Brooklyn, NY – A Borough Park camp found a unique way to both entertain its campers and provide a service to the community by offering free car washes the day after Tisha B’Av.
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The Sanz Klausenberg Day Camp, located on 50th Street between 13th and 14th Avenue, arranged a full service car wash which was advertised on the Dee Voch Twitter account. While 50th Street, a bus route, could not be closed for the event, Simcha Bernath coordinator of Borough Park Shomrim arranged for the closure of 51st Street between 13th and 14th Avenue for the duration of the two hour event.
The car wash, whose water was supplied by block residents, consisted of six distinct stations, each manned by four campers ranging in age from eight to twelve. Each car had its tires and rims brushed, was sponged down and washed with soapy water and then sprayed down by hose wielding campers. A tent erected in the middle of the block was equipped with lawn sprinklers to thoroughly wash down each vehicle. Another group of campers towel dried the cars and at the final station, every driver was treated to the air freshener of their choice. An estimated one hundred cars took advantage of the car wash, which was held from 2 to 4 PM and was closely supervised by counselors at all times.
“This was a perfect activity after nine days of not being able to wash your car and definitely a first in Boro Park,” said videographer Heshy Rubinstein in an interview with VIN News. “It was set up beautifully and the campers did an excellent job.”
Sooo cute!
Refreshing news… They should have charged a few bucks so they can understand the meaning of work and earning
What a brainstorm!!
When is the next time there doing this. ? These camps come up with the weirdest cutest ideas. But who cares. The kids had a ball!!
thank you for posting this story. it’s nice to see something happy and enjoyable. Brilliant idea on the part of the day camp!
I laughed so much, this is adorable!!!
Though I think this it’s an adorable idea, In what halacha sefer does it say one may not wash his car during the nine days?
Thanks to Reb. Yossi Fromowitz!!!
thanks for giving these kids such a gr8 time all summer long! U R amazing!
Adorable! Every little boy’s dream. They all look so happy b”h.
Perhaps they should charge next time and have the funds go to Tzedukuh
Child labor?
Sandy – thanks for another great story by you! Was so impressed with the kids and the camp!
Great idea. My kids would LOVE doing it.
“This was a perfect activity after nine days of not being able to wash your car…” The source of this Halacha escapes me now. Can anyone refresh my memory?
Absolutely adorable–very impressed that the camp thought of doing this. I think the drivers had as much fun as the campers (maybe more), wish I would have known–my car could use a wash.
#12–not child labor–child fun–
Personally, I think this activity shows laziness on the part of the camp’s program director or whoever plans the activities. If I were paying to send my child to camp, I would expect a higher quality of program than washing cars. Since money was not exchanged for the service, the children did not even learn about tzedakah.