I'm a Jew!

FINALLY!

After years and years. Pain and suffering by all of us who kept hearing from Yehuda about how the album is coming out, the album is coming outthe album is coming outthealbumiscomingoutthealbumiscomingout, you get the point. Well it's here!

Not only does Camp Nageela have our very own album, it doesn't get any better. The music, done by the Nochi Krohn band (a long time friend of Yehuda and me- they performed in camp a few years back). The singing is done by an awesome choir along with some stars of Jewish music, including Shlomo Schwed, a former NAGEELA counselor!

You'll hear some of your favorites:

I'm A Jew!

How can I know

Bumps and Curves

Narrow Bridge

Rushing, Cooking, and more!

You can order your copy today at www.imajew.org

Fun in the sun

As my stint out west comes to a close, I've been taking advantage of the incredible scenery that Nevada has to offer. Just to make you city boys jealous, I decided to post some pictures I took at the Valley of Fire State Park. On the right is a natural stone arch that would be perfect as a football throwing target in a "switch" night activity.

Next up, we have the new Camp Nageela van, a gorgeous red 1926 convertable Ford Model-T (we don't only have red mountains, we have red cars to go along with them). In the background is the other new camp van, a white 1933 plymouth. Guess what! I've just been informed that the camp vans will be even better- instead of 1926 models, they'll be 1986 models! And they will have air conditioning a few days a week, and a roof on most of it!

Good news and bad news. The good news is camp is building more bunks and rooms. The bad news is they won't be ready yet this year, so this is the temporary waiters' bunk. At least it's shady. Cleanup might be a bit rough, but the good news is it may be easier to get them up in the morning, and the lizards and rattlesnakes around make really, really fun pets.

Speaking of the western mountain ranges, there's a really strange natural phenomenon called "Nevada's blue mountains." Apparently, these bizarre rock formations spent millions of years under water, where they were subject to incresed exposure to sodium bifloctunase and barcodium2. These chemicals, along with the enormous water pressure combined to make a strange stone substance that appears from a distance to be bright blue in color, and similar in many of its charachteristics to plastic. This particular landmass, commonly known as Wigenhedge Rock, after famous explorer and backgamon player Fredrick Wigenhedge has the distinct appearance of a piece of playground equipment with Tova Locker's face in middle.

Anyway city slickers... don't feel too bad. All these sights are a little less cool when it's 100 degrees out.

Endless Possibilities

OK, so now it's time to hear from the peanut gallery... what do you all think of this as a t-shirt design? Everyone relates to it, and it even has some sort of meaningful message, not that I'm usually very concerned with that. There are almost endless twists and turns we can take, so feel free to offer your ideas.

Oh, and thanks to Shaya for the concept.

(by the way, I think the AMP design is out, unless I find out if it's kosher or not- i don't think it is)

DEEP THOUGHTS

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

Submitted by Jeffrey Weisz

Under two months, and counting...

Yessss
Only one month
and twenty eight days
until the
fabulous debut
of Nageela Boys 2007
GET PUMPED!

Big Rig video

Not quite as good as Avi Appel, but they'll do.

Korn Cheescake

Where does a T-Rex shop for groceries?

At the Dino-Store.

Why did the ant travel to Washington, DC?

He wanted to run for presid-ant.

Bring it

Here's a little song I wrote about the holiday of Shavuos (starting tonight):
To the tune of 'Just wrap it'

Sha-sha-sha-vuos, for thee I be yearnin'
Sha-sha-sha-vuos, all night I be learnin'

Three thousand years back, plus,
we was chillin out at Sinai,
G-d asked us to accept,
and we said a-ight; fine - I

will do and I will listen,
to the rules that you make
and then when we be done,
we gonna eat cheesecake

Sha-sha-sha-vuos
Sha-sha-sha-vuos

Yup you got it, tonight sis Shavuos, the holiday that we celebrate receiving the Torah (bible), our guidebook to life. It also happens to be the best selling book of all time (eat that J.K. Rowling!).

You're probably all asking, "Dani, what's your favorite thing about Shavuos?"
Well, maybe not all of you are asking that, just some of you...
OK, OK, so none of you care, I'm gonna tell you anyway, so just quiet down and listen!

When the Jewish people camped around Mt. Sinai to get the Torah, it says, "He camped beneath the mountain." Why does it say 'he', if it was a whole group of a few million people (some people say that the 'he' is referring to my imaginary friend Bartholomew, but it's a minority opinion)?

The answer is that the Jewish people at that time were such good friends- they had such unity (go unity, go unity, it's your birthday, etc.), that it was as if they were one person!

It's easy to love Jews who go to Camp Nageela, but the lesson we learn on Shavuos, is that in order for us to get on G-d's good side (and let's face it, that's about as good brownie points as you're gonna get), we gotta love every Jew, and treat them as if they were our own left pinky toe (pedicure, anyone?).

Also... note the title of this post, "Bring it."
On Shavuos people would bring offerings of the first fruit that grew in their fields, to thank G-d for giving them fruit (I always bring offerings of my first pickles). It's sorta like the original Thanksgiving. Appreciate the people who give us stuff.

So this Shavuos, don't forget to bring it!

DEEP THOUGHTS

I don't know about you, but I'm a bit confused why

my nose runs and my feet smell.

Submitted by Robert Kravets

Hooray! Yippee! Wow! Oh My!

Congrats to the Still Nuts Blog!

WE'VE REACHED 1,OOO HITS!

Alrighty people, let's get up to 10,000 before camp!

I can't believe it's not color war...

I mean it is color war... I mean, oh whatever. Can you imagine making an announcement and sending out flyers of exactly when and where color war is? That's crazy! Color war is supposed to be a surprise!
The surprise is that according to sources in the JEP office, we're expecting record high attendance- more kids than at any Shabbaton (except Camp, of course) in JEP's 20 year history! Eat that, Mr. Pickle head!
It's a bit sad, because this is the first time I'll be missing a color war shabbaton in quite a few years (like 7 or so). it's also pretty exciting, because it's the first Shabbaton being attended by a certain married man named Yehuda.

I can't wait to hear that Dorky lost!
Have a great Shabbos.

A little piece of history

the origin of the Nageela zoo

Many people have asked me why Camp Nageela has a zoo. In fact on the Camp Nageela FAQ list, it's somewhere in the top one or two hundred. I was previously uncomfortable giving the true answer and just gave a typical answer like, "Scott likes animals," or "I don't know, go ask Rabbi Karmel." The truth is, Scott secretly hates animals, and Rabbi Karmel hasn't been in ccamp long enough to know the answer.

HERE IT IS:

In the ancient world before iPods were invented, Yehuda decided he needed a pet. He tried a few unsuccesful attempts at tarantulas, bats and water bugs, before he realized that animals didn't only fail to make him happy, but he had a terrible allergic reaction that resulted in... crying.

Most normal people would then try to make sure that there were no animals (barring the waiters) left in camp. Yehuda isn't most normal people. In fact he... well... we'll just leave it at that. There has been much speculation as to exactly how and why Yehuda personally brought the goats and other assorted mammals and fowl to camp, and quite a number of thoeries have appeared in scientific and psychological litterature.

This is a clipping from the Brittish Journal of Medicine:

The following is an excerpt from the Hawaain Journal of Contemporary Psychology:

Whatever the psychological or pathological evaluation of Yehuda may be, it is clear that the reason for his crying at the grand sing is not emotion, but a small hamster that he hides in his pocket.

Next time you visit the Nageela zoo... please try not to cry.

Korn Bread

What time is it when you go to the dentist?

Tooth- Hurty!

Do everyone a favor! Send in YOUR jokes. That way they won't have to hear mine!

Nageela DVD

If you live in a normal part of the country (unlike me), you've probably received a DVD with some awesome video from Nageela '06 (courtesy of Mordy Shenker).

I'm really starting to get pumped! But before we move on to Nageela '07, let's spend a few monutes on that dvd.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART?

Let's vote on it.

It's official

This summer, I'm making Dorky and Azi co-counselors.

Ego Trip

The following is an email I received about me from a staff member who will remain unnamed due to fear of perpetual shame on his part. It has been only slightly edited due to inappropriate language (see what kind of ppl like me?). It is completely real.

"Wow you're good. you effortlessly ,make life altering banners, pictures that people as a whole can rally behind and push forward into the oblivious oblivion. It's enough to make one brake out in song, but I will restrain myself and let a calm wash over me to allow myself to hear the world at large. Hark i can hear the mango's growing, life is grand."

Now obviously the reason I'm posting this is to give you guys (particularly Dorky) some ammunition to make fun of me with, since you don't seem to be able to find anything on your own.

Actually, I'm just really sick of Dorky and Azi bantering like a few llamas on caffeine (what exactly do llamas on caffeine do anyway?).

"I don't like the sweatshirt color."

"Well you're stupid."

"Is that the best line you could think of?"

"I am NOT anonymous"

"I still don't like the sweatshirt color."

You don't know how to spell."

"Well, you're still stupid."

and so on............... so go ahead, fire away! I might just 'fire' back!

Light 'em up

Jewish Calendar Flash:


Today is the holiday known as Lag BaOmer (meaning the 33rd day of the period between Passover and Shavuos).


Many people have trhe custom to light bonfires (of course, only with the propper supervision) in honor of the great light brought to the world with the writing of the great work on Kabbalah, known as the Zohar (the light) on this day.


Enjoy the holiday spirit!

more on Lag BaOmer

New Night Activity Director

Only a machine this talented could replace Yehuda

Just kidding. Yehuda will be back in Camp Nageela this summer. Warn your orthopedist!

Nageela Idol

Korn and Onions?

I went to the butchers the other day and I bet him 50 bucks that he couldn't reach the meat off the top shelf.

And he said, 'no, the steaks are too high.'

Two robbers broke out in the bank, one of them pointing the gun to the cashier said, "Give me all your money, or you'll be GEOGRAPHY!" The cashier laughed and said, "You mean to say 'HISTORY.'" The robber answered, "Don't change the subject."