Safety summer
Chabad hosts day camp as summer haven amid pandemic
If there was a year to host a popular Jewish camp program in the metro, 2020 was the year.
Such was the thinking of Nechoma Goldman, co-director of the Chabad Community Center for Jewish Life and Learning, 3000 W Hefner Road.
Goldman said she dreamed of hosting a summer day camp under the Camp Gan Israel umbrella, but she had never done it before. Camp Gan Israel is a Jewish camping network with chapters in more than 40 countries around the world. Chabad held a Camp Gan Israel winter break camp more than a decade ago but Goldman wanted to offer camp sessions during the summer months.
Goldman said she moved forward with the day camp despite the COVID19 because so many youths and their families were seeking summer activities. Many other camps and summer events for children had been canceled due to the coronavirus crisis. “I know there's families that choose not to come. They wanted to play it safe. I also had families tell me that this camp was the only thing they were going to do this summer,” she said.
Chabad called its day camp “Camp Gan Izzy-OK C .” It ended on Friday after three weeks of camp activities and outings.
Rochel Goldman, one of the daughters of Nechoma Goldman and Chabad codirector Rabbi Ovadia Goldman, served as head camp counselor. She said 10 children participated in the camp and another 15 children in Chabad's Gan Israel Early Learning Center also participated in some activities but separately for social distancing.
Nechoma Gold man said the two groups were kept separate as a precautionary measure to limit the spread of COVID-19.
The summer day camp included special activities at the Jewish center as well as several field trips. Village Policeman Jesse Pfeil visited the youths one day. During another camps session, a petting zoo visited the center. Field trips included an outing to a splash pad and Scissortail Park in downtown Oklahoma City.
Most of the camp activities were those offered by most tradition camps but Camp Gan Izzy, like all camps in the Camp Gan Israel network, incorporated aspects of Judaism.
Nechoma Goldman said the children spent about 45 minutes each morning in prayer and absorbing universal lessons on topics like charity and respecting your parents.
Each Friday, the group was treated to special sessions related to Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath. Nechoma Goldman said children made challah bread. They also listened as Rabbi Goldman read a story, which often featured themes from Judaism faith traditions. “The kids had an amazing time,” she said.