Charlotte Lyons – Year 10

On Tuesday 27 August 2019, the Year 10 students set off to South Sabina College in Tallong for the annual מחנה אייכה/ Ayekah camp. Although we were all extremely eager and excited to go on this six-day adventure with our whole Year Group, we had no idea what was in store for us. Soon after we arrived, we understood what אייכה /Ayekah really meant! Ayekah is actually the question: “Where am I?” and at this camp we embarked on a remarkable journey of self-discovery, as well as learning more about each other and at what stage we are all at in our lives. 

Through a wide variety of engaging and thought-provoking activities and discussions we discovered more about our own Jewish identities, Zionist beliefs, overall core values and our stance on various global issues. We were surprised, convinced, motivated and enriched by the diverse conversations that took place as we had the opportunity to create or listen in on a “Sikkum” created by a madrich or a fellow peer on any topic we were interested in. Some examples included speaking about how God and science are related, how to introduce Buddhism into our everyday lives, how video games may lead to violence, why the “Me Too” movement is so important, the Arab-Israeli conflict and the LGBTQIA+ community. 

There were so many fun and uplifting activities we participated in, from playing Jew-perdy to learning and campaigning for types of Zionism at a Jewish Congress, attending an Israeli party, making decorations for Shabbat, stargazing at night, singing and playing music around the bonfire and, of course, LOTS of ruach! It was incredible to see our year group come together as a community to make this an extremely special and meaningful experience, and it was evident by the end of the camp that many of us have not only grown closer and strengthened existing bonds, but also forged new relationships and friendships. While debriefing on our last day, we all came to the conclusion that Ayekah has most definitely united us and connected all of us as we learnt so many new things about each other.

Thank you so much to the Australian madrichim Maya, Dylan, Issy and Ruby. And, thank you so much to the Madrichim who flew all the way from Israel to accompany us on camp too: Noa, May, Eli, Ronnie and Amit. Not only did the madrichim help plan super fun activities, but they really did create a special, warm and engaging atmosphere for us to enjoy, and brought such joy and enthusiasm to all aspects of camp. 

Lastly, a huge thank you to the teachers who accompanied us on this amazing journey: Christian Bell, Liz Birrell, Joseph Peacock, Morah Jenny and Rabbi Siegel for giving up their week to come with us. And, of course, this awesome camp wouldn’t have been possible without Kobi Bloom, Samo and Asher Klein who organised everything. Thank you so much for making this such a memorable and enriching experience for the Year 10 students, who came back from Ayekah with a deeper understanding of so many important issues and each other.