The yomim tovim of Shemini Atzeres and Simchat Torah are a time of rejoicing with family and friends, of elevating the mundane to a spiritual plane. Yom Tov is a time of relaxation when we “drink from the waters” to sustain us for the dark, winter months ahead.
Yet for some families that luxury doesn’t exist. For families with children or adults with development disabilities, the yomim tovim is often the most stressful time of the year. While other families are busy with the mitzvos and celebrations of the day, they are just trying to avert the next crisis and help their family get through another day.
Juggling jobs and other familial commitments put a strain on every family. Think about the intricate and round-the-clock care a child or adult with special needs requires, and the results are overwhelming. Throw yom tov into the mix when family members are on a tighter schedule or when other children in the family have their version of Oneg HaChag, and you have a tricky situation.
Enter HASC, pioneers in providing solutions to families with disabilities for over 60 years. HASC understands the strain persons and children with disabilities bring to the ebb and flow of family life. So HASC has endeavored to provide an optimum respite for families for the Second Days of Succos for many years. On Hoshanna Rabba morning this year, attendees boarded buses and made a trip upstate for four blissful days in Camp HASC.
The counselors took great care in packing medicine, warm clothes, and other essentials. They gave up family and personal time, the comforts of their shul and home to provide ongoing round-the-clock care to one camper for this three-day Yom Tov. From Hoshanna Rabba morning through Shemini Atzeres and Simchat Torah, culminating in an uplifting Shabbos Parshas Bereishis, this year Camp HASC hosted 100 lucky campers for its annual Simchaton. The sprawling campground covered in autumn’s vibrant colors was the perfect backdrop for the exuberance and lively singing and dancing that reverberated throughout the Second Days of Yom Tov.
While echoes of summer fun still resounded off the walls of the dining room and shul, nothing compared to the joy felt on Simchas Torah. As the campers and counselors joined hands for the hakofot, there was a palpable joy that was felt like a current coursing through the crowd. The magnetic pull of dancing in honor of the Torah was magnified a thousand-fold as the campers, both old and young, pushed beyond their natural limits. The rafters vibrated as the voices reached a crescendo; a chorus of voices blended in song with purity for the glorious gift of the Torah. As the campers took turns kissing the soft, velvet coverings there was nary a dry eye in the shul.
Additionally, in shuls across the Tri-State area, other miracles unfolded, dotting the map with the magic of HASC. Parents and siblings of children and adults with developmental disabilities were rejoicing on Simchas Torah, many for the first time in years. The luxury of attending a kiddush, listening to Mishna Torah, or staying for hakofos had not been in these families’ lives for years. With the reprieve offered by the HASC Simchaton, many families were able to accept or extend invitations for seudos to join grandparents, family, and friends on Yom Tov. A whole new level of Zman Simchaseinu was experienced in the homes of these special families thanks to the hospitality of HASC.
The refrain heard by young siblings of the Simchaton attendees was, “We don’t have to worry now, the counselors are there and taking care,” for even youngsters recognized the absolute loyalty and never-ending amount of giving displayed by the young men and women who volunteer at Camp HASC. Yet, perhaps even more poignant, is that even these youngsters shoulder the responsibilities and anxiety inherent in taking care of special-needs individuals. As one young mother so aptly put it, “It was a peek into what a regular family Yom Tov was like. The stress level was down and we were able to spend quality time with the rest of the family without mishap.” A grateful father noted, “For us it was eye-opening, how normal is so abnormal for us. Notwithstanding the bracha and gratification our daughter brings into our home, it can get hectic. It was easier for our other children to both appreciate and miss her so that when the next crisis hit, it was easier for them to accept.”
The respite granted from medical jargon and emotional upheaval for four blissful days was a priceless commodity that only Camp HASC can provide. With a one-on-one camper to staff member ratio, the individualized care and attention was superlative. With an expert staff of nurses, nutritionists. and paramedics, the health and safety of each Simchaton participant, ranging from 4 years old to 60 years old, was ably provided for.
“The entire yom tov is designed around the special dietary concerns and restrictions of the Simchaton attendees. Yet, at the same time, we were assuring that they got a taste and feel of what it feels like to participate hands-on in a shul and in a Yom Tov environment; something not always possible outside the liberating walls of Camp HASC,” said Alex Grossman, Director of HASC Simchaton. “The honors of Pesicah, Aliya, and delivering divrei Torah were bestowed upon the campers for a truly awe-inspiring experience that many had only felt for the first time this yom tov.” One incredulous parent called to ask if it was true–or perhaps was her son just imagining–that he had benched lulav and esrog at the Simchaton. In fact, the welcoming activity upon arrival to Camp HASC was Shake the Lulav! Coming on the heels of a picturesque Tashlich stop made in the Catskill area, the activity got the HASC Simchaton off to an incredible start.
Music, crafts, and sports were on the “smorgasbord” presented for the day, highlighted by a great Sing Down of the Color War teams. The camaraderie and teamwork lasted through the Chag as each team outdid itself with “vocal renditions” and “choreographed footwork” to boot!
For the campers arriving at the Simchaton, it was as comforting as coming home to the warmth and security of Camp HASC.
“This familiarity allowed for a seamless transition into Yom Tov mode,” noted Allan Houben, Director of HASC Simchaton. “The ease with which the 150 staff members coordinated this tremendous undertaking was due to the sheer generosity of spirit that our dedicated staff members possess even when their job is over and even when it’s their personal family time.”
Perhaps the greatest moment, everyone agreed, was being privy to Kol Hanaarim. As the talesim were spread ensconcing the entire assemblage, staff members deftly lifted their charges out of wheelchairs and under the warm embrace of the talesim as the timeless brachot and aliyot handed down through the generations resonated within all those present.
For Shmiel Kahn, “The privilege of duchenen such a Special Nation this yom tov was one that will stay with me until Bezras Hashem we do it again–hopefully next year in Yerushalyim.”
By Reizy Itzkowitz
