Category: Summer 2021 - Hillcrest Jewish Center Day Camp

What’s Happening at Hillcrest: 6/7 Boys

7/28/2021

Each day this summer, we'll be spotlighting a different group or activity at camp with a post from one of our staff members. Today's post is from Ethan S, a 6/7 B Counselor!

Yesterday, the 6/7 boys and all of the lower camp went to the movie theatre where they watched Space Jam 2. Some of the kids enjoyed eating popcorn or candy while others slurped on their slushys. Many of the kids loved watching lebron James who is the main star of the movie and thought the movie was great. The kids couldn't stop laughing during the movie since to them, every joke was hilarious and impossible not to laugh at. The kids favorite parts were when they saw Bugs Bunny or when they saw Daffy Duck. After watching the movie, we headed to the park in which they had lunch. Many of the kids ate bagels and chips along with a fruit punch. After eating, they headed inside the park where they ran around and had tons of fun. Some slid down the slides while others swung on the swings. No matter what they were doing, they were having so much fun. After the park, the lower camp went back to camp in which the 6/7 boys and girls went swimming. The beginning portion of the swimming period, they were instructed on how to swim and the other half, they were allowed to swim freely in the pool. At the end, they had their last snack which was a choclate ice cream bar. Of course, the kids ate the choclate ice cream bar which they loved so much and then they went home.

What's Happening at Hillcrest: 6/7 Boys

7/12/2021

Each day this summer, we'll be spotlighting a different group or activity at camp with a post from one of our staff members. Today's post is from JohnAngelo C. - our 6/7 B Group Leader!

The 6/7 Boys have had so much fun these past couple of weeks and have been on some fun trips. On our first week of camp we went to Jumptown USA where the kids jumped until their heart's content. On our second week we went to Alley Pond Environmental Center where the lower camp met some cool animals from rabbits, to birds and even snakes. As we enter our third week of camp our group has split into two teams for COLOR WAR the BLUE FALCONS and the WHITE WOLVERINES. We played some fun games like relay races with batons and tic-tac-toe, as well as some mini games in Minute to Win it and even Simon Says. This Color War will sure to be so much fun for all campers in all groups

What's Happening at Hillcrest: Arts and Crafts

7/8/2021

Each day this summer, we'll be spotlighting a different group or activity at camp with a post from one of our staff members. Today's post is from Angela - our Arts & Crafts Specialist!

Hillcrest Jewish Center Day Camp welcomes back campers and staff after a year off. Each week is a new creative adventure at Arts & Crafts. Campers walk into the Arts & Crafts room eager to know what they will be creating. During the first week of camp the campers designed different Fourth of July arts and crafts. The art projects were different according to the campers age groups. The younger campers created paintings of fireworks made out of their handprints with fire sparks made from paint and glitter splashing out. The older campers designed flags using red, white, and blue cutout paper, in which their hands displayed four fingers to represent the Fourth of July as well as cutout handprints displaying fireworks. They used their imagination to decorate the flags and fireworks.

The second week of camp consisted of campers making masks using tissue paper, feathers, and pipe cleaners. The young campers enjoyed designing their own picture frames, flower pictures, and bookmarks. Everyday is full of new projects utilizing the art supplies and their imaginative minds. The summer has just begun and there is so much more to come.

What's Happening at Hillcrest: Nursery Kindergarten

7/5/2021

Each day this summer, we'll be spotlighting a different group or activity at camp with a post from one of our staff members. Today's post is from Carrie A. - one of our N/K Group Leaders.

Camp at Hillcrest just begun and we are already having a lot of fun in the N/K group. We have two N/K groups this year so there were a lot of friends to meet. On the first day we got to know each other by saying our name and our favorite food to eat. We had yummy pizza for lunch and cooled off by going for a swim at the pool. For our first trip we went to Jump Town USA, where we went through a lot of bouncy houses. There was also a knock hockey game and a basket ball hoop for us to try out our dunking skills.

Wednesday was our first BBQ at Valley Stream state park. BBQ"s are always nice because the children get to interact with the other groups in the camp. At the BBQ we played in the playground where there were slides to go down and swings. As another way to get to know each other we talked about our favorite animal and what animals we would see at the zoo vs. what animals live on the farm. Thursday we went to Progressive gymnastics. We bounced on the trampoline, walked on a balance beam, and did tumbles. Friday they became little scientists as the children leaned how to make lava lamps using a plastic bottle with food coloring, water and oil. We saw how the liquids in the bottle separate when we turn it upside down.

To celebrate the 4th of July we made fireworks by making hand prints with red paint and then made stripes with blue paint and a paint brush. In Jewish culture we learned how to say hello in Hebrew; and now in the morning we say hello in two languages. Back in the N/K room the children built great tall buildings. When it was time to clean up we taught them where each block goes according to its shape. In drama we stretched our muscles with some exercises and danced. At gym we broke up into group of 3 and practiced throwing and catching a ball. There is much more camp left to go and we are all looking forward to what's in store for the rest of the summer.

What's Happening at Hillcrest: 8/9 Boys

7/2/2021

Each day this summer, we'll be spotlighting a different group or activity at camp with a post from one of our staff members. Today's post is from Myles R. - Counselor for the 8/9 Boys.

The first week of Hillcrest 2021 has been a blast for the 8/9 Boys. We started by playing a few games to learn everyone’s name, before heading off to our first trip of camp: Batting Cages and Mini Golf! Even with the high temperatures, the boys had a great time swinging and putting the ball. Tuesday was a day at camp, where the boys got to play at the park, do arts and crafts, and do the annual swim tests, before having a fun free swim. On Wednesday we had delicious hot dogs at the BBQ, and played at the playground, along with games of Basketball, Volleyball, and Newcomb. On Thursday, we went to Laserbounce. The boys played laser tag and arcade games all day. Today, we had our first time in Drama, Jewish Culture and Krav Maga, and it was so much fun. We can’t wait for the rest of the summer!!!

What's Happening at Hillcrest: 10/11 Girls

7/1/2021

Each day this summer, we'll be spotlighting a different group or activity at camp with a post from one of our staff members. Today's post is from Arielle S. - Group Leader of the 10/11 Girls.

The first week of camp has been so much fun for the 10/11 girls! On Monday, we spent some time getting to know each other in our home base by doing ice breakers and talking about or favorite songs. We went on our trip to the batting cages and all had a blast playing mini golf and winning prizes in the arcade. On Tuesday, we spent time at camp making foam fingers in arts and crafts, learning about the days of creation in Jewish Culture, and playing games in drama. Then, we went to gymnastics where we did relay races and learned some cool gymnastics tricks. We also took our swim test and got put in different groups so we can all learn how to swim.

On Wednesday, we went to the bbq at the park. Although it was hot out, we all had a great time playing on the playground with our new friends. When we got back to camp, we hung out together in our home base and then won canteenbucks in bingo. We went on the second trip of the week on Thursday when we went to laser bounce. There, we played fun games of laser tag and won points in the arcade. When we came back, we went to the wii room and then had our first double swim of the summer! The first week of camp has been so much fun so far and everyone has been making so many new friends. We can’t wait for more swimming, playing games, and having fun this summer!

What's Happening at Hillcrest: 6/7 Girls

6/29/2021

Each day this summer, we'll be spotlighting a different group or activity at camp with a post from one of our staff members. Today's post is from Abby K. - co-Group Leader of the 6/7 Girls.

These past two days have been a blast for the 6/7 girls! On the first day on camp we had a lot of fun participating in so many activities. We played freeze dance in drama from coloring to Jewish culture! Throughout the camp day we did numerous ice breakers where we got to learn each other’s names and some fun facts about one another! (Did you know that a lot of us love fruit loops cereal?) We spent the rest of our Monday playing kickball in the gym followed by a refreshing free swim. At the end of the day we were upset to go home but excited to have ice cream for snack and come back to an even MORE exciting Tuesday!

On Tuesday we went on our first ever field trip to JumpTown USA! We played in so many different bouncy houses. There was one that looked like a pirate ship, one with basketball hoops, and even one based off of Mickey Mouse!! We played with the 6/7 boys and nursery kindergartners in the bouncy houses. There were REALLY tall slides and even an air hockey table! We had sooo much fun!!

Happy Hillcrest 2021!

6/28/2021

Growing up as a Hillcrest camper, I was always the kid who started counting down to “next summer” as soon as the last day of camp began—a countdown that usually lasted 310 or so days. It was an amazing feeling, then, when the countdown entered the hours instead of the days, and I started to pack my backpack for the first day of camp!

It feels like just yesterday that I was posting our weekly countdown posts to Hillcrest 2020 on social media, only to have the countdown stopped, and the realization that it would be my first summer without in-person camp at Hillcrest since I was 5 years old. While I loved working with our campers each morning on Zoom last summer – and we all had a lot of fun playing games, cooking, escaping the room, learning magic, and more – I find myself waking up this morning as excited as ever about it being the first day of another Hillcrest summer – one that we have waited two years for!

Over the course of the summer, the Hillcrest Jewish Center Day Camp website will share the story of Summer 2021 with all of you. You should be sure to check the “Camp News” page for two-week updates, reminders, and digital versions of forms and flyers that get sent home with campers. Don’t forget to glance at the “Photos” page to view galleries of pictures from trips, BBQs, events, and more! And of course, keep your eye on this “Blog” page for and updates about everything that happens on your average day at Hillcrest! Links to all of these pages are right at the top of our homepage!

In addition, be sure to follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/hjcdaycamp) and Instagram @hjcdaycamp! Throughout the summer, we'll be posting photos, videos, and even live streaming during the camp day from these accounts.

I’m so excited to spend another amazing summer with all of the campers at Hillcrest and to share our experiences with all of you here, at www.hjcdaycamp.org.

Happy Hillcrest 2021,
Daniel Bacharach
Webmaster, Color War Commissioner, & Director of CITs