Working at J-Camp was ideal preparation for spending nine months ‘adulting’ in Israel

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This past summer, I was lucky to work as a day-camp counselor at the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center, in Providence. These nine weeks were transformative to my character and work ethic, but little did I know how much they would affect my nine-month gap year in Israel.

 

The skills gained this past summer, such as patience, responsibility and community-building, will be with me  for the rest of my life – and have contributed so much to my experience in Israel.

Living on the same floor as 25 other people my age who are all navigating the stresses and learning curves of being away from our families for the first time is no easy task. It takes an immense amount of patience to coexist with this number of people. Whether it’s keeping the kitchen clean, going grocery shopping, or simply trying to regulate the volume control in order to get a good night’s sleep, patience is certainly a virtue.

This past summer, my patience grew immensely. As much fun as being in charge of 24 8 year olds can be, it certainly comes with quite a bit of stress. I’m certain that if I did not spend nine weeks constantly practicing keeping my cool in high-stress situations, I would not be able to handle communal living.

Being in a foreign country requires a great deal of self-awareness and responsibility. Navigating the public transport system in Tel Aviv,  keeping a close eye on my belongings when out and about, and simply “adulting” without the supervision of my parents is a lot of responsibility to grasp all at once.

Spending eight hours a day looking after other people’s children is probably the highest level of responsibility one can have. After carry around a bag full of EpiPens, looking after all of their water bottles, and remembering to apply sunscreen for them every three hours, navigating one of the busiest cities in the world is a piece of cake.

I remember that during one of the final days of camp last summer, a 5-year-old camper eloquently stated, “I’m sad that J-Camp is ending. It feels like my home.”

As counselors, we built an amazing community to ensure our campers felt at home. This community-building helped me build my own community in Young Judaea.

Needless to say, I am incredibly grateful for my experience as a J-Camp counselor and the people who helped shape me into the person I am today. I know my gap year would not have been the same without this life-changing job. Every day, I remember my great experience at the Jewish Alliance, and I cannot wait to return to my second home in May.

JULIA KEIZLER, of Providence, is participating in a Young Judea gap year in Israel.