By COLlive reporter
Campers and staff members of Camp Emunah B’nos Yaakov Yehudah, the first and longest running overnight Chabad summer camp for girls, marked a special occasion today, 15 Tammuz.
Under sunny skies, they marked the day that the Rebbe made one of his rarest trips out of the Brooklyn borough 57 years ago to visit the campsite in Greenfield Park in the New York Catskill Mountains.
Rebbetzin Chave Hecht, who has been serving as the camp’s director since it was established some 63 years ago and vividly remembers the Rebbe’s visit, decided to inaugurate 4 new bunk houses on this day.
“The Rebbe spoke at that time about the fact that the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh, whose yartzeit is today, only had daughters and wrote a special sefer Torah for them,” she said, referring to Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar OBM, the great kabbalist and talmudist.
Leading up to this event, campers have been learning about the importance and uniqueness of a mezuzah, taught by Rabbi Zalmen and Chaya Seema Friedman, the camp’s Ruchnius Directors.
The girls were also told about the special zchus they have to be spending the summer on camp grounds with such a rich history and accomplishments of inspiring generations of Jewish girls.
As she was honored with hammering in the Mezuzahs on the bunk houses, Rebbitzen Hecht said: “I feel proud and privileged to be the co-founder of the very first Chabad overnight girls camp – which today just as then is pioneering true chassidishe camping through the guidance of our Rebbe.”
If there is one individual in our community deserving of respect it is Rebbetzen Hecht
She truly cares for each child, she will accept the children in need of love and positive validation and gives it to them
As an educator in one of our largest schools I can attest to the fact that Rebbetzen Hecht is most worthy of recognition respect and admiration
I am in my early forties and still long for those magical Emunah moments. Why to camp must there be an end…
go henna and kraindy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mazel tov from your nephew in melbourne!
Camp emunah is amazing rebb Hecht is inspiring and truly a living example and role models flr youths today
They say, “Behind Every Great Man, Is A Great Woman”, (Rebitzen!!!) Yes, Rabbi JJ Hecht changed Klal Yisroel for the better, for the Baal Tchuvas, for the Rebbe and Hashem!!! But he had the Rebitzen ‘behind him’!!! I wish her a LOOONG LIFE!!!
Shlomo
My Bubby is a special woman. Camp Emunah is dear to hundreds of thousands of girls and women around the globe for years and years. My Zaide was a tower of a man, giving his life over to The Rebbe’s work. No other camp compares to the warmth and energy. and joy (inherited from Bubby and Zaide Hecht) like Camp Emunah. I am proud (as so many others are) to part of this monumental institution.
I am proud to be Rebbetzin Hecht’s cousin . We share a wonderful heritage.
You rock RA!
Best photographer AROUND!!
My summer’s in Emuna (25 years ago) were the best!
Rebbetzin Hecht looks wonderful BH! May Hashem give her continued koach ad meah v’esrim to direct this amazing camp!
Who was married to an amazing Rabbi. Rabbi J.J. Hecht a real soldier in the army of Hashem and lieutenant to the Rebbe.
No doubt about it. Camp Emunah was dear and near to the Rebbe’s heart as was it’s directors. This camp is and will always be THE REBBE’S CAMP.
Wishing you loads of continued hatzlacha in all that you do. The mesiras nefesh Rabbi JJ a’h and Rebbetzin Chava have continuously had for their camp is unparalleled.