By Esther Kleyman
Visiting Day at Camp Chayolei Hamelech in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania. We are sharing our last goodbyes, getting ready for a five-and-a-half ride back home. Sweet-hearted Dovid, with sincerity and love only the special souls with Down syndrome possess, exclaims to my husband (who he met about 10 minutes earlier) while giving him one last hug of the night, “I love you! You made my day!”
He proceeds to hug everyone around, with a loving smile and “I love you” to go with it.
It is no secret that parenting is a super hard 24/7 job and there is no doubt being a parent of a Down syndrome child is harder yet. There are so many medical and developmental challenges to overcome, so much more patience and advocacy needed, so many additional sacrifices made. I could not imagine an expecting mother to ever longingly tell someone “I wish my baby is born with a Down syndrome.”
Why am I writing about Dovid and parenting a child with Down syndrome after coming back from visiting my, thank G-d, healthy children having an awesome time in camp?
I am full of gratitude that my sons have an opportunity to get the many of Dovid’s “I love you”s and hugs during the course of their day at camp. I am grateful to see them tenderly asking Dovid about how his day’s going. I am humbled by the seemly endless source of love Dovid has for anyone who shows kindness to him. I am grateful to Dovid’s parents for sending him to Chayolei so my sons can learn from his loving ways! I am grateful to Chayolei for having the bunk of boys just like Dovid, who are special in so many ways.
They define Down syndrome as a condition where individuals have 47 chromosomes in each cell instead of 46. The 47th chromosome must me the chromosome of heavenly love and I am so grateful to the One Above for blessing us with the opportunities like we had Sunday, spending a few precious moments with Dovid, a camper who is the Love Chromosome Guardian.
a shout out to Mendel Kleyman from your toronto classmates
I have a son in Gan and EGP and they are both loving it! Great camp!
P. S. Nice to see Collive finally posting (positive) articles on Chayolei, perhaps we will start to see regular updates and pictures.
Thank you to camp Chayolei for giving my brother Dovid an incredible summer! He is having a wonderful time !
Thank you to his counselors and all the wonderful staff at Chayolei.
A very special Thank you goes to Rebbitzen Hecht for pioneering the concept of having a bunk for special needs kids/adults.
My sister Chani looks forward to going every year!
Thank you to all the wonderful staff at the Sunnshine bunk at camp Emunah!
Devorah Leah Reiter
Roslyn, Long Island
This kindness is a reflection of Shloimie Rutman the director who is a very special person! Keep up your great work!
Dovid is the best!! We all love him!!
Dovid is by far the most loving and caring person I’ve ever met
His smile is like a beam of light which uplifts your mood just from seeing it. Thank you to ALL the staff which help him out, Hashem should bless you!
Go Mendel kleyman, love your shiur beis mesivta friends!
As Dovid’s counselor and mentor it is a privilege to work with him on an everyday basis this summer. I am actually in the picture. I’m the counselor right next to Dovid in the green shirt.
This is such a inspiration, will definitely be sending my kids to Chayolei in the future!! My other camps learn from this amazing camp!
A groisen yasher koach. Amazing counselors and staff.
So moved I’m crying!
Does that shirt say don’t ask me I don’t work here ?
That’s hilarious! I wonder who came up with that 🙂
Beautiful article! And a big yasher koach to the head staff of chayolei! They are always out there caring for the kids and giving them an amazing chassidishe time of their life!!
Brought tears to my eyes!
I’ve known Dovid and his mom for years. He is the brightest young man and a true Chassid. Chayolei is the best camp. A match made in heaven
This camp is the most special camp ever. No other camp has a full bunk especially for special needs kids. Bunk Acheinu is a really special bunk. GO Camp Chayolei. Keep making the Rebbe happy
A graisen Yasher koach to the counselors!
Camp Chayolei Rocks!
And so true, ‘the chromosome of heavenly love’!