Jewish Camp: Building a Foundation for Jewish Life 

By Seth J. Katzen, President and CEO of Jewish Federation of Delaware

Welcome to the March issue—our Travel & Recreation feature and Summer Camp Guide. Have you visited JewishLivingDelaware.org, our online companion piece to the printed edition? We’ve developed a robust website that expands the magazine with additional content, as well as having the capability to provide timely updates in real-time that a monthly magazine simply cannot. 

Conducting a quick Google search on the importance of summer camp, I found that . . . 

Summer camp can provide children with many benefits, including: 

• Independence: Children can learn to make decisions for themselves and think independently.  

• Friendships: Children can make new friends and form strong bonds.  

• Confidence: Children can learn about themselves, try new things, and build self-esteem.  

• Teamwork: Children can learn to work together on projects and shared goals.  

• Developed skills: Children can focus on a skill they are passionate about and grow their abilities.  

• New interests: Children can explore new interests and hobbies.  

• Social skills: Children can learn to interact with peers from diverse backgrounds.  

• Resilience: Children can learn to face struggles and become more resilient.  

• Leadership skills: Children can learn to shine as a leader.  

• Creativity: Children can unleash their creativity through enrichment activities.  

• Role models: Children can interact with mentors and find good role models.  

• Outdoor exploration: Children can visit and see the natural world outdoors.  

• Uninterrupted play time: Children can enjoy more time to play.  

• Fond memories: Children can form unforgettable moments with their new friends and mentors.  

Included in this edition you will find a pull-out Summer Camp Guide with a number of local and regional options including Camp JCC (https://www.siegeljcc.org/camp), which highlights four Jewish values—kehillah (community), kavod (respect), chesed (kindness), and yosher (honesty). 

According to the Foundation for Jewish Camp and Jim Joseph Foundation’s Trends Report: State of Jewish Camp 2023, nearly 181,000 campers, teens, and college-aged staff participate in Jewish camp across—166 day camps and 158 overnight camps. 

Let us celebrate the resiliency and innovation of the field of Jewish camp as they continue to sustain and nurture multi-generational, joyful Jewish communities.