It’s not every Shabbos that tears of joy are shed by grown men and women.

But these were no ordinary Shabbosim.

This was history in the making – the first ever Shabbos at Camp Kaylie for girls and the first ever Camp Kaylie Shabbos for boys a week later –at the first ever fully integrated camp for kids of ALL abilities, singing, dancing, sharing Divrei Torah’s together. The exuberance was electrifying, the moment was transformational.

A vision of the OHEL Bais Ezra Board of Directors, Camp Kaylie opened this past Thursday August 19th welcoming the first ever fully integrated group of girl campers ages 10-16; that is an equal number of typical kids with no disabilities and kids with development disabilities.

While Camp Kaylie only officially opens Summer 2011, this year, Camp Kaylie ran an End-End-Summer program for girls between August 19-August 25 and for boys between August 26- August 29th.

Equally enriching is the fact that Camp Kaylie campers have come from diverse yeshivas and different communities – from Flatbush, Five Towns, Monsey and all communities between.  Campers arrived from as far afield  as Los Angles and Toronto– reflecting the united passion in nurturing inclusivity and personal growth through a greater understanding and increased sensitivity to challenges more often unfamiliar and misunderstood.

Nestled in over 100 acres with a private lake, Camp Kaylie offers a most picturesque setting. Coupled with unparalleled activities and sports from zip lining to swimming, basketball, hockey, volleyball and go-carting, arts and crafts to theater, a carnival and concert Camp Kaylie offers campers a most exhilarating summer camp experience ever!

The palatable ruach at Camp Kaylie has been instantaneous and can perhaps be best expressed in the words of a typical camper Shari, age 13 from Brooklyn who commented that “sharing a bunk with kids of my age with different abilities is something that brings us all so much closer together, “ and Shoshana a 13 year old camper with Aspergers Syndrome emotionally conveyed that  “at other camps I was seen as different, at Camp Kaylie I am not a chessed project – I am one of the team!”

Camp Kaylie is much more than just a camp…it’s an experience for life!

For more information or applications as a camper or staff member for Summer 2011, please visit http://www.campkaylie.org, or call Peretz Hochbaum Camp Director 718-686-3162 or Email [email protected].