Guest Rambler, Hindy Koval
Bummer Summer?
"What are your summer plans?"
"Where are you going?"
"What camp are you going to?"
These are just examples of some of the fun questions people ask you on the first day of school. I never went to camp before and these questions always bothered me. Everyone always had these firm plans about what they’re doing every summer for the next ten years, and I just like to chill at home with my friends and family.
Then one year, two of my really good friends came back from camp and were raving about their incredible experience in the summer. I listened more and I realized they were talking about the NCSY summer program called Michlelet. It sounded amazing and I was deliberating for a while if I was interested.
I wanted to go but I was scared. I didn’t think it was smart for me to go on a 6-week summer program in Israel being that I never even went to camp before. So I decided I wasn't going to sign up. I kept on thinking about it: I should just sign up... nothing will happen. So I signed up, but I missed the boat. Because thinking about summer camp in November is already too late. So I was put on a waiting list.
I waited and waited. Maybe something would come up; who knows? Three months later my friend told me she needed to talk to me. She told me that I had told her something one time that had really made an impression on her: if someone ever embarrasses you, and you don’t say anything back to the person who embarrassed you, it’s a really special time to pray to G-d and ask him for something.
She continued and told me that someone had just said something mean to her, and she remembered my lesson. She thought: G-d, I'm not answering back, and I'm not responding, so please, in the merit of me being quiet, please allow Hindy to get into Michlelet.
Not even 24 hours later, my parents called me and told me I got into Michlelet! I was screaming and crying. The first thing I did was call my friend and tell her. I couldn’t believe it. G-d is here in this world, and he is listening and watching everything. He saw how selfless my friend was, and how she prayed for me instead of being mean, and he continues to listen to our prayers.
Shabbat shalom,
Hindy
