I would like to let you in on something-I am Israeli and I flew all the way from Israel to America just to go to Camp Yavneh for a month or two. Nothing I've ever done can compare to the incredible experience of Camp Yavneh!

I would like to give an example…Back home in Israel my parents are divorced and so are their beliefs. My dad's religious and my mom's not! So, the way I enjoy Shabbat there is pretty abnormal. When I am with my father, I do not use any electric appliances and I observe Shabbat like any religious person. This is not so bad. When I celebrate Shabbat with my mother, I watch movies all day and cook microwave popcorn. This also is an acceptable way to me to spend Shabbat. I split time between my parents, one Shabbat with my dad and the next with my mom.

When I am at Yavneh the atmosphere is totally different. We wake up early, compared to back home, and in general, camp prepares you for when you start the school year and you need to wake up early for classes. It takes a little getting used to, but now I'm a certified early-riser!

Another great thing about Camp Yavneh is the singing that puts everyone in a great mood and gets the adrenaline flowing and the heart pumping. Everyone gets into the singing, and it is the most important part, to me, of Shabbat. The songs are very spiritual and also quite moving, and help bring a sense of community and connection to everyone at the camp.

Back home whenever my dad asks me if I want to sing a song at the Shabbat table, I always answer with a "no," because singing does not have the same effect when it's just a few people. But at camp I want to sing. I really want to sing! Singing at camp gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside. It makes you feel like you belong and that you are an essential part of something special. We are free to be Jews on Shabbat, and the quality of one's voice makes no difference. I feel a connection with my ancestors when I sing, it is something I really value. That's more or less what I have to say about Shabbat. Thank you for reading. Yours Truly, Moshe Lewis

My name is Moshe and I am 16.