The girl who signed this letter was our top iddos award winner for 2011. So sad that her school never saw that part of her. We did, and maybe that's why she loves us for it.
Dear Elisheva,
Just want to thank you so much for giving me the best summer of my entire life. I know everyone tells you this but, I can't begin or even tell you how amazing it was for me! This camp is perfect, the staff, all the trips we had, and inspirational places we went to. I listened to all the speeches we had and wanted to gain from all of them. The things we did were just so much fun!
 |
| Davening at Sunrise on Masada |
Everyday I was thinking to myself this is awesome, nothing can top this, and the next day we would do something even more awesome! If someone would ask me what my favorite thing was I wouldn’t be able to answer so easily because everything sticks out in my mind as amazing!
Camp Sdei chemed taught me the true meaning of friendship. And finally showed that its not the outside that counts but its the inside... i feel like for once I wasn't judged on my appearance. Thinking about this summer brings me to tears. Idk if you know, but I wasn’t accepted to XXXX this year because I wasn’t XXXX enough for them last year. I can totally understand that but when we called them up all the director said was something like… she would be surprised if any of my friends were accepted either... It got me really upset because she barely even knew me, she just decided I wasn’t worth bringing back. For a few days I was really upset but then I heard of sdei chemed where I was able to be myself in an environment that made me feel completely at home.
Nobody understands what it means to be in a school where you're not welcome, and all the time you feel like you doing something wrong or you're not good enough, but in sdei chemed I finally felt like I was in the right place. I never felt like I was being looked down upon.
Me and Rachel were talking after camp about how we’re going to get through the long school year. But sdei chemed truly gave us such an amazing summer, so that we will have enough energy to make it through the year. And while we were talking , we realized that if we weren’t so unhappy with our school our parents probably wouldn't have made such an effort to send us to sdei chemed last year. If we went to a different school my parents prob wouldn't have sent us to Israel. So its worth going to my school just so we would have this experience of going to sdei chemed.. and that says a lot! They always hear us complaining about school and they wanted to give us a summer we would never forget and this was truly it.
I know we said this a million times but idk how that application got sent in (we never clicked the submit button) but I know that hashem was behind it and everything SOMEHOW worked out. I didn’t think even in my sleep that this summer would turn out the way it did. Every moment in Israel I was taking in and I was so thankful for the opportunity. Elisheva you’re an angel sent from above! I seriously mean that! I don’t think you realize how amazing you are for doing this. you give hundreds of girls the most fulfilling and satisfying summer in the world. I can't thank you enough! The Sdei Chemed atmosphere wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t the one running it. You inspire me. Dovid definitely found himself the best woman around! Just like you said the first night of camp, you were literally a mother to everyone and you’ll always have a special place in my heart.
I hope in the zechut that you gave everyone the best summer of their life hashem will bench u with a million more times of brachos! I hope we'll always keep in touch! I love you so much! THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS SUMMER JUST PERFECT! I WISH TIME WOULD GO BACK SO I CAN DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
With much love, Bracha Shadrouz
P.s- keep sdei chemed alive forever so that my children and grandchildren can also go!
An Open Letter to my S'dei Chemed Campers. Re: Tznius in Eretz Yisroel.
Been There, Done That: Why Being Frum Is So Boring
Rabbi Yitzchok Feigenbaum,Principal of Tiferes Bais Yaakov High School in Toronto
I also went to Sdei Chemed and can say the same exact thing! Sdei Chemed transforms lives!
ReplyDeleteI'm really happy that Sdei Chemed "changes lives". But I am really sad that we need a camp to do in four weeks what schools fail to do over the course of 15 years of yeshiva or Bais Yaakov.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Daniel Mechanic of Project Chazon has said that girls tell him that they learn more from him in a three hour seminar than they've learned their entire BY career. Why is nobody teaching these girls what they need to know?
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm *more* likely to send my kid to a place where the person running it is brave and takes the right positions on important issues. What, I should prefer the alternative??
ReplyDelete5 and 1/2. Just saying
ReplyDeletePlease tell your Eishet Chayil that the letter is EXCELLENT and should not be taken down!
ReplyDeleteI hope that "Bracha" has found a school which appreciates her.
Wow! this is how we all feel. Dovid, dont worrry about it, for every Girl that backs out, you'll get 10 more. People are waking up to the stupidity. go on doing what your doing, you speak for us all. Bracha, you go girl!
ReplyDeleteForget about what they fail to do, it's having girls for 12 years and BLAMING camp for the way a girl dresses and acts. Who should take the blame for a girl not being Tzanua in the summer? 12 years of school vs. 5 1/2 weeks of summer camp?
ReplyDeleteFact: More girls improve in Middot, Tzniut, and Mitzvos in S'dei Chemed than in 12 years in Bais Yaakov.
I feel bad for the girl whose parents pulled her out.
ReplyDeleteI get tears in my eyes every time I read this, and I've read it more than once. My kid sister is AMAZING, y'all!!
ReplyDeleteI'd feel more comfortable reading this if you asked her for permission before posting it.
ReplyDeleteIf you ask first, then even if she does find out, you're not "getting caught", and if she would have never found out, you know it was done with full disclosure...otherwise, it seems a bit self-serving to use someone else's personal thoughts and discussions with you for in order to promote your blog.
Of course I asked the girl. Not sure what you are saying.
ReplyDeleteShe is graduating now. Otherwise I doubt I would have been able to post it.
ReplyDeletemy name is ari broyn and i went to sdei chemed this past year as a camper. i am in tenth grade and i can honestly say that this past summer was the best summer experience i have had in my life.i did enjoy it and was inspired strongly. It is one of the only all boys, modern orthodox touring camps in Israel. we do not get involved with any girls there making it not possible to get involved with ncsy programs and we do have basketball games against camp emes. the fact that you see all of their campers happy shows that sdei chemed does exactly that.
ReplyDeleteI beyond agree with that letter! Sooo inspiring!!
ReplyDeleteI think Eitan confused Elisheva (your wife) as being the name of the camper. Your opening paragraph likely gave the impression that the camper/writer did not know you were posting this.
ReplyDelete"I’ll post one of many beautiful letters that was written after this past summer. I’m sure Elisheva will make me take it down when she finds out, so enjoy it while its up."
wow!! You see the difference you and Elisheva makes in the girls and boys lives. Kol Hakovod!!! Keep going-you see you are doing something right. Kids need alot of love and acceptance and a loving environment and that is what S'dei Chemed gives them!! Best camp and best directors. Those kids that are able to go to your camp are very lucky.
ReplyDeleteDovid, it's great to see that you're not only carrying on the work of your father, but even expanding it beyond what he did. :D
ReplyDelete