camp name is because she loves looking at the night sky. She finds peace, tranquility, and feels spiritually rested from the beautiful sight of the night sky.

Sky loves being a camp nurse for the ability to help campers and counselors stay safe and have fun, so that they can experience the full experience of Camp Gilgal’s fun and loving affection.

At the age of 16, Sky was saved but her relationship with God was still growing. Sky didn’t grow up going to church, but she always seemed curious to know God, be loved by God, and have a relationship with God. Sky has been an amazing help at camp. She loves everyone, and always provides the love and affection that Jesus displayed. But she wouldn’t be here without her connection with Jews for Jesus. After Ezra (her most recent child) was born, a friend introduced her to the ministry after learning of Sky’s Messianic Jewish roots. And thank God for that! Sky is the best camp nurse ever!

The Joy of Campfires

Norah
Age: 14
Tribe: Naphtali

A campfire is a classic activity for any summer camp. But Camp Gilgal, quite frankly, makes campfires the most memorable for all campers. This momentous gathering of laughter and happiness includes campfire songs (of course), worship songs, open-mic time (like talents or jokes people share in front of everyone), S’mores (because what would a campfire be without this tasty treat), and most importantly, a testimony shared by a loving counselor!

This year’s campfires were impactful, hopeful, and sweet! I learned a lot from listening to the testimonies, and I also got to spend time with the people I love and care about. We all took seats on wooden benches close together, by the fire. Some counselors and campers led campfire songs such as “Twelve Men” and the Fruits of the Spirit song. Then Tempo, Bubbles, and Seastar came up to lead us in worship. Everyone was praising and worshipping the Lord.

After worship, a counselor named Noodles went up to share her testimony. Noodles’ testimony was very impactful for many lives. She shared about a very scary and upsetting time of when she went to Israel, but was put in a serious situation. She shared about how God kept her safe. Even though she walked through the darkest valley, God was close beside her (Psalm 23:4). The thing I took away from this testimony is that even when it feels like you will not make it out, God is right beside you, no matter what happens. Noodles is an amazing counselor and had a strong impact on Camp Gilgal the night of the campfire, and has for many years.

Another testimony that was shared during Camp Gilgal’s second campfire was Paws’. Paws taught me that a testimony doesn't have to be one story that changed your life forever. Paws shared about multiple smaller things that had been difficult for her in her past. Then she told us what God had taught her. She helped me learn that you should always be thirsty for God. Your faith is like water, and you shouldn't just drink from it once a week. Both testimonies were very powerful.

After Paws’ Testimony, Tempo and Solo led us in worship. The staff spread out and we had the chance to ask for prayer. Many campers got prayer from staff and it was a very sweet and spiritually active moment.

To conclude both campfire nights, we went to bed with satisfied bellies full of tasty S’mores! Roasting S’mores around a fire with my friends is one of my favorite things! Campfires are such a joy of Camp and you should look forward to it when you come to Camp Gilgal this summer!

Snack Shack

Levy
Age: 9
Tribe: Judah

The snack shack has so many snacks! And not just snacks, there’s drinks, stuffies, and OUTRAGEOUSLY priced stickers! Don’t want to go to the pool, but still want to cool down? Have an ice cream! But still, just like the stickers, I’ve noticed some are better deals than others. Some people have Trollis ice cream which is 3 dollars and something cents. Then why can I get an ice cream sandwich for $2.00!? And one individual sticker costs the same as the Trollis! Still, there are cokes for $2.00 when you would usually get them for $4.00. The smoothies are very popular and change flavors every year. They have so much candy, like the candy rocks which are also popular. There are some pretty good chips for $2.00 and there are Cheetos which aren’t really chips. Also, for some reason there is a lot of stuff bigfoot themed.

Well, I’ve also got a story. So, I was in the checkout line and I was completely sure I did the math right. One of the items were sour patch kids which said they were $1.50 but when I checked out the lady said I didn’t have enough money. So I recounted and she told me the sour patch kids were $3.75. So I was pretty mad. But that problem should be fixed now. So pick out your snacks wisely at the snack shack.

Shimmer + Sparkles

Piper
Age: 9
Tribe: Simeon

Shimmer is a counselor at camp. Since Shimmer didn’t get to go to Camp Gilgal last year, she decided to go this summer. It’s her first year—just like it’s my first year. She definitely wants to come back next year because she made lots of friends and she wants to see them again.

Shimmer is closely connected to Jews for Jesus. She went to Israel last summer on the Jews for Jesus Massah trip. Through that trip she found out about Camp Gilgal and wanted to work there because she loves kids and learning about Yeshua. Her mother is fully Jewish also her Great Grandma Rosie, who escaped Ukraine from the programs on a boat to New York City. Shimmer is proud of her family’s Jewish story and their perseverance.

Both of her parents believe in Yeshua and God. She grew up reading the Bible and going to church. When she was 9 she struggled with a lot of fear and sadness until Easter Sunday. That day the Pastor was talking about Eternal Peace and she longed for that. That’s when she prayed that Yeshua would come into her heart. The worship lyrics were about the heavens opening and she felt the heavens rejoicing. Since that day Shimmer never felt alone.

Shimmer’s favorite activity is by far cabin devos. She is with the older girls, the tribe of Naphtali. They have been talking about empowerment and God’s purpose in our lives. Her favorite night at devos was when the girls talked about using the power of the voice God gave them. They talked about Esther and how she used her voice to advocate for justice for the Jewish people and herself.

Shimmer's favorite animals are chickens because she loves how cute they are. Additionally, they remind her of God's love. Similar to free range chickens, God, in His mercy, has given us freedom. She loves them so much she is a vegetarian.

Her favorite thing about camp so far has been the campfire, because not only was there worship but there was also an intentional time of prayer where campers had the opportunity to ask counselors for prayer. This was her favorite night because she got to pray with me. It meant a lot to her because she loves and cares about me.

Dirty Outlaws

Micah
Age: 11
Tribe: Reuben

One day about 7 pm, I was playing Wells Fargo and I got Tempo’s gold bag. I was talking to Misha about how we would get it. We made a path to go the back way next to the bathrooms. By the pool there was a way to get behind the bag and have Misha behind me so he would slow Tempo down. So we took a shot. We quietly went by the bathroom and next to the pool and down the stairs, then I took his bag and hurried by the pool and next to the bathroom and down the stairs and got it!

We won that round also because Rafi made a speech and it was a good speech. The speech was so good that it made us win that round. The speech said that all the campers should get into groups of 2 and we won it. We won by a lot and we won the next round by a lot as well, all because of the speech that Rafi did. In the end, we won and everyone was happy. Misha was a really good partner and Rafi and Rocco probably got the most bags. Even though I only got one bag, I still had a lot of fun playing Wells Fargo with all my friends and the whole camp.

Water Balloon Volleyball

Eleanor
Age: 12
Tribe: Benjamin

Water balloon volleyball may or may not be what you think it is. The way the game works is your tribe has a tarp that they carry together, and they’re supposed to use the tarp to throw the balloon and make it pop on your opponents’ side of the court, or to catch it when your opponent throws it to your side. This year, my tribe got 3rd place. I like Water balloon volleyball because it helped me learn to coordinate with other people and work as a team. My cabinmates agree that throwing water balloons and working together is fun.

Another thing we agreed on is that switching to the other side of the net is difficult because you have to get used to your new bearings really fast if you’re gonna win.

I think there’s something slightly poetic about being united around a tarp, and endeavoring together to succeed. Although I enjoy playing the game of water balloon volleyball, it’s also fun to watch from the sidelines. I was able to sit back and relax most of the time when other teams were playing. I could tell that the out of cabin staff also enjoyed watching the tribes have fun. Next to the volleyball court there were often tree trunks accessible through an adjacent porch, so I sat there with some of my cabinmates when I wasn’t playing. In the finals, the two tribes were Reuben and Ephraim. We were playing water balloon volleyball with the rule of double elimination, meaning you had to lose twice to be out of the game entirely. The tribe of Ephraim had not lost, so the tribe of Reuben had to beat them twice, which they did! There were two younger siblings in the tribe of Reuben who had beaten their two older siblings in the tribe of Ephraim. “I feel like I win every other time,” said one younger sibling. “ I really had to break my siblings' winning streak,” said the other. Overall, water balloon volleyball is a good game that I would recommend you try hard at.

Free Time

Mishael
Age: 13
Tribe: Ephraim

My favorite part of free time had to be going to the pool with some of my friends, or playing basketball. Going to the snack shack was also really fun whenever I was craving food. Another fun time was playing air hockey, pool and foosball. A favorite moment from the swimming pool had to be scoring a basketball from across the whole pool.

The slab is also a great place to play ultimate frisbee, soccer, and Capture the Degel. FOB is a great way to rest right before we do all the activities that include running around. My personal favorite foods from the snack shack have to be Rice Krispy Treats, root beer, Cheez-its, and Lays barbecue chips.

A really fun thing I did with a few of my friends was throwing big rocks and huge branches into a creek next to the volleyball court. Another really funny thing that happened was when my friend Rhyder beat me in a one on one game in basketball while he was on crutches.

Overall, we had a really fun time during everything. During our time at the pool, my friends Micah, Azriel, and Eli and I had a really fun time playing pool basketball. We all decided that the blue line in the pool was a half court shot, but I luckily hit a check up swisher first try. This was my whole summary of free time.

Mail Call

Mandy
Age: 14
Tribe: Naphtali

Hi! My name is Mandy, and I’m writing about Mail Call. Mail Call is when we all gather together in the Mishkan (or amphitheater, on occasion) and receive mail from our families back home. The staff also tells us to slap our knees and clap once whenever someone's name is called, and if it's a staff member's name, the whole room goes crazy!!

Before they give out the mail, they ask for a spinner to do a special fancy spin each time a staff member’s name is called. People usually get toys and candy in their packages, and nice cards from their families in their other mail. After all the envelopes are handed out, the staff like to pretend that mail call is over, but then they pull in a wagon full of packages and start chanting “BONUS ROUND! BONUS ROUND!” and people get packages as well as letters. And that concludes Mail Call.

Tribe of Judah

Shai
Age: 9
Tribe: Judah

Hi, my name is Shai! I’m going to write about my cabin. We are the tribe of Judah. It stands for lion! The other people in my cabin are Luke, Ben, Micaiah, Jackson, Levy, Tiki, and Tempo. I love my cabinmates from oldest to youngest, from tallest to shortest! All of them are so sweet and kind and generous and helpful and courageous and more! They’re the best cabin of the year!

Our rules and stuff, we follow and do them! Our rules are be quiet during FOB and clean up. Sometimes we get to eat our treats during FOB. Our cabin is bright and everyone in our tribe is happy. Our Degel is blue with lions on it. Our counselors are Tiki and Tempo, which is why we’re also called “Triple T”, which stands for Tiki, Tempo, Tribe. Once our Tribe helped a little bug find a new home. We kept him safe from bigger bugs and then let him go, but it was fun keeping him safe. I worked with Levy and Jackson to keep the buggy safe. My favorite night time game this year was MI. We are a very friendly tribe and each member of our tribe is very important to make our tribe our tribe. We are the tribe of Judah.

Tribe of Simeon

Ruby
Age: 7
Tribe: Simeon

My tribe is Simeon and my tribe leaders are Bubbles and Seastar. Our Degel is pink and it has two swords crossed together to make an X. Izzy is in my tribe, she likes to draw and her favorite camp game is Capture the Degel. Her favorite thing about being in the tribe of Simeon is the name “Simeon” and all her friends in the tribe. Piper is in my tribe. She is sweet and she sleeps on the top bunk and I sleep on the bottom bunk. Lilah is also in my tribe. She likes the pool and plays with me with her stuffy Redwood. I have a lot of stuff that Redwood likes to eat. The last person in my tribe is Liat. She is my friend. We did a skit as a tribe. It was about the women of the Bible. It was really fun. I like my tribe because I made new friends.

Basketball

Eli
Age: 11
Tribe: Reuben

Hi! My name is Eli. I am 11 and I’m in the tribe of Reuben. Every day if we have free time I always go to play basketball at the basketball court. Sometimes we play an actual game, horse, or we play knock out. Usually I win once or twice everyday. Usually the people who play are me, Owen, Rango, Tikki, Rocco, Rafi, and Rhyder. After, I go to the snack shop and my go-to order is 3 Twix and 2 BBQ pringles. I go straight back to the court and play against some random people from different camps and make new friends while playing basketball.

I started playing when I was two and my dad brought me to the Golden State Warriors versus Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 NBA Finals Game 7. I still remember what happened in that game even though I was only 1 years old. I am a Warriors fan and my favorite players are Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant. People called them the three splash brothers because they were too overpowered on the Warriors. That is why I love playing basketball at home and at camp.

Degel Making

Luke
Age: 11
Tribe: Judah

We made Degels (flags) and it was pretty cool. Every tribe made one. It had to have the name of the tribe in English and Hebrew. We also had to have Camp Gilgal 2026 and the tribe symbol on the flag. For example, mine was a lion because I was in the tribe of Judah. Degel making was very fun but also messy. We used pencils to draw out our design on our blank flags then we painted them. It was really cool.

What do you do with the degel? You might know the answer is simple. You take them to meals, tabernacle, the mishkan, and pretty much anywhere you go. Here are some quotes from some of the campers/counselors about degel making. “It was fun” -Misha. “It takes creativity and teamwork” -Marmalade. “I loved making degels. It was super duper fun” -Luke. “I loved it!” -Micah.

As you can see people loved making degels and people said “it was fun”. It was the best! Levi, Shai, Jackson, Micha, Tiki, Tempo, and the rest of the tribe of Judah and I made our degel with 2 lions on either side of a big lion face design. My whole tribe loved making the degels.

Capture the Degel

Liora
Age: 9
Tribe: Benjamin

My name is Liora. I’m in the tribe of Benjamin and I’m writing about Capture the Degel. So Capture the Degel is basically Capture the Flag. We usually do tribe vs tribe, but this year we combined counselors and campers. So my team was Ellie, Ariah, Eleanor, Tiki and Tempo. It was a double elimination round so if you lost once you’re still in the game, but if you lost twice then you’re eliminated. My team won once and lost once but I think they thought that we lost twice because we didn’t play again. My sister’s team got second place.

The game is played by getting your groups or tribes and if you get in jail then you have to wait until someone from your group comes to get you and says “jail break.” When you get into the degel circle you are safe unless there is no degel then you are not safe. Flex, Rango and the campers of the tribe of Simeon won Capture the Degel, and the tribe of Simeon is the youngest girls cabin at camp.

I chose to write about Capture the Degel because it’s so fun and exciting. One of my favorite memories of Capture the Degel was when Eleanor just ran to our side without being tagged and we got a point. I would recommend capturing the Degel because it’s so fun and exciting. If you come to camp you should play Capture the Degel.

Devotions

Rhyder
Age: 13
Tribe: Ephraim

Devos, or Devotions, are a major part of camp and they last about two and a half hours while talking about many things such as camp songs, worship, and the testimonies. The first part of campfire/devos is to start with camp songs, which usually last a long time and it is either worship or campfire songs. These songs start to calm the mood.

Next, we have prayer and it's you praying for someone or someone praying for you. These can be about personal subjects, such as home life, mental health, or friends or family.

Oops, I forgot one subject and it’s one of the most cared for and loved ones which is s’mores! They call you out tribe by tribe and you usually have a set time frame from 5-10 minutes before they call another tribe. These s’mores are most people’s favorite part of campfire.

Now finally my favorite and most emotional section is the testimonies. I remember the first time I did this and listened, I didn't quite get it and found it boring. However as time’s gone on, I’ve found this to be my favorite part of camp. For example, yesterday during Paws’ testimony I remember sitting there having the fire crackle in front of me and finding myself reflecting on life. I then proceeded to cry like a baby for hours and that was the first time I’ve ever cried in front of someone. It was the most vulnerable I’ve ever felt. I want to tell you that sometimes when you’re at a “boring” part of camp, like how I used to think, really try to connect with what they’re saying and you will find yourself relating to it more than not.

Tribe of Naphtali

Ela
Age: 11
Tribe: Naphtali

My name is Ela and my tribe, Naphtali, is the best tribe that I could ever ask for. First, my counselors Shimmer and Marmalade are amazing and fun. They are always ready for a challenge and aren't afraid to help campers in need. Second, our cabin is away from all the chaos. Third, all the girls in my cabin are fun and exciting. We chose the name Naphtali because we think deer are adorable and fun. Our Degel has two deer leaping toward a star of David with grass and flowers underneath. Our names are written on the side. Our tribe almost won Capture the Degel, where we beat Ephraim and lost to Simeon.

My cabinmates are Ana, Norah, and Mandy. Ana is super kind and sweet and joyful. Norah is joyful and loves to make us laugh, and Mandy is fun and heartwarming. We matched each other with Disney princesses. Marmalade’s princess was Jasmine. Shimmers’ was Rapunzel, Ana’s was Aurora, I was Belle, Norah’s was Anna, and Mandy’s was Cinderella.

We decorated our cabin with streamers. Our cabin had two sides. Ana and I were on the left side and Nora was on the right with Mandy, and we all stayed up late talking. We practiced our skit a lot and my deer, Naphtali, was a star. In short, camp is the best thing that ever happened to me and my tribe is the best tribe I’ve ever been in! Our cabin is above others and away from the chaos.

I’ve made the best friends I could from camp. I made friends with a little girl from Simeon named Piper. The Lord worked small miracles for us at camp that were just as moving as the big ones. They happened through prayer and deep thought and hope. His light has shone to all of Naphtali and all of camp. It'll probably shine on you too.

Interview with Tiki

Ben
Age: 8
Tribe: Judah

Tiki’s favorite color is green because it's found in the most beautiful natural settings. His favorite food, of course, is Tiki Masala. Solo got his name because when he was two years old, at the finals of the second annual limbo competition against his Uncle, he went completely parallel to the ground with barely any space (about 3.5 feet). It beat his Uncle who fell on his head. Earning the name so-low, shortened to Solo as we know him today. Tiki is from Tucson and has lived in the same house his entire life. It's very hot there but he decided to stay and go to school in Phoenix at GCU. There he studies history with plans to go into messianic ministry as soon as God leads. It’s because he has been blessed with some scholarships and is also a resident assistant to help cover his room and board. This summer he is an intern at Heritage LA but took a week to be a camp counselor at Camp Gilgal (being in the tribe of Judah). His favorite thing at camp is when the tribe gets to come together and eat at meal times and also to sing and worship the Lord together at Tabernacle. If he could by any animal for the rest of his life he would pick an eagle so he could soar high above the clouds and see the world. Tiki loves to play sports, mainly baseball, basketball, and his favorite soccer. He also loves to do tennis and sand volleyball for fun, and mostly climbs now.

M.I.

Isabella
Age: 8
Tribe: Simeon

My name is Izzy and I’m in the tribe of Simeon, which means sword. MI started and we came to the tabernacle and they gave us our clues and our colors and escort word, “grapes.” Then we got our letter. We opened it then left the tabernacle. We went outside and opened our next clue. There was a lot of tape on it and it was a piece of chicken. Then we went close to the dining hall, but we got caught. Then we went back to the dining hall and we got our next clue at the cabin. We read our next clues and got caught again. Later we put the word together with the pool noodles. Finally we got back to the tabernacle and we were the first ones! They checked if we did all of it, then after that we won. And that’s it!

Meals

Rocco
Age: 11
Tribe: Reuben

Dear everyone,

Let's talk about the food. The food was so good on some days and more than others. I think that the lunch has been the best meal because we have had hot dogs and burgers and tons of good food. For breakfast, there were really good potatoes to go with the eggs and sausage. Everyone was begging for waffles and/or pancakes, but maybe we’ll get them next summer. My favorite dinner was the sloppy joes—I had mine with fries in it. The best lunch was hot dogs. They had the best sauces.

The servers and the chef were so nice and always waited for you to say what you wanted before serving you. Also the chef was even nicer because when I went in the food line she was complimenting my purple hair and served me extra food. She was also very kind when giving announcements because she would always explain the things she meant.

Finally, the dessert. The dessert was mostly good. My favorite night was when they had coffee cake and they also had it for breakfast. It was sooooo good but last year we all got red velvet and I think that some people were expecting it again. The snacks and chips and stuff were so good too.

Tribe of Benjamin

Ellie
Age: 9
Tribe: Benjamin

I chose to write about the tribe of Benjamin because I think we are a very amazing tribe. We have the power to be funny and then switch right back to being serious. We can be talking louder than any of the other tribes and with one raise of S’mores hand we are silent. I loved playing water balloon volleyball, snag a staff, and much more with my tribe. It was my first year at Camp Gilgal and they welcomed me into their Camp Gilgal world. Each and every person in my tribe has made sure I feel comfortable, safe, and included. I have never felt more at home in a camp before. With my tribe, everything was fun. Passing notes during FOB, talking while we were cleaning our cabin, playing in the pool, singing at campfires, and just cherishing our time together here.

My mother told me home is not where you live, it's who you live with and that is your home. So even if I don't live at Camp Gilgal, if I'm with my tribe, I've found my summer home again. My favorite thing I did with my tribe was either water balloon volleyball or spending our free time together. I interviewed some of my tribe members and this is what they said: “I like that our tribe is always first to places” -Ariah (age 11). “I like how peaceful yet joyful our tribe is” -Noodles (age 87). I agree with all my tribe members. I loved being in this tribe and can't wait till next year.

Spot

Daniel
Age: 12
Tribe: Ephraim

Today I will be talking about my favorite counselor—Spot. He has been a counselor for every year I have been here. He says “That is excellent” a lot. Spot is funny and energetic. Spot might not be coming back next year. Spot has always been a funny person. For example, this year he bleached his hair. He used to be a camper. He has a brother, named Flex. Flex is at camp this year. He is a counselor and is in the middle cabin. I have had Spot in my cabin for 2 years, my second and fourth year.

Spot says he loves camp and is so sad he can’t come next year. He goes to NAU and is studying biology. He had received a scholarship because he had a 3.97 GPA in high school. A cumulative in college of a 3.92 GPA. So he is cool and smart. While I am writing this Spot is doing the tiki dance.

Bronx, the Legend

Ana
Age: 12
Tribe: Naphtali

Bronx is the arts and crafts director. She’s worked at camp Gilgal for 30 years more or less. This is the first year where she's only done the arts and crafts. Her favorite time was doing the mosaics. Her favorite type of art is arts and crafts style—she doesn't like to draw. She does not have a favorite camper, she likes them all.

Her favorite Bible verse is Psalm 94:17. She memorized it. “Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul should soon have welled in the abode of silence”. “Bless the Lord O My Soul” is her favorite song for God. She started believing in Jesus when she was 21. Bronx met her husband at the messianic congregation in Los Angeles. She used to be married to someone who was a founder of Jews for Jesus, he was named Jhan. Her favorite thing ever is being at home with her husband Gator and spending time with her grandchildren. She has 2 grandchildren

Her favorite color is blue. Bingo is her favorite dog. He is a sheepadoodle. Bingo is 2.5 years old. Bronx loves lamb chops and hates okra, the vegetable. She likes salty instead of sweet. She likes to cook, like middle eastern food—chicken with olives, capers, and a little vegetables. Capers look like an olive they taste sort of like and olive to. She likes the Broadway show Hamilton. She loves basketball. She used to coach boys basketball. She went to Israel and she said it was beautiful. Her favorite year of camp so far was 2026. I'm glad to have Bronx here.

Craft

Micaiah
Age: 8
Tribe: Judah

Hi, my name is Micaiah. This is a guide to a mosaic. Did you know that all mosaics are square? Trick question. They don’t have to be square. First of all you need to plan out where your tiles go and what you’re going to make. You draw out a design, then you place them in whatever order you want. After that you glue them down. When making a mosaic, you fill in the hole with grout. My opinion is that it doesn’t look as good as before the grout. After you put the grout on you wipe some of it off. Then you wait for it to dry. Your Mosaic is done. I might recommend making mosaics only if you enjoy doing them and want a piece of art in your house. I did a picture from a fun game called “sea of thieves” that my dad and I used to play. The picture is classified, but it is good (especially before the grout).

Interview of Bubbles

Liat
Age: 7
Tribe: Simeon

Bubbles is 1,026 years old and was born on Juneteenth. Her favorite color is pink and her favorite person in the whole wide world is Yeshua! I asked her how old she was when she accepted Jesus and she said she was 4 years old when she first believed, but she got baptized when she was seven years old—the same age I am. Her favorite friends in the whole world are named Katya, Lexi, and Emily. When I asked if she was married she said “yes, I am married to God.” She loves camp with her whole heart. I asked her how old she was when she first loved Paw Patrol. She said, “I was today years old, and I started loving Paw Patrol because of Liat. Her mom’s favorite colors are purple and green. Her dad’s favorite color is blue. My last question for Bubbles was what animal did she wish she was. She said, “I would be a unicorn because I basically am as rare as one since I am a Messianic Jew.”

S’mores, etc.

Ezra
Age: 5
Tribe: Out-of-cabin Staff

For s’mores, we have sticks and marshmallows. The marshmallows go on the sticks. We had a lot of yummy times. We had a lot of time at the tabernacle and these people really love camp. That’s because it’s an awesome camp. The tabernacle is very singed in—like people singing.

So, I clipped Spot’s shirt and he didn’t notice. I told him that I clipped him and he laughed. We laughed. I’m a cliffhanger!

I love my mom and my mommy loves me. We have fun. We do MI and we do volleyball and we do the tiki dance.

The End.

My Tribe

Azriel
Age: 14
Tribe: Ephraim

My tribe is pretty cool. We are the tribe of Ephraim. It’s made up of my cabin leaders: Spot and Aquaman. The young people's side is made up of me, Rafi, Daniel, Misha, and Rhyder. Rafi is really cool because he is really full of wisdom and he is really good at telling other people no when they can’t themselves. Daniel is always full of jokes and good vibes. Rhyder is always doing funny voices and makes fun of little things. Misha is the most quiet but devious out of all of us. Spot is cool because he keeps up with everything going on the internet. He is always very easygoing. Aquaman is pretty chill too, but he is full of stories. He has a pretty good and inspiring testimony. Spot has taught me a lot too.

Our cabin is commonly known for smelling like skunks and other smelly things. But no one knows why… (not because of me) It’s pretty loud too, especially during the night because of the candy that we have consumed over the past 7 days. I feel like I got a really good tribe/cabin. I think it’s pretty nice that all of our personalities even out each other.

Pool

Jackson
Age: 10
Tribe: Judah

Is it a hot day? Come to the camp pool! There are so many fun things to do. But before fun you have to take the swim test from one side of the pool to the other. The pool is 9 feet deep in the deep end and the shallow end is 2.5 feet deep. Something unique about the pool is that they have a 9 square court and a basketball hoop. There is also an area next to the pool to chill in. Those facts about the pool I want you to know. So next time you are hot at camp, head to the pool. In my opinion I think the pool there is amazing. In conclusion, that is the thing I want you to know.