What Motivated Camp Chayolei To Open This Summer

Once the news started trickling in about the Covid-19 outbreak and people began to realize that the situation was more serious than they thought, many mosdos including summer camps, began to wonder what will be for the future.

“At that time, our camp had already registered many campers and staff, and the thought of having to tell them all that we are not opening was very stressful but also seemingly a true reality,” Camp Director Shloime Rutman told COLlive.com.

“On Shushan Purim, I decided that we must turn to the Rebbe for advice on how to proceed,” he said.

“On that day, there was a meeting of the hanhala of our camp and we opened an Igros Kodesh to see if the Rebbe had some instructions for us.

“To say the least, we were shocked at how clear, direct and precise our answer from the Rebbe was,” Rutman says.

The letter was written to Rabbi Aharon Serebriansky from Melbourne, Australia (who incidentally has family at the camp this year), and read: “To the opening of the camp… wishing him success and an extra Brocho for good health for the campers, staff and administration of the camp.”

Rutman says that such a clear and beautiful bracha couldn’t have come at a better time.

“We knew at that point, that despite being so early in the pandemic, that ultimately, the camp will open and we will all be safe,” he said.

Rutman says the answer is the reason he and his staff were so bold in moving ahead with their summer plans as usual for this summer.

“We have experienced many miracles along the way, and are convinced that our children and staff will a successful and safe (firework free!) summer together,” Rutman says. “We hope to be able to go straight from Lackawaxen to Yerushalayim with Moshiach.”