Jewish Girls Retreat Camper Shares Her Story

Photos: Rivkah Laber Photography

A Reflection by JGR camper, Adira Friedman 

GROW THE LIGHT!

“Hi, my name is Adira Friedman, from Tampa, FL, and I just spent my third summer as a camper at the Jewish Girls Retreat. As someone who has moved a lot, I have a story to share.”

This is how Adira began her speech from JGR to the virtual GROW Gala, with an audience of supporters, mothers, and friends of Jewish Girls Unite and the GROW Connection Network.

“I grew up in St. Louis Missouri, and when I was eight my family moved to Panama City Beach Florida for my Dad’s job in the Air Force. We started off living on the Air Force Base. But a few days later, a hurricane was headed our way. Our house was ruined, and we ended up moving 30 minutes away near a brand new Chabad House. Without a Jewish school nearby, I went to public school. Over the next three years that we lived there, I became close with the only other Jewish girls my age, living an hour or two away. I attended online Bat Mitzvah & Beyond at Jewish Girls Unite. It was a great source of strength and connection for me.

A few years later, when I was going into sixth grade we moved to Savannah, Georgia. There I was surrounded by Torah observant friends and I attended a Jewish school.

But little did I know, we would be moving again the next year! Now I live in Tampa Florida.

I go to a modern Jewish school and stand out in my modest dresses. Sometimes I say to my mom, “I don’t want to live here. Why do we always have to host? why me? why do I have to be one of the only ones wearing a skirt”?

After spending my summer at the Jewish Girls Retreat, I see a whole new perspective. I know there is a bigger picture.

I will share my G.R.O.W. Reflections based on the GROW Method of Prayer, which Is how we prepare for prayer at JGR using our GROW Planner.

GRATITUDE:
I am grateful for moving (which I never thought that I would say) because it made me so much stronger in my Jewish Pride.

RECOGNIZE:
I recognize that G-d chose me for my unique mission. I learned at camp that G-d  puts us each in our own place through Divine providence for us to perform a Mitzvah that connects us to Hashem and others. A Jew is Hashem’s messenger and has the power of the sender.

ONENESS:
Although, I’m still a teenage girl and sometimes struggle and complain, I know that I live every day with a purpose and I have the power of the one who sent me.

WISH: Today I am empowered and WISH to GROW the LIGHT in Tampa Fl.”

Over 40 campers like Adira, just completed Jewish Girls Retreat’s 4 week immersive summer experience giving them memories and connections to last a lifetime.