It was a close Color War between the Blue Trolleys and White Monorails all the way until the end. Although White led all week until the Friday performances, the Blue Trolleys took home the win after their performances on Friday.

Videos and photos from Color War 2018 can be found on our Facebook page!

     It was another great week at Hillcrest for the Tea cups. We are so proud of our little campers; as they have improved so much in their swimming skills. They have learned how to blow bubbles,  put their heads under the water and float on their backs.  In Jewish Culture they  made cookies with rainbow sprinkles. They put their creative skills to work in arts and crafts and made a paper plate sun. Of course the day would not be complete without singing the Mr. Sun song as they made their creations.  In gym the children played with different size balls. We went to the Long Island Aquarium; where we saw sharks, sting rays, small fish and their favorite was the sea lion show. On Wednesday we went to Valley Stream State Park for our bbq. We played in the playground and had hot dogs for lunch.  It was color war week for the other groups at the camp and they got to see a water melon eating contest. Thursday was our last trip to Progressive gymnastics; and they were able to go in the rock wall tunnel and become experts at forward rolls. On Friday we went to bounce U where they had an awesome time going on the different inflatables. We are sad to see that camp is almost over; but we know the last week of camp will be just as fun as the others. 

Camper of the week: The camper of the week is Asher. Asher was sitting next to a camper who had fallen asleep on the bus coming back from our trip; and  helped to wake him up by calling his name and gently tapping him on his shoulder. 

   This week in art and crafts the Tea cups colored butterfly wings made out of a mesh material. It was great to see how each camper decorated their butterfly wings; they added dots, shapes, and lines. In Jewish culture we made hamantashen cookies with apricot jam. The campers loved to add the ingredients needed and shape the dough into a triangle. We took a trip to Chocolate Works where the children learned about chocolate, and made candy kabobs. They had a choice of dipping an oreo cookie, pretzel or graham cracker into chocolate and then added sprinkles or m & m's. The children really enjoyed this yummy treat. Wednesdays means bbq'a and the campers went on the swings, slides and played in the sand box.  We also played with a big parachute. Each camper stood by a color; and when their color was called they had to run underneath the parachute to the other side. For lunch we ate hot dogs and potato chips. Gymnastics is always fun; as the children are getting better on the balance beam,  trampoline and doing forward rolls. This Friday we celebrated the 60th anniversary of Hillcrest Jewish Center Day Camp. During Oneg the children were asked questions about camp and the Tea cups received a coupon for a free candy at the canteen.  

The camper of the week is Jonathan. Jonathan loves being the line leader when we are lining up to go somewhere. Asher said that he wanted to be the line leader and Jonathan told him that he could be first. 

The summer is going by so fast with week five coming to an end. We started our week with a classic trip to Luna Park in Coney Island. The kids loved going on the thrilling rides, especially because it was our first amusement park trip of the summer and our first late night trip! On Tuesday we stayed back at camp and made fairy wings in arts and crafts, played gaga, sang in music, and much more. Wednesday started out with cloudy skies, but that didn’t stop us as we went to the BBQ to play and came back to camp to enjoy hotdogs and chips. Thursday’s trip was very fun for our group because we got to play in the arcade together at @Play Amusements. We ended our day with a relaxing swim in the pool. On Friday we celebrated the 60th anniversary of camp, and went back to tradition by reciting an original prayer at oneg and having our own 8/9s counselors be the Shabbat king and queen! Overall, it was a great week.

Our camper of the week is Julia! Without being asked, she has stayed back with her counselors after activities numerous times in order to help out, including to clean up all of the Wii games and to help another camper put everything back into her bag after swim. 

The Imagineers can’t wait to see what the next week of camp brings!

The best word to describe week 4 would be rainy. Everyone on Monday arrived to camp excited to go to Adventure Land. Unfortunately do to the inclement rain weather we were unable to go. However do to some quick and efficient rescheduling our trip that day was to the movies. We saw Incredibles 2, and somehow managed to get a theater with enough space to accommodate the entirety of upper camp. As good as the movie was, since most of the kids enjoyed it the highlight of the trip seemed to be the concessions stand for nearly every kid who chose to wait on line for popcorn. The next day was another in camp day with all the usual activities. On Wednesday for the second time this week, plans had to change do to the rain. Instead of going to Valley Stream State Park like all Wednesdays, we ended up spending the day in camp. There are definitely worse places to have to stay at, such as those without a pool, gym, lounge, and other activities. To everyone’s relief, we still got to eat hamburgers. The next day, we finally got to go outside. Our trip was the Bronx Zoo, which is so much better than the Central Park Zoo. There really isn’t really any need for an explanation as to what we did at the Bronx Zoo, but it was a lot of fun. On Friday was Family Day. A bunch of parents of the campers came to watch their kids perform a song that their group leaders had made for them and practiced with them. Our song was a parody of the 2018 version of John Denver’s Take, me Home Country Roads. After many days of practicing until the boys had gotten it perfect, it was finally time to show everyone what they learned. I can honestly say that they did not do nearly as good as they did during practice. A lot of the boys got stage fright, but they were all so relieved after it was over. Then it was as if nothing had even happened and they all went to their regularly scheduled activities.
The 10/11 boys camper of the week is Luis. Luis is normally very polite and kind to everyone else including both staff and campers. He is very shy, but never a burden on anyone else. Luis has shown that he has an incredible memory. During a game of song quiz at music, he remembered the name of every song that was played, as well as the person or band who played the song.

Week four proceeded smoothly in camp. The 8/9 Boys enjoyed such activities as double swim, gym, music, arts and crafts, and Jewish culture. Pizza was served for lunch, along with salad and sandwiches, leaving us satisfied. 

Wednesday was barbecue day once again - only this time it was rained out! Fortunately, all the time we would have had to spend traveling to Valley Stream and back was used for exciting in-camp activities. We swam, played sports in the gym, and practiced our Family Day song. At lunch, we partook of hamburgers, veggie burgers, chips, corn, and watermelon. All in all the rainy day turned out to be a fun twist on the traditional Wednesday outdoor barbecue! 

On Thursday, we traveled to the Bronx Zoo. We packed bagged lunches consisting of items like bagels, sandwiches, and apple juice. We split into small groups upon arrival, a staff member or two accompanying a group of approximately five campers. This allowed each group to move quickly and efficiently through each attraction, while simultaneously learning as much as possible about animals and wildlife conservation. Campers’ favorites included tigers, giraffes, and elephants. The most popular part of the zoo seemed to be the monorail, where we could sit back, relax, and view and learn about animals from above. Arlo S enjoyed the butterfly home, while Josh S was intrigued by the lions. Back at camp, the campers concluded a long day first in the Wii room, and then at dismissal with fruit and ices. 

Friday was the long-awaited Family Day! After spending part of the morning at our final rehearsal, each group, from the nursery-kindergarteners up to the Tweens, filed into the sanctuary. The CITs MC’d the event, wherein each group went up one-by-one to perform their group’s song for their families out in the audience. As soon as the 8/9 Boys were called, our campers, unable to contain their excitement, headed swiftly toward the stage and began to perform our group’s unique rendition of All Star by Smash Mouth. The performance was met with applause! Beaming with pride, we listened respectfully to the remaining performances. Afterwards, we headed to lunch. After participating in the weekly Sabbath blessings led by Rachel, our Jewish culture specialist, we partook of a delicious chicken nugget lunch, along with French fries, challah bread, salad, sandwiches, etc. After lunch, we practiced self defense drills with our Krav Maga instructor, Patrick, who helped us understand how best to avoid dangerous situations and how to best defend ourselves when necessary. We also practiced different stretches to warm up and improve our flexibility. Then, we headed down to double swim to cool off. The week concluded in the Moreida where our campers partook of ice pops and fresh fruit. We all looked forward to Monday’s trip to Luna Park.

Monday did not arrive quickly enough for our campers - it was our late night trip to Luna Park at Coney Island at last. We started the day slowly with swim, Wii room games, and a pizza lunch, but the day picked up when we boarded the buses and arrived at Coney Island. Upon arrival, we split up into small groups of about five campers according to the types of rides the campers were comfortable experiencing. Five hours later, we gathered at the front. Our campers were happy they got to go on all the rides they felt comfortable with - such rides as the pirate’s ship, the swings, and the Tickler. Back at camp, we refueled after a very long, fun day with spaghetti and meatballs, along with salad. We cannot wait for what the rest of the week has in store! 

Our campers of the week is Daniel B. Like one of our previous campers of the week, Daniel maintains a strong, infectious smile that helps him - and others - stay positive even in moments of frustration. While a relatively quiet kid, he’s not afraid to speak up if he needs help. Daniel can be most commonly found quietly laughing with a group of friends at nearly all times of the day!

The Imagineers have finished off a great first half of the camp season! Although Adventureland was rained out, we had an early trip to the movies and got to see Incredibles 2 - in fact, Jack Jack was our favorite character in the film! On Tuesday, we painted our very own pictures of beautiful tulips in Arts and Crafts, and spent Wednesday back at camp playing Kickball and Ping Pong and ate yummy hamburgers for lunch. Thursday was all fun under the sun at the Bronx Zoo - we saw butterflies, flamingos, rhinos, and red pandas! And, of course, we can’t wait to show off our awesome group song at Family Day tomorrow!

This week, Tori, Brianna, Immaliah and Madison all stayed back to help pile up our Family Day song sheets nicely after collecting them during practice. Thanks for your help, girls!

Week three continued on Tuesday with exciting in-camp activities, like swim, gym, teen lounge, and the Wii room. We continued to prepare for Family Day, the campers excited to perform for their visitors on Friday, July 27th! 

Dressed in their red camp shirts, our campers spent Wednesday at the weekly barbecue. We enjoyed activities like soccer, newcomb, and playground games. We fueled up on a lunch of consisting of hot dogs, sandwiches, watermelon, and the like. After cleaning up and enjoying some more play time, we returned to camp to cool off in the pool! 

Thursday morning began with a refreshing swim, followed by a period spent playing games in the Wii room. Then, we boarded the buses for SkyZone. Upon arrival, we were greeted by an assortment of trampolines, slides, and games satisfying everyone’s craving for intense fun. Back at camp, the day came to a close with gym. At dismissal, we refueled for the trip home with ices and fresh fruit. 

The week concluded with an assortment of in-camp activities, like swim, gym, and music with Ilan. At our Friday morning Oneg  Shabbat service, we listened to Rachel’s unique stories about kindness and compassion. Then, we sang songs reflecting the Sabbath’s theme of peace and reflection. Upon the conclusion of the service, our campers walked into the lunchroom hand-in-hand, setting the mood for a tasty chicken nugget and French fry lunch (along with salad and other goodies). After lunch, the 8/9 Boys played an intense game of Gaga in our outdoor Gaga pit. Then, we met with the weekly Krav Maga instructor to practice self-defense drills and fitness exercises. Having spent the day - and the week - engaged in exciting and challenging activities, we all looked forward to a weekend of rest, albeit reluctant to leave our friends for a while two days! 

While campers spent the weekend anticipating Monday’s trip to Adventureland, rainy weather meant that the trip would be postponed to a sunnier day. In lieu of rollercoasters, the entire Upper Camp spent the morning enjoying a thrilling Incredibles 2 at the movie theater. At camp, we feasted on a bagel lunch, followed by such activities as music, gym, swim, and continued preparation for Family Day. 

Jamie F. is the camper of week three! Jamie is the calm in the center of the storm - when others lose their cool, Jamie is a beaming source of patience, perseverance, and optimism. Jamie is an integral part of our group, and we look forward to spending the rest of the summer with him!

We started off our third week of camp with the Manhattan Circle line. We went on the boat with the 8/9s and got a good view of the Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty from the water. The boat itself was somewhat fast making the breeze in the front quite nice. Then afterwards we all took a picture next to the boat. On Tuesday we said our goodbyes to three 10/11 boys who would be enjoying the rest of the week at the New Jersey Y overnight while the rest of us had a wonderful time back at camp in the pool, at gym, baking cookies, eating pizza, etc. The boys also learned a little self-defense in the weekly Krav Maga class. Our second Wednesday barbeque was just as fun as the first, but with hot dogs instead of hamburgers this time. Thursday’s trip to Sky Zone was easily the highlight of the week. Sky Zone is an indoor trampoline center, where the kids jumped around for fun, played dodgeball, shot basketballs, or jumped into a foam pit. Friday was different from the norm because we had a lice inspection going on. The inspection was quick and didn’t hinder anyone from having fun for the rest time being. We still got to play gaga, play in the gym, and swim.
    The camper of the week is David L. David is always polite and respectful towards other campers and his counselors. More importantly on Friday David had single handedly beat the 8/9 boys and their staff members in an 8/9 boys vs 10/11 boys gaga game.

The 8/9 boys have enjoyed an exciting first week at Hillcrest 2018! On the first day, campers reunited with their friends, and first-time campers were met with warm greetings. After gathering in our home base to agree on a set of rules unique to our group, and after the very first swim meeting of the summer, we boarded the bus and were on our way to the batting cages and mini-golf courses. Competition, albeit friendly, buzzed on the golf courses, marked by laughter and words of encouragement. This continued in the batting cages, where our campers cheered each other on as they swung their baseball bats. Upon arriving at camp, the fun only continued; we enjoyed playing games in the gym, like basketball, catch, and tag. Afterwards, we partook of ices and fruit to close off a definitive first day of camp. 

Impressed by our first day of camp, we wondered what the second day might hold in store. Experienced campers knew all-too-well that Tuesday meant there would be no trip (and that there would be pizza!). We enjoyed both instructional and recreational swim, and returned once again to the gym with Greg. At lunch, our campers enjoyed pizza, salad, eggs, tuna, and sandwiches. In Jewish culture, we learned about the holiday of Chanukah and baked cookies. In music with Ilan, we learned about different instruments, brainstormed a unique band name, and even had a jam session! At day’s end, we wished a happy Fourth of July as we enjoyed our customary ices and fruit. 

Upon arriving at camp on Thursday, we inquired about each other’s Fourth of July. Questions buzzed all around: Did you see fireworks? Did you have a barbecue? Did you travel anywhere? It was in this spirit of mutual care that we enjoyed our trip to Lazerland. We played dodgeball, gaga, and laser tag with sportsmanship and camaraderie. At dismissal, we reflected on another successful day of camp over ices and fruit. 

To close off the week, Friday was spent in camp. We swam in swim, ran in gym, and engaged our creativity in arts and crafts. Before lunch, we attending our first weekly Oneg Shabbat service in the sanctuary, where we learned about gratitude, rest, and the weekly Jewish Sabbath. Naturally, we enjoyed our chicken nugget lunch (with salad, tuna, french fries, eggs, etc.) with greater appreciation than before. Afterwards, we practiced self-defense in Krav Maga, learning how best to stand up for ourselves, all the while getting an incredible workout. After a jam-packed day, and week, at camp, we looked forward to reuniting with our friends the following Monday.

The second week began with another trip, this time to the Jones Beach pool. After socializing and getting to know each other better on the bus ride out to Long Island, we changed into our bathing suits and hopped into the pool. Some campers stayed in the shallow end; others dove off of the diving board. Similarly, while some chose to eat bagels at lunch, others opted for eggs or tuna. Despite our individual styles, we all came together as a group in the spirit of enjoyment and mutual respect. Upon returning to camp, we concluded a long day by sitting back, relaxing, playing a few games in the Wii room, and eating our ices and fruit at dismissal. 

The camper of the week is Scott L. Scott is best known for his kind, respectful, positive attitude, reflected in the way he engages with his fellow campers and his counselors alike. He approaches everything with an infectious smile, from playing sports in the gym and swimming with his friends, to asking a counselor to help him at lunch. Scott is truly a pleasure to have in our group

   The first week of camp was exciting for both the returning boys who got to see their friends after the long school year, and new ones eagerly waiting to find out what this camp is like. On Monday, the first day of camp after the group did some icebreakers and went over some rules we went to mini golf and batting cages. Although not the most exciting trip of the summer, it was one way to get outdoors and enjoy the hot summer day. I found it interesting though that although we were experiencing a heatwave at the time, that didn’t stop the boys from having fun. In fact the tremendous heat served as a way for the new campers to get involved with the rest of the group since they could all complain about how hot it was together, which they absolutely did. It also made going in the pool at the end of the day so much more rewarding for them. Tuesday was a day in camp, nothing out of the ordinary, the campers played pin down in gym, won some cool prizes during bingo, had arts and crafts, baked cookies in Jewish Culture, took their swim assessments, played in the Wii room, and in the teen lounge. I think all the boys were most excited about the pizza for lunch that day. On Thursday at Laser Land, everyone had the most fun they could possibly have. When we arrived, we immediately got into a game of laser tag, and the laser tag there is actually pretty good, because at some other places it isn’t. Then we played some gaga, dodgeball, and arcade games. I think this trip was very enjoyable for the kids because all the staff were involved in all the games with them, and what kid wouldn’t like throwing balls at their counselors without getting in trouble?  Friday was another in camp day, but you could tell that this time all the kids had gotten extremely comfortable with each other and in the camp after just a few days.

            Our camper of the week was Nicholas M. Nicholas was very respectful to both his counselors and his peers. He listened to what people had to say 100% of the time. He had also brought a lot of liveliness to the group because at times he would randomly break into dance. I learned he is a pretty good dancer and is a pretty funny kid.