During a recent evening program, Sci-Tech campers created a Torah. Yes, a Torah. They did so using a game/protocol called “Counselor Bot”. “Counselor Bots” are counselors acting as robots, capable only of doing the specific bidding of their programmers, the campers. Using simple instructions, with plenty of laughter, missteps, and confusion, each small group attempted to complete a piece of a much larger project: a Torah. Along the way, a number of discoveries came to the fore including: the complex and multifaceted nature of the physical aspects of a Torah Scroll, but also discoveries about group dynamics, computer coding, the importance of patience and so on.
While this program was explicitly focused on creating a Torah Scroll, the truth is that Torah is constantly being created here at Sci-Tech. In fact, Sci-Tech has a tradition of creating Torah, best represented in the aptly named “Sci-Tech Torah.” The Sci-Tech Torah resembles a more traditional Torah in design and appearance but instead of containing the text of the traditional Torah it includes pieces of that traditional text paired with quotes and insights from scientists, technologists, and others. With Sci-Tech’s 6 values appearing as a through-line uniting the two, the Sci-Tech Torah allows the entire Sci-Tech community to get curious about and ultimately expand their collective understanding of what Torah is and what Torah can be. Both the traditional Torah and the Sci-Tech Torah are treated with great respect and honor by the entire community.
Creating Torah isn’t something that happens without communal buy-in and without the dedication, care, knowledge, and hard work of many individuals in the Sci-Tech community. As a visiting rabbinic faculty member, I have had a front row seat for this. Sci-Tech has an incredible JLife Team that infuses meaningful joyful and relevant Judaism into all the right parts of camp. From Boker Big Bang to Evening Ritual, with plenty of stops in between, this JLife Team is a profound blessing for camp. The team is made up of dedicated staff members as well as counselors who have stepped up to help support this exciting and inspiring work. Anyone who worries about the future of Jewish leadership can rest assured that we are in exceptionally capable hands. While so many of the JLife Team’s efforts culminate in the unforgettable experience of Shabbat at camp, the truth is that they are working around the clock, even using Discord to have discussions about esoteric Jewish questions that arise during the course of the day. Fortunately, their efforts to infuse Judaism are supported by the entire camp community who has fully embraced the idea that Sci-Tech can be a community that not only transmits Torah but also creates Torah anew each and every day.
As my time on faculty comes to an end, I am of the firm conviction that URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy is a shining example of what a URJ Overnight Camp can be. Sci-Tech is a community where Torah is alive and well, where past and future connect, where each present moment is an opportunity to discover Torah anew.
Rabbi Micah Lapidus, Ed.D. Is the school rabbi of The Davis Academy, Atlanta’s Reform Jewish Day School. He is a 2025 recipient of the Covenant Award for excellence in Jewish Education.