Last May, as part of the amazing Access Israel conference, I got to “test” just how accessible the Old City of Jerusalem really is.  Many conference attendees got off tour buses with lifts and traveled through the gates of the Old City, to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and on to the Western Wall.  What an emotional moment seeing friends in wheelchairs wheeling themselves to Judaism’s most holy place!   We were using the new Accessible JLM app.  https://apps.apple.com/il/app/accessible-roads-jerusalem/id1434672106. 

I knew the app and various informative articles (i.e. https://www.israel21c.org/jerusalems-old-city-now-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities/) said that Jerusalem was accessible. It wasn’t until I spent the day walking around the Old City with my new German journalist friend, Werner, wearing gloves and operating his wheelchair, that I learned that it is indeed accessible. 

Imagine my excitement when we attended a “speed dating” event, hosted by Google Israel, leading up to the conference.  The evening was a chance for each participant to quickly sample accessible apps and technologies.   Three conference participants were commissioners on disabilities from major cities—New York, Chicago and New York—two were full time wheelchair users.   It would only be a matter of time—we all hoped—when the world—beyond the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem—would become more accessible.

Fast forward one year.  On May 21^st, Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Google announced that Google Maps will now show places that are wheelchair accessible, and users will be able to find such places effortlessly without taking any extra steps. All they have to do is turn on the “Accessible Places” feature in their settings. (see coverage:  https://assistivetechnologyblog.com/2020/05/google-maps-will-now-show-wheelchair-accessible-places.html;  https://www.searchenginejournal.com/new-google-maps-feature-highlights-wheelchair-accessible-places/370054/#close).  

Thank you, Google.  The world has been needing this map for a long time.  Now, people in wheelchairs, strollers, motorized scooters—and the rest of the world—will get around just a bit easier!

I have so many wonderful Jay Rudermanisms in my head. Among my favorites, which I have put in my own words and regularly take to heart:

“We are all only temporarily nondisabled”

“If you go around a table at an event and speak honestly, we realize we all have close connections to disabilities—through family, friends, etc.”

“Inclusion is a Jewish continuity (and human rights) issue—if a person with a disability does not feel welcomed in a synagogue, you lose not only that person, but his or her entire family.”

I am so appreciative to Jay Ruderman for his wisdom and leadership in the area of disabilities inclusion.  Jay is President of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which focuses on the inclusion of people with disabilities worldwide (as well as educating Israeli leaders on the American Jewish community).  Jay and the Foundation have been working hard recently on the issue of authentic representation in Hollywood—where people who actually HAVE disabilities portray people on shows with disabilities. [https://rudermanfoundation.org/white_papers/the-ruderman-white-paper-on-authentic-representation-in-tv/].  Jay is also the host of the podcast, “All Inclusive with Jay Ruderman,” now in its 3^rd season.

The current podcast features Jay’s interview with Cheryl Hines, wife of the one-and-only Larry David on “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”  [The podcast is available on many platforms with a written transcript here:

https://rudermanfoundation.org/podcast/season-3-episode-3-emmy-nominated-actress-cheryl-hines-from-curb-your-enthusiasm-talks-acting-inclusion-and-poker/

Jay notes that he met Cheryl, as well as Larry David and “Curb” cast member, Ted Danson at a pre-pandemic event in Beverly Hills honoring screenwriters and directors, Peter and Bobby Farrelly, for their work for inclusion of people with disabilities in their films.  Hines has particular sensitivity to issues of disabilities and inclusion, and to the principle of authentic representation—she has a nephew with cerebral palsy. 

Hines reports, “I have a nephew who has cerebral palsy and he’s been in a wheelchair his whole life and his speech is not great, but I can understand every word. So I think there’s an interesting thing that goes on with people, especially that involves speech, some sort of disability that might impact your speech, the people around them can hear every word and understand it perfectly. And then somebody new comes in and it sounds like, ‘Oh, I can’t possibly hear what this person’s saying’…I think it’s very important for the industry to hire people with disabilities because it’s an authentic way to really see who other people are. So someone with a disability like cerebral palsy, if you hire somebody who has cerebral palsy like RJ Mitte in Breaking Bad. Here you have a great actor who’s playing somebody who has cerebral palsy who has cerebral palsy. So it’s a very authentic look at it and it’s not somebody’s interpretation of it, it’s just an actor playing a role.” 

There have been strides in the industry.  Hines notes, “I think they (ABC and “Dancing with the Stars”) have done a very good job introducing the masses to someone who only has one leg, who’s an amazing dancer, somebody who can’t hear, who’s an amazing dancer. And it’s been fun to watch how much people around the world, around the country connect with that person. Most people haven’t had the opportunity to watch somebody who only has one leg, dance or who’s deaf, dance…So I think it’s a good indicator to the industry that people connect with this and people want to understand it, want to see it, want to explore it. Clearly if so many actors have been winning awards for their portrayal of someone with a disability, there’s an audience out there who wants to see the story of this person with a disability. So what better way to do it than somebody with that disability. I think you’re right, I think we’re ready for it. We want to see it.”

Hines playfully suggests that she continues to grow accustomed to working with differences—through her work with Larry David himself! “Larry is, as you can imagine, a very smart person. And he’s so great because he knows what’s funny about himself. He knows that because he hates social rules, he knows that that’s funny to other people, although in real life he hates social rules. So it’s pretty great that he can harness it basically and do it on the show. In real life, he wouldn’t actually cross some of the lines he crosses on Curb, but he also says, that’s why he does it, that’s why he does the show. So he can because that’s how he would like to act.”  Jay then recounts a funny interaction with David, “I remember when I went to shake his hand, he’s like, ‘I haven’t shaken a hand in six weeks and I’m not going to start right now.’   Hines replies, “Yeah. But that’s what I like about him. He’ll be very honest with you. “Do you want to have lunch?” “No.” “Oh, okay. Well then I will talk to you later.” “Yeah. Or not.”

Jay and Cheryl remind us that we all know—and should continue to get to know and learn from people with disabilities.   Appreciating everyone’s differences and gifts and including everyone will make the world a better, kinder place. 

Readers of this blog may have noticed a theme—my great interest in Jewish camping.  The Jewish Education Project shares this interest. 

In today’s “Adapting the Future of Jewish Education” webinar, host David Bryfman spoke with Julie Finkelstein, Director of Leadership Development at Foundation for Jewish Camp.  She shared important ideas about why camp is magical, about what virtual camp programs might look like, and thoughts about why it is so important to include people with disabilities in Jewish camping.  But the part that made me smile and cry at the same time were the numbers she shared.   These numbers help us understand both the tremendous impact Jewish camping has on children, college age staff members and parents, and also the extent of the loss experienced by the closing this summer of so many camps.

Have a look at these numbers:

160:     overnight (nonprofit) Jewish camps in North America

150:     day camps

94:       overnight camps who have suspended or canceled camp this summer (as of May 26, 2020)

300,000:          number of Jewish children who attend Jewish camp each summer

18,000:            number of college age staff who work in Jewish camps each summer

I am crying because there will be so many people of all ages who will miss out on Jewish camping this summer.  I am smiling because Jewish camping is truly magical.  Julie quoted the phrase so often used by lovers of camp: “10 for 2” –camp people somehow manage to get through the other 10 months—as long as they will get their “2.”  (Julie has heard some speaking these days about “22 for 2”—waiting 22 months—due to Covid-19—before returning for those beloved “2.”).

Julie spoke about just what is so magical about camp.  She eloquently noted that camp is a bubble, it is parent free and technology free, it is an environment for learning independence (from bed making or problem solving), one learns to be resilient and creative, build friendships and relationships, and to find one’s voice on critical issues.   Finally, it is a pipeline to the Jewish community and the Jewish world.

Hopefully, the summer off from in-person camping will not really be a year off.  Camps are working on virtual engagement opportunities—for campers, families, and staff.   We need all of you in our pipeline!

Families across the country are in a real bind this summer.  Not only are most overnight and day camps cancelled, but summer vacations are up in the air as well.  Will families feel safe flying, renting cars, and staying in hotels?  Of course the travel industry is taking precautions and changing protocols—even down to how guests check in to hotels, undergo wellness and temperature checks and changes, eat  breakfast and receive room service orders. [see:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/hoels/2020/05/04/coronavirus-hotel-industry-issues-safety-guidelines-summer-travel/3074991001/; https://www.ahla.com/sites/default/files/safestayupdated.pdf; https://www.ahla.com/sites/default/files/safestayupdated.pdf]

What options exist for families who don’t own an RV or feel comfortable tent camping in the great outdoors?  This is where beloved summer camps come in! 

A May 25 New York Times Opinion piece by Seth Herschthal, owner and director of Blue Star Camps in Hendersonville, NC is entitled, “How to Save Summer Camps During:  A Plan to Transform Camps Into Safe Retreats for Families.”  [ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/25/opinion/summer-camp-coronavirus.html] suggests a novel use of summer camps which can benefit famliies.

Herschthal suggest a way for family units to thoughtfully, and safely use his 500-acre camp property.  The camp, which usually serves 1000 people during a camp summer, will be repurposed to serve 40 vacationing families. He has thought of nearly everything: 250 people max, 5 days sessions with two days between sessions for thorough disinfecting, health questionnaires, daily temperature checks. meals offered as take out or in in 3 separate dining rooms honoring social distancing, and one counselor assigned to each family—he or she will interact with only that family for the week.  Not only will Herschthal offer families an opportunity to get away to the great outdoors—he may recoup a lot of the money he will lose due to the cancellation of the regular camp session.

Rabbi Eliav Bock, Executive Director & Camp Director at Ramah in the Rockies, is advertising FreshAir BnB Summer 2020 Rentals, on the beautiful Ramah Outdoors site in Colorado, from July 7-August 16^th. 

The camp website is quite forthcoming: “Given the Covid-19 Pandemic, we have cancelled all Ramah in the Rockies run programs. We are now left with a significant budget shortfall, and are hoping to recoup some revenue through rental of our site to individual family units (or up to two families who are socially distancing together). We are launching our FreshAirBnB site rental program from July 7 to August 16. Rentals include a clean sleeping area with beds and mattresses, private bathrooms and showers, and refrigeration or ice for food storage.”

This a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, but it won’t feature Jewish summer camp programming visitors might be expecting.  The website is playful and clear:

“What programs, activities, and equipment is Ramah providing? We promise to have incredible concerts of chirping birds, awesome sunrises and tranquil starry nights. Depending on the time of month you might even see the beauty of a full moon or the magic of a night under a new moon. Walk towards our creeks and you will hear the soothing sound of rushing water. Aside from that please do not expect our regular Ramah style programs. In the midst of the Covid 19 outbreak we are taking extra precautions to safeguard our community. As such we will not be lending any equipment to our guests. So If you want to play basketball, please bring one from home. If you need a yoga mat, bike or frisbee, please bring those too.  You will have full access to our biking & hiking trails, basketball court, and fields.  The bouldering wall will not be open.”  http://www.ramahoutdoors.org/freshairbnb/

Be on the lookout for other camps and camping movements offering similar arrangements for families.  Just tonight, Hazon sent out the following exploratory email to gauge interest in potentially visiting the Isabella Freedman Retreat Center this summer, as part of “Isabella Freedman Getaways.”

“It has become increasingly clear that retreats are unlikely to be able to run with the same participation numbers and pricing that they have in the past, even as Covid cases have begun to fall. As a result, we will be cancelling all retreats through the end of 2020. But even as we cancel retreats, we are hard at work trying to ensure that other programs can still take place at Isabella Freedman.

Our campus is beautifully located. We exist to serve our clients, to offer rest and renewal outside the city, and to do so in a way that nourishes and inspires people. We can’t do that, this year, with our traditional retreats. It may not be possible to do anything at all. But we are exploring whether we can enable at least some people safely to come up to Freedman. If we can do so it will be good for those who are able to come to Freedman, and good also for the institution and for our staff in this time of transition.

So with the understanding that there are many factors that may make it impossible or inadvisable to have guests at Isabella Freedman, we are sending this email to gauge your interest in a socially-distanced option that we are exploring. Please read below and then reply to me or email simone.stallman@hazon.org to let us know if you’d be interested.

Each family / group would get a suite of two rooms that would include a living and sleeping space and would sleep 4 comfortably. There will be no official programming, and no access to the main building. We expect to offer an optional outdoor “Avodat Lev” service in the morning, and yoga in the late afternoon, in both cases done outdoors and at appropriate distance. Other than that, and some Shabbat programming, this is simply an opportunity to ‘Getaway’ and enjoy the grounds, trails, and lake at Isabella Freedman (we are not currently allowed to open the pool until at least June 20, if at all), as well as the local area – while eating our farm-to-table kosher cuisine. Weekly linen service and light housekeeping will be included, as well as three meals per day, seven days per week, in an open-air tent, with take-away options for lunch.”

There are still a lot of uncertainties ahead, but it is likely that Jewish summer camps will make it possible for families to take a vacation this summer where they will hopefully enjoy the great outdoors—and each other!