Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Camp Yofi
The following D’var Torah was delivered by Anshei Darom’s very own Dr. Gene Sacks on Shabbat Shuvah, October 8, 2005. Its message is one that we thought would be of interest and inspiration to the Men of the South.
Shabbat Shuvah falls each year between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Consistent with the theme of the Yomim Nora’im, the Days of Awe, Shabbat Shuvah asks us to look within and to turn from our previous ways, to repent for the things we could have done and did not, for the ways we could have been kinder to our fellow man and were not.
As some of you know, I’ve been actively involved with Ramah Darom, the summer camp, Center for Southern Jewry and Retreat Center in Clayton Georgia, since its inception 9 years ago. Though we have had the privilege of providing a high level of camping for our children and wonderful retreats for our adults of all ages, we have not been responsive to Jewish families with special needs. Each of the Ramah camps across North America, over the past half-century, have instituted Tikvah programs. Tikvah means hope, and these programs have given physically and mentally challenged children and young adults the opportunity to spend part of their summers in programs tailored to their needs and abilities. At Ramah Darom, under the leadership of Rabbi Loren Sykes and a board of wonderfully dedicated men and women, we sought to identify an underserved population of families. After some research, we decided to create a camping experience for families with autistic children. This had never been done before in North America. The challenge was daunting, but the obligation was even greater.
Families with autistic children live in a very isolated world, often requiring them to move only to communities where specialized services are available. And yet, many still feel isolated and alone. Balancing Jewish life with the constant challenges of dealing with one or more autistic children as well as normal children can be a most challenging task. One family was asked to leave a New York synagogue because their child was making gurgling noises during services. Another family tried five synagogues before they found acceptance.
By recognizing that we have not sought out these special needs families until now, and by acting on this realization of doing what we must do, we involve ourselves in an act of teshuvah.
On the opening day of Camp Ramah in 1997, as the first group of campers got off the bus, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I had the same experience six weeks ago at Ramah during shacharit, when an autistic child, the son of Cantor and Dr. Rochvarg of Charlotte, read from the Torah and later corrected his mother’s Torah portion. This service was held at the lakeside prayer pavilion, where the newly built and magnificent Aron ha-Kodesh, commissioned by Anshei Darom, the Men’s Clubs of the Southeast Region, had just been installed. Tethered to a winch to hoist the Ark to the ceiling beams when not in use, and set into wings made of several types of beautiful wood, this wonderfully creative structure could not have been put to better use than by those who participated in this seminal event.
There were 20 families who came to Ramah from all parts of the country. The staff of some 35 chaverim, specialty counselors and coordinators, were trained by a group of special educators from Nova SE Universities’ Division of Autistic Studies. A chaver (typically a college or graduate student) was assigned to each family. Several goals of the program were to give families opportunities to be with other families having similar challenges, to help them grow Jewishly, and to provide some respite from their anything-but-normal lives. This was achieved with parallel scheduling in the morning, where parents spent time learning with Rabbi Shaun Fields Meyer, herself the mother of an autistic child and who runs support groups in the LA area. While parents studied, hiked, climbed the alpine tower or used the lakeside facilities, the children had other learning opportunities. The autistic children were paired with the chaver - a special friend who stayed with them at all times - and together, enjoyed all the activities the camp offered: swimming, arts and crafts, and sports. The siblings had their own groups and participated in similar activities with counselors who helped them to recognize their special place in the family and to learn to develop some coping skills to deal with the unique issues of being siblings to special needs children.
In addition to meals, afternoon was family time when they could take advantage of the lake, pool, hiking, family cooking, art projects, and on Friday, challah braiding. Early evenings included family programs - a carnival one evening, a campfire on another. Making s’mores around the campfire put smiles on the faces or a number of children who just seemed, for a while, to leave their inner, lonely worlds, to join the party and have fun. After the children were put to bed, the counselors came back to baby-sit, while parents enjoyed a wine and cheese party one evening, an Iron Chef competition on another, and game night on Shabbat.
Susan Techtiel, who has run the family camp at Ramah for years and this summer started a taste of Ramah for entering 3rd graders, was director of the program. She describes the program as a series of miracles. The expressions of appreciation by the parents could only bring tears to your eyes. One family said that Camp Yofi was the first time in 7 years we felt like we’ve done something meaningful as a family. Others expressed similar feelings:
Shabbat Shuvah falls each year between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Consistent with the theme of the Yomim Nora’im, the Days of Awe, Shabbat Shuvah asks us to look within and to turn from our previous ways, to repent for the things we could have done and did not, for the ways we could have been kinder to our fellow man and were not.
As some of you know, I’ve been actively involved with Ramah Darom, the summer camp, Center for Southern Jewry and Retreat Center in Clayton Georgia, since its inception 9 years ago. Though we have had the privilege of providing a high level of camping for our children and wonderful retreats for our adults of all ages, we have not been responsive to Jewish families with special needs. Each of the Ramah camps across North America, over the past half-century, have instituted Tikvah programs. Tikvah means hope, and these programs have given physically and mentally challenged children and young adults the opportunity to spend part of their summers in programs tailored to their needs and abilities. At Ramah Darom, under the leadership of Rabbi Loren Sykes and a board of wonderfully dedicated men and women, we sought to identify an underserved population of families. After some research, we decided to create a camping experience for families with autistic children. This had never been done before in North America. The challenge was daunting, but the obligation was even greater.
Families with autistic children live in a very isolated world, often requiring them to move only to communities where specialized services are available. And yet, many still feel isolated and alone. Balancing Jewish life with the constant challenges of dealing with one or more autistic children as well as normal children can be a most challenging task. One family was asked to leave a New York synagogue because their child was making gurgling noises during services. Another family tried five synagogues before they found acceptance.
By recognizing that we have not sought out these special needs families until now, and by acting on this realization of doing what we must do, we involve ourselves in an act of teshuvah.
On the opening day of Camp Ramah in 1997, as the first group of campers got off the bus, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I had the same experience six weeks ago at Ramah during shacharit, when an autistic child, the son of Cantor and Dr. Rochvarg of Charlotte, read from the Torah and later corrected his mother’s Torah portion. This service was held at the lakeside prayer pavilion, where the newly built and magnificent Aron ha-Kodesh, commissioned by Anshei Darom, the Men’s Clubs of the Southeast Region, had just been installed. Tethered to a winch to hoist the Ark to the ceiling beams when not in use, and set into wings made of several types of beautiful wood, this wonderfully creative structure could not have been put to better use than by those who participated in this seminal event.
There were 20 families who came to Ramah from all parts of the country. The staff of some 35 chaverim, specialty counselors and coordinators, were trained by a group of special educators from Nova SE Universities’ Division of Autistic Studies. A chaver (typically a college or graduate student) was assigned to each family. Several goals of the program were to give families opportunities to be with other families having similar challenges, to help them grow Jewishly, and to provide some respite from their anything-but-normal lives. This was achieved with parallel scheduling in the morning, where parents spent time learning with Rabbi Shaun Fields Meyer, herself the mother of an autistic child and who runs support groups in the LA area. While parents studied, hiked, climbed the alpine tower or used the lakeside facilities, the children had other learning opportunities. The autistic children were paired with the chaver - a special friend who stayed with them at all times - and together, enjoyed all the activities the camp offered: swimming, arts and crafts, and sports. The siblings had their own groups and participated in similar activities with counselors who helped them to recognize their special place in the family and to learn to develop some coping skills to deal with the unique issues of being siblings to special needs children.
In addition to meals, afternoon was family time when they could take advantage of the lake, pool, hiking, family cooking, art projects, and on Friday, challah braiding. Early evenings included family programs - a carnival one evening, a campfire on another. Making s’mores around the campfire put smiles on the faces or a number of children who just seemed, for a while, to leave their inner, lonely worlds, to join the party and have fun. After the children were put to bed, the counselors came back to baby-sit, while parents enjoyed a wine and cheese party one evening, an Iron Chef competition on another, and game night on Shabbat.
Susan Techtiel, who has run the family camp at Ramah for years and this summer started a taste of Ramah for entering 3rd graders, was director of the program. She describes the program as a series of miracles. The expressions of appreciation by the parents could only bring tears to your eyes. One family said that Camp Yofi was the first time in 7 years we felt like we’ve done something meaningful as a family. Others expressed similar feelings:
“It would have been enough just to create an environment that gave autistic children an opportunity to experience camp. But to additionally structure a program for both parents and siblings is what made Camp Yofi perfect. And to not structure discussions specifically focused on autism, but to give parents a chance to address their day-to-day issues in both spiritual and community contexts is what really pulled the experience together and added so much meaning…”The Yomim Nora’im, the Days of Awe, are a time of contemplation, repentance, atonement, of taking stock of our lives. According to Maimonides, teshuvah is the road to the healing of the spirit. Having experienced a part of this miraculous happening at Ramah Darom has helped me to focus on the true meaning of the Yomim Nora’im. I hope we will all seek the vision that our real selves are the divine images within us, and that we are all capable of true teshuvah, so that each of our names may be inscribed in the book of life for another year. Shabbat Shalom!
Sunday, November 20, 2005
The Fancy-Schmancy Deli
Harry was walking down Regent Street and stepped into a posh gourmet food shop. An impressive salesperson in a smart morning coat with tails approached him and politely asked, "May I help you, Sir?"
"Yes," replied Harry, "I would like to buy a pound of lox."
"No, no," responded the dignified salesperson, "You mean smoked salmon."
"OK, a pound of smoked salmon, then."
"Anything else?"
"Yes, a dozen blintzes."
"No. No. You mean crêpes."
"Okay, a dozen crêpes."
"Anything else?"
"Yes. A pound of chopped liver."
"I'm sorry, Sir. You mean paté."
"Okay," said Harry, "A pound of paté then, and I'd like you to deliver all of this to my house on Saturday."
"Now, see here, Sir," retorted the indignant salesperson, "we don't schlep on Shabbos!"
[A tip o' th' yarmulke to Irwin Weitz!]
"Yes," replied Harry, "I would like to buy a pound of lox."
"No, no," responded the dignified salesperson, "You mean smoked salmon."
"OK, a pound of smoked salmon, then."
"Anything else?"
"Yes, a dozen blintzes."
"No. No. You mean crêpes."
"Okay, a dozen crêpes."
"Anything else?"
"Yes. A pound of chopped liver."
"I'm sorry, Sir. You mean paté."
"Okay," said Harry, "A pound of paté then, and I'd like you to deliver all of this to my house on Saturday."
"Now, see here, Sir," retorted the indignant salesperson, "we don't schlep on Shabbos!"
[A tip o' th' yarmulke to Irwin Weitz!]
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Golf - The Gift of the Jews
It has long been thought that the game of golf originated in Scotland in the fifteenth century. Recently uncovered evidence indicates that this sport actually began in eastern Europe and for many years was enjoyed by the Jews of the area.
Stories passed down from generation to generation told of Moses and Aaron and their famous Desert Classic, which endured for 40 years. This great tradition was re-born many years later in the fields and forests of eastern Europe.
Some more evidence:
was called a Mercedes. And, oh yes - it is believed that the name "GOLF"
is an acronym of the often-heard words - Gevalt, Oy, Ligner, and Feh!
[A Tip o' th' Tam o' Shanter to Irwin Weitz for passing this along.]
Stories passed down from generation to generation told of Moses and Aaron and their famous Desert Classic, which endured for 40 years. This great tradition was re-born many years later in the fields and forests of eastern Europe.
Some more evidence:
- Jewish golfers wear two pairs of socks...in case they get a hole in one...
- A shepherd, Velvel Gross, passed the time by hitting pebbles with his shepherd's crook. The number of times he hit the stones became known as Gross Score.
- Gross eventually decided to lay out an actual course by utilizing the adjacent farmers' properties. The playing area consisted of 18 segments - the number chosen to represent the Hebrew symbol Chai, meaning Life. The game could then be played by Wednesday golfers as 9 holes (half-Chai), regular golfers as 18 holes (Chai), enthusiasts and fitness-freaks as 27 holes (Chai-and-a-half), and with the wives during mixed play (double-Chai).
- The putting surface was named after Lazar Green, because the shortest grass was found on his property.
- The search for durable projectiles (which could sustain repeated strikes with wooden sticks) led to the Rebbetzin's kitchen, where her dimpled matzoh balls were the clear-cut winners. They came in 90 or 100 compression and were vigorously tested by a mechanical arm called Iron Myron.
- Parve, later contracted to "Par," meaning neither here nor there, was the number of shots allocated to each hole.
- Faivel the Sissy scored the first recorded Birdie, as onlookers shouted, "Not bad for a Faygelah!" The Eagle was so named for Adler the Shtarker, who scored the first amazing 2-under-par!
- Soon courses sprung up all over the land with such exotic names as Knobble Beach, Grieven Valley, Seder Brook and the two richest clubs: Chelm Ridge and Chai Ridge. This particular group was known as The Haymishe Five Membership in these clubs provided many diverse activities. Tournaments such as Blintzes and Schnapps and Beat the Tsar (a shotgun) were organized.
- Social events included Revolutionary Hop and Pogrom Night and were carefully planned. A committee of men was responsible for the many rules and regulations that all were required to observe.
- Men's and women's facilities were strictly segregated according to Jewish law. A dress code was rigidly enforced, in spite of the women's insistence on the right to bare arms.
- Shortly thereafter, the top golfers in the land emerged and formed the PGA (Poylish-Galitzianer Association).
- Famous Jewish golfers of the era were Julius Boros, Sam Snead, Ben Crenshaw, Jack Nicklaus, Max Faulkner, Harry Varden and Al Geiberger. These names are immortalized in the Chalah Fame.
was called a Mercedes. And, oh yes - it is believed that the name "GOLF"
is an acronym of the often-heard words - Gevalt, Oy, Ligner, and Feh!
[A Tip o' th' Tam o' Shanter to Irwin Weitz for passing this along.]
