Community Magazine May 2021

IYAR-SIVAN 5781 / MAY 2021 31 “When a camp is well-run, there is nothing like it for the kids. They gain social and emotional skills, in a low pressure environment…” We’re All in This Together! After researching and writing this topic, my conclusion is: both sides are right. Many parents struggle to pay for camp but see the immense benefit they provide, and camps offer a valuable service that is, by nature, costly. We should feel fortunate to have a wide array of options for entertaining our children in the summertime. Especially after last year, camp can now be defined as many different things. A silver lining of 2020 may have been the normalizing of cheaper options so parents don’t have to bend over backwards to financially make summer happen. Keeping your kids home, taking them to a park, letting them play at a friend’s pool – we’ve now seen that this won’t be the end of the world… Taking a step back, this conversation marks an important contribution to the very significant trend that has grown across the world this past year – normalizing talking about things we don’t normally talk about, in a sincere, open-minded quest for solutions that work. It used to be the norm not to talk about financial burdens such as tuition, rent, summer homes, vacations, camp, and other things we’re just expected to be able to afford (with a smile). But no, it’s not easy, and yes, it’s okay to acknowledge the difficulty and address it. When we open up topics like this to a wider crowd, we get people talking and thinking of creative solutions to real, everyday struggles that we all face. We also create a sense of unity, because, after all, we’re all in this together. Wishing all of you a safe, healthy, and happy summer! CORONA TESTING, WORK AND SCHOOL PHYSICALS FOR OVER 585 EAST 2ND ST. 718.435.2592 NEWLY RENOVATED OFFICE! HOUSE CALLS AVAILABLE IN BROOKLYN AND DEAL FOR COVID TESTING, ANTIBODIES, STREP TESTS, AND BLOODWORK. FOR HOUSE CALLS 718-704-7544 HOUSE CALLS|EZRA HADDAD 718.704.7544