Page 1 - JR March 31 21 FINAL
P. 1

Shoshana Bean gives


                                                                      back through song – page 2

                                                                        Day school news – pages 4-5


                                                                         Pandemic tales – page 6

                                                                          Life-cycle news – page 12

           March 31, 2021 / Nisan 18, 5781                                          Volume 56, Issue 8
        OR/WA overnight camps

        get approval to open


        BY DEBORAH MOON
         Overnight camps in Oregon and Washington will
        be allowed to open this summer thanks in large part
        to the efforts of two Jewish camp leaders.
         B’nai B’rith Camp CEO Michelle Koplan serves as
        chair of the Alliance of Oregon Camps, and Camp
        Solomon Schechter Executive Director Zach Duitch
        is co-chair of the Washington State Camp Coalition.
        Both groups were formed in response to the pandem-
        ic, which forced the closure of overnight camps in
        both states last summer.                    Activities are back! Residents enjoy an exercise class at Robison Jewish Health
         Oregon  Governor Kate  Brown announced  on   Center  led by CSP Life Enrichment Director Nancy Heckler (left). Groups are
        March 17 that  Oregon’s overnight  camps  will  be   limited to 10 people with masks and social distancing required.
        allowed to open and operate in 2021. The Alliance
        submitted recommended guidance, which propos-  Seniors celebrate renewed
        es stable cohorts of up to 20, to the Oregon Health
        Authority on March 19. The Governor’s office will
        release guidelines by mid-April.            freedom at Cedar Sinai Park
         Washington  Governor  Jay  Inslee  has  released
        guidance secured with the assistance of The WSCC   BY DEBORAH MOON           number of families in the building at
        that allows overnight summer camps to operate   This year Passover’s journey to free-  one time and only two people per fam-
        safely this summer. The guidelines are part of the   dom has been a viscerally joyous one  ily.  Activities  have  resumed  includ-
        governor’s COVID19 Outdoor Recreation  Guid-  for seniors living at Cedar Sinai Park.  ing bingo, exercise classes, Resident
        ance update released March 23. The guidance sets   With  most  residents  and  staff  fully  Council,  music,  crossword puzzles,
        a maximum cohort size of 16, which should remain   vaccinated  and COVID  restrictions  word games and art projects.
        consistent for both daytime activities and sleeping   relaxing, the seniors are enjoying get-  Even with the vaccines, Kimberly
        in bunks/cabins/campsites together. Facial coverings   ting out of their apartments and rooms.  emphasizes  PPE (mask/shield/gown),
        are required to be worn at all times by all staff and   Small group seders were just one sign  hand hygiene and distancing continues
        campers, and anyone else present at the camp, ex-  of the new freedoms (see related col-  to be the best defense.
        cept for when eating, drinking, brushing teeth, sleep-  umn page 10).         Administrator Krista Mattox, Harold
        ing or specific outdoor activities.          “Our vaccine rates and decreasing  Schnitzer Center for Living/Robison
                           See SUMMER CAMP, page  9  positivity rates in the Portland metro  Health Center, says residents have en-
                                                    area have created the opportunity for  joyed seeing their friends who reside in
                                                    CSP to come together in person,” says  other houses in the community.
          OR/WA Jewish Overnight Camps              CSP CEO Kimberly Fuson. “In addi-  “They are more able to move about
          Registration is open at:                  tion to indoor and outdoor visits, small  the  facility  and participate  in  an ex-
          bbcamp.org                                group activity and small group dining,  panded variety of activities,  such as
          campschechter.org                         perhaps most important is the human  bingo and group singalongs,”  says
          campkesher.ncsy.org                       connection. Our souls are lifted; We’ve  Krista. “Mostly, the ability  to visit
          Find other Jewish camps at:               begun, albeit cautiously, to hug again.  with their families has lifted  spirits
                                                    This is the result of the indomitable  and brought comfort in knowing they
          jewishcamp.org/one-happy-camper           spirit of each and every member of the  are loved by seeing and talking with
          Financial  aid/grants:  Each  camp  offers   CSP team throughout the pandemic. I  them in person.”
          financial aid on their websites. The Jewish   am truly humbled.”            Robison resident Rose adds, “I’m so
          Federation  of  Greater  Portland  provides   Under the relaxed restrictions,  res-  glad we can come out of our rooms and
          One Happy Camper incentive grants up to   idents now can gather  (socially dis-  do some activities and I can see my
          $1,000 for first-time campers.            tanced) in groups of 10 or fewer; fam-  family.”
                                                    ily visits are permitted with a limited    See CSP SENIORS, page  8
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