At URJ Camp Coleman, the “lab” component—LaB (Learning and Belonging)—is a designated time for Jewish learning and exploration. It’s designed to deepen campers’ Jewish knowledge while fostering a sense of community and belonging within camp and the broader Jewish world.
Last week in LaB, Solelim dove into the Jewish value of chesed (loving-kindness and compassion) through an interactive adventure called Snappy’s Chesed Creek. They explored what it means to care for themselves and others, all while bringing some wildly creative kindness-themed inventions to life.
Enter: Snappy Tank—a Coleman twist on Shark Tank where campers dreamed up imaginative tools to help spread kindness around camp. With recycled materials, team spirit, and a splash of absurdity, Solelim pitched inventions like:
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The Kindness Ray
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Affirmation Machine
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Ellie the Chesed Elephant
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Kevin the Kindness Bot
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The Baylinator
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Chesed Spray, and more
These weren’t just crafts—they were thought-out prototypes designed to make camp a better, kinder place. A panel of “judges” (aka our very serious staff volunteers) offered feedback and, in true Coleman fashion, declared that every single project had value worth endorsing.
As Solelim wrapped their journey through Chesed Creek, they walked away not just with invention bragging rights, but with a stronger understanding of how kindness can be an everyday, actionable part of camp life.
