Reflections by a Camper with Down Syndrome



This post is part of our series dedicated to Jewish Disability Awareness Month.


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In the fall of 2013, the Foundation for Jewish Camp was matched with Devorah Lieberman, a young woman with Down Syndrome, through The Yachad/NJCD Vocational Services program.  We are thrilled and excited to have Devorah working here.  She has quickly become an asset to our organization and a part of our family. 

At FJC we are committed to ensuring that everyone in our community has the opportunity to participate in Jewish life.  We look forward to a bright future with Devorah as a colleague and enabling far more young Jews to participate in Jewish life including Jewish camp.

We wanted Devorah to have a voice in this series, so I’m pleased to share the piece she wrote below with you.

 – Abby Knopp, Vice President, Program and Strategy at Foundation for Jewish Camp

Here at the Foundation for Jewish Camp I file and alphabetize charts and checks, I stuff envelopes and I stamp envelopes using a machine. What I love about working at FJC is seeing different co-workers and talking to them at lunch. I have a really nice job coach that helps me do my job correctly, makes sure I understand what I am doing and that I am focused. I think it is important for me to work because I am mature, capable, responsible and efficient. I like that work keeps me busy and allows me to interact with other people. I am happy I work here and I think FJC is an important organization because I think camp is important. I have been going to Camp Morasha since I was 16 years old and have really enjoyed it. I was a camper for 4 years and a staff for 9 years. I really enjoy going to camp every summer. As a camper, I enjoyed doing activities like swimming, climbing walls and baking.  As a staff member, I enjoyed working in the baking room because I could eat the stuff that I make, the art room because I am an artist like my sister and I love doing the art projects and I enjoyed working in the office doing data entry. This summer I am starting a new camp called Camp Mesorah with Yachad and I am very excited and looking forward to going.

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