While Chabad’s Shluchim (emissaries) gathered for their conference in New York last week, their children were enjoying a special camp.
The camp was run simultaneously as the adults were taking part in the conference.
“The children get to meet their friends and relatives and fellow Shluchim from around the world and spend a very uplifting weekend with them,” Berel Bendet of the camp told Arutz Sheva. “Some of them live in very far places where they don’t have religious friends and this means a lot to them, to be able to group together and strengthen [one another], and go back with new enthusiasm.”
While it is obvious what kind of role the parents play as Chabad emissaries, some wonder if their children play any part in their parents’ job. Bendet said that the children are no less important than the parents.
“The child of a shaliach can [play a part] in many many areas, from helping his parents to dealing with the kids in his community to dealing with the adults in his community,” he said. “I myself grew up in a place of shlichut and I know firsthand that there can be many areas where a child is involved in programs, learning with other children, and even learning with adults and helping adults in all sorts of ways.”
The camp program, Bendet said, includes prayer, singing, learning together, trips, receiving a blessing from the Rebbe in Queens, but most of all – having fun.