This election day, I had the opportunity to participate in something very special—Friendship Circle Mini Camp at TABC. Mini camp is an opportunity for children with special needs to go on trips with other students on their days off from school. TABC volunteers were split up into small groups and we began our morning on the TABC grounds with toys and games that we enjoyed playing together with our guests. Later the buses arrived to transport us to Funplex, an indoor amusement park located in East Hanover, NJ. We played arcade games, went go-karting and played laser tag. All the kids had a blast. When we returned to TABC, we had an afternoon full of activities. We played soccer in the gym, then went to the lunchroom to decorate cookies. As the last of the cookies and frosting was being eaten, they handed out musical instruments. We each held our instruments with our frosting-filled fingers and began to sing. We went around in a circle to introduce everyone, and by the time the music ended, I knew every person in the room.

The day really gave me a new perspective on interacting with people different from me. I realized that despite our differences we can all learn something from each other. Personally I learned that doing a little can go a long way. If you take the first step towards building a relationship with someone, they will meet you halfway. I would like to thank Rabbi Michael Hoenig and the Friendship Circle staff for giving us all this wonderful opportunity. I am looking forward to working with Friendship Circle again in the near future.

By Akiva Zupnik