Jewish summer camp
A Jewish summer camp is a summer camp dedicated to Jewish communities. In the United States these camps grew in popularity in the years after World War II and the Holocaust as an effort by American Jewish leaders to preserve and produce authentic Jewish culture.[1] Outside the United States, similar camps are generally organized by various philanthropic organizations and local Jewish youth movements.[2]
Jewish summer camps vary in their religious observance and affiliations; some are secular, while others have ties to Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox Jewish organizations. Some camps have ties to Zionist movements or organizations, such as Young Judaea, Betar, Habonim Dror, Hashomer Hatzair and B'nei Akiva.[3]
History[edit]
United States[edit]
Jewish summer camps began near the end of the 19th century, when the Jewish population in the United States increased via immigration. It was a way for Jewish children of Eastern European immigrants to assimilate and "Americanize" at a time when summer camps excluded Jews from their ranks, as well as a way to allow children living in the city to experience the countryside.[1][3][4] The first Jewish summer camp, Camp Lehman, was founded in 1893 in New York.[4] Another early camp, Surprise Lake Camp, was founded in 1902, aimed towards "lower-income boys from Manhattan’s Lower East Side".[4] Early camps primarily had ties to socialist, Yiddish, or Zionist Jewish organizations.[4]
Most of the early camps also catered primarily to boys; but the Young women's hebrew association was running summer camps by 1925.[5]
After the Second World War the number of Jewish camps in the U.S. expanded as a way to preserve Jewish culture.[1][4] This period also saw the founding of camps tied to the Reform and Conservative movements.[3][4] Some camps, such as Camp Hemshekh, were founded specifically for the children of Holocaust survivors.[2]
Many Jewish summer camps began observing Tisha B'Av, a Jewish fast day that falls in the American summer, which had largely "fallen into obscurity among American Jews". Some camps used the day to reinforce the need for the state of Israel, while others used it to focus on past tragedies, such as the Holocaust, or on acts of charity.[1][2][6]
The 2010s and 2020s have seen the creation of specialized Jewish summer camp programs, for groups such as adults[7] and LGBT children.[8]
Outside the United States[edit]
American-style Jewish summer camps can also be found in other countries, such as Camp Kimama in Israel.[2] Notably, a Jewish summer camp in southern France, MahaNetzer, was founded in the mid-2010s and draws from American and Israeli influences.[9]
Demographics[edit]
United States[edit]
In 2018, 80,000 campers attended Jewish summer camps in the United States.[3] The Foundation for Jewish Camp estimates that the country's 150 non-profit Jewish summer camps are staffed by over 8,500 Jewish college-aged counselors.[2] A 2013 Pew Research study found that a third of American Jews had attended a Jewish summer camp at least once;[10] a 2021 study found that number to be closer to 40%.[11]
A 2011 study by the Foundation for Jewish Camp found that individuals who attended camp were more likely to attend synagogue regularly, donate to Jewish organizations, and have an "emotional attachment" to Israel.[12]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Prichep, Deena (June 27, 2023). "To save Jewish culture, American Jews turned to summer camp". NPR. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Kafrissen, Rokhl (May 31, 2023). "The Forgotten Summer Camps". Tablet. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Sales, Ben (May 22, 2020). "How summer camp has become an American Jewish institution". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Karpen, Elizabeth (July 24, 2023). "The history of Jewish summer camp: How 8 weeks a year molded Jewish-American identity". Jewish Unpacked. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Mike (2023-11-29). "The Evolution of Jewish Summer Camps". The Detroit Jewish News. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ^ Kaplan, Ruth (2020-08-04). "The Rhythms of Jewish Summer Camp: Tisha B'Av Endures". JewishBoston. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ^ Singer, Jenny (2018-09-30). "Rosé, Sex, & Bonfires: Inside The World Of Adult Jewish Summer Camp". The Forward. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ^ Hajdenberg, Jackie (2022-05-05). "Jewish summer camp veterans are opening a camp for trans kids. It was filled within weeks". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ^ "What I Learned at a Jewish Camp in France". Reform Judaism. 2024-05-15. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ^ "A Portrait of Jewish Americans". Pew Research Center. 2013-10-01. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ^ Mitchell, Travis (2021-05-11). "4. Marriage, families and children". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ^ Cohen, Steven M.; Miller, Ron; Sheskin, Ira M.; Torr, Berna (2011). "Camp Works: The Long-Term Impact of Jewish Overnight Camp" (PDF). Foundation for Jewish Camp.
Further reading[edit]
- Sales, Amy L.; Saxe, Leonard (2004). "How Goodly are Thy Tents": Summer Camps as Jewish Socializing Experiences. Brandeis series in American Jewish history, culture, and life. Hanover: Brandeis University Press. ISBN 978-1-58465-347-9.
- Lorge, Michael M.; Zola, Gary Phillip (2006). A Place of Our Own: The Rise of Reform Jewish Camping. Judaic studies series. Tuscaloosa (Ala.): University of Alabama Press. ISBN 978-0-8173-1486-6.
- Reimer, Joseph (2022). Making Shabbat. Brandeis University Press. ISBN 9781684580972.
- Fox, Sandra (2023). The Jews of Summer: Summer Camp and Jewish Culture in Postwar America. Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-1503633889.
