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Dear That’s Life,
With summer now in full swing, many of the local day camps have started tzedakah campaigns to help fund various worthy causes. The camp my two daughters attend is no exception. These organizations often send spokespeople to the camps to describe their purpose and generate enthusiasm amongst the campers. The explanation of a particular program, however, must have remained a little unclear to my younger daughter.
Upon arriving home from camp one afternoon this week, my older daughter began chatting excitedly about collecting tzedakah (and winning prizes, of course)! My little one, on the other hand, seemed very distressed.
“What’s wrong, Zahava?” I asked her. She quickly mumbled something about a child being very sick. Thinking that one of her campmates might be ill, I asked her to slowly repeat herself. “At camp today,” replied my daughter with all her three year old innocence, “they told us that Chayalah Lifeline was going to be in the hospital for five weeks!”
Shani Staple
Far Rockaway
Dear That’s Life,
Jewish Heritage Night at the Cyclone’s Keyspan Park includes what can be considered either the highlights of Judaism 101 or the stereotypical Jewish necessities. The on-field Hora was a sight to be seen, the singing of the Hatikvah at the start of the game threw unsuspecting fans way off, and the sixth inning being called by a “Rabbi Harry,” who insisted on referring to each player at bat by his position in Hebrew, really sealed the deal.
But it seems that spectators who were not members of the tribe really got into it.
It happens to be that where we sit, we rarely get t-shirts or freebies when they are tossed into the crowd, something minor league games are known for. An African American woman sitting in front of us with about six children of varying ages, had exhibited her “larger than life” personality a number of times during the game. Let’s just say, she was truly enjoying herself and getting her $12 worth.
During a t-shirt toss, as usual, the shirts did not come our way. Despite this woman’s cheering and taunting of the Cyclones’ rep who was nearest to our section, her efforts did not yield her anything but more disappointment, so she tried a different approach.
“Hey!” she screamed. “You! [pointing to the rep] Yeah, you! [still pointing]. What are we — chopped liver?!”
She began to laugh at herself and her remark. “I mean, after all, it is Jew Night, right?!”
Then I saw her face — now I’m a believer.
MLW
