Some of our readers attended camp; others stayed home or devised creative solutions to the Socially Distanced Summer Challenge

It’s been a summer like no other. Some camps didn’t open; others did, but with major changes. Some of our readers attended camp; others stayed home the entire summer or devised creative solutions to the Socially Distanced Summer Challenge.

To get the scoop on this year’s summer, Jr. touched base with people who experienced their vacations quite differently: In a sleepaway camp, in a community day camp, at home with family, or in their own “DIY camp.” Hop on board as we chug down the slightly bumpy and crazy, yet wonderfully fun-filled memory lane of Summer 2020 with our camp spokespeople!

Mrs. Rivky Gleiberman is the director of Camp Raninu, a girls’ sleepaway camp in Pennsylvania. Under the leadership of founders Rabbi and Mrs. Tully Klein, the camp worked hard to open this year — and everyone was thrilled when they succeeded!

Mrs. Dassey Zweig is the coordinator of CCC KidZ, Camp Chofetz Chaim of Baltimore’s preschool division. With Rabbi Hillel Hexter and Rabbi Menachem Zehnwirth at the camp’s helm, the team managed to open with flying colors (literally)!

Chana Sara Fishkind is 11 years old and loves all things creative. This summer, when her family made the choice to keep their children home due to coronavirus, Chana Sara became director of her own backyard camp… for her seven-year-old sister. Not what she expected, but 100 percent incredible!

Mrs. Dena Hertz is the mother of a seventh-grade daughter who, together with six of her classmates, cooked up a unique “DIY Camp” in Brooklyn. Big plans dashed, they collaborated to create a summer of good old homespun fun!

So… what was it like getting started?

Mrs. G.: Thankfully, the campgrounds are located in Pennsylvania, so we didn’t have to move like other sleepaway camps. Still, though, we had lots to adjust. Our first two weeks were Social Distancing 101. Each bunk quarantined as a group, so all the others could continue unaffected if one bunk experienced an issue. We spread out in the dining room, staggered mealtimes, and did away with busing to camp. The parents themselves dropped off the girls, but even they couldn’t enter the grounds. We assembled cute bags for each family with water and food, along with directions to the nearest gas station so people could stop off there instead.

Does it sound like a letdown? It wasn’t! Since we had to arrange separate arrival times, each girl got a personalized welcome to camp, plus a ride to her bunkhouse. That’s something really nice that we can’t typically offer!

Mrs. Z.: In all the back-and-forth, from rabbanim to doctors and back again, one thing was certain for me: Kids come to camp to loosen up. With the kind of year everyone’s had, I felt it crucial to give them that. If restrictions were going to be too tight (for instance, if the four-year-olds would have to mask up all day), that was a no-opener to me. With pure Yad Hashem, everything pulled together and we got an incredible staff on very short notice. They provide the two most essential ingredients for camp this year: love and safety!