CAMPS

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Campers at Camp Gan
Israel of West
Bloomfield enjoying
the land.

Judaic Camps

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ALICE BURDICK SCHWEIGER

Special to The Jewish News

I

magine your child spend-
ing the summer canoeing
down rapid rivers in Col-
orado, or hiking through lush
green forests in California, or
sailing in crystal clear blue
lakes in Wisconsin. Now, im-
agine your child enjoying any
of these camping adventures
while balancing Judaic
studies at the same time. If
the idea sounds appealing, op-
portunities abound.
Hundreds of summer camps
around the country cater to
Jewish youngsters, offering
everything from a strong
Judaic study program, to an
emphasis on sports. Some
camps stress the creative arts,
including Israeli singing and
dancing, some offer rigorous
religious studies, some work
on honing athletic skills, and
some are just interested in
fostering Jewish identifica-
tion. Dietary habits vary from
camp to camp — featuring
strickly kosher kitchens, to
regular meals with elaborate
Shabbat dinners. But no mat-
ter what the focus, they all
have a common denominator,
which is an interest in pro-
moting Jewish life.
It may be hard for thoughts
to turn to summer, with the
frosty, wintry weather just
around the corner. But before
long, camps will begin accep-
ting applications, and parents

A comprehensive list of Judaic camps

across the country.

will be quickly signing their
offpspring's name on the dot-
ted line. By the time spring
has arrived, many camps will
be filled to capacity.
For parents who want their
children to enjoy a recrea-
tional, yet religious summer
experience, below is a sampl-
ing of Jewish residential
camps around the country to
accommodate any need.

JEWISH
COMMUNITY CENTER
SPONSORED CAMPS

Barney Medintz, located
at the base of the Ap-
palachian Mountains, offers
two four-week sessions for co-
eds presently in grades 2-10.
Basic camping skills,
backpacking, mountain bik-
ing, canoeing and rock clim-
bing trips are a part of the
program. Each camper is ex-
posed to Jewish culture and
history, and bar/bat mitzvah
preparation is available.
Meals are kosher, and the
camp is accredited by the
American Camping Associa-
tion.
Tuition is approximately
$1700 for each four-week
session.
For more information write:
JCC. 5342 Tilly Mill Road,

Dunwoody, Georgia 30338, or
call (404) 396-3250.
Camp Bauercrest, located
on Lake Attitash in Massa-
chusetts, offers two four-week
sessions for boys only ages
8-15. Tennis, water sports,
weightlifting, track and field,
archery and Jewish cultural
programs are available.
Tuition is $1075 for one
four-week session, and $1950
for both sessions. Meals are
kosher, and the camp is ac-
credited by the American
Camping Association.
For more information write:
39 Banks Road, Swampscott,
Massachusetts 01907, or
phone (617) 592-9421.
B'nai B'rith Camp, located
on the Oregon coast, claims to
be the oldest Jewish residen-
tial camp in the Pacific Nor-
thwest. Jewish style meals
are served and the camp of-
fers two three-week sessions
for boys and girls ages 8-14.
Folk dancing, water sports,
fishing, volleyball, tennis, soc-
cer and cookouts, as well as
Havdalah services and Shab-
bat activities, are scheduled.
Tuition is approximately
$570 for three weeks, and the
camp is accredited by the
American Camping
Association.

For more information write:
6651 SW Capitol Highway,
Portland, Oregon 97219, or
call (503) 244-0111.
Camp Chi, located on the
lakes of Wisconsin, offers four
sessions ranging from 10 days
to 27 days. The camp is open
to boys and girls from the
ages of 9-16, and the meals
are Jewish style. Activities in-
clude water sports, woodshop,
horseback riding, overnight
cookouts and Judaic enrich-
ment programs. The camp is
accredited by the American
Camping Association.
Tuition ranges from
$1400- $1500.
For more information write:
3050 Woodridge Road, P.O.
Box 828, Northbrook, Illinois,
or call (708) 272-2301.
JCC Ranch Camp, located
in Elbert, Colorado, offers an
enriched Judaic program in a
Rocky Mountain setting.
Open to co-eds from the ages
of 7-16, the camp has a two-
and four-week session. Ac-
tivities include swimming,
whitewater rafting, tripping,
western horseback riding and
arts and crafts, along with
learning about Jewish
heritage and culure. The
meals are kosher, and the
camp is accredited by the

.

American Camping Associa-
tion.
Tuition is approximately
$700 for the two-week session
and $1500 for the four-week
session. A two-week eques-
trian camp is also offered for
about $800.
For more information write:
Debra Rosenthal, P.O. Box
6196, Denver, Colorado
80206, or call (303) 399-2660.
Camp Laurelwood, situ-
ated in Madison, Connecticut,
near New Haven, balances
religious instruction with
sports and camping ex-
periences. Two four-week ses-
sions are open to boys and
girls ages 7-14. Tennis,
basketball, boating, archery,
softball, fishing, gymnastics,
computers, nature and
pioneering are some of the ac-
tivities offered. The meals are
kosher.
Fees are $1400 per ses-
sion.For more information
write: 419 Whalley Avenue,
New Haven, Connecticut
06511, or call (203) 624-2589.

Camp Livingston, located
in the hilly region of
southeastern Indiana, is a
strictly kosher camp open to
boys and girls ages 8-15. The
camp emphasizes Jewish
socialization, and there are
two four-week sessions, along
with a two-week session for
first timers. Activities include
Tennis, field sports, arts and
crafts, dance, swim instruc-

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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