Nonukah Celebration at Eden Village Camp

Last night here at Eden Village Camp, we celebrated Nonukah. Nonukah first started eleven years ago when a group of college students organized a party for what they thought would be the last night of Chanukah. They miscalculated and it turned out to be the day after Chanukah. Instead o f canceling the party, they decided to call it Nonukah.

Campfire at Eden Village Camp Nonukah Party

They have kept the tradition alive by having a Nonukah party every year, which is also a reunion. The only criteria is that it cannot be held on Chanukah.

Rachel and I are not part of the Nonukah group but we are currently at Eden Village Camp. I am acting as mashgiach (kosher supervisor) here for the month of May. I’ll talk more about Eden Village Camp more in the next few days, but now for the party….

Happy Nonukah 2011!

There was singing around the bonfire, fire spinning, and hula-hooping. One Nonukah friend who is in Los Angeles could not make it, but still ordered twelve pizzas to be delivered to the party. Another guy brought some left over kugel and kishkeh from a young Yiddish-speakers’ Shabbaton.

A highlight for me was all the Shabbos singing. One boy showed up who studied in the Chabad Lubavitch system and knew many of the beautiful niggunim, which we sang together.

I really enjoyed getting to meet so many interesting people from all walks of life.