Camp Plays Host to Disabled Students

When the organizers of Camp Chesed/Camp Dora Hauser handed out an award for best camper this week, they realized they had a 31-way tie.

All the campers were found to be the best-liked and best-behaved, which oddly enough, has also happened the past two years at the weeklong day camp.

Camp Chesed, which is Hebrew for loving-kindness, plans activities for mentally and physically challenged Jewish students from Los Angeles. The free camp is funded through private donations and the campers do everything from arts and crafts to field trips to Universal Studios and Discovery Zone.

“It makes us feel good to make people happy,” said Jalena Hay, now 14, who helped found the camp three years ago.

This year the camp was held at the Bernard Milken Jewish Community Campus in West Hills. Friday’s Shabbat party was a highlight at which campers and their parents joined in songs, dancing and lots of food.

The campers range from ages 6 to 28 and include those with cerebral palsy, autism and Down syndrome, said Jacques Hay, the camp’s director and Jalena’s father.

This year marked the third summer Leah Hill of Los Angeles has taken her daughter, Talia, 7, to the camp.

“It’s so hard to get a camp together for kids with special needs,” Hill said. “All sorts of organizations just can’t get it together, but this family has done it.”

Hill said the camp has also included her two other daughters in various activities with Talia, who has cerebral palsy. She said it helps Talia’s siblings not to feel left out.

“That happens a lot when you have children with special needs,” Hill said.