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Good deeds, near and far

| 23 Aug 2013 | 06:38
    Duvy Burston, 10, of Monroe, stands with two Israeli soldiers who were happy to receive cards from campers in Orange County. The soldier on the right holds a card written by Nicole Gammati, 8, of Monroe.
    Duvy Burston, 10, of Monroe, stands with two Israeli soldiers who were happy to receive cards from campers in Orange County. The soldier on the right holds a card written by Nicole Gammati, 8, of Monroe.
    Rivkah Burston, 5, of Monroe, gives out her heart-shaped card to a soldier in Israel is Tel Aviv. She also helps give out cards that other campers designed.
    Rivkah Burston, 5, of Monroe, gives out her heart-shaped card to a soldier in Israel is Tel Aviv. She also helps give out cards that other campers designed.
    The summer 2013 campers of Camp Gan Israel of Orange County.
    The summer 2013 campers of Camp Gan Israel of Orange County.
    Joey Melillo, 10, of Monroe, creates a card for a soldier in Israel in Camp Gan Israel. He is pictured with counselor Chana Yiftach of Los Angeles.
    Joey Melillo, 10, of Monroe, creates a card for a soldier in Israel in Camp Gan Israel. He is pictured with counselor Chana Yiftach of Los Angeles.
    Duvy Burston, 10, of Monroe, gives a card to an Israeli soldier in Jerusalem. The card was made by Talia Justin of Middletown, in Chabadís Camp Gan Israel. The card reads: ìTodah Rabah! (Thank you!) You are my super hero! Fighting for Israel you are a HERO! From, Talia.î
    Duvy Burston, 10, of Monroe, gives a card to an Israeli soldier in Jerusalem. The card was made by Talia Justin of Middletown, in Chabadís Camp Gan Israel. The card reads: ìTodah Rabah! (Thank you!) You are my super hero! Fighting for Israel you are a HERO! From, Talia.î
    Campers Sammy Homer and Ava Meyers, 10, proudly show the cards they made for soldiers in Israel in Chabadís Camp Gan Israel of Orange County.
    Campers Sammy Homer and Ava Meyers, 10, proudly show the cards they made for soldiers in Israel in Chabadís Camp Gan Israel of Orange County.

MONROE — Campers at Chabad of Orange County’s Camp Gan Israel were excited to make cards for Israeli soldiers – especially because they would be delivered personally.

“The theme of this year’s camp was ‘One hAPPy Camper – Where our actions are the real APPS in life’ ” said Chana Burston, who with her husband, Rabbi Pesach Burston, direct the camp. “Each week featured another Jewish-themed App, with the final week being, “iGive Mitzvot” – good deeds.”

The Burstons told the campers that the good deed they would be doing would be making cards for soldiers in Israel. “We explained that we were leaving for Israel the following week and that we would hand their cards personally to the soldiers who work hard and risk their lives to protect Israel,” Chana Burston said in the camp’s press release detailing the activity. “This felt very real to the children and they enthusiastically make beautiful cards.”

Campers cut out various shapes and wrote messages, full of gratitude and encouragement. They decorated the cards with Hebrew letter stickers, glitter and attached a lolly pop to each one.

Encounter at the Western Wall
The Burstons, together with their children, fulfilled their promise this week and presented the cards to the soldiers in Israel.

“One night, together with our ten-year-old son, Duvy, we headed to the Western Wall with the majority of the cards,” Chana Burston recounted. “We were excited to find a huge group of soldiers there that night. When we explained that we were from Chabad’s Camp Gan Israel of Orange County, the commander of the unit, Commander Hasofer, stepped forward and told us that he, too, was from a Chabad background. We then began to hand out the cards, and we wondered if we had brought enough, as we didn’t expect to find such a large group that evening. We had exactly the right amount.”

The soldiers gathered together and read the cards. “They told us how much it meant to them that that our campers are thinking of them and sending their good wishes,” she added.

The Burstons gave out the remainder of the cards to other soldiers in various parts of Israel.

Essential information
Camp Gan Israel, presently runs out of Pine Tree Elementary School in Monroe, just finished its eighth summer. The program is geared for Jewish boys and girls ages 3 through 13. Camp Gan Israel is part of the largest network of Jewish camps in the world. Campers enjoy an array of activities such as trips to water parks, mini-golf, nature museums, hikes, and more.

Campers benefit from professional instruction in sports, yoga, mad science, dance, art and cooking.

Chabad also runs a camp during the winter break.

For more information, visit Chabad’s camp Web site at www.ChabadOrangeCamp.com or call 845-782-2770.