This past Sunday, I asked my high school Sunday school class to design their ideal gardens. I handed out rulers and pens, but they were not used. Instead, they opted for colored markers as they sprawled out on the floor. I sat back and thought “they clearly didn’t hear my
It’s official, Camp Sprout Lake in changing the world through gardening. Today, the campers had a crash course in Rambam’s levels of Tzedakah, Pe’ah— a Jewish agricultural law regarding mandating the corners are the fields are left for the poor— and the pandemic of hunger plaguing the world. Campers began
To those living in the world of social justice, the idea of a violent revolution seems repulsive. Taking the lives of many to improve the lives of others is oxymoronic, paradoxical, a nightmare. We live in the world in which we dream of peaceful revolution, one of love, respect, and
Today was political action day in the Amir project garden at Camp Sprout Lake. Over 100 letters were written to the senators of New York, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island tackling issues of litter, climate change, rainforest preservation, safe water and hydrofracking. As the eleven and twelve
Jews love blessings. We bless our food, our weather, and our new clothes-nearly everything. Why then do we not have a blessing for planting? Today at camp, we began planting our garden. Campers were able to dig their hands—too often used for texting and videogames— into rich soil. They planted
The kids are here. 183 screaming, excited and overly energetic 2nd-8th graders, and they are ready to change the world. Rather, we want them to be ready, but, is it reasonable for adults to expect these campers to make significant social change from our camp bubble in upstate New York?
It has been three days of hard work, blisters, and buckets of sweat, but it is almost time to sprout, literally. Next week, the campers of Young Judea Sprout Lake in upstate New York will arrive. For this eight-week summer, I have one goal in mind, to make clear the
