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“We know our staff and our
campers are really excited about
going back to camp,” said Alan
Silverman, camp director at
Camp Moshava in Honesdale.

“It was very disappointing for
us last summer when we were
not able to open, and so there
really is tremendous excitement
from all involved.”
Joshua Sternburg, director
of finance and operation at
Camp Havaya in South Sterling,
said the main tools at camps’
disposal for ensuring a fun,
safe summer experience are
non-pharmaceutical interven-
tions, or NPIs. These include
masking, distancing, cleaning
regiments, hand washing and
creating small pods of campers.

Testing is also a key compo-
nent of reopening.

At Ramah, campers will be
encouraged to get tested 10 days
before they arrive. They will
be tested on arrival to closely
monitor the potential for any
outbreaks. Camp Nock-A-
Mixon in Kintnersville plans
to test each camper at least four
times during their stay. Havaya,
Moshava and Camp Harlam in
Kunkletown have similar strat-
egies in place.

For indoor spaces like bunks,
infirmaries and dining halls,
camps are using a combination
of new ventilation equipment,
outdoor tents and limited
capacity to ensure adequate
distancing. Havaya is covering
its dining hall porch so campers
can eat outside, Harlam is split-
ting meal sessions and Ramah
is moving dining under large
outdoor tent pavilions.

One aspect of camp that
will not return this year is
trips beyond the campgrounds
and hosting visitors. Ramah,
Havaya, Nock-A-Mixon,
Moshava and Harlam have no
intention of moving campers
off-site to the usual amusement
parks or naturescapes during
the season. Silverman said
Moshava also has no plans to
welcome guests for Shabbat,
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM The open-air Coliseum at Camp Nock-A-Mixon.
which would happen in a
normal season.

“Once campers arrive, we
will not be letting anyone, so to
speak, in or out, unless it’s an
emergency or some kind of very
special thing,” he said. Staff
will also be expected to remain
on-site on their days off.

If these safety measures
hold, camp leaders believe that
kids will be able to have relative
freedom of movement and
partake in the activities they
know and love, from outdoor
sports to arts and crafts.

“We’re not really eliminating
any activities,” Sternburg said.

“It’s going to be limited to only,
you know, the groups with their
pods, but other than that we’re
really trying to offer most or
all of the programming that we
normally would.”
Campers will be able to
socialize with peers, a precious
opportunity for many after a
year of remote learning and
isolating with family.

“Something that’s probably
on everybody’s mind is just how
hungry everybody seems to be
for camp,” said Gary Glaser,
director of Camp Nock-A-
Mixon. Camp was already a
beloved experience, and now it
offers an escape from the relent-
less negative news kids may be
exposed to elsewhere.

“Camp might be the first
time where you feel back to
normal,” he added.

Camp leaders are also aware
that many of their campers are
experiencing increased stress
and anxiety due to the difficul-
ties of the past year.

Photo by Jay Gorodetzer
“This is an area in which
Harlam has already invested
significant resources,” said
Lisa David, director of Camp
Harlam. “We have a full camper
care team; those are social
workers, educators, mental
health professionals who are
there to work with our families,
and then also share information
with our staff and train our staff
to work directly with kids and
to be there as needed to manage
any issues that pop up.”
Glaser said the consistency
of life at Nock-A-Mixon is
comforting to children in the
face of uncertainty.

“A camper who’s nervous
can ask, ‘What’s going on
tomorrow?’ And you know we
have an answer,” he said.

David said Harlam is also
distributing a brit kehillah,
or community covenant, to
families that explain the rules of
returning to camp this summer
and emphasize the Jewish values
of caring for each other. She
said the past year has made kids
aware of the need for masks and
distancing, and doesn’t expect
to need a punitive approach for
campers breaking the rules.

For day camps that did
not close last summer, the
upcoming season is an oppor-
tunity to implement the lessons
they learned last year. Sara
Sideman, camp director of
JCC Camps at Medford in New
Jersey, said the organization
plans to run full programming,
transportation and meal service
this year with safety protocols
in place.

Last summer, JCC ran a
JEWISH EXPONENT
modified program with 200
campers rather than the usual
1,300. Campers were separated
into cohorts, or small numbers
of kids similar to pods.

Rather than switching classes
throughout the day, cohorts did
activities together to minimize
exposure. Face masks were
required any time someone
goes indoors or cohorts interact
with each other.

Meals were individu-
ally wrapped rather than
served family-style and eaten
outdoors instead of in the
dining hall. Since the camp has
little indoor space, kids played
under open-air pavilions on
rainy days.

All of these safety measures
will be implemented again
this year for more children.

Sideman doesn’t expect to be
back to full capacity this year,
but the numbers will be closer
to a standard season.

“We’re really proud to be
& & TAY-SACHS
CANAVAN CANAVAN
SCREENING SCREENING
CALL (215) 887-0877
FOR DETAILS
e-mail: ntsad@aol.com;
visit: www.tay-sachs.org
■ Screening for other
Jewish Genetic Diseases
also available.

This message is sponsored by a friend of
Nat’l Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases
Association of Delaware Valley
able to provide respite for kids
in such a crazy time and be able
to provide the adequate support
that our campers need to ensure
that they’re feeling happy and
safe,” she said. l
spanzer@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0729
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APRIL 8, 2021
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