Five Towns summer camps face uncertain future

Usually when June arrives, excitement is in the air for children as school is closing and summer camps begin at the end of the month. This summer, things might be different.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the future camps being open this summer is unknown. Camps in the Five Towns are taking a wait and see approach on how to proceed with  scheduling.

Hillel Day Camp uses the grounds of the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway Lawrence campus and offers swimming, sports and arts in a Modern Orthodox Yeshiva environment. The camp’s executive director, Evan Leibowitz, said that the camp is hoping to go on as scheduled, but they are prepared to adjust accordingly. 

“We believe that summer camp is so important to a child’s social and emotional well-being and if we could provide a sense of normalcy during these times, we aim to do so,” Leibowitz said. “The safety and health of our campers, staff, and Hillel families are our top priority and we are planning for all possibilities and modifications that we may need to implement.” Hillel is currently scheduled to run from June 29 to Aug. 21. 

Leibowitz added that Hillel will abide by any social distancing requirements. “As we await guidance from the Nassau County Department of Health we are planning for a variety of circumstances,” he said. “Such as decreasing our already low camper to staff ratio and keeping all activities on campus.” 

According to Leibowitz, Hillel typically averages roughly 900 campers and 300 staff members each summer. Social distancing requirements currently call for people to maintain at least six feet of distance from each other. “There are a lot of things on the table for us,” he said. “This includes increasing the footprint of our campus and having campers split up and eat their meals in classrooms instead of eating in the cafeteria.” 

Lawrence Woodmere Academy has a summer day camp at its campus in Woodmere. Officials are uncertain about if camp will open. A statement on the camp’s website from director Candice Morgenlander outlined the next steps. “The health and safety of our camp families and staff is paramount,” she said. “We will continue to monitor the situation and any updates as it relates to Covid-19 will be shared via email and on our website.”

The Hebrew Academy of Long Beach also holds a summer camp that according to HALB’s Executive Director Richard Hagler is scheduled to begin late-June. “We’re proceeding as if we’re going to have summer camp,” Hagler said. “Like everybody else, we’re going to follow what government agencies such as the CDC and the county’s department of health say.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the nation's health protection agency.

Hagler did acknowledge that plans could change for the camp that has roughly 1,000 campers and 200 staff members each year. “We will hopefully be open but we have no idea what the future holds,” he said. “We don’t know more than anybody else about how things will be this summer. This whole year has been difficult for us and this circumstance with the summer camp isn’t any different.”