Every day there are different thoughts about what might or might not be opening in the future. Everyone is anxious to have some of the restrictions lifted. One that greatly affects our communities is whether or not minyanim will be allowed to resume. How many people? When will it begin? Will it be restricted to people of specific ages?
Every person you speak with has a different take on what should or should not happen. Some say, “Let’s get going, we’ve had enough,” and others are more reticent and want to take a slower approach. We have already been reminded that people over the age of 60 will not be welcome to attend minyanim no matter what. What happens if you are 59?? Do you squeak yourself in?
More and more guessing, wondering and waiting. It seems as though this situation is here to stay with us for quite a while. How ridiculous is it that we are no longer shocked when we see people walking along the streets wearing masks?? What used to be totally foreign to our eyes now doesn’t even make us blink. Just a few minutes ago as we were picking up food (supporting our local restaurants) on Queen Anne we noticed a man wearing a scarf on his face that four months ago would have made us cross the street. Things have gone from the absurd to the norm.
Suddenly, in the midst of the craziness we witnessed today there were signs of the beauty of youth and what will eventually be normal again in our society. For the past 19 years, May 24 has been celebrated by our family as the birthday of Zev Kinderlehrer. It is especially difficult to realize that Zev is 19, as his diagnosis of autism in many ways limits him from doing what most 19-year-old boys would be doing. Yet anyone who knows him is taken by his friendliness and charm. COVID-19 could not stop Zev’s friends from showing him the celebration he so deserves.
Suddenly, at least 20 of his friends from Friendship Circle showed up in front of the Kinderlehrer home on Grayson Place to pay Zev the proper homage that was his due. Together, a loud and clear Happy Birthday was sung, as Zev kvelled while standing on the grass in front of his house. After the “Happy Birthday” came the “How old are you now? Are you 1, are you 2, etc.,” usually not sung for someone who is 19. But in Zev’s case he ate it all up with enthusiasm and a bright smile on his face, and enthusiastically answered his age. Later in the afternoon, Yachad Zoomed one of its many COVID-19 programs to its rapt membership, and Zev was able to enjoy the Maccabeats even more than he usually does as they sang Happy Birthday to him as well.
Whatever can be said about the world of entertainment in promoting Hollywood and Broadway “stars” we propose that the real stars in our Jewish world are the boys who visited Zev today, his friends from Yachad who made sure that the Maccabeats would sing a special song to him, and his amazing counselors from HASC who are trying to come up with a plan to entertain Zev and his friends during the summer.
We in the Jewish community have produced so many young stars. Much credit should be given to their parents who have, in many cases, allowed their children to welcome their friends with special needs into their homes; to the parents who, in some cases, are learning from their children about acceptance since they as youngsters didn’t have the same opportunity to be exposed to kids with special needs; and to the parents who themselves were counselors and advisers at programs for individuals with special needs and have instilled from the time their children were young the importance of accepting everyone, no matter what their disability, into their lives.
When we experience a day such as today in our socially distant world, with our children not being able to enter our home and we in turn not going into theirs, we nevertheless come away seeing signs of brightness. We have produced wonderful young people who need to know how very special they are. Their actions, which are not monetarily rewarded, will never be forgotten by the families whose lives they touch. There should be a long street (it would have to be very long) where names can be cemented in the sidewalk with the real stars in our world. Every one of the young men and women who volunteer for these wonderful organizations needs to have their name prominently displayed. They deserve every ounce of our gratitude. They are our stars.
Rabbi Mordechai and Nina Glick are living in Bergenfield after many years of service to the Montreal Jewish community. Rabbi Glick was the rav of Congregation Ahavat Yisroel as well as a practicing clinical psychologist in private practice. He also taught at Champlain Regional College. The Glicks were frequent speakers at the OU marriage retreats. Nina coordinated all Yachad activities in Montreal and was a co/founder of Maison Shalom, a group home for young adults with special needs. They can be reached at [email protected].
