Jewish summer camps help make Jews for life

What does summer enrichment look like for your child? Summer is the perfect time for children to have fun while building the skills, traits, values and relationships that lead to success in life. And Jewish summer camps add an extra dimension to summer camps by building character and  forming deep attachments to Judaism.

Character development is a core principle of Judaism. Character is not a finite endowment, but an ever-expanding capacity. Some say that character is built by learning from our mistakes. Yet, parents today often try to protect their children from making mistakes.  At Camp JORI, we understand this phenomenon and build character by intentionally pairing a measured risk of failure with the colossal likelihood of success.

Camp counselors and campers maximize the likelihood of success by supporting every challenge and potential achievement with encouraging words and acts. This is what makes the “friends for life” that camp leaders often talk about.

Summer enrichment can also lead to growing Jewishly; studies overwhelming show that children who attend Jewish camp are more involved Jewishly as adults.  The reason behind this might lie in attachment theory.  Attachment is “a lasting psychological connectedness to others” and there is a recipe for creating it: begin with a safe environment, add fun and play, nurture friendships, value each other’s unique contributions, and encourage caring for others. The community that succeeds in this endeavor is rewarded with our lasting emotional attachment.  This is the secret sauce of Jewish camp and what makes the experience stick.

DEB SALINGER is director of Camp JORI, a Kosher overnight and day camp on Worden’s Pond in Wakefield. For more information, go to www.campjori.com.