Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on June 10, 2020

It's hard to imagine many more fertile breeding grounds for the coronavirus than the close, insulated quarters of the summer camps and bungalow colonies of Sullivan and southern Ulster counties.

Yet it won't be long before tens of thousands of visitors to those camps and bungalows swell our roads, streets, stores and countryside.

The timing is terrible.

Just when the region is starting to reopen because cases are declining, along comes an influx of visitors some of whom, the odds say, could be carrying and spreading - the virus.

Yet it seems like the state will allow the camps to open even though it still prohibits gatherings of more than 10 people at state parks. It already gave the go-ahead for day camps, with a decision on sleepaway camps coming soon. A cynic - or realist - might say all will be allowed to open because of the political juice the folks behind the camps have in Albany.

As for bungalows?

As Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek recently told the Record, they're people's personal property, second homes, and the owners have a right to use them like anyone else.

Even though many of our summer visitors are ultra-orthodox Jews, this isn't about one religious, ethnic or racial group. It doesn't matter whether these visitors are Hasidic Jews or Russian immigrants from Brooklyn or counselors and campers from Jersey. The virus doesn't discriminate. Camp cabins and bungalows are small spaces with often unrelated people living together.

Still, we all know the influx of so many visitors already creates sparks, especially on our roads and in our stores. We do not want those sparks to ignite.

We can all do something to stay healthy, keep the peace and treat each other as we want to be treated.

While many camps have decided to close, the Association of Jewish Camp Operators (AJCO) is taking praiseworthy safety measures that all sleepaway camps should take: testing all campers before they arrive and screening them at camp; prohibiting all campers and staffers from leaving camp; making all delivery people wear masks and canceling visiting days. If anyone gets sick, they'll be sent home for treatment.

But what about the day camps, where kids and counselors commute from bungalows or homes and potentially spread the coronavirus? While the AJCO said it's seriously considering closing day camps hosted by its overnight camps and some overnight camps have already canceled their day camps, as have some traditional day camps and the towns of Fallsburg and Thompson - all-day camps should voluntarily close for the health of our campers, staffers and community. How can kids possibly social distance in camp? How can you test every camper, staffer and their families every day?

When our visitors shop or stroll, they should do what we all should do: maintain social distancing of at least six feet, wear masks and gloves, limit one person per family per shopping trip. Some supermarkets offer delivery and curbside pick-up. How about folks in bungalows or second home communities teaming up on an order to cut down on shoppers?

Our shop owners should not allow anyone inside without a mask. I've seen that work at a convenience store where folks who know the rules play by them. Visitors without masks don't enter or they return with masks.

We know screaming and yelling won't keep us healthy.

The only way we can maintain our health and peace is to act like our lives depend on one another, because they do.

steveisrael53@outlook.com

See the original post:

Steve Israel: Summertime's coming and with an essential new rulebook - Times Herald-Record

Category: Hasidic
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