Summer Fun

Temple Emanu-El goes all-out
for children in its day camp.

Alan Hitsky
Associate Editor

Caleb Kushner, 3, of Huntington Woods is proud of his contribution to the poster.

Zoe Zaltz, 4, of Royal Oak makes

Michaelyn Silverman, right, founded Emanu-

"lunch" for Eileen Brand and

El's nursery program 25 years ago. Longtime

Michaelyn Silverman.

teacher Eileen Brand became co-director 10

years ago.

hat child wouldn't want to select the colors and then paint his own clubhouse?
That's just one of the activities that differentiate summer day camp from the
nursery school program at Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park.
Like most Jewish nursery schools in the area, Emanu-El works tirelessly to make its day
camp different from school. The decor in its classes is changed as the rooms receive new
themes for the summer, including a "butterfly" motif and a "puppy" room.
According to Michaelyn Silverman, co-director with Eileen Brand of Emanu-El's nursery
and summer program, day camp has a different enrollment and a different program, but
the same professional staff.
For 2- and 3-year-olds, the emphasis is on creating a safe and happy environment.
For 3-4-year-olds, "there's lots of outdoor activities and waterplay and live entertainers:'
Silverman said.
For 4-6-year-olds, Emanu-El runs the national Safety Town program, teaching safe play
and safe bike riding. There also are field trips, swimming at the adjacent Jimmy Prentis
Morris Building of the Jewish Community Center twice a week and waterplay at Emanu-El.
The summer day camp is nine weeks and offers extended day care from 7:30 a.m. to 6
p.m. The program has 40 staffers and an enrollment of 175 children.
Silverman said their students' parents are "a real mix of work-at-home and working par-
ents. Both audiences feel comfortable here' The summer program also has a diverse stu-
dent population, including Orthodox, Conservative and Reform backgrounds. Said Eileen
Brand, "It has a real community feel:' •
Emanu-El stresses creative movement and music programs and a weekly camp Shabbat
sing-along with Rabbi Joseph Klein to foster a camp feeling for Shabbat.
"We try to get outside as much as possible Silverman said, "even doing art outdoors
when possible." The program utilizes the nearby JCC and Oak Park city parks, with the old-
est childen and their teachers walking occasionally to the Oak Park swimming pool.
Entertainment includes farmers, clowns and magicians, with the day camp program
emphasizing lots of action each day. Silverman said Emanu-El is the only day camp in the
area that runs for nine weeks in the summer. The camp offers flexible scheduling, from two
half-days to five full days per week, plus the extended hours. O

For Temple Emanu-El day camp information, call the temple, (248) 967-4020.

Far left: Caleb

Kushner, 3, of

Huntington

Woods; Jessica

Gurvitz, 4, of

West Bloomfield;

and Joseph

Kornbum, 4, of

Southfield look at

their work in the

hallway.

Left: The children

hop in a playroom.

February 15 2007

33