The perfect fit

Give the Gift of Jewish Camp this Hanukkah

New York – We’re embarking on the season of giving and, if you’re a parent or grandparent, you know that a large part of that is gift giving. This year choose a Hanukkah present that your child will love and also creates a vibrant Jewish future – Jewish camp.

Nonprofit Jewish overnight camp offers the best of traditional camp from swimming to zip lines, boating to arts & crafts.  Kids have a blast while discovering who they are and learning Jewish values like tikkun olam (repairing the world).  That’s the beauty of Jewish camp – campers just see fun but they are learning self-confidence, independence, and leadership along with Hebrew, the value of community and teachings from the Torah.

For those kids who prefer non-conventional camp activities or have a special interest they would like to pursue, the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) is currently running the Specialty Camps Incubator II to launch four new camps that focus on sports, wellness, science & technology, business, and more, while weaving in Jewish culture, values and learning throughout the camp program.

Thanks to the generosity of The Jim Joseph Foundation and The AVI CHAI Foundation, the four new camps are now open for enrollment for summer 2014!

Camp Inc. will provide a business and entrepreneurial summer camp experience rooted in Jewish values on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder. Campers will learn how to build a company in an industry of their choice and gain the skills necessary to become innovators and social leaders in business, philanthropy and the Jewish community.

Camp Zeke will be a Poconos-area camp that will help children become healthier, fitter, happier and more spiritually-engaged Jews. It is founded on the time-honored Jewish lesson that physical and spiritual wellbeing go hand-in-hand. Focusing on pure foods, energizing fitness activities and culinary arts, Camp Zeke will immerse campers in traditional teachings of shmirat haguf (taking care of the body) and the latest developments in exercise science and nutrition.

JCC Maccabi Sports Camp will be for young Jewish athletes who are passionate about sports and desire to advance their skill levels. Based in the San Francisco area, this camp’s focus will be less on the individual’s current skill level than on the athlete’s capacity to be coached and a commitment to competitive sports with Jewish values and traditions weaved into the every day.

URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy will provide quality educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for campers in Byfield, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. It will not only engage campers’ curiosity about the world through hands-on exploration, experimentation and reflection, but it will also immerse them in a vibrant Jewish community. Jewish values, ethics and tradition will be woven together with the spirit and excitement of open scientific inquiry.

One Happy Camper grants are available for first time campers attending these new camps as well as other Jewish camps.  Find out if your child is eligible for up to $1000 at OneHappyCamper.org.

For more information: contact Alicia Zimbalist alicia@jewishcamp.org, or call

646-278-4546.

Editor’s note: The Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC) is the only public organization dedicated solely to nonprofit Jewish overnight camps. FJC employs a variety of strategies toward a single goal: to increase the number of children in Jewish summer camps. To this end, the Foundation creates inspiring camp lead-ers, expands access to and intensifies demand for camp, and develops programs to strengthen camps across the Jewish spectrum in North America. Through strategic partnerships on local and national levels, FJC raises the profile of Jewish camp and serves as a central resource for parents and organizations alike. FJC works with more than 155 camps, 73,000 campers, and 11,000 counselors across North America each sum-mer to further its mission.