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."

Deep Thoughts

If someone invented instant water, what would you mix it with?

Submitted by Robert Kravets, Bunk 2

Scott's big surprise

Scott thought he was going to fake someone out...
Never trust Camp Nageela

The annonyminiminimity of annonymous

Seriously guys, what's with all the annonymous posts?
Even Dorky uses his name (at least sometimes).

Scary Pictures

I have four really scary thoughts about these 5 pictures:

1. All 5 above very normal looking people are mature adults who we trust with your safety.

2. 4 out of the 5 above very normal looking people are either engaged or married.

3. The guy in the middle is your new assistant head counselor.

4. Yehuda is the most normal looking guy in the bunch!

Dvar Torah, Dvar Torah, Dvar, dvar...

At the very end of this week's Torah reading (for those who stay awake long enough to hear it) is a line thsat says, "And you shall be holy, for I [G-d] am holy."

You might not know it, but the Torah tells us not to eat insects. You know that 4 inch slimy cockroach that's been zipping around your bathtub? Yeah, the one that looks kind of like... never mind, I don't want to insult anyone.

You might have the attitude, "yuck, who would wanna eat that (Mordechai just got a new idea for the canteen)?" The Torah is saying that we should think, "hmmm, maybe it is good. There are even some ppl who might want to eat it. I won't eat it because G-d doesn't want me to eat it!"

There are lotsa mitzvas that are real easy to keep, because we wouldn't wanna do anything different (have you ever gotten an urge to drink blood? If you have I don't want you back in camp... but anyway the Torah doesn't let us eat blood), but it's an extra mitzva to do it because G-d wants us to do it, and not for any other reason.

So when you come back to Camp Nageela this summer, don't do it because it's the coolest, most amazing, fun, chillin, adventurous, wacky place in the world. Do it because G-d wants you to!

Mazal Tov

Camp Nageela would like to wish a huge Mazal Tov to long time counselor

Yaakov (Okapi) Levine



on his engagement




Post your Mazal Tov wishes here!

Camp Nageela names new Assistant Head Counselor

We are positively itchy with excitement at the news that camp nageela has appointed

ELI SHAPIRO as our new Assistant Head Counselor.

Those of you Nageela veterans know that Eli is a Nageela legend. For four years, Eli brought his awesome talents and energy to camp in a way that no one else ever has.

Remember, "I like Chinese"?
How about Eli's amazing skitsaphrenia routines?

We can't wait for NAGEELA 07!

Eli Shapiro is bottom middle (blue sunglasses).

Note fellow Nageelans in picture: Ian Leifer, Mystery Man, Jonah Feldman, Daniel Weisz.

Open to Suggestions

What do ya think of this idea for a new Nageela logo?

DEEP THOUGHTS

If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving probably isn't for you.

Submitted by Jeffrey weisz, Bunk 5

Open to suggestiions

Here's another possible logo for this year's t- shirts,. let's hear what you think.

Sheva Brachos

It is customray that for a full week after a new couple gets married, friends and family get together and make a series of parties. I was priveleged enough to be at several sheva brachos parties for Yehuda and Sarah this past Shabbos in L.A.
This past Sunday night, Rabbi and Mrs. Shenker hosted a sheva brachos party in their house. One of the highlights was this song, written and performed by Shaya (dorky) Hecht:

TO THE TUNE OF "Do I know who I am"

The girls want to know who I am
Why my ligament became a rubber band
which one will be the one behind the veil
standing next to me while i wail

JEP is the root of my soul
my job looks hard but that's not really so
I’ll wait ’till Friday, and then pick up the phone
There’ll be 50 guys at the Shabbaton

HIGH

I finally met my soul - my soul mate
it's no surprise that she was number 68
Now someone understands why I am me
I’m glad I found here before I turned 50

i'm really so unique- an entity
Every night activity ended in injury
One ting about my wife- I really like…
She never shouts, “Yehuda off the mike!”

SOME OTHER TUNES:

rabbi shenker is a very hard worker
dani locker is a very hard worker
rabbi karmel is a very hard worker
yehuda maryles we wanted to wish you mazel tov

by Yosaif Cohen

yehuda yehuda yehuda yehuda

yehuda yehuda yehuda yehuda

yehuda yehuda yehuda yehuda yehuda

wow i finallly got your attention

by Azi Steiner

Korn Salad

Did you hear about the guy who stayed up all night to find out where the sun went?

Then it dawned on him.

What is an archaeologist?

Someone whose career is in ruins!

OUCH!

Yehuda's Wedding update

Here it is, about 6 days after Yehuda's wedding and I find myself thinking...

WHAT? YEHUDA'S MARRIED? You've gotta be kidding!

Nope, not kidding, Yehuda's married. Here's a little bit about the wedding for those of you who missed it.
HERE ARE SOME ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

YES: Yehuda cried his head off.
YES: Yehuda grabbed the mike in middle and started singing
NO: Nobody shouted Yehuda off the mike... not one person!
NO: Nobody gave Yehuda a goat as a wedding gift
YES: Dorky did make a fool of himself over and over
YES: Tova Locker was the star of the show
NO: Dovid (chief) Abrahamson did NOT sit on Rabbi Shenker's shoulders (though he tried)
NO: Mordechai Shenker was not the caterer, nor was Yaakov (muffin man) Simanowitz
NO: Rabbi karmel did not tell korny jokes in middle of the ceremony (though he tried that, too)
YES: Yehuda really is married
NO: This is not all just a color war breakout
NO: Yehuda did not wear his judgecredibles costume to his wedding
YES: Shaul Leiser did

if you have any other important questions, please ask away, and we'll try to answer them in an entertaining (and somewhat truthful) fashion

Mazal Tov!!!

Let's see if I can post this in 42 seconds...

Camp Nageela is proud to announce the engagement of one of our star incredible (lively?) talented

START AGAIN, START AGAIN, START AGAIN

Okay. Camp Nageela is proud to announce the engagement of one of our star incredible (lively?) talented counselors

NATE THE GREAT CHAIT! Yup, Nate has bitten the dust.

We wish him and his Kallah all 'da best 4eva.

April 13th, hmmmm

• Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13th, 1801
• Gary Kasparov (famous chess player) was born on April 13th, 1963
• Tiger Woods won his first Major on April 13th, 1997

Gosh, is there anything else that could have possibly happened on April 13th?

OH YEAH! HOW COULD I FORGET?

The Apollo 13 Oxygen Tank exploded on April 13th. Any old dork should have remembered that.

If I think of anything else I'll let you know, but I think I've covered everything important...

By the way, isn't Friday the 13th supposed to be scary? hmmmm

DEEP THOUGHTS

Is it just me, or do buffalo wings taste like chicken?

TOP 10 CONTEST UPDATE

A few days ago, we posted a top 10 contest about making up holidays.
Apparently, the favorite one seems to be the vacation from participating in contests.

C'mon guys! Send 'em in! If you're too embarassed and you're afraid that other people might find out the extent of your insanity, then post anonymously.

Once again, you can post either by posting a comment publicly, or by emailing it to dani@jepli.org

Korn Salad

What kinda sandwich does a shark eat?

Peanutbutter and Jellyfish

OUCH!

Think you got a better one? Email it to dani@jepli.org

Happy Birthday

We wish a Happy Birthday to the following Nageela campers:

Emanuel Medevoy ...4/9
Daniel Bogatin ...4/6

You can post your birthday wishes in the comments section.

p.s. staff members, I dont have your birthdays so if you'd like to be listed you've gotta let me know.

TOP 10 CoNTEST- Legal Holidays

Many of you believe that we don't have enough holidays in this country. We have school for 180 days, that's almost half the year... absolutely disgraceful! But there are other perks to National holidays than no school. For example, on July 11th (7/11) many 7-11 stores give away free slurpies. Now that's my kind of holiday!


Your job: Give us your best new holidays, and what special celebrations they should include (example: Visiting Day is a day when WALMART should give out free candy)- it could be Nageela related or not.
THE BEST ENTRIES WILL GET ABSOLUTELY NOTHING (but it should be a fun list) so work hard!
Either email your entries to me, or post them to the comments below and I'll add 'em.

Picture of the Week

Since the Amazing annual Color War Shabbaton is on its way, I decided to dig up an old color war picture (i think it's from 2 years ago).

Click here for a much larger version.

How many NAGEELAns can you identify in this picture?

I count 14... if you think you have more, or if you can't find as many as I can, post a comment, and we can discuss it.

(although I highly doubt anyone will get more than I will)

Open To Suggestions

Here's another one (one of my personal favorites)

although the weather deosn't exactly fit with this logo, think of a hot summer day when Dov and Daniel forgot to bring the water bucket to the basketball court (sorry) after an intense game of rolly polly.

Let's hear your opinion! Rate this logo from 1-10 (10 being the best). Criticize it! Rip it! Compliment it! Tell us how your grandmother make better logos than me. Let's hear the people speak!!!

DEEP THOUGHTS

How many light bulbs does it take to change a light bulb?

Brrrrrr

I want my money back! What kind of business is this, making me come to the East Coast and giving me freezing weather like that?

Today in Vegas it's 75 glorious degrees, but who am I to complain? In another 3 1/2 months we'll be chugging up in a bus to the front gates of CAMP NAGEELA! where there are always surprises, and of course, always great weather (it never rains in Camp Nageela).

CAN'T WAIT!