It was an unbelievable experience for the girls at Camp Simcha. What was supposed to be a brief visit by HaRav Rabbi Osher Weiss, shlita, of Yerushalayim turned into an hours-long opportunity to meet with the highly respected Dayan and Rosh Yeshiva.

A prolific author who has penned more than 30 seforim, HaRav Weiss was on a four day visit to America when he was invited to address Camp Simcha’s girls, the first of four summer sessions run by Chai Lifeline, giving more than 450 seriously ill children from all over the world an incredible summer experience. Following a short speech on the power of a positive attitude and the importance of prioritizing simcha, HaRav Weiss was presented with a handmade havdala candle created by a pair of Israeli campers. Brief notes in both Hebrew and English accompanying the gift thanked HaRav Weiss for being a source of inspiration and extended the campers’ wishes to HaRav Weiss and his wife for their continued good health and happiness.

Despite having planned for just a ten minute stay in Camp Simcha, HaRav Weiss ended up staying far longer after acquiescing to a request to meet with the campers.

“He sat for two and a half hours and met with every single girl individually,” said Rabbi Shay Schachter, Rosh Beis Medrash of the Young Israel of Woodmere who served as Camp Simcha’s on site rabbi for the girls’ session. “He gave each one a bracha, asking them where they were from and what they wished for in life. There were counselors who seized the chance to speak to HaRav Weiss and each one received a bracha as well.”

HaRav Weiss also met separately with Camp Simcha’s Israeli division, addressing them in Hebrew as a group and giving each girl a personal bracha. Before leaving Camp Simcha’s Glen Spey campus, HaRav Weiss, the Posek for Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, spent close to an hour at the infirmary impressing the prominent medical team with his expertise in both halacha and medicine. HaRav Weiss offered his services to the infirmary staff, instructing them to contact him personally for advice in future medical dilemmas.

With an appeal that spans the spectrum and fluency in English, Hebrew and Yiddish, HaRav Weiss was able to connect instantly with the girls, even those who come from less observant homes.

“Some of our girls aren’t even religious,” said Rabbi Schachter. “But every one of them was so moved by HaRav Weiss’s visit.”

One teenager who was told by doctors that she has just weeks left to live was sobbing uncontrollably when she met HaRav Weiss, explaining that she never expected to meet someone so holy in her lifetime. HaRav Weiss was visibly moved at times, clearly touched by the campers and their indomitable spirit.

The special visit left an indelible impression on the camp, creating unforgettable memories for the girls who basked in the glow of HaRav Weiss’ genuine warmth and affection.

“He greeted every girl even closer than a father would greet his own child,” noted Camp Director, Nachman Maimon. “The girls felt so comfortable in his presence. The amount of encouragement he offered the girls and the way he made each one feel so special was like nothing else I have ever seen. It was clear that not only was HaRav Weiss emotionally affected by his visit, but that the girls were touched in the same way.”

Camp Simcha is the only kosher summer camp in the country that gives children and teens with life-threatening and chronic illnesses the chance to enjoy a medically supervised overnight experience. The camp, located in Glen Spey, New York, is free of charge, and covers transportation costs for all campers. It is sponsored by Chai Lifeline, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, that gives children with illnesses, their families and communities the tools to meet the challenges in their lives.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)