16 | JULY 30 • 2020 

successful activities local par-
ents can do with their kids.” 
On June 15, they created a 
Facebook page, shared it on 
their shul’
s WhatsApp page 
— both attend Young Israel of 
Southfield — and many mem-
bers joined immediately. Word 
quickly spread and, within two 
weeks, the group had over 500 
members. Within one month, 
it had 800 members.
Moms (and dads!) post their 
daily outings and trips with 
their families, which takes, as 

the group’
s description says, 
“the guesswork out of figuring 
out your summer plans.” 
Posters are encouraged to 
include the ages of kids the 
activity was successful for, dis-
tance, cost and what pandemic 
precautions are in place, like 
social distancing, mask wear-
ing and regular sanitizing of 
equipment. 
Shayna Goldner of Oak Park, 
mother of Dovid, 7, and Eva, 
7 months, said, “This group 
saved our summer. I love all 

the pre-tested ideas to make 
our trips go smoothly, especial-
ly with a tiny baby aboard for 
the ride. Now I get to be a fun 
mom with half the work!”
Goldner grew up in 
Michigan and even she didn’
t 
know about some of the plac-
es that parents posted on the 
Facebook page. Some new 
places she explored with her 
family were St Clair Metro 
Park and the Port Huron 
Lighthouse. 
Jenny Schwartz of West 

Bloomfield joined the page 
when overnight camp was 
canceled for her kids, Eli, 
13, Jonah, 10 and Kayla, 8. 
Though her kids were dis-
appointed, with the help of 
the ideas from Camp Mom 
Michigan, they’
re still having a 
fun summer. 
“Thanks to the group, 
we’
ve been to Dodge #4 State 
Park, which I never knew 
existed, even though it’
s only 
15 minutes from our house! 
We went fishing at Spring 
Valley Trout Farm, which 
was fun, and then we ate the 
fish we caught for Shabbat 
dinner,” Schwartz said. 
Not every day brings great 
outdoor weather, so Camp 

“This group saved our summer. I love all the 
pre-tested ideas to make our trips go smoothly, 
especially with a tiny baby aboard for the ride.
Now I get to be a fun mom with half the work!”

— SHAYNA GOLDNER

The Goldner family: 
Mordy, Shayna, 
Dovid and Eva 

SHAYNA GOLDNER

Shirli Gotlib and 
Max, Alex, Sophia 
and Jacob

SHIRLI GOTLIB

continued from page 14

continued on page 18

Jews in the D
cover story