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Jewish Life In My 20s

Sometimes the most precious lessons
come out of near-tragic moments.

LYNNE MEREDITH COHN STAFF WRITER

There is something profound sickness. In a whirlwind three
s I was interviewing chil-
dren at Camp Simcha, I about this camp. It gives Jewish weeks, there isn't time. It's the
stumbled upon a little boy boys and girls who have been only chance these kids have to
from Atlanta. His name stricken with life-threatening ill- not be sad.
Simcha campers have come
was Dov, and he turned 12 the nesses, who spend many of their
day we met. Dressed head to toe days under glaring, fluorescent close to the edge of the cliff. And,
in Atlanta Braves attire, Dov hospital lights and beside dying because they have seen over the
walked with me through camp, children, three weeks of sheer side, they know that life is pre-
cious.
under full green trees and along fun.
Sure, they fight with each oth-
I went to camp for 10 years.
quiet paths. We talked about life.
Dov has been off chemother- There were a lot of Jewish er like other kids. As always,
apy for two years now. And while campers, and the directors were there are the popular ones. But
that probably makes him happy, Jewish, but my camps were sec- there's a lot more hugging going
he's also bummed, because after ular. That's OK; I loved those on at Simcha than any other
three years off chemo, campers summers, and every now and camp I've been to.
There is something ironic
cannot return to Camp Simcha. then I wish I could go back.
about human nature. Too
At first, we talked about
El, often, we don't value what
sports. He loves the
El is good in our lives until it
Braves, thinks the Tigers
Fi is taken away. Even
aren't so hot, and like a
things as innocuous as a
typical Southern boy, he
smile from a co-worker, a
doesn't have any feelings
Pc, child's laughter or traffic-
about hockey.
less driving go unnoticed
Then we talked about
on a daily basis.
Jewish observance. As
Not at Simcha. The
Dov's family attends shul
ambulance that follows
regularly, he wasn't un-
behind the buses on any
comfortable at the Ortho-
field trip, or the helicopter
dox-run camp near Port
that sometimes comes to
Jervis, N.Y.
transport sick kids to a so-
I asked Dov if he has a
phisticated New York
girlfriend. He blushed,
City hospital, force you to
nodded his head yes and
notice everything.
quietly whispered her
As the sun set on
name. Once, he said, her
Wednesday, July 23, the
parents left her behind at
dining hall at Camp Sim-
shul, accidentally. A gen-
cha shook. Inside,
tleman, Dov walked her
campers, counselors and
home.
staff held hands, sang He-
When they got there, ap-
brew songs and danced in
parently her parents were
big circles. Their feet
not pleased that a boy and
a girl had been strolling to- Atlanta Braves fan Dov: Learning what's important in life stomped heavily on the
wood floor. Their mouths
gether, alone, unchaper- at age 12.
opened in what could have
oned, and they expressed
But Camp Simcha showed me been eternal smiles. Their hands
this displeasure openly to Dov.
"I mean, I believe in n'giyah," another kind of camp; the Jew- clapped until they turned red.
The people I met at Camp
he said. (Shomer n'giyah, fol- ish kind of camp where you have
lowed by most observant Jews, the same amount of fun but with Simcha do not take anything for
granted. They can't afford to. For
is the practice of not touching a Jewish, religious flavor to it.
In a way, I wish I could have them, life is a question mark with
someone of the opposite sex) This
informed, intelligent young man experienced that as young as an uncertain ending.
I'm lucky that I have never
and I talked about the difference these kids do. I wish I could have
between following something you known that people say prayers been stricken with a life-threat-
believe in, and following some- on days other than Rosh ening disease.
But the people at that camp
Hashanah, Yom Kippur and
thing because you're supposed to.
When I was his age, I didn't Passover, that being Jewish can are a different kind of lucky. Sim-
even know what n'giyah meant. be a full-time thing, not set aside cha has given many people a
I spent maybe 45 minutes with for special occasions like fine chance to understand love and a
chance to experience Judaism.
Dov. That's it. But our time to- clothes.
It's ironic — you can do every-
Like at any camp, these
gether has stayed with me in a
campers run in circles on the thing right, take the safe road
way that is hard to explain.
I asked how his friends at Sim- lawn. They read books under the and all of its precautions, and still
shade of full trees. They swim be the one to get hurt. And yet,
cha are different from his friends
and splash and play in a pool or our bodies are resilient; they can
at home. Simply, they understand,
in a lake. They can acquire vir- take quite a pummeling and still
he said. They are more mature.
The diseases these kids deal tually any skill they don't already come out on top.
And despite all that, some peo-
with on a daily basis have taught have, from arts and crafts, to div-
ple never know the beauty of this
them how precious life is, how to ing, to playing the drums.
Although I only spent 36 hours Jewish life until it's too late. Let's
cherish every moment, every re-
there, I didn't witness any home- not make that mistake. ❑
lationship, every person.

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