Haksheevu! Haksheevu!

Camp Massad’s 60th anniversary on-site reunion is just three months away. Dozens of former campers, counsellors, hanhallah members and eemot are attending the weekend event on August 24-26 for a trip down memory lane and a once in a lifetime opportunity to relive the magic of Massad.
 
Camp Massad prides itself on tradition, and this tradition will be very much in evidence during the reunion weekend. While programming is still being finalized by the reunion committee, chaired by Jakee Werbuk, much of the seder yom is already in place.

The event will begin, of course, on Friday evening with all registrants gathering around the flag pole for announcements, Hatikva and a few heydads. Tefillah under the oombrella will follow, and then everyone will make their way to the chadar ochel for the famous Massad Shabbat dinner – essentially unchanged in 60 years - prepared by Marilyn Ingram, Massad’s chef extraordinaire for a remarkable 23 years.

Dinner will be followed by sheera and rikudei am and a lot of reminiscing, storytelling, laughter and fun. Saturday’s events will include chugim, or special activities, a camp-wide program like Capture the Flag or Meshugarama, sport, swimming, Café ben Leumi, Rikud Zar, a medura and of course, a few surprises. The reunion will wrap up Sunday afternoon with a final opportunity to sing Sheelgeeya and Yona Pa’amona, belt out an old cabin song, peruse Massad’s collection of 10,000 slides, remember when, and experience the sense of community, family and ruach that is unique to Massad.

“The program for the weekend will cover all the major highlights from a summer at Massad,” says Hart Jacob, who was the camp program director from 2005 to 2007.

Jacob, who is overseeing the programming for the reunion, is one of several former program directors and hanhallah members - representing every decade - who will be attending the reunion.

This list, to date, includes Prak, Jeff Refet Ross, Perry Rubinfeld, Elliot Leven, Carroll brothers Oozy and Marshall, Stu Slayen, Danny Gunn, Rhonda Prepes, Jason Tapper, Jason Marantz, Lainie Filkow, Bryan Borzykowski, Ryla Braemer, Aaron Ingram, Paula Sturrey and Eli Gotthilf.

"I am always excited to return to Massad and re-visit the the good times I enjoyed there," says Prak (Jack) Boroditsky. "My best years were those when I was on staff and then as the program director for seven years."

"I am looking forward to catching up on Massad gossip, hearing about the phenominal staff members during my tenure as director, and just being "there" in the middle of the shetach," he adds.

Prak and the other program directors and hanhallah members will be joined on-site by many of the counselors that they worked with and many of the campers that they looked after. Alumni from as far away as England, New Jersey, Toronto, and Vancouver have already registered, and many are bringing their non Massad partners with them.

Importantly, the reunion is also open to anyone who has ever wondered about what goes on at Massad, was envious of their friends who went to Massad, or wants to get a taste of what their children love about Massad

“I can't wait to spend a weekend at Massad,” says Jacob. “Whether you went to camp in 1953 or 2003 you can come celebrate the camp we all love so much!”

The fee for the reunion is only $136 and there is both a special student price and a special one day price.

Don’t miss out!  Come back to Massad, write a cabin song, find your name on the wall, rummage through cheder tilbashot, dance to Smeichim Anachnu, paint a backdrop, rekindle a romance, and remember how much you loved Machaneh Massad.

Check out the reunion Facebook page (and a lot of old photos) at  http://www.facebook.com/events/240096356065370/

Send your questions or your offer to help plan the reunion to [email protected]

And, of course, register for the reunion on line at https://registration.campbrain.com/Portal/Login.aspx?H=massad&G=734 or download a registration form at www.campmassad.ca.

Heydad Massad!