By F.B. – A participant of Mrs. Swerdlov’s program
Words cannot describe the feelings, the emotions and the growth of these 37 days.
We started in Kiev, and went to the Alter Rebbe’s Tzion in Haditch. The language has not been created yet to explain the pnimiyus hanefesh that was seen there.
Mrs. Miryam Swerdlov prepared us, as only she can, before we went into the tzion, most of all the 44 campers were crying. We felt like we had a yechidus with the Alter Rebbe. We went to Nyezshin, where the same thing was repeated with the Mitteler Rebbe, as well as Annipoli and Barditchev, where we understood that we go in ‘as is’, because Reb Levi Yitzchok is our ‘meilitz yosher’.
Of course before each mokom kodosh we were told about the Rebbe, we learned, we sang his niggun, (‘Mizrach Du’ became a favorite…) and we connected to the Yesterday. The name of our camp is YT”T, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, in each place we connected to Yesterday, to bring it to Today, for a better Tomorrow.
Mrs. Swerdlov is great at explaining and connecting to Yesterday, evoking and waking our feelings through words and niggun, Shosh Rabinowitz took incredible care of our Today – the Hotels, the food, the transportation, everything was planned to the last tiny detail.
The entire trip was a farbrengen. We learned lessons in life, we had shiurim daily, incredible life changing Rebbe Time with our dedicated 24/7 counselors, Ariella Schechter/Florida, Chana Ester Okunov/CH, and Sheina Klein/South Africa. They were true role models, and gave us their full time and attention at all times. Mrs. Swerdlov’s Shiurim and Swerly moments will stay with us forever. How can we forget: “Show up for your life”, “A chosid is a Mesudor”, “The first NO is the easiest”, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life”, “Every action has a re-action” remember, that wherever you go you take the Rebbe with you.”
By Z.T.:
When we stood at BabiYar, and saw the Ukrainians, a small part of me wanted revenge on the locals. Did they know how many Jewish lives had been claimed in their town? How many Jewish families suffered through their grand-parents’ hostility? Did the residents of Kiev not hear the gun-shots? And yet, I realized, LOOK AT US HERE, NOW. We are a large group of Chabad girls, back in this country, Jewish, alive, and well- the BEST REVENGE anyone could ask for.
Our first Shabbos was with the Baal Shem Tov in Mezibush. It was a Ruchniyusdiker Shabbos, as we never had experienced before. (Remember our age, we are post Gimmel Tammuz children.) We davened kabolas Shabbos in the Baal Shem’s Shul, and farbrenged an entire Shabbos with him.
Our second Shabbos, in Israel, we davened with the Rashbi in Meron, (the next Shabbos was Family Shabbos off), our fourth Shabbos we farbrenged in Kfar Chabad, and the last Shabbos, we davened where our tfillos all rise to shomayim, we davened with our Ovos and Imohos in Ir Hakodesh Chevron.
At every place, we met the Shliach and farbrenged with him. Of course, we had a great Chssidisher tour guide, Rabbi Choni Goldberg, exclusively, we met with Rabbi Astman and Rabbi Levenhartz in Kiev, Rabbi Wilhelm in Zitomir, Rabbi Horwits from Vinitza in Mezibush, Rabbi Yigal Tzipori in Kiryat Shmona, Rabbis Brod and Bolton in Kfar Chabad, Tova Mordechai in Tzfat, Rabbi Yonni Fein in Yerushalayim, Rabbi Mendelson in Arad, Rabbi Slonim in Mitzpe Ramon, Rabbi Victor Attia and Mrs. Bat Sheva Cohen in Chevron.
The trip was full of excitement as well, as we rafted the Jordan, hiked the mountains North and South, rappelled down cliffs, rode camels, (what a sight, 44 girls on 22 camels, we where a real caravan for an hour in the desert, we jeeped the desert too, learning about survival and the way that Hashem put everything where it has to go. We went to the Museum of the Blind and lived for an hour and a half in THAT world, we volunteered in Yad Sara, we went to Bait Hatfuzot. The lessons were so enhancing and deep. We even stayed in a 5 Star Bedouin tent, as Mrs. Swerdlov called it a 5000 star if you look at heaven……We learned the deeper meanings of everything, everywhere, not a second was wasted.
All in all, YT”T was an incredible experience for 44 very lucky girls. We became family, we were from all over the US, one girl from France, and even a girl from Israel, who said she never saw the land THIS way.
C.V. writes: I am going home with a full fledged flame that I hope will never dim, I learned the meaning of Chabad and the responsibilities that I have as a Chosid of the Rebbe. Thanks for giving me the tools and the experience which helped make me proud! Never will I forget this summer!
What did this trip do for us?
It made us proud to be the Rebbe’s children.
It brought our Yesterday into our Today to bring a better Tomorrow.
We learned the deeper meaning of Everything.
We grew in our Ruchniyus through Rebbe Time and Shiurim.
WE HAD SO MUCH FUN.
It made sisters out of 44 individuals.
It really brought Moshiach closer.
IT WAS WORTH EVERYTHING AND MORE.
Thank you Mrs. Swerdlov, Shosh, Ariella, Chana Esther, Sheina, Rivka, Rabbi Choni, Rabbi Pinya and everyone else who had a hand in this incredible journey.
Your the best teacher ever!
LOVE,
your 404 student- 2013!!!!
CHANA ESTHER OKUNOOVVVVV LOOOVVVEEE YOOUUUUUU
so majorly excited, im yirtzeh hashem going this year! any advice on what to bring-cosmetic, clothes, and otherwise?
Choni’s parents are Daniel & Rochel Goldberg (Phone: 718-771-4770) on Eastern parkway Call them for his info.
Anyone hear have the phone number / e-mail of choni Goldberg?
I need to contact him, everyone tells me to take him.
OMG i cant belive lokk at u girls u grw so much i know all of u kol tov love soshana briten
miryam,, did i see you on a camel in that INCREDIBLE picture? what wonderful accolades and you deserve them all. Keep on amazing for many more years…
i went on swerlys program 2 yrs ago and it was the best thing i did!!! one girl wrote earlier that it created a flame of memories and that she hopes it lasts forever and i have to say that still 2 yrs later i talk about my summer experience and im still in touch with life long friends i made on that very special program!!!! go swerly!!!!!!!
ariella s. & nechama s. u rock!!!!
You can only visit kvorim in UKRAINE and tour ISRAEL with this most amazing camp ever!!!!!!!! It is the experience of a lifetime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
is that ariella shachter!?!?!? and nechama!? or am i imagining things….
the guy never eats!! when we went touring with him all he had was like 3-5 small danishes from the hotel a day. But he is a great tour guide!
GO SUKI CHANI MUSHKI CHAYA CAHNA MUSSIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
miss u tonz!!!
Dududuuuuuuuuuu be there!
Thank YOU all for your comments and your praise, for the article you wrote and the feelings that you shared. I could not have done anything, anything without Ariella. ChanaEsther, Shaina and YOU, the campers and the parents’ support, especially this year…THANK YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN. Swerly
wow mushkie!!!!
THE BEST CAMP EVER
EVERY WORD IS TRUE ( AND I 44th IT! LOL)
EVERY CHABAD GIRL SHOULD GO ON THIS PROGRAM!!!!!!
MISS YOU ALL !
THANK YOU MRS SWERDLOV FOR THE MOST AMAZING SUMMER EVER
I’m good baruch Hashem, how ahr yu? -Mushkie
Mrs. Swerdlov you’re amazing! You should go from strength to strength and continue to bring such an extraordinary summer to Lubavitch girls as only you can. Can I reserve spaces for my daughters — summers of 2019, 2021 & 2024!
Go Mushkie!
we had so muchfun from the hiking to the rafting to the touring to the swimming to the museums to going 2 beaches and shopping and camel riding an flying and water park everything was a BALL!
Chana Esther and Shaina u guys look like u out did urselves! I heard from everone that u were incredible counselors and made the camp what it was! Yasher koach!!! Go chul one!!!!!
it looks so like so much fun- especially the camal back riding!!!
WE SPY CHAYA!!!! GO CHAYA!! WE LOOVE U !!!! MISS U ALOT!!! 🙂
LUV, UR COUZIN…….
looks like u had a lot of fun!!!!!!
hadassahh!!!!! ahh! you’re famous!! 🙂
n.n.
Hey
so proud of you Bubby!
hey everyone i just want to let u all know that the articles u wrote are absolutly amazing! and for everyone else out there every word these gorls wrote were 2nd and 3rd and 44thed by all the rest of us and are 100% true!!!!
Thanx Mrs. Miryam Swerdlov and all her staff!
This was all that we expected and MORE!!!!!!
You did it again, like only you could!
A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE, THAT LASTS A WHOLE LIFE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it was the most amazing trip ever in history 🙂
… lets just do a quick count down again …..one ..
COUNTDOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!
good to see you rabbi goldberg
luv u guys….best summer ever!!!! (guess what….still on the cloud!)
Best tour guide and jewish history teacher ever! Makes Israel come alive from a chassidishe perspective!
seperationnnn anxeityyyy missing you pple and israel can’t to be mizrach du 🙂
Dearest Miriam, we’ve always heard about the incredible job you did on your trips. How wonderful to see pictures and read the wonderful words of your chanichot!! You are incredible!! Ko hakavod!!
The Begun clan, Brazil
go suki and ding !!
THIS IS THE BEST CAMP IN THE WORLD!! I HAD THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE!!! EVERYONE SHOULD GO ON THIS AMAZING TRIP YOU GET THE BEST OF THE GASHMIUS AND THE RUCHNIUS!! I CANT EVEN EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW IT FELT TO VISIT THE UKRAINE AND ALL THE RABAIM IT WAS THE BEST SUMMER I HAD!! THANKS SO MUCH MRS SWERDLOV!!!
go shaina klien and chaya muchkin! u guys rocked the place!
u guys look like u had an awsome time! i wish i could have done the program a second time!
Hi Hadassah!
happy to c u back at home!
a #1 dodger fan also! lol
b.r.
EVERYONE SHOULD GO ON THIS TRIP IT REALLY IS WORTH IT YOU GAIN SO MUCH YOU MAKE SO MANY NEW FRIENDS EXPERIENCE SO MUCH GO TO SO MANY PLACES AND VISIT SO MANY KVARIM! THANK YOU MRS SWERDLOV FOR ORGANIZING SUCH AN AMAZING PROGRAM!
THIS WAS THE BEST SUMMER OF MY LIFE!!!…THANK YOU MRS SWERDLOV FOR AN EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER!…YOU ARE THE BEST!
this summer was the best one i’ve ever had!..there are no words to describe it!..mrs swerdlov…u made it!…
…IF ANYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO ON ANY ISRAEL PROGRAM….PICK THIS ONE!..IT’S THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU MRS. SWERDLOV FOR A SUMMER EXPERIENCE THAT I WILL REMEMBER FOREVER!…
Best niece ever!!!!!!!! go chaya munchkin we love you.we want to see pics of your trip !!
thanx everyone for the comments! 🙂 and it totally was worth it … every second and every penny !
go skippy (ceo) i love ur dimples1
this camp is just the best thing that there is:) it was the best summer of my life, it was because of our amazing counselors Chana Esther Shaina and Ariella they just rock and are the best!!!!!!!!! and of course Mrs. Swerdlov just makes the camp!
nice specs
Chana Esther shaina and ariellla u guys were the best counselors i ever had!!!!! i love u tonz and miss Rebbe Time! cant wait for reunion!!!!
hi mushkie, how ahr you????
I can’t even describe this camp to you! Incredible.
You allllllllllllllll should go!
I MISS YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH AND HOPE YOU’RE HAVING A GOOD REST OF SUMMER!
KEEP IN TOUCH EVERYBODY!
this was seriously the best summer in the world!!!! we had the best counselors that ever existed!!!! adn all of us were great too 🙂 whoever is still eligible to go anytime n the future, you should totally go!!!!!
the best camp and totaly worth the price and it is not for 9th grade its or tenth and eleventh!
CAMP. EVER.
the age group is for girls in 9th 10th and 11th grade.
The best HC’S Arielli, Shaina, n skippy Ceo
This is spectacular Israel and UKRAINE wow i dont wanna miss out!
the cost is 5000 dollars per girl, it’s for tenth grade exclusively. It’s really expensive but way worth it for what we get!!!
i miss u so much
love
yitty!
looks gr8 i want to join
this was the best summer i ever had in camp!!!
hadassah arnold! 🙂
We had the best tour guide CHONY!!!!!
I feel so privliged to have gone to an Amazing camp. We toured the entire Israel inside out, and went back to our routes in UKRAINE.!!! There are no words to describe our EXPERIENCES!!!
Wow! i am AMAZED Mrs.Swerdlov is Incredible!
Go Mushkie n Suki!!!
This soundsincredible im going next yr!
The BEST teacher and tour guide at MSY
this summer was one of my best summers in my life, i was so scared to go and within a few short moments of spending time with the group i realized their was nothing to be scared of! thanks so much for the trip of a lifetime-if u have the opportunity to go-then go go go!!!
soo much fun!! the best!!
GO RABBI GOLDBERG
How much did this all cost for each girl?
It was AWESOME UNREAL the best camp ever!!!!!!!
we had the best HEAD COUNSELORS!!! THE BEST DIRECTORS!!!! EVERYONE GO GO its a chance of a LIFETIME!!!!!
it was a blast !!!!!!!!!!