As Jewish overnight camps' summer 2024 sessions come to a close this week across most of Canada, several camp communities in Ontario have had to deal with sudden tragedies: the unexpected death of a councillor at one camp, and an accident at a different camp that took the lives of several cleaning employees.
In each case, camp directors quickly called for outside help, which included bringing in alumni to offer support, inviting in a therapy dog, holding yoga sessions and even arranging candlelight memorial prayers at the waterfront.
How well are Jewish summer camps prepared to deal with these crises? Did they give the support that was needed? Should parents race to bring their children back home when something tragic happens, or leave them up at camp, where they're among friends?
The CJN will not be naming the victims out of respect for their families, but Toronto grief counsellor Lynda Fishman has some advice about the important role that summer camps can play in developing a child's resilience in the face of hardship. She spoke to The CJN Daily a year ago, in July 2023, to explain why so many Jewish summer camps began adding mental health experts last year; today, we're re-airing that episode today to help families navigate these tragedies.
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