Shabbat Picnic

On Saturdays Aaron, who due to the scheduling of his department has the day off but even if he didn't wouldn't work anyway, gets a big huge meal pack-out from the kitchen and a bunch of us all meet at 12:30 on the porch of the Wilderness Building and have a big Shabbat picnic. We spread out blue tumbling mats to sit on and Ariela lays out colorful scarves as a tablecloth for all of the food. There is always so much to eat, a combination of pack-out and of the care package Aaron's mom Judy sent from Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor a few weeks ago. Lemon curd and crunchy peanut butter, artfully-carved grapefruits and the huge salad made with delicious things grown in the garden were among my favorite parts of this particular midday meal.

A bunch of us come and eat together, Aaron and Ariela and Nitin and myself. This past Saturday Ariela was gone which was disappointing but the visiting rabbi came and joined us so that was very nice, to have a special guest. We all sat on the floor and told stories and ate a peaceful and delicious meal. A group of other people who work in the wilderness department came back from a backpacking trip while we were resting there and they ravenously sat down to join us. I laid down on my stomach with my eyes closed and my arms a pillow for my head, feeling the warm wind blow over us and listening to the very blue-eyed Annah and the very bearded Michael sing from the Livnot prayerbook. It almost made up for the fact that from Friday morning at eight until Saturday night at ten I am in charge of nearly every program that takes place at camp. I was so happy to not be answering any questions more complicated than "Can you please pass me the hummus?" Ahh…Shabbat Shalom kulam, good Shabbos everyone. What a delicious way to spend an afternoon.