This year was my second summer at Perlman; last year, I went on ILTC, and this year on Kallah. As you probably can imagine, I’m a very big Perlman fan; however, I do think there are some moments that are a bit better than others. In this article, I will focus on my Kallah experience and rank my 7 favorite parts of the trip.

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#7 Chofesh

‍Some might say Chofesh is too low on the list. I personally think it's overrated. While I can’t say chofesh is a really fun part of Kallah (and other BBYO summer experiences) , moments 6 through 1 definitely topped it for me.

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#6 Cooking Limmud

‍Dare I say the best limmud at Kallah? While I was at many really great and fun limmudim, the cooking one stole my heart. It was SO MUCH FUN to get to cook. Not only did we learn about the many cultures represented in our group, but we also got to choose what to cook and who to cook with, and it was overall so much fun.

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#5 Macabbiah

‍Macabiah was bittersweet this year. Last year, I was at ILTC and we lost Maccabiah (steal), so when I decided to go back to Kallah, my number 1 goal was, of course, to win 1st place. I asked the staff to make me the colour captain because again, I really wanted to win. However, they decided to place me as a “bluefit”—bluefits are a group of teens in charge of helping staff coordinate Maccabiah. I was very disappointed at first, cause if you're not on any team, you can't win, which was very sad. However, helping to organize stuff and move the day along was way more fun than I expected. I was able to talk with all my friends and bother a lot of people during silent lunch!

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#4 Tisha B’Av

‍I know, I know, weird choice. It’s a day when most of us fast and don’t do much in the usual sense. But the shift in routine made it meaningful. The day included a “Trial of God,” where we discussed and debated questions of faith, as well as moments of prayer and reflection. It all ended with my favorite moment of Kallah (more on that later): the last Havdalah.

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#3 Chug

‍I was in the photography Chug, and it was… an experience. Some of my friends think I'm crazy for ranking it this high, but they weren’t in the Chug. While it wasn't anything crazy, we got to walk around camp, do a bit of the loop, have some waterfights, gossip about camp, play karaoke, practice (or at least I practiced, most people talked fluently) Hebrew, and more, while learning (something) about photography. Seeing “Chug” on my schedule always made my day; it was definitely a highlight of the trip.

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#2 Shabbacappella

‍Shabbacappella was INTENSE. Running from the dining hall to PA to try and get a good seat was basically an extreme sport. During these sessions, we got to sing, dance, learn about song leading, and have fun with our friends. On the last Shabbat, I got to do the “sha sha shabbat shalom,” and I think I probably have never screamed louder in my life. As someone who’s been to Perlman twice in two different years, I can confidently say Shabbacappella is one of the best camp experiences ever.

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#1 Sunday Havdalah

‍Havdalah is my favorite part of Perlman. This year, I lost my voice during the first one and couldn't speak for almost a week. Havdalah is such a magical and sweet moment in which you get to say goodbye to Shabbat. This year, the last havdalah of Kallah (and the summer) coincided with Tisha B’Av. And, as this is a holiday of remembrance and reflection, not celebration, Saturday Havdalah was a somber Havdalah—quiet and thoughtful instead of our usual singing and dancing. But that couldn’t be the final Havdalah of the summer; it didn’t feel right, so the staff came up with a new option: Sunday Havdalah. I was chosen to help lead it, and I couldn’t have been happier. Together with five other teens, we created our dream service, Cozdalah: a cozy Havdalah filled with music, friendship, and joy. We ended the summer with a bang, and it was without a doubt the highlight of my Kallah and my overall Perlman experience.