First there was Saratoga and Swig, where our grandparents and parents and then our generation made memories.
Then there was Newman which we all begrudgingly marched over to And worked hard to rebuild the memories of our past.
And with the lessons of Swig and the lessons of Newman, I feel we were all in a place where we were looking towards the future of Jewish youth in California, and then this fire had to come in and remind us once again that buildings and physical objects do not make memories but the love we share all together as a community does.
Let us remember that we still have our memories, that we still have our pictures, and that we still have one common goal, and that is to infuse a shelter of peace over our hearts and the future Newman generations.
Let us continue to pray for this metaphorical shelter of peace, because perhaps the prayers for physical shelters of peace are not in God’s plan.
From Saratoga, to Swig, to Newman… the lessons and blessings of the past are infused in our blood.
May we remember that fires and floods don’t take away our love for our Jewish community.
Hurricanes and earthquakes don’t erase our memories.
We are Camp forever and always Camp Newman.
Let us remember in these difficult times that we must continue to bless the creations of God, because without these creations we wouldn’t have the memories to begin with.
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha’olam Oseh Ma’aseh Bereshit.
