Giving Children a Jewish Summer Camp Experience All Year Long

This summer, the Congregational Learning team launched the Camp-Connect Grant Project, an initiative designed to bring the experience of Jewish summer camp into year-round congregational learning programs. Research shows that participation in Jewish summer camp leads to deeper Jewish involvement as an adult.  In partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC), the Congregational Learning Department is working with four congregations in the New York area who will receive funding of up to $50,000 over three years: Temple Shaaray Tefila in New York City, Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, and Temple Beth Sholom and Temple Sinai, both in Roslyn, Long Island. The goal of the grant is to increase the number of children attending Jewish overnight camp and to create a year-round model of Jewish living and learning inspired by camp, in order to bring the benefits of camp into the congregational setting.