Teaneck—Chai Lifeline is an organization dedicated to bringing joy and support to the lives of young people and their families beset with serious illness, such as cancer and blood disorders, or lifelong conditions such as sight, hearing or physical impairment. Chai Lifeline’s most prominent program is its summer camp, Camp Simcha.
Three years ago, Faigy Ort, in conjunction with local yeshiva day-school sixth graders, brought a Chai Lifeline shabbaton to Teaneck. It has been an annual event since, and is taking place this Shabbat at Keter Torah. In fact, this year is the first in which shabbaton alumni—current ninth graders who participated as sixth graders in 2013, are volunteering to help run the programming and events.
Each year, close to 100 Camp Simcha staff and campers spend a Shabbat in Teaneck, “hosted” by local yeshiva day-school sixth graders. Campers are in a similar age range as their hosts, affording the girls an opportunity to connect with each other. “We really see the local girls as ambassadors,” described Faigy Ort. “It sensitizes girls from our community to the challenges that Chai Lifeline’s campers face.” A high staff-to-camper ratio is necessary because campers often need specialized treatment or observation. Physicians, paramedics, nurses and senior Camp Simcha staff are also present throughout the weekend.
Although Chai Lifeline conducts many community events annually throughout the United States, what sets the Teaneck shabbaton apart, according to Ort, is the fact that “our shabbaton is so focused on integrating local participants at the middle-school level.” Ort explained further, “We’ve definitely learned more about programming and how to keep the girls engaged.” She described how before the shabbaton, the sixth graders at each school compose a production or song to showcase at one of the meals. Ort recounted how the Chai Lifeline staff still sing the song written two years ago by Yavneh’s sixth graders about Yaakov and Esav.
Because of the large number of sixth graders participating—almost 150 girls from five local schools, and approximately 100 Chai Lifeline campers and staff—half of the local sixth graders will eat Friday night dinner at Keter Torah with the shabbaton, and the other half will eat with their hosts. On Shabbat day, it will be reversed. All of the girls participate in a Shabbat afternoon activity as well as a melave malka.
“We thank Rabbi Baum of Keter Torah for once again hosting the Shabbat meals, and we thank Yeshivat He’Atid for opening its doors to us for the melave malka,” said Ort. “We are grateful to the administration of all the schools and the sixth grade moms who help with logistics and planning, and we appreciate the fact that so many families who live near Keter Torah host our guests each year.”
All women and girls from the Teaneck area are invited to join the shabbaton melave malka on Saturday night, November 19, from 7:00 to 9:30 at Yeshivat He’Atid, 1500 Queen Anne Road in Teaneck.
By Jenny Gans
