This past summer, I attended BBYO’s International Kallah. While many small moments stuck out to me as memorable and meaningful, there is one in particular I will never forget. 

Being at ILTC for three weeks, and Kallah for another three, led me to one of my favorite nightly Perlman traditions; going to ma’ariv every night after programming and k’far. This small, half hour service was spent around the Perlman tree, in a circle with your arms around your best friends, singing and praying in a safe, beautiful space. My friends and I made it a habit to go every night, no matter how tired we were from each eventful day. Every night, I fell more and more in love with this event. I had the opportunity to not only pray and take in a more precious moment of connection, but to do it with my arms wrapped around the people I love the most. 

There was only one night, since the start of me going, that I didn’t attend. I couldn’t explain what led me to not go that night, but something told me to just go back to my bunk to get ready for bed. However, I didn’t quite do that.

I had been in the same bunk for both ILTC and Kallah, and I was lucky enough to have the same singular counselor for both programs. She and I grew very close, and my Perlman experience wouldn’t have been the same without her. She played guitar, and would sometimes play for us in the bunk as we sang along. This night, however, she and I, along with the counselor in the conjoining bunk, and another camper from that bunk sat on our shared porch, and began singing. I also had a close bond with the second counselor, who happened to have a talent at singing. As the four of us sat outside, with the slight chill on our backs, the only ones on that side of camp, we began playing guitar and singing. We all shared a mutual love for the same few artists, and we kept going, song after song, melody after melody, singing our hearts out. 

We were outside on the porch for over an hour, and as the BBGs who went to ma’ariv that night came back, some joined us on the porch, and sang along with us, while some went inside to go to sleep. No matter who joined us, we just kept singing, kept feeling the love fly around within the sounds of our voices. 

The significance of this moment has not been lost on me, even now, 6 months later. I love taking time to look around at my surroundings, feeling grateful for where I am, and this was no different. The love, joy, and comfort I felt sitting on that porch will stay with me forever. I have always felt safe within music, and being able to spend time singing at my favorite place, with a close friend and two counselors who continue inspiring me everyday made me feel it even more. I feel so grateful for small, meaningful parts of my days, even the bad ones, and this memory is one that I find myself going back to constantly; whenever I need a little brightening in my day.