Community
Calendar
47
Maze!,
Toy!
49
5,A
JCCouncirs
weekend
camp
connects
Detroit
youth with
the Jewish
community.
is.''
Eduardo Garcia, 11; and his friend Daniel Jimenez, 10,
are here for a second time. They came back for the "fun
activities."
t's raining outside — but the children eagerly await
"I like the different rules here," says Daniel, "and no
their morning activities, following a breakfast of
chores."
bagels, cereal, Danish, fruit and juice in the
"There's chores here," Eduardo corrects him.
camp's large mess hall.
Harms
"Well, they're easier chores than at home,"
For the third time in two years, students and
Elementary
says Daniel.
parents from Harms Elementary School in south-
School students
They both came last fall and were struck by
west Detroit were involved in a weekend at
Marcela
"all the different colored leaves ... You don't see
Camp Maas, part of Tamarack Camps in
Aguilaritz, 12, that much in the city," says Eduardo. "And
Ortonville.
there's no cars, no noise."
and Estefania
The program, held Friday-Sunday, June 1-3,, is
"You can relax here, take hikes," adds Daniel.
Benitez, 9,
part of the Detroit Jewish Initiative, a Jewish
Community Council program designed to build
both of Detroit, "And I learned to use a compass last time."
Once outside, Camp Maas staff members
connections between Detroit residents and the
prepare for
lead the parents and children to the hiking
Jewish community.
new boating
paths and divide them into five groups. Each
The 66 people, including two Jewish families,
experience.
group learns games and other entertaining activ-
came for various reasons.
ities that also teach teamwork, creative thinking
Detroiter Estefania Benitez, 9, wearing a yel-
and safety.
low cap and makeshift raingear consisting of a large black
"This. program is part of our mission to introduce
bag with holes for her head and arms, came with her
members of the Latino-Hispanic community in southwest
friend, Yuliana Martinez, 9, and her mother, Gladys.
Detroit to the Jewish community," said DJI coordinator
Estefania's reason for coming was "to know what a camp
SHARON LUCKERMAN
StaffTriter
I
-
IN
6/15
2001
37