OPINION

It’s a Family Affair

Dave Schechter

From Where I Sit

The night before leaving Maine, I became a bit wistful. As another year’s visit to “Camp Schechter” came to an end, I wished we were staying longer. My wife is right: I am more relaxed there than anywhere else. The setting is idyllic: two simple cabins, in a woods, just steps from a lake, in an area less frequented by tourists. What makes this place special can be found in photographs displayed in the larger, green cabin — successive generations in the same surroundings.

That history began some eight decades ago, with my paternal grandmother and great-aunt. My brother the rabbi now holds the title. His maintenance and mechanical skills make it possible to live in a cabin where the inner wall is the outer wall, room partitions stop short of the ceiling, the kitchen is functional, and one does not luxuriate in the shower.

Having no such skills, I cut brush and paint; this year, the exterior of the smaller, white cabin, which I joke is held up by up coats of paint applied over the years. As a boy, I painted the same boards with my father.

Nine summers have passed since his death, but memories of my father are ever-present. I can sit in his rocking chair and watch the sunset from the same vantage point that he enjoyed.

Dad considered any day spent on the water to be a good day. In the canoe, the Navy veteran steered from the stern while I sat in the bow. “Put the wood in the water” was his way of telling me to talk less and paddle more.

I like to kayak early in the morning, when the lake is quiet, before a bugle call over a loud speaker rousts the nearby boys camp. On a really good day, I go out again as the setting sun shimmers on the water.

Each time, I hear Dad’s exhortation, “put the wood in the water.” And each time, I lift the paddle out of the water, let the kayak drift, and talk to my father, about the family and the beauty of the lake.

Seeing loons and hearing their distinctive call is a special treat. As many times as I have ventured out of our cove and into deeper water, I had never seen more than three together.

Until this year.

We — my wife, our youngest son, and I — arrived mid-afternoon on a Sunday. An hour or so later, after getting ourselves settled in the green cabin, we unchained the kayaks and unlocked the shed holding the paddles and life jackets.

There were five loons, identifiable by their black-andwhite plumage. They seemed not to regard our kayaks as a threat, unlike the motor boats that churn the water. We approached within a dozen or so feet, lifted our paddles and watched. After a while, marveling at our good fortune, we went our way and the loons went theirs.

Beyond the charm of exchanging our routines at home for the less harried life at the lake — and swapping Atlanta’s swelter for Maine’s cooler temperatures — we began the trip with a special occasion.

We usually fly to Portland, then drive the 75 miles to the cabins. This year, for a variety of reasons, we flew to Boston, where one of my sisters lives. That decision was one factor that made possible a reunion with my two brothers and two sisters (I am the oldest), and our 93-yearold mother, who traveled from Chicago with my other sister. We were last together at a niece’s wedding four years ago.

My mother was delighted, seeing not only her five children, but also four of her 11 grandchildren. I genuinely was surprised when presented with a cake to celebrate my birthday a few days early.

A hard rain fell the night before we left Maine, but ended in time for one last morning outing on the lake before following my brother’s checklist of duties before locking up.

My antidote for stress is to think of myself in the kayak, taking in the sky, the woods, and the water in a place where, admittedly, I am more relaxed. So, after pulling shut the door and turning the key, I walked to the water’s edge and took a lingering last look at the lake and the cabins.

That will have to sustain me until I return to Camp Schechter. ì

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A homemade sign welcomes family and friends to "Camp Schechter"

Letters to the Editor

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Letter to the editor,

Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act

It is estimated that nearly 13 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s [disease] by 2050, so it is critical we find better ways to care for them. Georgia has 150,000 people with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. By enhancing the coordination of dementia care, we can lessen the burden for individuals and their caregivers while reducing health care costs.

In 2020, caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementia provided an estimated 15.3 billion hours of care valued at nearly $257 billion.

It is extremely difficult for caregivers to navigate the maze of services and providers needed to care for someone with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. My family experienced this while taking care of both of my parents who suffered with Alzheimer’s for a total of 18 years. Coordinated Dementia Care Management will lead to improved outcomes for patients and caregivers and will lower Medicare costs. The Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act is the first step in being able to provide more integrated care and help caregivers navigate the complicated system.

Please join me and the Alzheimer’s Association in asking Sen. Raphael Warnock to co-sponsor the Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act. Additionally, I want to thank Senator Warnock for joining the Alzheimer’s Congressional Task Force. To learn more about this disease and how you can join the fight to end Alzheimer’s, visit www.alzimpact.org.

Debbie Levin, Atlanta

Letter to the editor,

A Thank You Note to the Atlanta Jewish Community

One of the most important lessons I was taught growing up was the importance of a thank you note, so I wanted to write one to the members of my community. When it came time each spring to start the summer internship search, I always found myself stumped. I was not like my friends in business who could apply to any job that had the word “finance” in the title and I was not a pre-med student looking for clinical hours. I could never find a job description that spoke to me and could help me demonstrate my interest in becoming a genetic counselor, so I turned to the Atlanta Jewish community.

I was at the computer staring at a job board when I remembered a guest speaker from when I worked at In the City Camps, when a representative from JScreen, a Jewish genetic screening test based in Atlanta, I was instantly intrigued after receiving a T-shirt that read “You’re My Genotype” — a clever genetics pun.

After getting in touch with JScreen, I was able to have a surprisingly productive summer [in] 2020, where I learned more about Jewish genetics and worked as an outreach intern. There, I was able to confirm my interest in genetics. This internship gave me the push I needed to keep learning about the field and how it was so much bigger than genetic testing kits, and how it affects real people in our community.

When starting to look for internships for this summer, I had remembered that the CEO and founder of the Jewish Fertility Foundation, Elana Frank, had worked at The Weber School in Atlanta at the same time I was a student there. I used that to bridge a connection and cold email Mrs. Frank and ask her to hop on a call with me.

Before I knew it, we were discussing how my interests in genetics could fit at JFF, where I was able to create my own internship for the summer that has allowed me to demonstrate my passion for genetics education, by most recently going “live” on social media with a JScreen genetic counselor. In addition, I now better understand how medical infertility affects people in our community, allowing me to get more acquainted with the counseling side of my interest.

My favorite part about being a part of the Atlanta Jewish community is how willing each individual is to help. Every time I describe my interests and passions, there is someone that is able to bridge a connection for me. Even on social media in the Jewish Women of Atlanta Facebook group I have been able to successfully meet professionals who are willing to help and build connections. So, thank you to all of the members of the Atlanta Jewish community who have selflessly helped me over the years, and I am looking forward to paying it forward in the future.

Jenna Grossman, Atlanta

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