OUR COMMUNITY

T

he pandemic has presented significant
challenges to everyone — seniors,
children, adults and for us, young
families. Being transplants into a city with no
family members or relatives, but surrounded
by a community of friends, we
embraced our first child amid
everything being shut down: Eli
Levy, born October 2020.
There certainly were benefits
for two-career, first-time
parents being able to work
remotely during the pandemic
and being at home 24/7. But
there was always the underlying challenge of
creating an environment of social interaction
for our yeled (child) and making sure that
he is acclimated to both society and other
children his age.
The biggest eye-opening experience we
had was this past April when visiting Israel
over Pesach and seeing the boy interact
with his cousins for the first time. The very
first interaction he had was when my oldest
brother’s fourth and youngest child, a 2-year-
old, with his little puppy eyes and ponytail
holding a soccer ball in his right hand,
identified his cousin from America for the
first time.
He got out of the car and ran across my
parents’ yard, to greet his cousin with a
ringing slap to the face. Albeit hilarious,
seeing Eli not sure if the gesture meant this
is a friend or foe was the aha moment we
needed.
Eli needed to go to a preschool ASAP.
Upon our return to the States in early May,
we stepped up our game in intentionally
socializing the boy with kids his own age.

As we attempted to reach out to the various
learning institutions (still uncertain if you
call it school, Pre-K, camp, day care, nursery
school, etc.), we realized that we were seven
months behind the ball in signing him up
for school and our options were critically
limited.
We were, however, timely and fortunate in
signing him up for summer camp. Contrary
to myself, I’m sure many are familiar with
toddler summer camp, but it isn’t the most
convenient setup. It’s divided into sessions
that you can sign up for, one to four at a
time, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. from late June to early
August.
We were fortunate enough to find an
exceptional local camp to enroll him in —
Temple Beth El ECC in Bloomfield Township
— with exceptional professionals: Tracey
Katzen (Eli’s amazing teacher No. 1), Shelley
Swartz (Eli’s amazing teacher No. 2), Michelle
Kroll (ECC assistant director/camp director)
and Jen Goren (ECC administrator and so
much more). This is where the challenge
(and adventure) began. Each class is given an
animal as its name. Week 1 of Tiger Camp —
here we come!
Through the many forms of
communication that we received (full
disclosure — many may have not been
fully read and prepared for), we began
our experience as first-time parents of a
pandemic toddler going to camp. To start
with, at the end of a workday, we were
supposed to attend open house. The only
problem was, we didn’t know we were
supposed to bring the boy. Yes, we were the
parents in orientation without a child, trying
unsuccessfully to dismiss our feelings of

Toddler’s fi
rst time at day camp was a
learning experience — for his parents.

Li’l Eli,
the Tiger

Shimon G.
Levy
Special Writer

SHIMON LEVY

Ms. Jen comforts
Eli on his first
time apart from
his parents.

COURTESY BETH EL ECC

Eli’s entrance to
Tiger Camp on
Day 1

26 | SEPTEMBER 29 • 2022